CANNABIDIOL IN THE CONTEXT OF PUBLIC HEALTH: SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE, REGULATION, ACCESS, AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH POLICIES IN BRAZIL

Abstract

Cannabidiol has increasingly occupied a prominent position in the debate on Brazilian public health, especially due to regulatory controversies, the forms of access adopted, and the repercussions on the organization of the Unified Health System. Inserted in a context marked by the legacy of the prohibitionist paradigm of drug policies, the therapeutic use of cannabidiol has come to be mediated by exceptional regulatory arrangements, with strong dependence on imports, individual administrative authorizations, and judicial decisions. This study aimed to analyze cannabidiol in the context of Brazilian public health, addressing its scientific evidence, the processes of health regulation, the forms of access adopted, and the implications of these dimensions for the formulation and implementation of public health policies. This is an integrative literature review of a descriptive and analytical nature, conducted based on scientific databases and national regulatory documents. The findings reveal a scenario of market expansion and an increase in the volume of health authorizations, accompanied by weaknesses in quality control, informational inconsistencies in imported products, and a shift in access toward the judicial route. Judicialization has become a structuring element of practical regulation, producing fragmented responses and asymmetries within the health system. It is concluded that the analysis of cannabidiol as a health technology requires an integrated approach, articulating health regulation, technological assessment, and the organization of care, in order to support more consistent public responses in the field of public health.