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[00:00.04]Argentina recently launched a new national agency

[00:05.40]that aims to expand the country's cannabis industry.

[00:09.64]Ministers hope that the move will help create new jobs

[00:13.84]and exports for the South American nation.

[00:17.72]In a conference launching the national hemp and cannabis agency,

[00:22.84]ARICCAME, Economy Minister Sergio Massa said,

[00:27.28]"This opens the door for Argentina to start a new path

[00:31.72]in terms of industrial exports,

[00:34.36]on the basis of huge global demand."

[00:37.60]He added, "All this needs to be transformed

[00:41.60]into an industry which generates work,

[00:44.60]which generates exports for Argentina

[00:47.64]and which generates value."

[00:50.64]Massa said that the agency would begin working

[00:54.04]with local governments and industry.

[00:57.32]Argentina is depending on demand for projects

[01:01.48]linked to the agriculture and industrial sector, he said.

[01:07.08]Francisco Echarren, who will lead the agency,

[01:11.24]said the industry could create thousands of new jobs,

[01:15.04]technological developments and new products for export.

[01:19.72]"We have a huge challenge ahead of us," he said,

[01:23.28]"not only getting a new industry on its feet,

[01:26.64]but giving millions of Argentines

[01:28.92]access to products that improve quality of life."

[01:33.32]Argentina made cannabis oil legal for medicinal use in 2017.

[01:39.28]This change permitted the federal government

[01:42.36]to grow the plant for research and treatment purposes.

[01:46.56]In 2020, Argentina made it legal for people

[01:50.96]to grow marijuana at home for medicinal use.

[01:54.88]The act also made it legal for drug stores

[01:57.92]to sell products taken from cannabis.

[02:01.40]In addition, the new rule ordered insurers

[02:05.32]to cover marijuana-based medications

[02:08.08]for patients with written permission from a doctor.

[02:12.40]Uruguay became the first modern country

[02:15.20]to directly permit growing, selling

[02:18.00]and smoking marijuana in 2013.

[02:21.12]In Colombia, President Gustavo Petro

[02:24.84]has also spoken about more laws

[02:27.68]to increase the country's cannabis industry.

[02:31.56]I'm John Russell.

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Words in This Story

cannabis – n. a tall herb that is used to make drugs such as marijuana or hashish

global – adj. worldwide

transform – v. to change (something) completely and usually in a good way

challenge – n. a difficult task or problem : something that is hard to do

access – n. permission or power to enter or make use of

insurer – n. a company that provides insurance