Author: Johnny Green

International Cannabis Business Conference Berlin 2023 Expo Floor

International Cannabis Business Conference Berlin Tickets Are Half-Price For German Cannabis Clubs

Written by Johnny Green on April 16, 2025. Posted in Business.

Starting on July 1, 2024, adults in Germany can apply to local authorities to launch an adult-use cannabis social club, also referred to as a cultivation association. Clubs are a key component of Germany’s legalization model.

So far, over 133 cultivation associations have been approved, and several hundred more are having their applications processed. As time goes by, thousands of social cannabis clubs are expected to operate across Germany.

The International Cannabis Business Conference is bringing its flagship event back to Berlin, Germany later this month on April 29th-30th. One of the new features of the conference, which is Europe’s largest and longest-running cannabis B2B event, is an on-site consumption lounge. The lounge is the perfect place for Germany’s social clubs to exhibit.

Operators of Germany’s social clubs can attend the International Cannabis Business Conference event in Berlin at a discounted rate, receiving half off the regular admission price. Interested operators can check out the International Cannabis Business Conference website to receive additional details.

The International Cannabis Business Conference Berlin 2025 will be held at the iconic Estrel Berlin Hotel. The schedule for the Berlin event was recently released, and it is packed with insightful and timely presentations.

Competition is going to increase significantly within Germany’s industry, and the best way to learn how to maximize your opportunities and network with industry leaders is at the International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin. Register now to secure your spot.

New additions at ICBC Berlin this year include (in addition to the on-site consumption lounge):

Free VIP tickets for all cannabis pharmacies and cannabis clinics
Lounges with food and drinks throughout the expo area
Celebrity meet-and-greets in the expo area
Speed networking area
Treasure hunt cards in the expo area

Euromonitor International estimates that the emerging global cannabis industry is currently worth 51.4 billion euros, with that figure estimated to top 60 billion euros in 2025. Germany’s cannabis industry alone is currently estimated to be worth nearly 1.2 billion euros. The legal German cannabis market is projected to reach an estimated $4.6 billion in value by 2034, according to a separate market analysis by researchers at The Niche Research.

Over 5,000 cannabis leaders from over 80 countries are expected to be represented at the April 2025 conference in Berlin, and that includes representatives from every sector of the industry, as well as leading international cannabis policymakers and industry service providers. Bring your social club to the International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin to network with the best and take your industry pursuits to the next level.

The Top German Cannabis Companies In 2025

Written by Johnny Green on April 14, 2025. Posted in Business.

Germany remains the most exciting country in Europe in terms of cannabis policy and business. The nation’s emerging legal cannabis industry is continuing to ramp up after the adoption of the CanG law, with many sectors experiencing exponential growth.

It is an extremely exciting time for German-based companies that work directly in the cannabis industry or provide ancillary products and/or services to the emerging German cannabis industry. Below are the top companies that people need to keep an eye on in 2025 (in alphabetical order).

420 Pharma

420 Pharma is a medical cannabis producer in Germany. The company produces its own cannabis brand, “420,” which includes both flower and full-spectrum extracts. All of their cannabis flower is hand-picked and processed in a manner that ensures unaltered terpene profiles.

ActiTube

Originally founded in 2001, you can now get the ActiTube activated carbon filters in practically every European head shop. In German-speaking countries, you can get these in many tobacco shops, kiosks, late-night shops, tobacconists, and increasingly even at petrol stations. All ActiTube products are made in Germany, and ActiTube-activated charcoal filters can be composted without restriction.

Aphria/Tilray

Aphria was one of the three firms that won authorization to grow cannabis during the German cultivation bid. They subsequently merged with Tilray, but not before purchasing the sixth-largest mainstream medical distributor in the country (CC Pharma).

Astro Nova

AstroNova (formerly Astro-Med, Inc.) is a regional and global leader in developing and applying data visualization technologies. The company delivers total solutions that acquire, process, analyze, store, print, and present data in a variety of usable forms. These solutions are adapted specifically to customer requirements, including those of the cannabis industry, to enhance the quality, productivity, and profitability of their businesses.

Atami

Atami is a leading distributor of premium home cultivation products, including nutrients, substrates, and growth systems. In addition to selling products, the company produces a significant amount of useful content on its website for aspiring cultivators. With home cannabis cultivation becoming legal for adults in Germany starting on April 1st, 2024, many home cultivators are turning to Atami for help with their gardens.

Aurora Cannabis

Aurora Cannabis is a Canadian public company that also won one of the three cultivation slots in the German cultivation bid. The firm has a footprint across Europe at this point. It was one of the earliest public Canadian companies before establishing itself across the EU in recent years.

Becanex

As a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), Becanex plays a central role in the development and manufacture of pharmaceutical products, specializing in cannabis extracts. Becanex works in partnership with its clients to provide customized solutions that complement their therapeutic focus. Becanex’s expertise in research and development enables it to develop innovative products that are precisely tailored to the complex requirements of the medical cannabis industry.

BvCW

BvCW is the voice of the cannabis industry in Germany and represents all industry segments and company sizes to politicians and administration. BvCW’s specialist areas are divided into “Recreational Cannabis,” “Industrial Hemp & Food,” “Medical Cannabis,” and “Technology, Trade & Services.” BVCW combines industrial policy, technological, economic expertise, and advocacy for better political framework conditions.

Cannaleo

Cannaleo provides software solutions and technology advising to medical cannabis pharmacies in Germany, including the implementation of full-service medicinal cannabis ordering systems. The Cannaleo Digital GmbH team is made up of various experts with many years of experience in the areas of software development, medicinal cannabis, as well as business development & consulting.

Canopy Growth

Canopy Growth is a world-leading cannabis company focused on unleashing the power of cannabis to improve lives, particularly in Germany. From supporting personal wellness to fostering economic opportunity and striving toward social justice, Canopy Growth is showcasing the capacity of cannabis as a force for good. Canopy Growth offers high-quality products with best-in-class cannabinoid effects. Rooted in a belief that every moment in the day can be enhanced by the tailored use of cannabinoid products, Canopy Growth is redefining experiences with cannabis and demonstrating the true potential of this powerful plant.

Cansativa Group

Cansativa is the central platform and partner of the German Cannabis Agency (BfArM). The company helps Germany’s government facilitate medical cannabis transactions.

Cantourage

Cantourage provides fast-track access to the German and EU markets for medical cannabis cultivators worldwide. The Berlin-based company is passionate about bringing the world’s best cannabis to Germany. Cantourage is consistently breaking new ground and using the potential of a dynamically developing industry.

Canymed by Grunhorn

Canymed is a Berlin-based pharmaceutical wholesaler that helps cannabis companies import from non-EU countries to Germany and sell their products in pharmacies. Canymed manages the process of application for the allowance of importation, market approval by their QP, and wholesaling to pharmacies and other registered institutions or companies.

Demecan

DEMECAN is the only independent German company that is permitted to cultivate medicinal cannabis in Germany. The company’s production facility is near Dresden, and the focus of the facility is to ensure the consistently high quality of DEMECAN’s cannabis products.

EUCannaJobs

EUCannaJobs is Europe’s premier platform shaping the future of employment in the burgeoning cannabis, CBD, and hemp industries in Germany and across Europe. EUCannaJobs is more than just a job board; they are a catalyst for connecting talent with innovative companies and driving the growth of the dynamic cannabis sector.

GOC Nexus

GOC Nexus is a cutting-edge cannabis technology company whose innovative cold plasma technology is revolutionizing the cannabis industry through its unique combination of efficiency, product safety, and the preservation of therapeutically valuable compounds. The company recently received funding from a leading German financial institution, Volksbank Donau-Mindel. Volksbank Donau-Mindel was joined in the successful funding round by a concurrent investment from SYNBIOTIC SE, Germany’s largest publicly listed cannabis company, and was coordinated by leading European cannabis investment firm The Talman House. SYNBIOTIC SE is a member of The Talman House.

Grow in AG

Grow In AG was founded in 1995 and now offers one of the largest international ranges of carefully tested and selected products for successful plant cultivation. In March 2020, Grow In AG merged with the English wholesaler HydroGarden LTD (UK). Together, Hydrogarden and Grow In AG now form the largest wholesaler for hydroponic growing accessories in Europe.

Gunnercooke

German-based gunnercooke is one of the fastest-growing international law firms and has offices in the United States, Germany, CEE, Austria, Scotland, and England. The firm is a team of more than 500 professionals and has a client roster that includes Nike, Mercedes, Lidl, Santander, DHL, and a growing list of leading German and European cannabis companies.

Heidolph Scientific

Heidolph Scientific Products GmbH is a scientific laboratory product maker based in Schwabach, Germany. Numerous medical cannabis companies in Germany and Europe use Heidolph Scientific devices and products to manufacture, analyze, and ensure the quality of their medical cannabis products.

HempGroup

HempGroup is a cannabis industry wholesale partner for premium cannabis products. The German company works with specialist retailers and companies that value quality, variety, and reliability. With a wide range and selected brands, HempGroup offers virtually everything that cannabis companies need to help ensure success.

Hiperscan

HiperScan GmbH is a successful, medium-sized technology company with headquarters in Dresden and over 60 employees. HiperScan GmbH branched off from the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems, Dresden, in 2006. HiperScan is responsible for the very successful and cost-effective NIR-analysis system Apo-Ident, which is distributed in Germany and internationally. It is a near-infrared spectrometer that has been specially designed for identifying raw materials in pharmacies. With this system, HiperScan is the market leader for raw material identification in German pharmacies.

Huber

Huber is one of the leading technological providers of high-precision temperature control solutions for research and industry. Huber’s products ensure precise temperature control in laboratories, pilot plants, and cannabis industry production processes from -125 to +425 °C.

KD Phyto

KD Phyto is a trusted partner in responsibly sourced cannabis and hemp-derived active ingredients for pharmaceutical applications and customized cannabinoid formulations for topical, nutraceutical, and cosmetic applications. With a strong focus on cannabinoids, KD Phyto ensures that ingredients comply with all German/European regulations and are manufactured following international EU-GMP standards and ICH guidelines, producing high-quality, safe, and effective products.

KFN+

KFN+ law firm, led by Kai-Friedrich Niermann, advises large CBD and medical cannabis companies, as well as companies and associations interested in the emerging recreational cannabis market. With a broad range of expertise in cannabis and business law, KFN+ provides comprehensive legal support to companies and individuals. From contract drafting and company formation to day-to-day legal support, KFN+ assists cannabis companies with customized solutions in all legal matters, including white-collar criminal law where necessary.

Little Green Pharma

Little Green Pharma is one of the most recognizable medical cannabis brands in Europe (as well as Australia). The company delivers innovative solutions to world-class operations in both Denmark and Australia.

MJ_Universe

MJ Universe GmbH was founded by Lisa Katharina Haag. MJ Universe provides consulting services to the emerging legal cannabis industry. The company is committed to projects dedicated to accelerating cannabis as a medicine, advocating for a more progressive and realistic regulatory framework, and to activities that mainstream cannabis. MJ Universe’s mission is to unlock the full potential of cannabis. Furthermore, MJ Universe is the publisher of krautinvest.de – Germany’s leading B2B magazine with news, background information, and market trends.

Next Tröber Europe

Hamburg-based Next Tröber Europe GmbH & Co. KG is one of the leading importers of lighters, smoking accessories, and promotional products in Germany. For more than 70 years, Next Tröber Europe has been developing, designing, and marketing lighters, smoking, and promotional items.

PURIZE Filters

PURIZE is a young, dynamic company that specializes in the production of high-quality activated carbon filters. The company’s mission is to elevate smoking enjoyment through innovative, environmentally friendly products. PURIZE’s versatile team has been manufacturing in Germany since the company’s founding in 2016, specifically in the beautiful Lausitz region of southern Brandenburg.

Purpl Scientific

Purpl Scientific is a technology company dedicated to providing accurate, affordable tools to the emerging legal cannabis industry that provide insight and intelligence about products and potency. The company packs a ton of new-generation technologies into its hand-held applications that are exceedingly powerful, amazingly fast, extremely affordable, and controlled with the click of a button.

Sanity Group

Sanity Group, founded in Berlin in 2018 by Finn Age Hänsel and Fabian Friede, includes Vayamed and AVAAY Medical (medicinal cannabis), Endosane Pharmaceuticals (finished pharmaceuticals), Belfry Medical (medical products and digital applications), VAAY (wellbeing), and This Place (natural cosmetics). Near Frankfurt am Main, Sanity Group also operates a production and processing facility for cannabis extracts.

SKW Schwarz

SKW Schwarz is an independent law firm with around 130 lawyers, four locations, and a common goal: they think ahead. In a world where everything is in motion, cannabis companies need legal advice that recognizes change as an opportunity. As a full-service law firm and member of TerraLex, SKW Schwarz is globally networked and advises in all relevant areas of commercial law.

Storz & Bickel

Storz and Bickel is the creator of the Volcano, which still ranks as one of the greatest cannabis consumption devices on earth despite being introduced to the world over two decades ago. Storz and Bickel’s products serve as the industry standard for cannabis consumption around the world.

SYNBIOTIC SE

SYNBIOTIC SE is a leading European corporate group operating in the dynamic environment of the cannabis and industrial hemp market. As a publicly listed company, SYNBIOTIC SE offers its investors the exceptional opportunity to fully capitalize on the potential of this rapidly growing market.

Tom Hemp’s

Tom Hemp’s specializes in natural products made with love and passion from the German capital, Berlin. All of their products are made with 100% European industrial hemp, are EU-certified, and are free from pesticides and herbicides. In addition to its online store, Tom Hemp’s has over 100 brick-and-mortar locations in several European countries.

WEECO Pharma

WEECO brings together some of the best EU-GMP manufacturers and brands from around the world on a single distribution platform. The company has all the necessary approvals and licenses to distribute medical cannabis products in Germany and worldwide. The sustained commitment to quality makes WEECO a well-known player in the German medical cannabis landscape and a trusted partner for both the domestic market and international buyers.

Wessling

Since the company was founded in 1983, Wessling has aimed to offer their business partners high-quality, tailor-made analytical and consulting services as well as holistic solution concepts and laboratory testing for the areas of real estate, environment, food, consumer products, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.

Germany’s Coalition Announces No Changes To CanG Law For Now

Written by Johnny Green on April 9, 2025. Posted in Policy.

After months of speculation, the new German governing coalition announced today that it has agreed on what to do regarding the nation’s adult-use cannabis legalization law (CanG) and that the coalition has decided to keep legalization in place.

No changes to the law are reportedly being made right now, although future evaluations will occur as part of the coalition agreement. The new governing coalition is expected to revisit the topic when the results of ongoing evaluations become available in Q4 2025.

The coalition announcement comes after polling found little support for a CanG reversal. A recent YouGov poll has found that a minority (38%) of the nation’s citizens support reversing German adult-use cannabis legalization.

Additionally, according to the results of a Forsa survey commissioned by the KKH Kaufmännische Krankenkasse, 55% of surveyed Germans do not want to repeal the nation’s CanG adult-use legalization law. Only 36% of the Forsa survey respondents indicated that they want to repeal legalization, with the rest being undecided.

Various German organizations also expressed opposition to a CanG reversal. The New Association of Judges (NRV) in Germany recently expressed a positive conclusion regarding legalization and warned newly elected German lawmakers against reversing the CanG law.

“Rolling back the law would mean that the judiciary would have to pursue small consumers on a large scale again. This would mean there would be no time to take action against organized crime.” reported Deutschlandfunk in its local coverage.

“In addition, according to the NRV, the state faces high compensation payments in the event of withdrawal. If the cultivation and consumption of cannabis were to be completely banned again, this would amount to expropriation of the cannabis clubs, it was said. This would enable the clubs to make claims for compensation against the state. The investment in cannabis cultivation is high and the licenses are valid for seven years according to the law.” the outlet also stated.

The Institute for Competition Economics at the Heinrich Heine University in Duesseldorf previously conducted an analysis which found that adult-use legalization could yield as much as 1.3 billion euros per year in savings for Germany’s police and judicial system.

German pharmacist Florian Sedlmeier and other members of Germany’s pharmacy industry also publicly pushed back on the recent effort by cannabis opponents in Germany to reclassify cannabis as a narcotic drug in the European nation.

“Pharmacist Florian Sedlmeier warns against reclassifying medicinal cannabis as a narcotic drug (BtM). Such a step would increase the bureaucratic burden and make it more difficult to provide patients with rapid care, ” stated the German Cannabis Business Association (BvCW) in its recent newsletter, citing an article from apotheke-adhoc. “He considers the concern expressed by SPD Health Minister Clemens Hoch that medicinal cannabis can be ordered too easily online to be understandable, but stresses that pharmacies carefully check prescriptions and licenses.”

Starting on April 1st, 2024, adults in Germany can cultivate, possess, and consume personal amounts of cannabis. Additionally, as of July 1st, 2024, people can apply to start a cultivation association in Germany, with 133 associations being approved so far. Research-based pilot trials are also part of Germany’s legalization model, with over two dozen applications currently under review.

A major provision of the CanG law that remains unchanged pertains to how cannabis is classified in Germany. Part of the April 2024 cannabis policy modernization adoption involved removing cannabis from Germany’s Narcotics List.

The removal drastically improved safe access to medical cannabis in Germany, made the medical cannabis supply chain more efficient, and removed some of the barriers to medical cannabis research.

“The Cannabis Act has a very positive impact on patient care, so reversals should be prevented. Instead, the existing regulations should be better monitored.” Armin Prasch, Medical Cannabis Department Coordinator at BvCW, previously stated.

According to a recent report by the Bloomwell Group, prescriptions for medical cannabis in Germany increased by roughly 1,000% between March 2024 and December 2024. The report also found that prices for medical cannabis products are decreasing in Europe’s largest medical cannabis market.

During the first three full months following Germany’s enactment of the CanG adult-use legalization law (Q3 2024), legal medical cannabis imports increased by over 70% compared to the previous period.

(This is breaking news, and this article will be updated as further details of the coalition agreement are identified.)

Judge In Germany Advocates For Treating Cannabis Like Alcohol

Written by Johnny Green on April 8, 2025. Posted in Policy.

The cannabis advocacy slogan ‘regulate cannabis like alcohol’ originated in the State of Colorado in the United States as part of the successful 2012 state-level recreational cannabis legalization campaign. The sensible slogan was effective for many reasons and has since been incorporated by advocates in other jurisdictions.

According to international researchers at the World Health Organization, roughly 2.6 million deaths were caused by alcohol consumption in 2019 alone. Conversely, no human has ever died because of cannabinoid toxicity in recorded human history.

If adult humans can be trusted by world governments to consume alcohol responsibly, the same should be true for adults consuming cannabis responsibly, and public policies should reflect it. That is at the core of recent comments made by a judge in Germany.

“We should treat cannabis like alcohol,” stated German juvenile court judge Andreas Müller in a recent interview with Frankfurter Rundschau (translated from German to English). Judge Müller also described attempts to reverse adult-use cannabis legalization in Germany as “politics without common sense.”

Several changes to Germany’s current approach to cannabis regulation would need to be made for cannabis to be treated like alcohol, not the least of which is permitting retail sales of adult-use cannabis products.

Currently, adults in Germany can legally source recreational cannabis products in two ways. The first is to cultivate it themselves in their private residences. The second requires becoming a member of a licensed cultivation association. Roughly 133 cultivation associations have received approval in Germany so far.

Eventually, research-based pilot trials are expected to launch in Germany, which will provide another avenue for adult cannabis consumers to pursue. Unfortunately, robust nationwide retail sales like what is found in Canada are prohibited in Germany until European Union agreements are modernized.

German Pharmaceutical Association Emphasizes Positive Impact Of Legalization

Written by Johnny Green on April 8, 2025. Posted in Business, Policy.

One year after the implementation of the initial components of Germany’s adult-use legalization measure, the German Association of Pharmaceutical Cannabinoid Companies (BPC) is emphasizing the positive effects of the public policy change.

“The Cannabis Act (CanG) entered into force on April 1, 2024. The resulting changes, both in the area of medicinal cannabis and in the area of recreational cannabis, have since had a major impact on the general handling of cannabis in Germany.” BPC stated in a press release (translated from German to English).

A little over one year ago, Germany started to allow adults to cultivate, possess, and consume personal amounts of cannabis. Additionally, cannabis was removed from Germany’s Narcotics List, which was a major policy change that has dramatically improved the nation’s medical cannabis industry.

“With regard to medical use, the removal of cannabis from the Narcotics Act (BtmG) and the reduction of bureaucratic hurdles, for example, regarding the cultivation of medicinal cannabis in Germany, but also regarding medical prescriptions, were essential to ensure low-threshold access for patients. This progress is expressly welcomed by the German Association of Pharmaceutical Cannabinoid Companies.” BPC stated.

“The Cannabis Act has also further increased the importance of the cannabis industry operating in Germany compared to other countries. The increased interest in medicinal cannabis as a treatment option and simplified medical prescriptions were key factors in this.” BPC also stated. “According to estimates by the BPC and the Cannabis Industry Association (BvCW), the cannabis industry’s total revenue will amount to around one billion euros in 2025 – approximately 100 million euros in investments from foreign investors were already acquired in 2024.”

“Especially against the backdrop of Germany’s currently weakening economy, the Cannabis Act thus also forms the basis for economic development that can create numerous jobs and generate substantial tax revenues.” BPC pointed out.

BPC, in conjunction with the German Cannabis Business Association (BvCW), is calling for further improvements to Germany’s cannabis policies and regulations, in addition to urging lawmakers to refrain from rolling back recent policy modernizations.

“The Cannabis Act is a milestone for cannabis patients in Germany. We must build on this foundation, consolidate the legal and economic framework, and integrate cannabis therapy into standard care in the long term,” says Antonia Menzel, Chair of the BPC.

“The Cannabis Act has a very positive impact on patient care, so reversals should be prevented. Instead, the existing regulations should be better monitored.” stated Armin Prasch, Medical Cannabis Department Coordinator at BvCW.

“The cannabis industry as a whole is a growth market in which young companies offer well-paid jobs. We should not also regulate this innovative industry to ruin.” added Prof. Dr. Justus Haucap of the Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics.

Study: Net Social Benefit Of Czech Legalization Is 34.4-107.6 Million Euros Annually

Written by Johnny Green on April 7, 2025. Posted in Policy.

A team of researchers affiliated with Charles University in the Czech Republic and the University of New South Wales in Australia recently collaborated on a study that examined the potential ‘social benefit’ effects of adult-use cannabis legalization in Czechia.

“Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug worldwide. In countries with repressive drug policies, the costs of its prohibition plausibly outweigh the benefits.” the researchers stated in their study, the findings of which were published in the academic publication Journal of Cost-Benefit Analysis.

In recent years, a major push has been underway in the Czech Republic to modernize the nation’s cannabis policies to permit cannabis use and other activities by adults. Currently, cannabis is legal for adult use at a national level in Uruguay, Canada, Malta, Luxembourg, Germany, and South Africa.

Top courts in a handful of other nations have rendered decisions providing adults some degree of legal protection for certain recreational cannabis activities.

“We conduct a cost–benefit analysis of cannabis legalization and regulation in the Czech Republic, taking into consideration alternative scenarios designed using parameters from the known effects of cannabis legalization in selected U.S. states, Canada, and Uruguay. Our analysis focuses on tax revenues, law enforcement costs, the cost of treatment and harm reduction, and the value of Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs).” the team of international researchers stated about their Czech-focused study’s methodology.

“Under all the projected scenarios, the identified benefits of legalizing cannabis for personal use exceed the potential costs. The estimated net social benefit of legalization is in the range of 34.4 to 107.6 million EUR per year (or between 3.2 and 10.1 EUR per capita), depending on the size of the cannabis market and the development of cannabis prices after legalization.” the researchers concluded.

Starting on April 1st, 2025, all licensed doctors in the Czech Republic can prescribe medical cannabis. Previously, only specialist doctors could do so. Doctors in the Czech Republic prescribed 318.7 kilograms of medicinal cannabis in 2024 to an average of roughly 3,300 patients per month.

Additionally, starting in July of this year, the Czech Republic will regulate sales of cannabis products containing up to one percent THC.

Another Historic International Cannabis Business Conference In Barcelona

Written by Johnny Green on April 2, 2025. Posted in Business, Entertainment, Policy, Science.

The International Cannabis Business Conference, Spain’s largest cannabis B2B event, was held at the iconic L’Auditori de Cornellà in Barcelona, Spain, on March 13th, 2025. The International Cannabis Business Conference again partnered with Spannabis to put on another historic cannabis super-conference.

For the last decade, the International Cannabis Business Conference event series has served as the world’s premiere destination for industry networking, policy education, and entertainment.

Barcelona’s rich cannabis history and culture made it the perfect backdrop for the event. The conference also occurred when lawmakers and regulators are closer than ever to adopting a modernized medical cannabis industry regulatory system. Spain’s emerging industry is one of the largest on the planet, however, much remains unregulated.

Domestic medical cannabis production is permitted in Spain but is geared toward supplying research projects and international exports. A modernized framework is needed to boost safe access for Spain’s patients and provide greater certainty for entrepreneurs and investors.

Dozens of world-class experts provided presentations and panel discussions covering a wide range of important topics at the International Cannabis Business Conference in Barcelona, including:

International business development and strategy
Seed to sale operations
Branding and marketing
Capital raising
Cross-border IP licensing
Mergers and acquisitions
Non-psychative cannabinoids
European medical cannabis supply chain
Impacts of German cannabis policy modernization
Lessons learned from a decade of Uruguay legalization
Cannabis genetics
Industrial hemp
European Union cannabis data
Emerging cannabis cultivation technology
Forming strategic partnerships

Spain’s cannabis industry is estimated to be worth 358.4 million euros, according to an analysis by Euromonitor International.

Spannabis previously teamed up with the International Cannabis Business Conference to host past super-conferences, and the collaborations were a tremendous success. The 2025 cannabis super-conference was the largest and most exciting collaboration to date.

cannabis leaf plant cannabis leaf plant cannabis leaf plant cannabis leaf plant

Germany Marks One Year Anniversary Of Adult-Use Cannabis Legalization

Written by Johnny Green on April 1, 2025. Posted in Policy.

One year ago today, Germany enacted its historic national adult-use cannabis legalization measure. The CanG law was not only historic for Germany but also the international cannabis community and industry. Germany was not the first country to adopt a national legalization measure, but its recreational policy modernization enactment is the most significant out of the legalized nations.

Starting on April 1st, 2024, adults in Germany can cultivate, possess, and consume a personal amount of cannabis. The goal of the new approach to personal cannabis freedoms was to boost Germany’s public health outcomes by affording adults a legal way to produce their cannabis instead of relying solely on unregulated sources for cannabis.

Additionally, by no longer enforcing failed prohibition policies, the new CanG law alleviated a significant burden on Germany’s criminal justice system. The CanG law also removed cannabis from Germany’s Narcotics List, which has dramatically boosted safe access to medical cannabis in the European nation. Reflecting on the last year, members of Germany’s emerging legal cannabis industry are offering up positive reviews.

“The partial legalization of cannabis in Germany is a paradigm shift that has provided economic stimulus, improved patient care, strengthened consumer protection, and created new research opportunities. The next step should finally be to remove the nonsensical “intoxication clause” for industrial hemp and approve scientific model projects for regulated distribution.” stated Dirk Heitepriem, President of the BvCW, in a recent newsletter (translated from German to English).

“The Cannabis Act is a complete success. Despite difficult conditions, it marks a true paradigm shift – with noticeable relief for the judiciary and police, significantly improved access to medical cannabis, and an effective curbing of the black market through home cultivation and legal alternatives.” stated Jürgen Bickel, founder and managing director of Storz & Bickel GmbH (translated from German to English).

“A majority of the population supports the law. Those who want to reverse it now aren’t acting on evidence, but on ideological grounds. Let’s finally let the numbers and facts speak for themselves – not old prejudices.” Bickel also stated.

Two other major components of the CanG law, in addition to personal freedoms, are permitting cultivation associations to operate and to launch regional adult-use cannabis commerce pilot trials. To date, at least 133 cultivation association applications have been approved, with hundreds more currently in the review process, and the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food has started reviewing 26 applications for cannabis pilot projects (per BvCW’s recent newsletter).

“Attorney Kai-Friedrich Niermann points out that, according to the law, applications must be processed within three months and that, if the deadline is exceeded, legal action for failure to act is possible, but in practice, these actions are not very effective. Finn Age Hänsel, CEO of the Sanity Group, emphasizes that the BLE will review applications independently of political decisions as long as the regulation remains in force.” BvCW stated in its newsletter (translated from German to English).

To be fair, Germany’s cannabis legalization law is not perfect. However, that is true of every single cannabis legalization model found elsewhere on the planet. Uruguay, which became the first nation to legalize adult-use cannabis in 2013, is still making improvements to its law. The same is true for states like Colorado and Washington in the U.S., both of which adopted legalization in 2012.

Germany needs to make further improvements to its law and implementation, but what the nation has accomplished in the last year is undeniably better than the prohibition policies of the past, and that is definitely worth celebrating.

Italy’s ‘Cannabis Light’ Industry Supports 22,000 Full-Time Jobs

Written by Johnny Green on March 31, 2025. Posted in Business.

Cannabis products that are low in THC, often called ‘cannabis light,’ are very popular in Europe, particularly in Italy. According to a new economic report, Italy’s cannabis light industry employs over 20,000 people.

“The light cannabis sector has a direct economic impact of almost one billion euros, with another additional billion of indirect impact, and the creation of 22 thousand full-time jobs.” reported Dolce Vita in its original coverage.

“These are the recently updated estimates of the Italian light cannabis market, therefore relating only to inflorescences (without CBD oils and shredded) developed in a study by MPG Consulting, led by the specialized economist Davide Fortin together with the lawyer Maria Paola Liotti and commissioned by the Canapa Sativa Italia association.” the outlet also stated.

As the International Cannabis Business Conference previously reported, lawmakers in Italy have tried to hinder the nation’s emerging hemp-derived product sector, issuing a decree last year that equates cannabidiol (CBD) with dangerous narcotic substances. The decree sought to limit the sale of CBD products to pharmacies only (non-repeat prescriptions).

Members of Italy’s CBD industry have sought relief from the European Commission, requesting that the European Commission intervene. However, such an intervention has yet to materialize, and action from the EC is being delayed.

“Brussels has delayed addressing Italy’s restrictive measures on industrial hemp and CBD, with stakeholders warning that the holdup is stifling the country’s growing hemp industry, following a March 17 debate in the European Parliament.” reported Hemp Today in its original coverage.

“The conflict centers on two key Italian measures that have raised alarms among hemp advocates: a proposed amendment to the country’s Security Law and a decree that classifies oral CBD products as narcotics. The amendment, still under consideration in Italy’s Senate, would ban the production and trade of hemp flowers and derivatives, even those with THC content below the EU’s permitted 0.3% threshold.” the outlet also reported.