First medicinal marijuana farm approved in Chile

Santiago: The Chilean authorities have approved the first marijuana farm in the capital city of Santiago, but only for medicinal and research purposes.

The initiative, presented May 23 before Chile's Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG), was to produce cannabis oil for use in the treatment of cancer patients.

In Chile, marijuana use is not against the law, but sale and cultivation of the psychoactive drug is prohibited.

However, for some time the government has been open to the possibility of giving broader authorisation for its medicinal use.