Despacito: Cannabis Legalization in Puerto Rico Moves, But Slowly

Home | Canna Law Blog | Despacito: Cannabis Legalization in Puerto Rico Moves, But Slowly Puerto Rico Representative Héctor Ferrer Santiago plans to introduce a bill this month to decriminalize adult-use cannabis. In addition, he raised the prospect of a separate bill that would "regulate where [cannabis] can be consumed and under which circumstances, as with [tobacco]." Medical cannabis is already legal on the island. This would not be the first time that Puerto Rico's legislature has considered decriminalization, but its current makeup appears more favorable for passage of such an initiative, with Ferrer's Popular Democratic Party (PPD) holding 26 of the House of Representative's 51 seats. The PPD is not exactly an advocate of cannabis reform, but it was the last PPD governor who legalized medical cannabis, and the party's 2020 gubernatorial candidate favored the "deregulation" of adult-use cannabis. Moreover, a decriminalization bill can all but count on the support of three representatives belonging to smaller parties (MVD and PIP) on the left of the political spectrum. Should the bill clear the lower house, a similar scenario should play out in the Senate. There, the PPD, MVD, and PIP together hold 15 of the 27 seats. An additional seat is held by José Vargas Vidot, an independent senator who sponsored a decriminalization bill introduced during the past legislature (together with a PPD senator, Miguel Pereira, who in turn had presented a bill during the preceding legislature). Ferrer "was emphatic" that he is not aiming to legalize adult-use cannabis. Given that he is an authorized medical cannabis user, one wonders if Ferrer truly believes legal adult-use cannabis is a dangerous prospect. It seems more plausible that he is making a political calculation regarding what is acceptable to the Puerto Rican electorate at this time. In any case, decriminalization would be a welcome development, both for its own sake and as a potential stepping stone toward adult-use cannabis legalization. While we would like to see bolder initiatives, it may be that legalization in Puerto Rico has to move ahead pasito a pasito. Check Out Our Cannabis Law Services Share Twitter Facebook LinkedIn E-mail Comment Fred Rocafort Fred leads Harris Sliwoski’s intellectual property practice and is the coordinator of the firm’s international team. Much of Fred’s practice consists of helping cannabis businesses protect their brands. He also works with entrepreneurs and companies entering the Web3 space, a new frontier for IP law. Prior to joining Harris Sliwoski, Fred worked overseas for more than a decade, in both government and private sector roles. Fred is a regular contributor to the award-winning China Law Blog and Canna Law Blog. Fred began his career overseas as a U.S. consular officer in Guangzhou, China, where he advocated for fairer treatment of American companies and citizens in China and for stronger intellectual property rights enforcement. After entering the private sector, Fred worked at a Shanghai law firm as a foreign legal advisor and later joined one of the oldest American law firms in China, helping foreign companies navigate the Chinese legal environment. He also led the legal team at a Hong Kong-based brand protection consultancy, spending most of his time out in the field, protecting clients against counterfeiters and fraudsters in Greater China, Southeast Asia and Latin America. In addition to his IP work, as a native Spanish speaker, Fred works closely with different Harris Sliwoski teams on Latin America and Spain matters. Fred also provides advice to cannabis industry participants and other businesses on import and export transactions. Fred is an ardent supporter of FC Barcelona—and would be even in the absence of Catalan forebears who immigrated to Puerto Rico in the mid-1800s. Harris Sliwoski Attorney Read more posts [email protected] Read More International Cannabis Law, Medical Marijuana Related Posts September 25, 2026 DEA Enforcement in a Changing Cannabis Landscape: Rescheduling, Hemp, and What Comes Next September 17, 2026 The Supreme Court May Decide if Cannabis-Related Residency Requirements are Unconstitutional September 16, 2026 A $31.8 Million Cannabis-Related Verdict That a Federal Court Wouldn’t Enforce September 15, 2026 Jason Adelstone Moderates Federal Cannabis Policy Discussion at IgniteIt Denver September 11, 2026 Medical Marijuana in Schedule III Survives Its First Major Challenge September 10, 2026 How to Acquire a Colorado Cannabis License September 4, 2026 The Intoxicating Hemp Products Ban Was Delayed a Month. Now What? 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