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Author: Hazel Norman

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New Report In Ireland Recommends Considering Cannabis Legalization

Written by Hazel Norman on . Posted in Policy.

Ireland’s Oireachtas Justice Committee is recommending that the government consider legalizing cannabis for adult-use, in addition to wider drug policy reforms. According to its website, the Oireachtas Justice Committee “shadows the Department of Justice and considers policy in the fields of justice, security and the rule of law to ensure that Irish society is safe, secure, just, open-minded and impartial.”

As we previously reported late last month, People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny formally filed an adult-use legalization measure that, if passed, would legalize cannabis possession for people 18 years old or older in Ireland.

The measure is not as robust as the legalization model currently in place in Canada, and would legalize the personal possession of up to seven grams of cannabis flower and 2.5 grams of concentrates. The bill would not legalize cannabis sales.

“I believe that if passed, this bill will provide a stepping stone to a more progressive drug policy in Ireland.” TD Gino Kenny stated on Twitter last month. The report by the Oireachtas Justice Committee does recommend that the government consider launching legal sales, with the goal of battling the unregulated market. Per The Journal:

A NEW REPORT by the Oireachtas Justice Committee has recommended that legalisation of certain drugs be examined by the Government as well as allowing some drug cultivation at a “non-profit” level.

The report, published this morning, recommends that the Government examines a regulatory model for certain drugs, including cannabis, as part of measures to reduce the impact of the existing black market for illicit substances.

What the report is recommending is something similar to what is currently being put into place in Malta. Malta passed a limited legalization measure in late 2021, with the main way for consumers to eventually source their cannabis involving non-profit cannabis clubs.

Cannabis legalization faces an uphill battle in Ireland, as demonstrated by the reaction from some lawmakers in Ireland after Gino Kenny formally introduced his limited measure. If Gino Kenny’s bill is receiving pushback, then it’s a safe bet that the new report will also receive similar pushback, and perhaps even more. Still, the report is encouraging, and in theory, could move the discussion needle a bit.

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Canada Increases Cannabis Beverage Possession Limit

Written by Hazel Norman on . Posted in Policy, Science.

The cannabis beverage sector of the emerging international cannabis industry has been very interesting to follow. It’s often the subject of a great deal of public relations efforts it seems, with industry leaders often touting it as ‘the next great sector’ that entrepreneurs, investors, and consumers should watch for.

Cannabis-infused beverages have certainly risen in popularity in recent years among patients and consumers, with that popularity being paralleled by a dramatic increase in selection. Drinkable forms of cannabis are a great consumption method for various reasons, and unlike many cannabis products, beverages almost always seem to come in packaging that is easy to recycle.

Canada is home to the largest nationwide, legal adult-use cannabis industry and several cannabis-infused beverage products are available across the nation. The Canadian government recently announced changes to cannabis beverage possession limits, in addition to changes to cannabis testing and research. Below is more information about it via a government news release from Health Canada:

Today, Health Canada announced that amendments to the Cannabis Act and its regulations concerning cannabis research and testing, and cannabis beverages have been approved and are now in force as of December 2, 2022. A copy of the final regulations, as well as the Regulatory Impact and Analysis Statement is expected to be published in the Canada Gazette, Part II, on December 21, 2022.

These amendments follow extensive engagement with stakeholders, universities, researchers, health authorities, cannabis industry associations, cannabis licence holders, provinces, territories and the public. They aim to facilitate research and testing, and also amend the public possession limit for cannabis beverages to bring them in line with other cannabis products.

Notably, these amendments:

  • Increase the public possession limit for cannabis beverages to a level that is similar to other forms of cannabis, such as solid edible cannabis products (i.e. gummies or chocolate). Adults in Canada are now able to possess up to 17.1 litres (equal to 48 cans of 355 ml each) of cannabis beverages in public for non-medical purposes, which is up from approximately 2.1 litres (equal to five cans of 355 ml each) under the previous rules. Existing controls that mitigate the risks of overconsumption and accidental consumption, such as child-resistant packaging and strict limits on the amount of THC per container, remain in place;
  • Change how Health Canada regulates non-therapeutic cannabis research with human participants, helping make the process of conducting this research easier, while still maintaining appropriate public health and safety controls;
  • Allow analytical testing licence holders and federal and provincial government laboratories to produce, distribute and sell reference standards and test kits, to increase access to cannabis testing materials and thereby support access to a quality-controlled supply of cannabis; and
  • Broaden the educational qualifications for the Head of Laboratory, a position that is required for an analytical testing licence and is responsible for all cannabis testing activities that occur at the licensed site.

Transition periods are provided to reduce potential impacts on existing research licence holders conducting research with human participants, and on processing licence holders who produce cannabis beverages. The Cannabis Act serves as a flexible legislative framework that adapts and responds to the needs of Canadians.

Health Canada will continue to engage with stakeholders and pursue initiatives to address ongoing and emerging public health and safety issues to improve the cannabis framework so that it meets the needs of Canadians while continuing to displace the illicit market.

Quick Facts

  • The Cannabis Act (the Act) came into force on October 17, 2018. With the Act, the Government of Canada legalized and strictly regulated the production, distribution, sale, import and export, and possession of cannabis.
  • The Minister of Health and the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions launched the legislative review of the Cannabis Act on September 22, 2022. The review is being conducted by a five-member independent, expert panel, who will report their final conclusions and advice to the Ministers by Spring 2024.
  • Health Canada’s Forward Regulatory Plan provides information on regulatory initiatives that Health Canada aims to propose or finalize in the next two years, including those pertaining to the cannabis framework.

Associated Links

Contacts

Guillaume Bertrand
Senior Communications Advisor and Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister of Health
613-957-0200

Media Relations
Health Canada
613-957-2983
media@hc-sc.gc.ca

Public Inquiries:
613-957-2991
1-866-225-0709

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Cannabis Seizures Decrease 98% At California/Mexico Ports Of Entry

Written by Hazel Norman on . Posted in Policy.

Historically, one of the most active parts of the world for illegal cannabis activity was along the border shared between the United States and Mexico. For many years cannabis cultivated in Mexico, and farther south in the hemisphere, was smuggled into the United States where it was then transported throughout the country.

In recent years, however, demand in the United States for cannabis cultivated in Mexico has decreased significantly due in large part to the rise of the legal state-level cannabis industry in the U.S. Starting in 1996 with the legalization of medical cannabis in California, a number of states have passed medical cannabis reform measures in the U.S. that resulted in the spread of legal sales.

The spread of legal cannabis commerce in the United States accelerated in 2012 with the passage of adult-use legalization measures in Colorado and Washington State, leading to a situation today in which nearly half of the United States now lives where cannabis is legal, with many states currently allowing home cultivation to some degree in addition to permitting sales.

With all of that in mind, it likely doesn’t surprise anyone that cannabis seizures at California/Mexico ports of entry are down in recent years. Although, it may surprise people just how much of a reduction has occurred. Below is more information about it via a media release from United States Customs and Border Protection. As you will see, cannabis seizures are down 98%:

SAN DIEGO — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers conducting security operations at California’s ports of entry with Mexico performed more than 54.7 million inspections of travelers, seized more than 50 tons of illegal narcotics, and apprehended more than 74,000 immigration violators during federal fiscal year 2022.

CBP’s field office in San Diego includes the San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, Tecate, Calexico, Andrade and the San Diego air and seaports of entry.

During the fiscal year, which ended September 30, CBP officers at ports in San Diego and Imperial counties inspected more than 29 million passenger vehicles, more than 1.5 million trucks, almost 19,000 buses, and nearly 16 million pedestrians entering the U.S.

The total amount of narcotics seized during the year at California’s six ports of entry with Mexico decreased 38 percent compared to the previous period. Marijuana seizures decreased 98 percent to 320 pounds; cocaine seizures decreased by 23 percent to 8,790 pounds; heroin seizures decreased 68 percent to 764 pounds; methamphetamine seizures decreased 23 percent to 86,227 and fentanyl seizures increased by 5 percent to 6,704 pounds.

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Cannabis Legalization Bill Approved By Colombia’s Senate

Written by Hazel Norman on . Posted in Policy.

Colombia is home to one of the most favorable climates on earth when it comes to cannabis cultivation. Whereas in other areas the cannabis plant requires supplemental lighting and a buffet of nutrients, in Colombia the cannabis plant grows naturally on a large scale.

Cannabis cultivation is not new to the South American country, which historically has served as one of the top suppliers of unregulated cannabis and other banned substances for the global marketplace, particularly in North America.

Advocates in Colombia have made strides in building momentum for cannabis reform in recent years, and that was on display this week when the nation’s Senate approved a cannabis legalization measure, as first reported by Marijuana Moment:

The Colombian Senate has overwhelmingly approved a bill to legalize marijuana nationwide, though there are still more legislative steps that need to be taken before it’s potentially enacted into law.

The bill, which has also already received initial approval in the country’s Chamber of Representatives, was approved on the Senate floor during the fourth round of debate on Tuesday in a 56-3 vote.

The cannabis reform marathon may not have yet reached the finish line in Colombia, however, this is a milestone that is certainly worthy of tempered celebration. As is the case in politics in any country, nothing is guaranteed in Colombia when it comes to cannabis legalization, and legalization still faces a long road ahead.

Part of the political process in Colombia for a bill of this nature is a series of debates that have to be spread out over time. As a result, it’s quite likely that it may take as long as until 2024 for a bill to be finalized. Even then, any delays in the process would push legalization out even further.

As 2022 draws to a close and we head into 2023 it’s going to be very interesting to see where the cannabis discussion goes, both inside of Colombia’s borders, and beyond.

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Cannabis Pilot Program Delayed Until At Least 2024 In The Netherlands

Written by Hazel Norman on . 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.

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Will Luxembourg Ever Pass A Legalization Measure?

Written by Hazel Norman on . 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 . 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.

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Romania’s Parliament Debates Medical Cannabis Reform

Written by Hazel Norman on . 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 . 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.