Author: Hazel Norman

Cannabis Pilot Program Delayed Until At Least 2024 In The Netherlands

Written by Hazel Norman on December 5, 2022. Posted in Policy.

Historically, the Netherlands served as the international leader when it came to cannabis in many ways, particularly Amsterdam. It was no secret that people flocked from all over the globe over the course of many years to partake in coffeeshop cannabis offerings.

Had the Netherlands embraced cannabis more in recent years, it would have made it nearly impossible for any other country to take its title, and the country would be reaping the economic benefits from a booming cannabis industry. However, that is not the case.

While cannabis reform has spread to other countries, including in Europe, the Netherlands has not experienced similar activity. If anything, attempts were made to limit cannabis commerce, although unregulated cannabis sales still thrive throughout the country, especially in Amsterdam.

The Netherlands was set to launch a cannabis commerce pilot program, similar to what is being pursued in Switzerland and Denmark. Unfortunately, the launch of the pilot program has experienced several delays, and it appears the delays will continue to pile up. Per NL Times:

Health Minister Ernst Kuipers said that the experiment in regulated cultivated cannabis will be postponed again. He expects that “as it stands now” only legally produced cannabis will be able to be sold in coffeeshops in eleven municipalities in 2024, and that it is not possible to launch the project during the second quarter of 2023 as previously announced. He does want to try to begin with a “start-up phase” in a smaller number of municipalities.

According to the minister, the implementation of the cannabis experiment is “extremely complicated” and he understood that to be the reason why it has been postponed several times. The first hurdle is the paperwork: arranging locations, obtaining permits and arranging a banking license has turned out to be very complex.

A cannabis pilot program involves allowing local jurisdictions to permit limited adult-use cannabis commerce with the goal of collecting information and data at the local level to give national lawmakers more insight when crafting national laws and regulations.

Of course, an adult-use cannabis legalization pilot program is only useful if it actually launches. At this point, even 2024 doesn’t seem certain for a program launch in the Netherlands. Meanwhile, the push for national legalization continues elsewhere. It will be interesting to see what the cannabis policy landscape looks like in Europe by 2024.

Will Luxembourg Ever Pass A Legalization Measure?

Written by Hazel Norman on December 5, 2022. Posted in Policy.

Back in 2018 the potential for legalization to occur in Luxembourg seemed fairly strong, with the coalition government including cannabis legalization in its coalition agreement that year. At the time, no European country had ever passed a nationwide adult-use cannabis legalization measure. Luxembourg seemed poised to make history.

Of course, multiple years have gone by and yet cannabis prohibition remains the law of the land in Luxembourg. If/when Luxembourg ever passes an adult-use legalization measure, it will no longer be the first to do so on the continent, as that ship already sailed in Malta late last year when lawmakers passed a limited legalization measure that permits home cultivation, and eventually, private non-profit cannabis clubs.

Not only has Luxembourg failed to pass a legalization measure, what was originally proposed in the coalition agreement has since been watered down quite a bit, with the latest version of legalization floating around Luxembourg political circles only involving home cultivation and use, which is obviously more akin to Malta’s legalization model versus something like Canada’s or what is currently being proposed in Germany.

And yet, even that limited legalization model seems to be facing uncertainty at the moment. Per excerpts from Le Quotidien (translated to English):

The judicial authorities are calling for a “thorough review” of the bill which aims to legalize the cultivation and consumption of cannabis at home. From beginning to end, shortcomings are detected.

The list of “difficulties and incongruities” highlighted in particular by the general prosecutor’s office is long: contradictions, unequal treatment, lack of clarity, oversights, serious error of logic or even the door wide open to abuse.

In short, the Minister of Justice, Sam Tanson, is sent back to his studies. The first Advocate General, Serge Wagner, is the most severe. He calls for a “thorough review” of the text, which is not ready to be put to the vote of the deputies anytime soon.

As I previously touched on, Malta has already passed a legalization measure that is somewhat similar to what is being floated in Luxembourg, with adult households being able to legally cultivate up to four plants. If Malta can make it work, why can’t Luxembourg?

As with every country in Europe that is holding cannabis reform discussions, they are not doing so in a vacuum. Germany is pursuing a legalization plan that is exponentially more robust compared to what is currently being floated in Luxembourg, and the two countries obviously share a border.

The opposition arguments being made in Luxembourg are already flimsy to say the least, and after legalization moves forward in neighboring Germany, those arguments will become even less tenable.

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Shops Can No Longer Provide Cannabis Smoking Spaces In Thailand

Written by Hazel Norman on December 5, 2022. Posted in Policy.

Thailand is a very interesting place when it comes to cannabis public policy. Earlier this year, in June, Thailand made a historic cannabis policy shift and implemented a plan that allows every household in the entire country to sign up to legally cultivate low-THC cannabis plants. Thailand’s policy change marked the first time in the history of the world that such a public policy was implemented at a national level.

Since June, Thailand has seemed to struggle with finding its ‘cannabis policy identity’ and many members of the government have tried hard to push back on public perception that cannabis is legal for recreational use in Thailand. In an attempt to thwart recreational use of cannabis, Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health has announced new policies. Per Bangkok Post:

Ganja-smoking shops are deemed illegal now that the Ministry of Public Health’s new announcement declaring flowers of marijuana plants to be a herb requiring strict control has taken effect, the ministry warned on Wednesday.

The controlled herb announcement, dated Nov 11, was announced in the Royal Gazette last Wednesday and took effect the following day, said Dr Thongchai Lertwilairatanapong, director-general of the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine (DTTAM).

In addition to the prohibition of shops providing smoking spaces, the new changes involve prohibiting cannabis sales to people under 20, to students of any type, and to pregnant or breastfeeding women. Sales are also now prohibited through vending machines and via the internet. The new changes signal a turnabout of sorts for Thailand’s government to some degree.

Thailand’s Public Health Minister previously indicated that there is no plant limit for the government’s cultivation program and Thailand gave away over 1 million cannabis seeds directly to households to help them cultivate cannabis. The government is even giving out low-interest loans to help aspiring cultivators get their operations started.

Thailand previously launched an app to help streamline the process of people signing up their households to cultivate cannabis. An FAQ public service announcement effort was launched to help people understand the law and cultivation program. As we previously reported, a broad spectrum of government agencies in Thailand previously entered into an agreement to do their part to push Thailand’s emerging cannabis industry forward.

With all of that in mind, the scrambling going on right now in Thailand seems a bit bizarre. After all, a country can’t embrace cannabis and also demonize it at the same time. It will be interesting to see if more changes come to Thailand in the coming months.

Romania’s Parliament Debates Medical Cannabis Reform

Written by Hazel Norman on November 27, 2022. Posted in Policy.

Earlier this week a medical cannabis policy reform debate was held in Romania. Organized by Romania’s Health Commission of the Chamber of Deputies in conjunction with the Victoria Mea Association, the passionate discussion focused on debating the benefits of medicinal cannabis with a focus on public health in Romania.

In addition to Cristina Dumitrache, PSD deputy and member of the Health and Family Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, and Alexandra Cârstea, the founder of the Victoria Mea association, the debate forum featured various leaders and speakers and included a presentation regarding what is going on in Germany.

Arguments were made both for and against medical cannabis reform in Romania, with examples of the some of the talking points being included below via Southwest Review News:

Alexandra Cârstea, President “Victoria Mia” Association: “Throughout my mother’s suffering, she was helped by medical cannabis“.

Adrienne Strainu Cercel, Chair of the Senate Health Committee: “Cannabis doesn’t cure, let’s get straight to this story. It does not shrink tumors. Don’t do any of these things“.

Liviu Mihaiu: “Hemp heals, Mr. Strainu Sercel. In Romania we have one million five hundred thousand cannabis smokers. I mean, do you know how many votes?“.

Christian Goisesi, sociologist: “The Romanian government is running after witches, targeting the criminal code and the enormous evidence against the people, treating them as criminals instead of treating them as victims and patients.“

Much of what was discussed at the debate was favorable, although, as you can somewhat see in a comment above, there were certainly some archaic reefer madness talking points offered up by opponents as well. As a growing body of peer-reviewed research has found, as well as an ever-growing list of personal experiences, cannabis is indeed an effective and safe medicine.

As with every other country in the region, Romania is home to suffering patients. Those patients deserve to have safe access to medical cannabis if it helps them. Romania’s cannabis laws should be based on logic, science, and compassion, and not on greed and/or the illogical views of prohibitionist politicians.

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Canadian Chamber Of Commerce Weighs In On Legislative Review Of The Cannabis Act

Written by Hazel Norman on November 27, 2022. Posted in Business, Policy.

Canada was the first G-7 nation to legalize cannabis for adult-use at the national level, and the second nation to do so on earth, only behind Uruguay. Yet, unlike Uruguay, Canada allows adult-use sales to anyone of legal age regardless of their residence status.

In many ways what has gone on in Canada since the launch of legalization in 2018 has served as the greatest cannabis public policy experiment since the dawn of prohibition. Many countries around the globe have kept a close eye on legalization unfolding in Canada to gain any insight and lessons learned.

Back in September Canada’s government launched a legislative review of the Cannabis Act so that it could determine any internal lessons to be learned.

“The objective of the Cannabis Act is twofold. First, it aims to protect the health and safety of Canadians while serving as a flexible legislative framework that adapts and responds to the ongoing and emerging needs of Canadians. Second, it provides for the establishment of a diverse and competitive legal industry made up of small and large players to displace the illicit market.” the government stated at the time of the launch of the review.

“Parliamentarians recognized the need for an early assessment of the Government’s new approach to cannabis control, and included a provision requiring a review in the Act. The review will help ensure that the Act adapts to the current situation and continues to meet Canadians needs and expectations.” the government stated back in September.

Part of the legislative review process involves soliciting feedback from the general public. On the four year anniversary of legalization in Canada, Health Canada announced that it was opening an online questionnaire and encouraged all Canadians to provide comments regarding their views on how legalization was going.

“As we look to the future, the Government of Canada will continue to provide clear, consistent and evidence-based information on the health and safety effects of cannabis use to people across the country, so they can better understand the risks and make more informed choices.” Health Canada stated back in October. The public comment period has since closed (on November 21, 2022).

Canada’s Chamber of Commerce recently offered up its recommendations regarding legalization in Canada and what the government can do to help cannabis businesses battle the unregulated market in a meaningful way.

“As part of the legislative review, the NCBC is proposing several recommendations to help businesses in the legal sector remain economically competitive in the long term and continue to displace the illicit market per the tenets of the Cannabis Act.” the Chamber of Commerce stated in its submission to the government.

The Chamber’s recommendations include:

Minimizing harms to protect Canadians
Education and awareness to support informed choices
Progress towards establishing a responsible supply chain
Access to cannabis for medical purposes

Canada’s legal cannabis industry is at a crossroads of sorts, in that a favorable legislative review combined with public policy and regulatory improvements could set up the nation’s industry for robust growth and reduced uncertainty well into the future.

Conversely, a review that yields an outcome that is not favorable could result in kneejerk public policy changes. If so, that would likely ensure that the unregulated industry thrives at the expense of the regulated market in the future. People can read the Chamber’s full submission language at the previously cited link found earlier in this article.

Religious Stigma Could Hinder Cannabis Reform In Sri Lanka

Written by Hazel Norman on November 27, 2022. Posted in Policy.

The cannabis plant has been used by various societies throughout history for spiritual purposes in many parts of the world. As far back as 2,400 years ago the Scythians used bongs made of solid gold to consume cannabis as part of their rituals.

In ancient Egypt, where spiritual beliefs and treating illnesses went hand in hand, the cannabis plant was seen as being tremendously useful. Traces of cannabis in various Egyptian artifacts goes back thousands of years.

The word ‘cannabis’ is believed to have originated from the Hebrew word “קנבוס” (“KaNaBoS”), and many believe that cannabis was a key ingredient in the anointing oil used in ancient Hebrew ceremonies. Many current religions use cannabis for sacramental purposes, including members of the Rastafarian religion.

Ironically, many of the most vocal cannabis opponents in recent decades come from religious communities. That is on display in Sri Lanka right now where religious leaders are pushing back on government plans to ramp up medical cannabis production and exports. Per Christianity Today:

Ven. Omalpe Sobitha Thera, a known Sri Lankan Buddhist monk, scholar, and researcher, explained that the government’s plan to legalize cannabis production could threaten citizens’ health and culture.

The monk added that Sri Lankans are being led to believe that cannabis is beneficial, which he countered is untrue. He also explained that the government must focus more on the evils of alcoholism and substance use instead of proposing laws that generate income taxes.

Additionally, a ‘priest, who refused to be named’ also spoke out about Sri Lanka’s cannabis pursuits in the cited article, urging the nation’s government to eradicate cannabis from Sri Lanka entirely rather than embrace it.

Even if the government did everything that it could, it’s doubtful that complete eradication could ever be achieved, in Sri Lanka or anywhere else except perhaps Antarctica. Cannabis has been used in Sri Lanka in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for centuries, and that is a practice that will presumably continue well into the future, if not forever.

For the record, what is being proposed in Sri Lanka is not geared towards domestic use, but rather, to produce medical cannabis domestically for the purpose of exporting it to other countries. Cannabis prohibition does not work, and it’s time for Sri Lanka to take a more sensible, compassionate approach to cannabis policy.

Ireland To See ‘Steppingstone’ Cannabis Reform Measure Introduced

Written by Hazel Norman on November 21, 2022. Posted in Policy.

A bill that would legalize the personal use of cannabis in Ireland was expected to be introduced last summer, however, that did not happen. People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny, who has long advocated for cannabis public policy reform in Ireland, is expected to finally introduce the measure in the coming days.

The Misuse of Drugs Acts is currently the binding law in Ireland, and it provides for a fine of €1,000 in the District Courts for first and second offenses involving personal cannabis possession. Larger fines can be handed down in some instances.

If someone commits the offense of personal possession and it’s their third or greater offense of its type, the offender can be sentenced to up to one year in prison, although, the Criminal Justice Act in Ireland mandates that courts must consider giving a community service penalty in place of a prison sentence, and that affects some cases.

The new measure is expected to be formally introduced next week, and is expected to largely be based on the principal of allowing people to consume cannabis in private and possess up to seven grams of cannabis flower. Per Independent:

People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny will set to introduce a bill in Leinster House next week which will be a steppingstone towards full regulation of cannabis.

The Dublin Mid-West TD hopes the bill will end the criminalisation of cannabis for personal use.

He told Independent.ie: “At the moment, cannabis cultivation and sale is largely controlled by the black market and criminal gangs.

It’s good news to hear that the legislation will be seen as a ‘steppingstone’ versus a ‘final solution.’ Being able to possess up to seven grams of cannabis without fear of prosecution is a great thing to be sure. However, until there are regulated sales permitted in Ireland, gangs and cartels will continue to control profits.

The chances of the limited bill passing is unclear at this time. Fortunately, cannabis reform is on the move at an ever-increasing pace outside of Ireland, including and especially in Europe. That will put pressure on lawmakers within Ireland. Will it be enough pressure to get this particular bill to the finish line? That’s anyone’s guess at this point, but it’s absolutely a situation worth monitoring closely.

Governments Need To Embrace Cannabis Tourism

Written by Hazel Norman on November 21, 2022. Posted in Business, Entertainment, Policy.

A common misconception about cannabis reform is that once a jurisdiction’s lawmakers or voters initially approve an adult-use legalization measure, that there’s nothing left to do. In reality, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. The fact of the matter is that the push for reform continues well after a successful legalization vote. The effort behind pushing for sensible cannabis policies doesn’t change. Only the direction of where that effort is focused changes.

Immediately after an adult-use cannabis legalization measure is initially passed, the focus then shifts to more nuanced and granular aspects of cannabis policy. In the instances in which a jurisdiction’s legalization model permits legal sales, making sure that sensible regulations are adopted is extremely vital. One area of cannabis commerce that seems to often be overlooked, or at least is not properly embraced by governments, is cannabis tourism.

More Than Just Clubs And Lounges

Typically, when people think of cannabis-based tourism they think of coffeeshops, clubs, and lounges. While those are certainly valid examples of cannabis tourism, the sector of the emerging cannabis industry is much more complex these days, and evolving constantly. People still travel to Amsterdam to frequent the city’s historic coffeeshops, however, people now have far more options, and those options create additional opportunities for entrepreneurs and innovators.

Canada is home to the only nationwide, legal adult-use cannabis industry that is open to anyone of legal age. Uruguay also permits legal adult-use sales, however, they are limited to residents only. Malta passed an adult-use legalization measure late last year, and eventually the country will have cannabis clubs. However, no legal clubs are currently in operation.

Being that it’s a legal oasis to the world in many ways, Canada is a top international cannabis tourism destination. Consumption in public is still prohibited, so social use establishments like lounges play a vital role. Canada is home to a growing number of cannabis-friendly lodging choices, industry tours, and other ancillary cannabis tourism businesses, many of which do not ‘touch the plant’ directly.

A Growing Opportunity Cost

Some parts of the world are already established as top cannabis tourism destinations. It doesn’t take a cannabis historian to name some of them – The Netherlands, Spain, Jamaica, etc. For reasons that don’t quite make sense, very few of the current high-profile destinations seem to embrace cannabis tourism. That seeming lack of enthusiasm for cannabis tourism creates opportunities for other countries that want to fill the void.

For example, leaders in the Czech Republic have indicated that they want to follow Germany’s lead in passing an adult-use legalization measure, with a specific interest in becoming a cannabis tourism destination given the fact that current legalization plans in Germany do not appear to include cannabis clubs at this time.

“They do not have cannabis clubs that we are supposed to. I’m pretty sure I want to hold on to cannabis clubs until my last breath.” stated national anti-drug coordinator for the Czech Republic, Jindřich Vobořil in a post on his Facebook page.

People are going to travel to far off places for, among other things, cannabis experiences. This will be true even where cannabis remains illegal. Given that every country on earth needs increased public revenue, job creation, and boosts to local economies, cannabis tourism should be embraced by governments and not shunned. Any concerns about the sky falling if/when social use is permitted in a given jurisdiction are overblown, and the only people that claim otherwise are likely profiting directly off of prohibition.

Poll Finds Very Low Support For Prosecuting Cannabis Possession In Scotland

Written by Hazel Norman on November 21, 2022. Posted in Policy.

The Scottish government conducted a survey between the 21st of October 2021 and the 27th of March 2022, in which adults were asked “how much do you agree or disagree that people should not be prosecuted for possessing small amounts of cannabis for their own use?”

Cannabis is currently classified as a class B drug throughout the United Kingdom, including in Scotland. Anyone caught possessing cannabis could face jail time, a hefty fine, or both. According to a government report, 1.066 were prosecuted for illegal possession of cannabis in 2018-2019.

“Over three in five people (66%) ‘agreed’ or ‘strongly agreed’ that people should not be prosecuted, while just under one in five (18%) ‘disagreed’ or ‘strongly disagreed’ that small amounts of cannabis possession should not be prosecuted,” Scotland’s government stated along with the published data from the 2021/22 Scottish Social Attitudes Survey.

“In 2001, 51% either agreed or strongly agreed that people should not be prosecuted for possessing small amounts of cannabis for their own use. By 2009, the proportion agreeing had dropped to 34%. However, in 2021/22, the proportion who either agreed or strongly agreed with this statement had almost doubled from 2009 to 66%.” the researchers went on to state.

A deeper dive into the survey results yields further insight. If a survey participant had previously tried drugs before, they were considerably more likely to think that people shouldn’t be prosecuted for personal cannabis possession.

Roughly 89% of people that indicated past drug use indicated in the survey that they do not support prosecuting people for cannabis possession, compared to 57% of people that indicated that they had not tried any illegal drugs in the past.

A similar trend was demonstrated when it involved survey participants that had a friend or family member that regularly used illegal drugs, with 84% of participants in that category agreeing or strongly agreeing that people possessing a small amount of cannabis for personal use should not be prosecuted.

“This figure was lower, but still considerable, at around six in ten (57%) for those who did not have any friends or family who had regularly used illegal drugs.” researchers stated regarding the results.

“When asked whether people possessing small amounts of cannabis for personal use should not be prosecuted, 43% of those who agreed or strongly agreed that most people with problem drug use only have themselves to blame, compared with 77% of those who disagreed or strongly disagreed, agreed that cannabis for personal use should not be prosecuted.” the researchers also concluded.

Limited Legalization Bill Expected To Be Introduced In Ireland

Written by Hazel Norman on November 14, 2022. Posted in Policy.

Cannabis is illegal for adult-use purposes in Ireland, although, there is a distinction in Ireland’s current law that provides for a different penalty path for personal possession versus selling unregulated cannabis, with personal possession often resulting in a fine versus jail time for selling unregulated cannabis.

The binding law, the Misuse of Drugs Acts, provides for a fine of €1,000 in the District Courts for first and second offenses involving personal possession. Larger fines can be handed down in some instances. If someone commits the offense of personal possession and it’s their third or greater offense of its type, the offender can be sentenced to up to one year in prison.

The Criminal Justice Act in Ireland mandates that courts must consider giving a community service penalty in place of a prison sentence, and that affects some cases. A bill is expected to be introduced in the near future in Ireland that would somewhat mimic the adult-use legalization legislation that was passed in Malta late last year. Per The Journal:

The Dublin Mid-West TD told The Journal it is a relatively short bill, and will amend the current legislation on possession of cannabis, which is the Misuse of Drugs Act.

The amendment doesn’t reference the cultivation of cannabis. It’s anticipated that if the bill is approved by the Dáil – which means it requires the approval of the government parties – then changes regarding cultivation of cannabis could be added at committee stage.

What is reportedly being proposed in Ireland involves allowing people to possess up to seven grams of cannabis. Malta has a similar provision involving the permitted possession of up to seven grams of cannabis when away from the person’s home, with a separate allowance of up to 50 grams within the person’s home. From that standpoint, what is reportedly being proposed in Ireland is different from Malta’s law.

Furthermore, whereas what is reportedly being proposed in Ireland does not involve home cultivation, adult households in Malta can cultivate up to four plants. With all of that being said, even limited legalization in Ireland would be better than what is currently in place. It’s unclear at this time what the chances are of a legalization measure passing in Ireland, although, it will be very interesting to watch the discussion unfold given what is going on elsewhere in Europe on the cannabis policy front.

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Argentina’s Minister Of Health Urges Doctors To Prescribe Medical Cannabis

Written by Hazel Norman on November 14, 2022. Posted in Policy.

A medical cannabis program is only as good as the number of suffering patients that it helps, and that fact that is applicable anywhere that medical cannabis is legal in one form or another. After all, the whole point of legalizing medical cannabis in the first place is to boost safe access.

Unfortunately, many medical cannabis programs around the globe, while perhaps well intended, largely miss the mark. One of the largest barriers to safe access comes in the form of a doctor referral, with many patients that suffer from a qualifying condition still being unable to access medical cannabis because their doctor is unwilling to sign off for whatever reason.

As we previously reported, there’s a huge gap between the amount of medical cannabis information readily available to doctors and the level of comfort that doctors have when dealing with medical cannabis. A peer-reviewed study out of Canada found that only 6% of doctors indicated that they had some type of medical cannabis education or training.

To be clear, there is no valid excuse for doctors to be unaware of the cannabis plant’s wellness properties and how it may help treat suffering patients. The results of tens of thousands of peer-reviewed studies are available to anyone with internet access, including doctors, and clearly many suffering patients are using medical cannabis or want to. For doctors to refrain from learning more is negligent in many ways.

One country that is struggling with this issue is Argentina, which is home to an emerging medical cannabis program. The country’s Minister of Health recently issued a call to action of sorts to Argentina’s doctors, urging them to embrace medical cannabis more than they have been. Per La Voz (translated to English):

The Minister of Health, Carla Vizzotti, toured the Expo Cannabis fair on Friday afternoon, which takes place in the rural area of the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Palermo until next Sunday, where she pondered the participation of growers, families and activists in the regulation of the medical cannabis , and pointed out the need for more and more doctors to become familiar with its properties and prescribe it.

Vizzotti pointed out that “it is very important that there are already nine authorized seeds, that it is already possible to travel by plane with cannabis oil or with flower jars, and that there are already more than 50 research projects authorized by the Ministry of Health; in the Reprocann there are 180,000 people registered, of which 120,000 are already registered, but there are about 40,000 who are not yet referenced in a health professional”.

Doctors need to base their decisions on science and compassion, and not on harmful political views. Not that it was ever a valid excuse, but any doctor that tries to claim in 2022 that ‘there needs to be more researched conducted before prescribing cannabis’ is making that claim based on something other than science, as there is clearly enough research already out there to be able to know that cannabis is indeed medicine.

Furthermore, doctors need to recognize the number of patients that are already using cannabis to successfully treat their conditions, including outside of a medical cannabis program. Suffering patients are going to use cannabis whether they have a prescription/referral or not. If a doctor truly believes in compassion and helping the suffering, then they will do their part to help ensure that suffering patients don’t have to fear prosecution for using their medicine.

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Costa Rica Authorizes First Hemp Project

Written by Hazel Norman on November 14, 2022. Posted in Business, Policy.

Cannabis reform may be spreading across the globe at an ever-increasing pace, and with it, the emerging international cannabis industry, however, the process has moved slower in some countries compared to others, with Costa Rica being a great example of that.

In the Western Hemisphere, cannabis reform has spread faster than its Eastern Hemisphere counterpart. After all, Uruguay was the first nation to legalize cannabis for adult-use, followed by Canada becoming the first G-7 nation to do so. Significant cannabis reform can be found elsewhere in the hemisphere as well.

Yet, cannabis policy reform and standing up a regulated industry has proceeded at a slower rate in Costa Rica. As we previously reported, lawmakers in Costa Rica passed a cannabis reform measure in 2021 and sent it to the President for sign off. That sign off never occurred, and instead, Costa Rica’s president issued a veto and sent the measure back to lawmakers instructing them to make the measure more strict.

Eventually things moved along a bit, and finally, after a lot of political wrangling and foot dragging, Costa Rica has issued its first hemp project license. Per The Tico Times:

The Minister of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), Víctor Julio Carvajal Porras, signed the resolution authorizing the first project for the use of hemp this Friday.

Ingenio Taboga S.A. made the request. It is located in Bebedero de Cañas, Guanacaste, developing a hemp cultivation and processing project in a 150-hectare area.

According to the reporting by The Tico Times, there are eight more industry applications being considered – seven for hemp-related projects, and one for medical cannabis. It’s unclear if/when any of those additional projects will gain approval.

According to Statista, Costa Rica’s gross domestic product (GDP) ranked 11th in 2021 out of countries located in the Latin America and Caribbean regions. Any jobs and economic boost that the cannabis industry can provide Costa Rica is surely welcomed.

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Argentina Adds New Cannabis Varieties To National Catalog Of Cultivars

Written by Hazel Norman on November 6, 2022. Posted in Business, Policy, Science.

Argentina has experienced a lot of cannabis industry and policy activity in recent months. For instance, right before the start of last summer lawmakers in Argentina passed a measure to boost the nation’s emerging cannabis industry.

Weeks later, Argentina’s Supreme Court rendered a decision that permitted medical cannabis patients to cultivate their own cannabis in some instances. Roughly a month ago, Argentina’s government issued its first domestic production license, shortly after which the government launched a public company to provide seeds, testing, and training to the emerging domestic industry.

The most recent activity out of Argentina involves new cannabis genetics being added to the nation’s cultivar catalog. Per Minuto Ya:

New varieties were incorporated into the National Registry of Cultivars of INASE , thus expanding the supply of propagation materials destined to supply the R&D projects approved by the Ministry of Health and the users registered in REPROCANN .

The new varieties are ANANDA001, from Anandamida Organic SAS; JEALOUS 10 by Diego Di Maggio; Polaris, by Lucia de Souza Madeira; and TROPICANA WFC, by Facundo J. Meligene.

Any time that growers have more cannabis genetics to select from it’s a good thing. And with that in mind, while it is great that four new cultivars were added in Argentina, it is not nearly enough.

Several countries around the world now permit medical cannabis to be cultivated for industry purposes. Many of them do not limit the types of cannabis strains that can be cultivated, and yet, they have experienced no issues related to strains (and why would they?).

Argentina’s medical cannabis industry is starting to make strides, however, there’s obviously still a lot of unnecessary restrictions and limitations in place. Hopefully Argentina’s program continues to expand, and at a more rapid pace, so that as many suffering patients can be helped as possible in the near future.

Cannabis Pilot Program In The Netherlands Continues To Experience Delays

Written by Hazel Norman on November 6, 2022. Posted in Policy.

Cannabis pilot programs are becoming more popular in Europe. For those that are unaware of what an adult-use cannabis pilot program entails, it’s a public policy concept that allows certain cities to allow limited adult-use cannabis sales, and for approved entities to cultivate the cannabis that is eventually sold via those pilot programs.

Pilot programs are ramping up in Switzerland, and Demark is working towards expanding its pilot program to several more cities. The Netherlands is another European country that is pursuing plans to launch pilot programs, however, the program has experienced a series of delays and the setbacks appear to keep coming.

The pilot program in The Netherlands was originally slated to begin in 2021, however, the launch date was pushed back previously, and per recent reports out of The Netherlands, it’s likely to be pushed back yet again. Per excerpts from Dutch News:

Marijuana growers who have been selected to take part in the government’s controlled cultivation trials have told the cabinet that they will not be ready to start early next year as the government intends, the NRC reported on Thursday.

Nine of 10 firms have written to ministers about the problems and some have spoken to the paper directly about the issues, the NRC said.

The experiment should have begun to 2021 but is now due to start in the second quarter of 2023. But the growers now say the end of next year is a more likely date.

It is obviously no secret that The Netherlands has served as a top international cannabis tourism destination for decades, with cannabis consumers coming to The Netherlands from all over the globe to partake in coffeeshop offerings, particularly in Amsterdam.

The nation’s pilot program would not be nationwide and would not be open to everyone, however, it would serve as an intermediary step towards finally getting some level of regulation in place which would hopefully then be adopted at the national level and include provisions for allowing sales to tourists.

The Netherlands, particularly Amsterdam, is well-suited to become the undeniable top legal international cannabis tourism destination and to reap the related economic rewards. Yet, the longer the nation drags its feet the more it concedes ground to other cities and countries around the world, and there is clearly an opportunity cost involved.

Seven Years In Prison For Possessing CBD?

Written by Hazel Norman on October 29, 2022. Posted in Business, Policy.

At a time when many parts of the world are trending in the right direction in regards to cannabis policy, Hong Kong is going in the opposite direction. Cannabidiol (CBD) is very popular in Hong Kong, with many CBD-based businesses operating in Hong Kong in recent years. Yet, despite the cannabinoid’s popularity and thriving industry surrounding it, Hong Kong is proceeding with plans to outlaw CBD.

As of the posting of this article, a search on PubMed.gov for the term ‘CBD’ yields over 10,000 results of peer-reviewed studies, many of them demonstrating that CBD is indeed effective at treating various ailments and conditions. PubMed houses the results of peer-reviewed studies from all over the globe and is accessible to anyone with internet access.

Many of the studies on PubMed involving CBD have also found that the cannabinoid does not induce intoxication, unlike its cannabinoid counterpart tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Despite the growing body of research, Hong Kong’s government is still set to ban CBD, with plans to categorize it at the same level as heroin. Per Bangkok Post:

Hong Kong will outlaw cannabidiol (CBD) by February, the government announced on Thursday, placing it in the same category as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine with users facing hefty jail time.

The move is expected to wipe out businesses in the Chinese finance hub that had, until now, been able to sell CBD-infused products such as beers, coffee and health supplements.

The changes to Hong Kong’s drug control laws, pending a final round of vetting by the city’s rubber-stamp legislature, will take effect from Feb 1.

To describe the future penalty for CBD possession as being ‘hefty’ is likely not enough to properly put into context how horrific the penalty actually will be starting in February. According to Bangkok Post’s reporting, “anyone who possesses or consumes CBD faces up to seven years in jail and fines of up to HK 1 million (US $127,000).”

Seven years in prison for just having consumed CBD? That’s inhumane. What CBD prohibition enforcement as it pertains to individual patients and consumers will end up ultimately looking like in Hong Kong is something that we will all have to wait to see. Given how Hong Kong enforces many things, it’s likely a safe bet that invasions of privacy will occur, and that is unfortunate.

One thing that is seemingly guaranteed at this point is that the emerging CBD industry in Hong Kong is about to experience an enormous crackdown, and it would likely be wise for people that have CBD products to dispose of them in a manner that is safe. Otherwise they run the risk of serving many years in prison, in addition to having an enormous fine levied against them.

Are Legal Cannabis Sales Coming To Czechia In 2024?

Written by Hazel Norman on October 23, 2022. Posted in Business, Policy.

Ever since Germany’s governing coalition announced its intent to pass an adult-use legalization measure and launch a regulated industry, the tone of the cannabis discussion in many European countries instantly changed.

One of those countries is the Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, which shares a 815 kilometer border with Germany. Cannabis reform discussions were already well underway in Czechia, however, they have heated up recently with national anti-drug coordinator Jindřich Vobořil discussing a legalization and regulation proposal with members of the press earlier this week. Per Radio Prague International:

If national anti-drug coordinator Jindřich Vobořil’s proposed plan comes into effect in 2024 as he hopes, Czechia could become the second EU country to legalise the recreational use of cannabis. And not only that – it would even go a step further, also making its sale legal. The anti-drug coordinator presented his plan for combatting addiction – which includes the proposal to legalise cannabis – at a press conference this week.

“At the moment, there is a political consensus for me to create this proposal for the regulation of cannabis, a substance which is illegal at the moment. We want to regulate it with the help of the market and we believe that this regulation will be more effective than the current ban.”

Of course, a lot can happen between now and 2024, and that goes for outside of Czechia’s borders as much as inside of its borders. Perhaps even more so outside of its borders. After all, lawmakers in Czechia are not holding their cannabis discussions in a vacuum.

Cannabis reform is obviously on the move in Germany, and it’s quite possible that legal adult-use sales could launch there by the end of 2024. Other countries in Europe are also trending towards legalization, although perhaps not as quickly and robustly.

Any foot dragging in Czechia comes with an opportunity cost. If lawmakers want to cling to prohibition, and wait until after other countries have already launched industries, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for its citizens will be gone forever.

New Data Creates Cannabis Controversy In New Zealand

Written by Hazel Norman on October 23, 2022. Posted in Policy.

A little over a week ago we published an article describing how New Zealand’s Justice Minister threw cold water on calls for the nation to reform its cannabis laws. Calls had ramped up after United States President Joe Biden announced a plan to issue pardons to people convicted of federal cannabis possession in the U.S.

New Zealand Justice Minister Kiri Allan offered up various reasons for why new cannabis reform measures would not be pursued, specifically referencing a measure from 2019 that provided flexibility to law enforcement for cannabis cases.

“We have a slightly different context here. In 2019, we introduced the ability for the police to exercise discretion when it came to possession of cannabis offences,” Minister Allan stated earlier this month according to RNZ. “Subsequently, we’ve seen a radical reduction in terms of those that are convicted merely for cannabis possession.”

New data obtained by Newshub is putting into proper context how misleading Minister Allan’s claim truly is. Below is a chart of the actual cannabis enforcement numbers, via Newshub:

To be fair, the number of court actions did technically reduce from August 2019 to July 2022, however, it is clearly not enough of a reduction to be properly described as a “radical reduction” and certainly not enough of a reduction to warrant keeping cannabis prohibition in place.

Whenever members of law enforcement are allowed to decide when to arrest someone and when not to, it creates a situation that is ripe for selective enforcement. The only way to ensure that doesn’t happen is to end cannabis prohibition.

Cannabis advocates inside and outside of New Zealand will continue to call for meaningful reform regardless of the misleading talking points that are offered up by opponents. As momentum continues to increase outside of New Zealand’s borders for legalization it will become increasingly difficult for prohibitionists to maintain the status quo.

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Support For Cannabis Pardons Increases In Canada

Written by Hazel Norman on October 23, 2022. Posted in Policy.

Canada was the first G-7 nation to pass a nationwide adult-use cannabis legalization measure, which occurred just over four years ago. To-date Canada still serves as the only national adult-use cannabis market where anyone of legal age can purchase products beyond the low-THC variety.

Only two other nations have passed national legalization measures, with Uruguay having done so years before Canada, and Malta having done so late last year. Unlike Canada, Uruguay limits legal adult-use cannabis purchases to residents only, and Malta does not currently allow for-profit sales to anyone.

One area where Canada’s legalization model is clearly lacking is when it comes to pardons. United States President Joe Biden recently announced that he will be pardoning anyone convicted of a federal cannabis possession charge, and that has ramped up calls in Canada for the government at all levels to do the same.

Leading up to legalization in 2018 in Canada there was strong support for automatic pardons, yet the provision did not make it into the final measure. Instead, the fee for applying for a cannabis pardon was eliminated as a political compromise, although that still left all of the hoops that needed to be jumped through.

“According to a poll by The Globe and Mail/Nanos Research, however, 62 per cent of Canadians support or somewhat support the calls for a pardon for every person with a criminal record for marijuana possession.” The Globe and Mail stated back in 2017.

That level of support appears to have increased between 2017 and 2022, with new polling showing a slight uptick. Per Research Co:

More than three-in-five Canadians are in favour of a plan to pardon people convicted of simple possession of marijuana, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample, 64% of Canadians agree with the federal government providing expungement orders to people convicted of possession of cannabis for personal use with no intent to traffic.

It still appears to be unclear how many people in Canada have one or more related cannabis convictions on their record that would be eligible for expungement. Starting in the 1970s tens of thousands of people were convicted of possession every year in Canada. In 2015 alone it’s estimated that roughly 49,000 charges were applied by law enforcement.

Cannabis pardons and expungements need to be automatic, and that needs to be the practice everywhere, including in Canada.

The harms of prohibition are numerous, and the wrongs of the past will never be righted until every person that was ever convicted of a cannabis offense is freed from the burden of having it follow them around everywhere that they go. And the burden of making that happen falls squarely on the government, not the victim.

Prime Minister Of Saint Kitts And Nevis Predicts Busy Year For Domestic Cannabis Industry

Written by Hazel Norman on October 16, 2022. Posted in Business, Policy.

The Caribbean region has long been home to a vibrant cannabis community. Jamaica is likely the first Caribbean nation that comes to mind when someone thinks of cannabis, however, several other nations are also home to robust cannabis communities.

Thanks to cannabis reform measures being passed, many Caribbean nations are also now home to emerging cannabis industries, although the dual island nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis is unfortunately not one of those. If the country’s new prime minister has his way, things will be changing soon.

Current Saint Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Terrance Drew was originally elected to the National Assembly last August. Prime Minister Drew has wasted no time in coming out swinging in support of cannabis reform and launching a domestic cannabis industry. Per excerpts from The Voice:

ST KITTS and Nevis could become the latest Caribbean nation to establish a medical cannabis industry.

Prime Minister Terrance Drew told the St Kitts-Nevis Information Service that the country was behind other Caribbean countries in developing a medical cannabis industry.

“Antigua is ahead, St Vincent is ahead, Jamaica is ahead, and we know that people travel to these countries because they would have an industry that is well-controlled, well-monitored and so forth that allows for the use of marijuana.

And so, we will be on that path, and we will see a lot of action in that area within the first year,” he said.

Prime Minister Drew went on to explain different phases that the nation needs to pursue, with the goal of having a regulated industry that benefits the country’s citizens. Drew specifically mentioned that the nation would not be looking for outside help, and instead will try to create an industry relying solely on domestic resources in order to maximize the benefits and opportunities for citizens.

Saint Kitts and Nevis is a part of what is called the Citizenship by Investment program. Several other Caribbean nations are also part of the program, which involves offering fast-track citizenships to foreign investors in exchange for them making socio-economic contributions to the country that they are applying to.

Prime Minister Drew is hoping that the cannabis industry can reduce the nation’s reliance on the program.

New Zealand Justice Minister Throws Cold Water On Cannabis Reform Hopes

Written by Hazel Norman on October 16, 2022. Posted in Policy.

Last week United States President Joe Biden announced a plan to issue pardons to people convicted of a federal cannabis possession charge. The plan is estimated to affect as many as 6,500 people, although only time will tell what the final number ends up being.

In the meantime, other elected officials around the globe are chiming in on the matter, with many demanding that their own nations take similar action as the U.S. did. One of those nations is New Zealand, however, New Zealand’s Justice Minister made it clear that there are no plans to do so any time soon.

Pointing To Prior Measures

New Zealand Green Party drug reform spokesperson Chlöe Swarbrick appears to be leading the charge when it comes to demands for cannabis reform in New Zealand. Swarbrick referred to the United States as ‘the birthplace of the war on drugs,’ and that if the United States can pursue federal cannabis reform, then so too can New Zealand.

In response to those calls for reform, Justice Minister Kiri Allan pointed to a prior reform measure that was passed in 2019 giving law enforcement some discretion over how to penalize people for cannabis. Minister Allan also pointed to the results of the 2020 referendum measure vote as justification for not pursuing further reform.

“We have a slightly different context here. In 2019, we introduced the ability for the police to exercise discretion when it came to possession of cannabis offences,” Minister Allan stated according to RNZ. “Subsequently, we’ve seen a radical reduction in terms of those that are convicted merely for cannabis possession.”

A Breeding Ground For Selective Enforcement

Giving law enforcement the ability to issue a fine in lieu of arresting someone for cannabis is obviously better than requiring law enforcement to arrest someone for cannabis. However, providing the multiple options and still giving law enforcement the ability to arrest some people and not others is a breeding ground for selective enforcement. It’s great that convictions are down in New Zealand, yet it would clearly be better if the convictions were zero.

It’s very unfortunate that so many elected officials in New Zealand appear to be pushing the talking point that the outcome of the 2020 referendum is absolute, as if it was the final answer when it comes to cannabis policy in New Zealand. That talking point completely disregards the fact that the outcome was extremely close, and that 48.4% of people voted for the measure (1,406,973 people). Cannabis policies are evolving in many places across the globe, and that needs to happen in New Zealand as well.

German Federal Court Of Justice Upholds CBD Flower Convictions

Written by Hazel Norman on October 12, 2022. Posted in Policy.

Germany’s Federal Court of Justice issued a decision this week that could have potentially huge ramifications for the nation’s emerging cannabidiol (CBD) industry. Two defendants were originally convicted in 2021 in a lower court in Berlin for selling large quantities of CBD flower, and that decision was upheld by the higher Court.

Low-THC cannabis flower that is high in CBD is widely available in not only Germany, but throughout Europe. ‘Cannabis light,’ as it is often referred to, contains very little THC, which is what the defendants were buying and selling. Unlike THC, CBD is not associated with inducing intoxicating effects among those that consume it.

Unfortunately, the lower court was not swayed by any of the defendant’s arguments, and neither was the Federal Court of Justice. Below is a press release from the Federal Court of Justice regarding the decision, translated from German to English.

It contains the details regarding the Court’s legal reasoning behind its decision, which seems to be resulting in a lot of head scratching among the international cannabis community. At the very least, the decision will likely send some level of a chilling effect across Germany’s emerging CBD industry, as the legal reasoning can also be applied to a large number of other people and entities.

This decision further highlights the need for comprehensive cannabis policy reform in Germany:

The Leipzig-based 5th Criminal Division of the Federal Court of Justice has rejected the appeals of two defendants against a Berlin judgment in which they were sentenced to imprisonment in particular for trading in CBD flowers.

The Berlin Regional Court sentenced one of the accused to total imprisonment of three years, nine months and ten months (the execution of which it suspended on probation) for, among other things, gang dealing in large quantities of narcotics in two cases and the other for aiding and abetting in this.

According to the judgment of the district court, the main defendant – with the support of the second defendant and an unknown third party – acquired 60 kg of cannabis plant flowers with a high proportion of the active ingredient cannabidiol (CBD) in September and October 2019. He sold the CBD flowers to wholesalers for a profit, who in turn sold them to late sales outlets and CBD shops.

The comprehensive review of the judgment prompted by the factual complaint did not result in any legal errors to the detriment of the accused. In particular, the district court rightly classified the CBD flowers as narcotics within the meaning of Annex I to the Narcotics Act (BtMG). The flowers did not fall under a cannabis exemption. They did have an active ingredient content of 0.2% THC and thus did not exceed the limit specified in the exemption. However, there was no requirement that abuse for intoxicating purposes must be ruled out. If the flowers were heated during baking, for example, this led to the release of further THC, which could produce a cannabis intoxication when consumed by the end user. The main defendant was aware of this, but his assistant was indifferent.

Contrary to the opinion of the appeal, the conviction for trading in CBD flowers does not constitute a violation of the free movement of goods under European law (Art. 34 TFEU) that the flowers were legally produced in Spain. Because the flowers were narcotics, with which trade is prohibited from the outset and which are therefore not subject to the free movement of goods. The standards of European law on which this assessment is based were so clear according to the relevant legal norms and so far clarified by the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) that there was no reason to obtain a decision from the ECJ on compatibility with European law (Art. 267 TFEU ).

In view of the possibility of a health-endangering misuse of CBD flowers for intoxication purposes, the Senate did not see any violation of the constitutional prohibition on excess in the punishability of trading in them.

The judgment of the Berlin Regional Court is now final.

Lower court :

LG Berlin – Judgment of July 7, 2021 – (510 KLs) 254 Js 38/20 (9/20)

The relevant regulations are:

Annex I to § 1 Para. 1 BtMG (non-marketable narcotics)

Cannabis (marijuana, plants and plant parts of plants belonging to the genus Cannabis)

– except (…)

b) if (…) their tetrahydrocannabinol content does not exceed 0.2 percent and they are used (except for cultivation) exclusively for commercial or scientific purposes that exclude misuse for intoxicating purposes. (…)

Art. 34 TFEU Ban on import restrictions

Quantitative import restrictions and all measures having equivalent effect are prohibited between Member States.

Art. 36 TFEU exceptions

(1) The provisions of Articles 34 and 35 shall not preclude import, export and transit bans or restrictions which (…) are justified to protect human health and life (…).

2. However, such prohibitions or restrictions shall not constitute a means of arbitrary discrimination or a disguised restriction on trade between Member States.

Article 267 TFEU

(1) The Court of Justice of the European Union decides by way of a preliminary ruling

a) on the interpretation of the contracts,

b) on the validity and interpretation of the acts of the Union institutions, bodies, offices or agencies. (…)

(3) If such a question is raised in pending proceedings before a national court, the decisions of which are themselves no longer subject to appeal under national law, that court shall be bound to refer the matter to the Court of Justice.

Karlsruhe, October 12, 2022

Argentina Issues First-Ever Domestic Cannabis Production License

Written by Hazel Norman on October 12, 2022. Posted in Business, Policy.

The battle to legalize medical cannabis in Argentina has been waged for several years now. Argentina initially passed a medical cannabis legalization measure back in 2017, however, that legislation proved to be largely symbolic due to former President of Argentina Mauricio Macri who did basically everything in his power to hinder the nation’s medical cannabis program from progressing.

The current President of Argentina, Alberto Fernández, issued a decree back in 2020 that greatly increased safe access in the South American country. The decree legalized home cultivation, and also set the stage for Argentina’s legal cannabis industry to emerge, although the home cultivation provision had to be litigated later.

The decree also allowed pharmacies to sell cannabis-derived oils, topicals, and other products, and it directed insurance systems to cover medical cannabis treatments for patients who obtained a prescription, although further rulemaking needed to occur.

The cannabis industry in Argentina still needed one very important thing in order to launch – the issuance of the nation’s first domestic production license. That finally occurred this month. Per elm strador (translated to English):

The Government of Argentina has authorized the operation of a medical cannabis production plant in the northern province of Jujuy, which will become the first to manufacture this product in the South American country, official sources reported Tuesday.

The National Administration of Medicines, Food and Technology (ANMAT) of Argentina authorized the company Cannava, owned by the provincial state of Jujuy, to operate a plant with the capacity to annually process 80 tons of medicinal inflorescences and about 4,000 kilos of active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Argentina’s current president once predicted that the nation’s cannabis industry could support over 10,000 jobs. The issuance of the first license will obviously not yield that result on its own, however, it’s a major step in the right direction.

The South American country is the second largest by physical size on the continent, only behind Brazil. Argentina is home to roughly 41 million people, making it the third most populous country in South America.

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President Of Colombia Applauds U.S. Cannabis Pardon Announcement

Written by Hazel Norman on October 11, 2022. Posted in Policy.

Last week United States President Joe Biden announced a plan to pardon people convicted of federal cannabis possession charges. It is estimated that the decision will affect roughly 6,500 people.

One question that seems to be lingering out there is what happens to future federal cannabis enforcement practices? Will people still be subjected to arrest and federal charges if/when they are caught possessing cannabis on federal property in the U.S.?

Only time will tell if that proves to be the case. Regardless, cannabis still remains a Schedule I substance in the U.S., although part of President Biden’s announcement involved tasking leaders of his related departments to examine cannabis’ current federal classification level.

The move by President Biden is being criticized by some and being hailed by others. One person that is giving praise to the decision is current the current president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro.

“The White House takes a fundamental step to change the vision of the fight against drugs. The user of marijuana will not be treated as a criminal.” President Petro tweeted days after the announcing of pardons (translated to English).

Cannabis reform is on the move in Petro’s country in addition to other parts of the planet. Colombian lawmakers recently approved a cannabis legalization measure in committee, which is something that President Petro has pushed for. The measure has a long road ahead, however, the fact that it was approved at the committee level is encouraging.

Colombia has long served as a top source for unregulated cannabis, and continues to be so to some extent. Fortunately, there are people in the country working to get the nation on the right side of history, not the least of which is the country’s president.

London Mayor Still To Pursue Cannabis Reform Despite Political Pushback

Written by Hazel Norman on October 6, 2022. Posted in Policy.

Earlier this year the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, launched a commission to explore London’s cannabis enforcement policies in addition to other drug enforcement policies. Taking a hard look at London’s cannabis policies was one of Mayor Khan’s campaign pledges during his re-election bid.

One of the things that Mayor Khan is essentially pushing for is cannabis decriminalization, which is not as good as outright legalization yet is obviously superior than arresting people caught with a personal amount of cannabis.

Khan’s desire to change London’s cannabis enforcement policies was condemned by other officials, including Steve Reed, the Labour’s Party’s shadow justice secretary. As we previously reported, Reed made the ridiculous claim that cannabis decriminalization would “turn London into a drug supermarket.”

It appears that London Mayor Sadiq Khan is undeterred, indicating that he will proceed with his his reform commission plans regardless of what others think. Per My London:

But Mr Khan told Labour conference there was a need to look again at the legislation. He said he meets young black Londoners every week who have a criminal record because of possession of cannabis: “That record affects them for their entire life. I meet experts who tell me the consequences of dangerous skunk being sold in an unregulated market and the psychosis it can cause.”

He added: “I’ve got a genuine open mind. I’m going to look at what the commission comes back with, follow the evidence, and decide what to do going forward…if it means going against public opinion like I did with air quality…I’ll do it.”

It wouldn’t be public opinion that Khan would be going against if/when he chooses to change London’s cannabis enforcement practices. As we previously reported, people in London support a change in cannabis enforcement practices in their city per a recent YouGov poll.

“New YouGov data finds that Londoners support decriminalising cannabis within the boundaries of the capital by 50% to 33%. However opinion is divided across party lines, with 64% of the capital’s Labour voters supporting such a move compared to only 34% of Conservative voters.” YouGov stated at the time.

CBD Extracts Reduce Agitation In Dementia Patients According To Israeli Study

Written by Hazel Norman on October 6, 2022. Posted in Science.

According to the World Health Organization as many as 55 million people worldwide live with some level of dementia. That number is expected to increase to 78 million by 2030 and up to 139 million by 2050.

Dementia is a syndrome that involves the deterioration of cognitive function among those that suffer from the condition. The deterioration goes beyond what is expected as a result of typical human biological aging.

The condition disturbs multiple higher cortical functions including but not limited to learning and memory, focusing, language, motor perception, and social cognition. Cases range from mild symptoms all the way to cases in which the patient is completely debilitated because of the condition.

Heightened agitation among patients suffering from dementia is common, as patients are often disoriented and become frustrated by their surroundings and interactions with people they are unfamiliar with. Fortunately, a recent study in Israel found that cannabidiol (CBD) may help. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Tel Aviv, Israel: The administration of plant-derived extracts containing high levels of CBD and low levels of THC reduces agitation in patients suffering from behavioral disturbances related to dementia, according to clinical trial data published in the journal Frontiers in Medicine.

Israeli researchers assessed the safety and efficacy of CBD-dominant extracts (30 to 1 ratio of CBD to THC) compared to placebo in a cohort of seniors (mean age: 79 years) with dementia. Subjects in the trial received sublingual drops of either cannabis extracts or a placebo (olive oil) three times daily for a period of 16 weeks.

“Patients in the investigational group experienced a significantly greater reduction in sleep disturbances, and in agitation and aggression sub-score using two different measurement tools. The improvements were accompanied with non-serious side-effects,” authors reported. ”We recommend conducting a large scale randomized controlled trial on behavioral disturbances related to dementia and to compare clinical sub-types of dementia.”

The findings are consistent with those of other studies – such as those here, here, and here - reporting that the use of either cannabis flowers or extracts mitigates agitation in dementia patients.

Full text of the study, “Effects of rich cannabidiol oil on behavioral disturbances in patients with dementia: A placebo controlled randomized clinical trial,” appears in Frontiers in Medicine.

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Former President Of Mexico Says Legalization Will ‘Pull The Rug Out From Under The Cartels’

Written by Hazel Norman on October 3, 2022. Posted in Policy.

In late 2018 Mexico’s Supreme Court issued two landmark rulings that collectively overturned the country’s prohibition on cannabis as it pertained to recreational use. The rulings established case law that all judges in Mexico are bound by, however, they did not completely set the nation’s cannabis policies, particularly when it comes to the cannabis industry.

Part of the Court’s decisions back in late 2018 involved Mexico’s federal lawmakers being tasked with passing a measure that would fully implement cannabis legalization and create an adult-use cannabis industry. The Court’s mandate initially involved a one year deadline.

Unfortunately, the deadline was not complied with and a series of extensions have come and gone, yet cannabis advocates in Mexico are still waiting on a measure to be passed. Various lawmakers have hinted that legalization is near, although at this point many cannabis advocates inside and outside of Mexico see those claims as nothing more than pandering.

Former President Vicente Fox is an outspoken advocate for cannabis reform in Mexico, and he recently expressed frustration with how long the process is taking to get a legalization measure passed. He also made a bold claim regarding legalization and Mexico’s drug cartels. Per excerpts from Mexico News Daily:

Former president and marijuana entrepreneur Vicente Fox has urged lawmakers and authorities to legalize and regulate the recreational use of cannabis, asserting that doing so will reduce cartels’ income and create economic opportunities for ordinary Mexicans.

“Sometimes people ask why [former] president Fox is involved in this, if he is a druggie or pothead – a lot of people make jokes,” Fox said. “I’m involved in this because I’m totally convinced that legalizing marijuana is [the way] to pull the rug out from under the cartels.”

How long it will ultimately take for lawmakers in Mexico to pass a legalization measure and for regulators to launch a regulated adult-use industry is anyone’s guess at this point. In fairness, it is worth recognizing that creating a regulated adult-use industry in Mexico is much different compared to many other countries due to the cartel factor.

The industry has to be set up in a way that minimizes the involvement of cartels in the regulated industry, as it’s very logical to assume that cartels will work very hard to gain as much of Mexico’s legal market as possible. If that proves to be the case it will be very unfortunate. Mexico not only needs to legalize cannabis, it also has to legalize the right way.

The Greens Urge Australia’s Federal Parliament To Legalize Adult-Use Cannabis

Written by Hazel Norman on October 2, 2022. Posted in Policy.

Australia is home to an emerging cannabis industry, although cannabis laws vary from state to state throughout the country. The most progressive region when it comes to cannabis policy can be found in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), where cannabis was decriminalized in 2020.

In fact, as we previously reported, the University of Sydney is launching a free cannabis testing program for residents of ACT that want to test their cannabis. The goal of that program is to gather insight into what potencies and varieties of cannabis consumers are actually cultivating and/or consuming in Australia. That insight, in theory, will help lawmakers craft policies and regulations.

Leadership among The Australian Greens, or The Greens as the party is often referred to, is urging the nation’s government to legalize cannabis for adult use at the national level, and in the process, supersede any local prohibition policies. Per The Guardian:

As the minor party ramps up its campaign to legalise cannabis ahead of a planned private member’s bill to be introduced next year, the Greens’ justice spokesperson, David Shoebridge, said the advice from constitutional lawyer Patrick Keyzer paved the way for new federal laws.

The advice suggests that there are three commonwealth heads of power that would enable it to legalise and regulate cannabis use, with the clearest pathway via a part of section 51, which relates to copyrights, patents of inventions and designs, and trademarks.

Whether or not that proves to be a viable path to adult-use legalization in Australia is something that we will all have to wait and see. Even if there is a viable path to legalization in Australia, and the other claims by The Greens are accurate regarding federal law versus local law, the political will to pass a legalization measure still has to be in place, and that is likely not the case right now, unfortunately.

According to a poll conducted earlier this year by Essential Research, 55% of voters in Australia want cannabis to be legalized and regulated like alcohol. It’s a public policy and industry approach that is already working in Uruguay and Canada, as well as at the state-level in the United States.

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Labour’s Shadow Justice Secretary Says London Cannot Decriminalize Cannabis

Written by Hazel Norman on October 2, 2022. Posted in Policy.

Back in mid-May the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, launched a commission to explore London’s cannabis policies. The ‘London Drugs Commission,’ as it is referred to, is chaired by Lord Charlie Falconer QC, a former lord chancellor and justice secretary. Reviewing London’s cannabis policies was one of Mayor Khan’s pledges during his re-election campaign.

One of the specific public policy components that was heavily reported as being in Mayor Khan’s crosshairs is cannabis decriminalization. People in London support a change in cannabis enforcement in London per a YouGov poll that we previously reported on earlier this month.

Unfortunately, at least some leaders within the Labour Party seem to have failed to look at the polling data, or at the very least disregarded it, as they are pushing back against any changes in cannabis policy and enforcement in London. The latest example of that comes from Steve Reed, the Labour’s Party’s shadow justice secretary. Per Eastern Eye:

Steve Reed said that the party would not look to decriminalise or legalise any recreational drugs, and Khan will not be given powers to do so, reported The Telegraph. He added that Labour will not allow Khan to turn London into a ‘drug supermarket’.

“Khan is entitled to his view, but mayors will not be responsible under this government or under a Labour government for that policy. So he can express whatever he likes, but he’ll never have the opportunity to do it under a Labour government because we won’t be liberalising drugs laws,” Reed was quoted as saying by The Telegraph.

“He’s contributing to a debate, but he won’t have the power to do anything about it, however that comes about.”

According to media reports, Mayor Khan wants to implement a similar pilot program that was created by the Thames Valley police in which young adults caught with a personal amount of cannabis undergo classes or counseling instead of being arrested and prosecuted.

Forcing young people into classes or counseling for personal cannabis possession in itself is not ideal, however, it’s definitely not an enforcement approach that should be categorized as seeking to “turn London into a drug supermarket.”

As the potential government showdown continues to develop in the United Kingdom it is worth keeping an eye on the situation, as it could have ramifications for the national cannabis policy discussion in addition to the ongoing local discussion.