“It’s not Gucci, it’s Paraisópolis”
Patrícia Villela gives a lecture at the UN headquarters on sustainability, inclusion and
Patrícia Villela, from São Paulo, is known for her social work with the prison population, inside and outside prisons, and for her efforts to organize initiatives that promote inclusion. Among them, a tireless work of education between businessmen and politicians, in the sense of breaking down prejudices and opening new paths for a more just, egalitarian and sustainable society. Hence Patricia’s engagement in the struggle for the regulation of cannabis and the consequent invitation to join the team of speakers at Regenerative Cannabis Live, held this Thursday (5th), at the UN headquarters in New York.
Right after the opening of the event organizers, around 8 am, Patrícia was waiting for her turn to go on stage, when the secretary called in alarm, as she was worried about Patricia’s look, the same one worn at an event last week. “But that was on purpose, she didn’t understand”, says Patrícia, who says that the clothes were sewn by women from Paraisópolis, one of the largest communities in São Paulo. “There was a time when people didn’t repeat clothes. That’s over. We need affirmative action,” she explains. The outfit in question is a recycled coat customized from donated flight attendant uniforms.
Once on stage, Patricia told the case to the audience and even revealed a detail. “Before leaving the hotel, my husband asked if I had shopped at Gucci, referring to the coat I’m wearing, so I told him it’s not Gucci, it’s Paradise.” Patricia carried a shopping bag made by inmates from recycling pets from plastic bottles, which she left next to the chair where she sat on stage.
The story of the secretary’s confusion helped to break the emotional atmosphere caused by Patricia’s speech. She recalled that Brazil has the third largest prison population in the world, with most prisoners being black people, victims of a slave-owning colonial heritage. “Brazil loses a lot of lives and natural resources,” she said, recalling the healing potential of the cannabis industry. It refers to the social, health and economic impact. “The cannabis market, which until recently was criminalized and marginalized, fueling racial prejudice and stigmatizing cultures, came out of illegality through scientific research.”
Brazil has always been at the forefront of this story. Approximately 40 years ago, scientists Elisaldo Carlini, a Brazilian who died in 2020, and Rafael Michoulan, from Israel, discovered the benefits of Cannabis in the treatment of epilepsy. Ten years ago, the so-called Cannabis mothers, women whose children had rare and refractory syndromes such as epilepsy, won the right to import the medicinal oil after many demonstrations and struggles. Currently, the country already has an industry. In the last two years, at least 12 products were approved by Anvisa to be marketed in Brazil. These are CBD oils, (cannabidiol, non-psychoactive substance of Cannabis), effective in the treatment of numerous diseases, such as depression, insomnia and epilepsy. But a regulation still needs to be approved, which is already written and stopped in Congress, PL-399-2015. “We have all the potential. Science and land to produce hemp”, says Patricia. “Politicians need to change their view on cannabis.”
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