Argentina’s cannabis future is being shaped not in Congress but in the provinces through local legislation, public–private research and bold, sustainable ventures like Proyecto Vallecitos. From Jujuy to Mendoza, regional leaders are driving forward a more pragmatic and science-based cannabis model, bypassing stalled national reforms and building a diversified ecosystem rooted in medicine, research, tourism, and rural revitalization.

Mendoza: From World-Class Wine To Cannabis Innovation

Mendoza is widely known as the heart of Argentina’s wine industry, producing nearly 70% of the country’s wine and enjoying international prestige for its high-altitude Malbecs. But today, the province is also positioning itself as a leader in cannabis regulation and innovation.

This week, Mendoza’s legislature passed a law to create the Registro Provincial del Cannabis y Cáñamo Industrial, a provincial registry aimed at overseeing the legal cultivation, production, transportation and sale of cannabis and hemp for medicinal and industrial purposes. As reported by El Planteo, the law establishes a licensing system for companies, NGOs, civil associations and qualified patients, supported by a framework of traceability and compliance.

The legislation updates Mendoza’s existing cannabis regulation (Ley Provincial N.º 9298) and emphasizes education, research and the development of a regional cannabis economy—while explicitly excluding adult-use cannabis for now.

“The goal is access for patients with specific pathologies, like refractory seizures or chronic pain,” explained Daniel Llaver, president of the province’s Health Commission.

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The law also promotes training programs for law enforcement, public officials and producers to reduce stigma and misinformation. It articulates its enforcement through the Ministry of Government, working alongside the Ministry of Production and ISCAMEN (Mendoza’s agricultural health authority).

Proyecto Vallecitos: High-Altitude Cannabis Tourism

In the Andes foothills of Mendoza, a bold new experiment is underway to transform the once-abandoned ski resort town of Vallecitos into a high-altitude hub for cannabis tourism, cultivation and regenerative development.

Led by entrepreneur Gonzalo Llamas Bianchetti, Proyecto Vallecitos seeks to integrate cannabis and hemp into the region’s economic and cultural identity—much like wine has done over the past century. “I want visitors to connect with the environment and themselves, learning about cannabis from legal, scientific and cultural perspectives,” Llamas told El Planteo.

The initiative includes cultivating non-psychoactive cannabis varieties, eco-friendly lodging in geodesic domes made with hemp materials as well as educational tours through cannabis farms and the surrounding mountains. The project already holds valid licenses from INASE and ARICCAME for cultivation and research and has passed the complex permitting process required for building in a protected, high-altitude border zone.

“Cannabis can generate value across many levels—science, health, industry and tourism,” Llamas added. “It’s about creating a regenerative identity for Mendoza’s mountain regions.”

With plans for renewable energy use, efficient irrigation and on-site seed development, Vallecitos embodies a model that mixes rural innovation, ecological design, and cannabis-driven diversification—reminiscent of how the wine industry redefined Mendoza decades ago.

National Research: Cannabis For Preventing Chemotherapy-Induced Pain

While Mendoza builds the regulatory and tourism frameworks, scientific research from Jujuy is contributing to Argentina’s broader cannabis momentum.

In collaboration with the Universidad Austral, researchers from CONICET’s Institute for Translational Medicine (IIMT) conducted a three-year preclinical study using cannabinoid formulations from the state-run company Cannava. Published in Psychopharmacology, the study found that certain THC–CBD oral combinations could prevent chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain in rats—without worsening other chemotherapy side effects.

The most promising result came from a 1:1 CBD–THC formulation, which not only reduced cold-induced hypersensitivity but also restored spontaneous activity in test subjects. Crucially, none of the cannabinoid formulations increased toxicity or liver stress, and their preventive use proved more effective than reactive dosing.

While more studies are needed to translate these findings into human therapies, the study marks a major step in Argentina’s contribution to cannabinoid science, which is backed by local production, public institutions, and national health objectives.

A New Cannabis Map For Argentina

Together, these developments represent a bottom-up evolution of Argentina’s cannabis ecosystem. With Mendoza leading in regulation and tourism, Jujuy advancing clinical research and entrepreneurs crafting local experiences rooted in sustainability, the country’s cannabis model is becoming as varied as its geography.

Rather than waiting for a cohesive national stance on adult-use or industrial-scale production, Argentina’s provinces are laying down frameworks for a new green economy—step by step, sector by sector, region by region.

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