In recent years, the Federal Government of Mexico has been making significant changes to the way CBD and other cannabis products are regulated and controlled within the country. Many people living in Mexico, or who are thinking of traveling abroad to Mexico find the laws confusing.
This article seeks to clear the air when it comes to the legality of buying, and using CBD products in Mexico.
Currently, CBD products with less than 1% of THC are now sold legally as supplements, just as you would buy vitamins or Omega-3. However, there are some rules that complicate CBD’s regulation.
Mexico is currently considered as having a legal grey area for CBD — with some laws allowing citizens to use the supplement, while others make things difficult (such as the application to import).
If you want to buy CBD products in Mexico, this article is the ultimate guide to help you get started.
Number | Product | Total CBD | Potency | Cost per mg CBD | Link |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Hemp Bombs CBD Oil |
300 – 4000 mg |
10 – 133.3 mg/mL |
$0.07 – $0.17 |
|
2 |
Nature’s Script CBD Oils |
300 – 4000 mg |
10 – 133 mg/mL |
$0.07 – $0.17 |
|
3 |
Charlotte’s Web CBD Oils |
210 – 6000 mg |
7 – 60 mg/mL |
$0.05 – $0.19 |
|
4 |
Endoca CBD Oils |
300 – 1500 mg |
30 – 150 mg/mL |
€0.08 – €0.09 |
|
5 |
Kat’s Naturals Naked THC-Free Sublingual CBD Oil |
250 – 1500 mg |
50 mg/mL |
$0.11 – $0.14 |
|
6 |
NuLeaf Naturals CBD Oil |
240 – 4850 mg |
48.5 mg/mL |
$0.09 – $0.16 |
In short, yes — CBD products containing less than 1% THC content is legal to purchase in Mexico.
COFEPRIS — the main regulatory body for CBD supplements, released seven applications to different companies to import and produce CBD products derived from hemp.
In total, 38 products have been approved — 21 are supplements, nine are cosmetics, six are food and two raw materials. These met the requirements and are currently being exported or imported by these national and foreign companies: HempMeds Mexico, Mariguanol, Foria Awaken, CBD Life, CBD Science, Endo Natural Labs and Master Pharmacies.
Although only a handful of companies have been officially approved, most people report no issues ordering CBD products from the United States and having it shipped to their address.
Importation, as well as exportation of cannabis oil, needs authorization by COFEPRIS. As mentioned above, there are 38 products based on hemp oil which have been approved for sales — but this number is growing every month to include new products and companies.
You may be able to order other products from places like the United States or Europe and have CBD products shipped to your doorstep. Your package may be confiscated at the border, but most people don’t report any trouble ordering CBD products to their address.
Within Mexico, there are only a few CBD companies currently offered in local shops. These are the companies that have been pre-approved by COFEPRIS:
After promoting the regulation of medical marijuana, Grace’s father, Raúl Elizalde now helps people who need cannabis-derived medicines as president of the Latin America division of HempMeds.
HempMeds is a Californian company that sells a wide range of cannabis products, and the first CBD company to enter Mexico.
This is the first Mexican brand to start selling cannabis products. They sell three CBD balms, Cold, Warm, and Calm.
The Warm balm has an effective combination of CBD with natural ingredients, like eucalyptus and apricot oil. CBD Life’s Cold balm is a refreshing combination of aloe vera, arnica, chamomile and isolate CBD. The Calm balm has a unique combination of Aloe barbadensis leaves, cranberry extract, Centella asiatica and CBD isolate.
CBD Life is the official distributor of the two other brands as well:
A) Mariguanol — This is a popular, traditional Mexican marijuana ointment aimed at supporting rheumatic pain, arthritis or inflammation. It’s been on the market for many years now and gone from being a black market product to listed in pharmacies across Mexico. CBD Life recently bought the trademark for this product.
B) Foria Awaken — This is a well-known American company, and CBD Life has been granted its exclusive distribution in Mexico. Foria sells high-quality CBD products that call attention to the role of cannabis in the intimacy and lifestyle of women. While they may not have a wide selection of products in its catalog, each formula is well determined to address a specific concern.
This Mexican lab manufactures sublingual CBD and THC oils. The company hasn’t officially opened for business yet, but hopes to launch in early 2021.
The company aims to develop capsules, oral, topical solutions and sprays later in 2021. This lab will source raw materials from the Canadian company, Aurora Cannabis.
The other option is to order your products online and have them shipped to your doorstep. This allows you to purchase, at your convenience, from a much larger range of CBD companies and products.
Most people living in Mexico order their CBD supplements from the United States — which has the most diverse marketplace for CBD products in the world. There are hundreds of companies currently selling CBD oils out of the United States, and shipping fees to Mexico remain relatively cheap.
Most people will simply order the product online and have it shipped to their address — we haven’t found any examples of people who had their products confiscated at the border, but this is always a possibility.
Technically, you need to apply for approval to import CBD products into Mexico. This is a bit of a process, but once completed, it becomes very easy to order CBD online and have it shipped to your address legally.
If you want to import CBD products, you have to follow the guidelines put in place by COFEPRIS.
Currently, the only products that can be imported must have concentrations of less than 1% of THC, and a valid Certificate of Analysis.
The process for importing CBD to Mexico is as follows:
Authorities have three business days to answer the request, if not, a request can be taken as approved, and permission must be granted. If the product you want doesn’t have a CoA, you can request your product to be tested by COFEPRIS. Once your request is granted you are free to order online from whichever company ships to Mexico.
Pros | Cons |
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The cannabis plant arrived in Mexico from the Spanish colonizers in the early 1500s. The herb was primarily used to make ropes and fabrics for Spanish ships and newly-formed colonies.
Around 1920, from the influence of an American by the name of Harry J. Anslinger, the production, sale, and recreational use of cannabis was officially banned in Mexico. Anslinger was largely responsible for the banning of cannabis plants around the world, starting in the United States that would last for decades.
A turning point in history was Graciela Elizalde’s case in Monterrey, Mexico.
Eight-year-old Graciela Elizalde was diagnosed with Lennox Gastaut syndrome, causing her to suffer from as many as 400 seizures per day. In August 2015, she was granted permission to import a cannabis oil rich in CBD as treatment.
The girl’s father, Raúl Elizalde (now president of HempMeds Mexico) found a judge who granted his daughter access to cannabis oil as a treatment for her condition. The results were nothing short of amazing — reducing her seizures dramatically to just a few per week.
This case became iconic in the fight for medical cannabis in Mexico.
By June 19, 2017, president Enrique Peña Nieto signed a bill into law that officially legalized the cultivation, production, and use of non-psychoactive medical cannabis products with less than 1% THC in Mexico.
A year later, in 2018, president-elect AMLO’s party moved toward full marijuana legalization to fight the violence and poverty that resulted from the prohibition ban across the country. Olga Sánchez Cordero, who was then-senator, now Interior Secretary of Government, proposed an initiative to fully decriminalize and regulate personal, industrial, medical, and scientific use.
This would also allow every Mexican to grow up to 20 marijuana plants on private property and produce up to 17 ounces (480 grams) a year under the condition that growers register their plants.
In the same year, the Supreme Court of Mexico declared it unconstitutional to ban marijuana’s recreational use, stating that “the fundamental right to the free development of the personality allows the persons of legal age to decide what kind of recreational activities they wish to carry out.”
The Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS) and the Ministry of Health issued new cannabis regulations in April 2020.
Today, although it’s still illegal to possess marijuana, and the plant’s sale or its derivatives is considered drug trafficking at the moment, Mexicans interested in growing and consuming marijuana, whether for medical or recreational purposes, may request legal protection. All courts in the country are required to grant permission to consume marijuana for recreational purposes.
The cultivation and consumption of marijuana for recreational purposes must have a permit processed by COFEPRIS. The issuance of this permit, however, is currently prohibited.
The permit will allow personal use, planting, harvesting, transportation and everything related to personal consumption of cannabis products.
The CBD market in Mexico is huge — in 2018, the CBD Life company said that the Mexican market could reach sales of 150 billion dollars by 2023.
When shopping for CBD products online, it’s important to consider the following factors of what makes for a good CBD product or company:
Don’t forget: your CBD product cannot contain more than 1% of THC if you want to have it sent to Mexico — make sure to double-check this before making the purchase.
Use the Code DAILYCBD for 20% Off
Legal reforms and initiatives regarding cannabis products have been changing significantly in recent years. Now, the country has the potential to become a leader in the cannabis space for Latin America.
As of April 2020, new regulations governing how CBD is sold and manufactured were officially entered into law.
Currently, the process to get a permit for the importation of CBD oil through Cofepris is relatively simple and now a few local companies are making CBD products locally accessible to people as well.
Remember to first talk to your doctor about using CBD oil and get a legal prescription before ordering products online. Once you have a permit, thoroughly review the company you wish to order from, check for third party lab tests, high-quality hemp, and fair prices.