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Author: Johnny Green

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The Global Significance Of German Cannabis Policy Modernization

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Policy.

Earlier today members of Germany’s government announced that the nation’s federal cabinet had approved a draft cannabis legalization measure that would serve as the first phase of an ongoing cannabis policy modernization effort largely led by Germany’s Health Minster Karl Lauterbach. The measure now heads to the Bundestag for consideration by members of the legislative body.

The proposal, as it currently stands and subject to further potential changes, would allow adults to legally cultivate, possess, and consume cannabis for personal use in Germany. The measure would also create noncommercial clubs that would provide cannabis to members. Purchasing limits would be involved, as would ‘buffer zones,’ limits on the number of clubs per jurisdiction, and a limit of 500 members per club. Minister Lauterbach made an appearance later in the day, during which he defended his measure:

The German Hemp Association stated the following regarding today’s federal cabinet approval and the transition of the process over to the Bundestag:

The German Hemp Association welcomes the cabinet draft as a milestone on the way to reforming cannabis policy in Germany. With the debate now starting in the Bundestag, the passage of the law is within reach. Hundreds of thousands of consumers have been the subject of criminal proceedings for consumption-related offenses in recent decades. This senseless repression could come to an end at the turn of the year.

The DHV hopes that the participation of the MPs will bring a breath of fresh air to the discussion about the details. Because since the draft bill, no major improvements are discernible. All of the main criticisms of the DHV are still relevant:

  • The ban on consumption in cannabis cultivation clubs is unrealistic.
  • The distance regulation will make it unreasonably difficult for clubs to find suitable locations.
  • The distance regulations for consumption cannot be observed. They violate the principle of certainty of the Basic Law. Neither consumers nor the police can know exactly where consumption is permitted and where it is not.
  • The threat of penalties and fines for small violations of the already arbitrary limits is completely exaggerated. Possession of 25 grams is perfectly legal, possession of 26 grams carries a prison sentence of up to three years. A fine of up to 100,000 euros can be imposed for consumption within a distance of 199 meters from a school.
  • A total of three plants for home cultivation is not enough. An upper limit of 25 grams is unrealistic for the storage of home-grown cannabis in your own home.

The DHV is confident that these and many other problems will now be addressed in detail in the parliamentary process. However, the current plans cannot remain the same. A large-scale suppression of the black market is only possible with the nationwide introduction of cannabis specialty shops for adults.

“Today is a good day, above all, because Parliament now has sovereignty over further decisions and no longer Karl Lauterbach,” said DHV spokesman Georg Wurth.

The second phase of Germany’s current cannabis policy modernization effort, if it succeeds in making it through the political labyrinth, will involve the launch of regional cannabis pilot projects. Germany’s pilot projects will be generally similar in principle, but likely not in size and scope, to the pilot projects currently operating in Switzerland.

Due in large part to limitations at the EU level, Germany’s current policy modernization effort does not involve the legalization of large-scale cultivation and national sales. However, that is not to say that those components will never be passed and implemented.

Today’s approval by the federal cabinet is one of the many steps along the way. It’s a significant one to be sure, although, it needs to be seen as a milestone, and not a final destination. Now that the process for approving the phase one bill has been turned over to domestic lawmakers, it will be interesting to see what evolutions the political process may yield.

It’s vital for cannabis observers to consistently keep Germany’s legalization efforts in the proper global context. Germany is trying to modernize its cannabis policies and stand up an adult-use cannabis industry for its population of over 83 million people. By comparison, the combined population of all four current legal nations (Uruguay, Canada, Malta, and Luxembourg) is only roughly half that of Germany’s population.

Furthermore, Germany shares more borders with other countries than any other nation in Europe, and all of those countries currently prohibit adult use. It’s logical that Germany’s cannabis policy modernization effort is taking longer given how ‘heavy the lift is,’ and that is also why German legalization will prove to be more significant than its predecessors. Germany is ushering in the modern cannabis policy era.

Criticisms for larger reform are absolutely valid, but the fight is also not over. A recent study by the Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics found that comprehensive legalization in Germany would net the country 4.7 billion euros per year via cannabis taxes, fees, and savings from no longer enforcing failed cannabis prohibition. That is significant, and clearly worth fighting for, in addition to fighting to prevent lives from being needlessly ruined by draconian public policies.

German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach is currently headed to India for a meeting of G-20 health ministers. Given that he just held a press conference today and made international headlines, again, it’s a safe bet that cannabis will be a popular topic of discussion between Minister Lauterbach and his peers.

While it’s unclear how many will be sympathetic to Germany’s efforts, one has to assume that at least some of Minster Lauterbach’s peers will be curious and want to learn more about the topic, and that is a good thing. As a long-time cannabis activist friend used to say in regard to cannabis reform, “If we are talking, we are winning,” and Germany has the whole world talking right now.

When legalization inevitably becomes a reality in Germany, and it inevitably succeeds, other nations are going to surely follow suit and that will, in turn, result in cannabis policies being modernized on a much larger scale globally than they are right now. The legalization process in Germany has been frustrating up until this point to be sure, however, today is a big milestone that is worth celebrating, both within Germany’s borders, and beyond.

High Tech Panel International Cannabis Business Conference Berlin

The Future Of Cannabis And Digital Innovation

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Business.

As the cannabis industry continues to grow and evolve, digital technology is poised to play an increasingly important role. From seed-to-sale tracking to customer relationship management, cannabis businesses are turning to software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions, mobile apps, web 2.0, and big data analytics to improve efficiency, compliance, and customer experience. In the panel discussion in the video embedded below from the recent International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin, tech specialists explore the latest trends and opportunities in cannabis technology and discuss how digital tools can help businesses stay ahead in a rapidly changing industry. Panelists include:

    • Christopher Budd – Co-Founder & Subject Matter Expert, Isolocity
    • Nohtal Partansky – Co-Founder & CEO, Sorting Robotics
    • Lewis Koski – Chief Strategy Officer, METRC
    • Hans Harders – Regional Director, CCELL
    • Jürgen Bickel – Managing Director, Storz & Bickel

We look forward to seeing you in Berlin in 2024, as well as at our upcoming science and technology event in Slovenia this September!

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Policymaker Points To Schengen Agreement As Major Hurdle For European Cannabis Reform

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Policy.

In the mid-1980s a big effort was waged in Europe to promote ‘free movement’ to help the continent’s working population by increasing the places where people could feasibly carve out a viable living. Free movement involves lowering controls at borders for residents of participating jurisdictions.

The concept of free movement reached a big milestone in 1985 with the initial signing of the Schengen Agreement (named after a small village in Luxembourg). Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands were the original signers, agreeing to gradually remove controls at their internal borders and to ‘introduce freedom of movement for all nationals of the signatory countries.’

The implementation of the Schengen Agreement officially began in 1995 and initially involved just seven EU countries. However, it has since expanded to most EU countries, with the exception of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, and Romania. By many measures, the free movement effort has yielded several positives for the European continent.

Unfortunately, it may also be a major hurdle for cannabis policy modernization efforts on the continent according to Mikuláš Peksa, Chairperson of the European Pirate Party.

“Any country wishing to legalise cannabis faces obstacles making legislation compliant with international agreements.” Mikuláš Peksa stated according to original reporting by Business of Cannabis.

“However, this is achievable particularly for countries outside the European Union, but the biggest obstacle for countries in the EU is the Schengen Agreement.” Peksa went on to state. He also indicated that an amendment to the Schengen  Agreement may be on the way. “Our aim is to make legalisation possible for all member states.”

Whether an amendment makes it to the finish line or not in the near future is anyone’s guess, but one thing is for sure – the longer lawmakers drag their feet at the continental level, the farther removed from reality continental and international agreements will become.

The legal cannabis industry is on the move at the national level in many parts of Europe, in addition to the long-established unregulated market that is found throughout the continent. To refrain from modernizing continental and international agreements in order to permit countries to modernize their own domestic cannabis policies is to deny reality. Nations like Germany will have their efforts slowed down by the European Union to some degree, but certainly not halted.

Cannabis commerce and use are not going anywhere. The status quo is a complete waste of limited public resources by every measure and it’s beyond time for a new approach. There is no valid reason why countries in Europe, and the rest of the world, shouldn’t be able to set their own policies for domestic cannabis activity. If a country wants to cling to prohibition, as ridiculous as that approach would be, then so be it.

The seemingly never-ending wrangling between national lawmakers in Europe and the European Union is both frustrating and exhausting. Fortunately, the coalition of pro-modernization lawmakers in Europe is increasing in size, and the same is true beyond the continent’s borders where the Schengen Agreement and other European provisions do not apply.

The European Union has to be feeling the squeeze whether they want to admit it or not, and at some point, it will presumably yield movement, both in regards to the Schengen Agreement and to all other provisions that are currently holding cannabis policy modernization efforts back.

 

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New Study Highlights How Everyone Benefits From Modernized Cannabis Policies

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Policy.

Cannabis policy modernization efforts are gaining momentum in many parts of the world. Every continent except Antarctica is now home to a nation that has either legalized cannabis for adult use to some degree or is experiencing ramped-up efforts to do so.

Modernized cannabis policies in nations like Uruguay, Canada, Malta, and Luxembourg have yielded new freedoms for consumers. Additionally, modernized cannabis policies also create new opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors.

Casual observers often make the mistake of assuming that modernized cannabis policies only affect consumers and people with business pursuits in the emerging legal cannabis industry. However, that is not the case, as highlighted by a recent comprehensive study conducted in Canada.

A team of researchers associated with the University of Northern British Columbia, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, the University of Victoria, the University of Guelph, and
Dalhousie University recently evaluated the relationship between legalization, adult cannabis-related, property, and violent crimes.

As part of the evaluation, the researchers examined criminal incident data from the Canadian Uniform Crime Reporting Survey for the period of January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2021. A main goal of the Cannabis Act in Canada, implemented in 2018, was to lower the burden on the nation’s criminal justice system. Researchers sought to determine if the legislation was successful in that regard, in addition to seeing if there were any changes to property and/or violent crime rates post-legalization.

“Implementation of the Cannabis Act was associated with decreases in adult police-reported cannabis-related offenses: females, −13.2 daily incidents (95% CI, −16.4; −10.1; p < 0.001) – a reduction of 73.9% [standard error (se), 30.6%]; males, −69.4 daily offenses (95% CI, −81.5; −57.2; p < 0.001) – a drop of 83.2% (se, 21.2%).” the researchers stated.

“Legalization was not associated with significant changes in the adult property-crime or violent-crime series.” researchers went on to state.

“Our findings suggest that Canada’s cannabis legalization was successful in reducing cannabis-related criminalization among adults. There was also a lack of evidence for spillover effects of cannabis legalization on adult property or violent crimes.” the researchers concluded.

Not everyone consumes cannabis, obviously. However, all members of society rely on their nation’s criminal justice system to keep society safe and to properly and equitably hold people accountable when they harm other people.

Criminal justice policy and enforcement is a zero-sum situation, in that there are not unlimited resources to fund such activity. Law enforcement agencies and courts have to decide what matters to prioritize, and what is not worth the resources.

Under prohibition, law enforcement wastes enormous amounts of resources enforcing failed public policy, and at an opportunity cost. Every hour that a member of law enforcement spends enforcing failed cannabis prohibition is an hour that they could have spent fighting actual crime, such as property and violent crime.

The same is true for the court system. Every cannabis case that has to go through the court system wastes docket hours and court resources that should be used instead for prosecuting actual criminal activity. Cannabis prohibition harms every member of society to some degree by wasting limited public criminal justice resources, whether people realize it or not.

Compare that to a country in which cannabis modernization is not only helping save limited tax dollars from being wasted on cannabis prohibition enforcement, but it also generates tax dollars for local and national governments to use to help improve society, such as helping fund schools, parks, and other civic projects. Canada is now a prime example of that on display for the world to see.

All members of society should support cannabis policy modernization, even if they do not consume cannabis and/or never have plans to. Cannabis prohibition is a failed public policy wherever it still exists, and it’s time for governments in those jurisdictions to take a more sensible approach.

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The Future Of Cannabis Science And Technology

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Business, Science.

From the perspective of cannabis science and technology, we currently live in the best era in human history. It doesn’t take a historian to realize that the fields of cannabis science and technology have advanced by leaps and bounds in recent years, as there is evidence of it to be found all over the planet now.

A person could make a list of all of the cannabis science and technology innovations combined from several decades in the past, and it would likely be a shorter list than what has occurred in just the last few years alone.

The advancements in cannabis science and technology in recent years are the direct result of cannabis policy modernization efforts in various parts of the world. More countries than ever before are now permitting medical and/or adult-use cannabis commerce, research, and development.

Scientists and innovators of all backgrounds and areas of focus are taking advantage of newly afforded freedoms to conduct research and development in ways that were completely prohibited in years past, and the results of their work are benefitting humans in their own jurisdictions and beyond.

For contextual purposes, consider the graph below showing the number of peer-reviewed cannabis studies listed on PubMed.gov as of the posting of this article, organized by year:

PubMed cannabis study search

Keep in mind, while there are currently 32,491 peer-reviewed cannabis studies listed, which is a substantial amount, that is during a time period when studies were either outright prevented or the results were suppressed. Thankfully, cannabis research censorship is a thing of the past in a growing number of countries, as reflected in the graph above.

The truly inspiring thing about all of it is that we are just starting to scrape the surface. As more countries modernize their cannabis policies, cannabis science and technology innovations are going to hit warp speed and start piling up at an exponential rate. Part of that growth rate of innovation will be driven by profit given the fact that the emerging legal cannabis industry is worth so many tens of billions of dollars (and growing).

Cannabis is being cultivated in many markets now via sophisticated methods on a scale that is truly mind-boggling. It wasn’t that many years ago that a small personal hydroponic garden was considered cutting-edge technology in the cultivation world, and yet, today such a cultivation setup seems prehistoric by many measures.

These days nutrients, tailored feeding schedules, grow mediums, sungrown greenhouses, and supplemental lighting technology are arguably more advanced in the cannabis space than in any other agricultural area of focus, and unlike those other areas of focus, an army of people are working tirelessly around the clock around the globe to come up with the next great cannabis cultivation breakthrough.

Consumption research and technology is a particularly exciting sector of the emerging cannabis industry. While some countries are better at setting up sensible commerce regulations than others, one common thread that can be found in every legal country is that personal consumption is legal.

As global consumers gain confidence in partaking in their newfound freedoms post-legalization, they will continually seek out the newest and funnest ways to consume cannabis. That demand for new devices and gadgets will be met by inventors, and the financial rewards involved will be considerable. If you think that lazer bongs and handheld vaporizers are cool, wait until you see what gadgets people come up with in the near future, as well as what dispensary products hit the market.

Something that is likely not on a lot of cannabis enthusiasts’ radars right now, but certainly should be, are advancements in the area of non-consumption cannabis science and technology. By that, I mean innovating the way cannabis is used in products that are not consumed by humans, such as using hemp to make hempcrete and other building materials. One area that is particularly promising is incorporating cannabis into bioremediation efforts to clean up polluted ecosystems.

The future of cannabis science and technology is brighter than ever before, with no limit to the sector’s potential currently in sight. It can be difficult to keep up with everything, but that is why everyone should attend the upcoming International Cannabis Business Conference in Bled, Slovenia.

The event is dedicated entirely to discussing and demonstrating the world’s latest and greatest cannabis science and technology, and it’s the best place on planet Earth for scientists, innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, regulators, policymakers, and industry service providers to learn and network.

Slovenia is already home to a thriving research and development community, serving as a global hub for several other industries. With local advocates ramping up efforts to modernize Slovenia’s cannabis policies, the Balkan nation is setting up to serve as an international cannabis research and development hub as well. The International Cannabis Business Conference in Bled is the ideal backdrop for the world’s best cannabis minds to meet and discuss their latest endeavors.

The event is being held at the iconic Rikli Balance Hotel on September 7th and 8th. A limited number of tickets are still available. Get yours before prices go up on August 23rd!

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Albanian Parliament Approves Medical Cannabis Legalization Measure

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Policy.

Albania’s Parliament recently approved a medical cannabis legalization measure. The bill, which appears to be a fairly general piece of legislation that is short on a lot of granular details, was approved by a 69-23 vote.

The successful medical cannabis legalization vote came amidst strong pushback from domestic cannabis opponents in Albania. The European nation has long served as a fairly difficult place to achieve reform due to the stigma surrounding the nation’s unregulated drug trade. Historically, Albania was a popular route for smuggling unregulated drugs, including unregulated cannabis.

Limited cultivation was approved as part of the measure, and that specific provision was subject to a particularly heavy focus by cannabis opponents who wished to keep full cannabis cultivation prohibition in place, regardless of the purpose of the proposed cultivation.

According to the Associated Press, when the left-wing Socialist Party government of Prime Minister Edi Rama took power in 2013 Albania’s government spent the next two years destroying illegal cannabis plants with “an estimated market value of 7 billion euros ($8.5 billion), more than two-thirds of the country’s annual gross domestic product at that time.”

While Albania remains a popular route for smugglers, and unregulated cannabis is still cultivated domestically, the war on cannabis is not at the fevered pitch that it was at roughly a decade ago. Albania would be wise to continue to work to modernize its medical cannabis policies, and hopefully, its adult-use cannabis policies as well.

Albania is home to a thriving cannabis community, albeit an unregulated one, and that is far from a new thing. That was very apparent in Season 3 of the hit cannabis reality show Growing Belushi in which famed entertainer and International Cannabis Business Conference speaker alumni Jim Belushi visited the country to discuss cannabis policy and industry.

Albania’s new law creates the ‘National Agency for the Control of Cannabis’ which will be tasked with overseeing the nation’s eventual legal medical cannabis industry.

German Lawmakers International Cannabis Business Conference Berlin 2023

German Policymakers Discuss Ongoing Cannabis Policy Modernization Effort

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Policy.

It is very rare that you get to hear directly from sitting lawmakers that are literally in the midst of working to pass historic cannabis legislation that will dramatically affect the entire emerging international cannabis industry. However, that is exactly what happened at the recent International Cannabis Business Conference where German policymakers from multiple parties discussed ongoing cannabis reform efforts. The panel discussion is embedded below (please be aware that the discussion was conducted in German).

We look forward to seeing you in Berlin in 2024, as well as at our upcoming science and technology event in Slovenia this September!

Peter Homberg International Cannabis Business Conference Berlin 2023

German Cannabis Legalization Update – Keynote Speaker Peter Homberg

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Policy.

Germany continues to trend towards modernizing its cannabis policies, and once legalization is achieved there, it will have a butterfly effect on the entire global cannabis industry. However, while the overall impact of German legalization at the macro level is fairly straightforward to understand, the same is not true at the regional market level, as some markets will be impacted more than others.

Renowned international cannabis expert Peter Homberg recently discussed the current state of German cannabis policy, ongoing modernization efforts, and what it means for the emerging cannabis industry as a keynote speaker at the recent International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin. Peter Homberg is a partner at the leading international business law firm Dentons. The embedded video below contains his keynote speech in its entirety.

We look forward to seeing you in Berlin in 2024, as well as at our upcoming science and technology event in Slovenia this September!

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Limited Legalization Law Takes Effect In Luxembourg

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Policy.

Luxembourg joined the short list of nations that have implemented a national, adult-use cannabis legalization law that is not based on a low-THC model. The only other nations to do so prior to Luxembourg are Uruguay, Canada, and Malta.

Compared to its predecessors, Luxembourg’s legalization model is more limited. First and foremost, there is no commerce component to Luxembourg’s new adult-use cannabis law. All sales are still strictly prohibited.

What is now legal in Luxembourg as of late this week is for adults to possess up to three grams of cannabis and to cultivate up to four plants in a secure location within their private residence. Home cultivation, and presumably gifting between adults, are the only legal ways to obtain cannabis in Luxembourg.

The only other country in Europe right now to explicitly allow such activity to occur is Malta. Malta passed an adult-use legalization measure in late 2021, and while the cannabis club provision of the law has yet to materialize, eventually noncommercial cannabis clubs will be allowed in Malta, unlike in Luxembourg.

Additionally, Malta permits adults to possess up to 50 grams of cannabis in their home, and 7 grams while away from their home, which is considerably more than what is now allowed in Luxembourg. Adults in Malta are also allowed to cultivate up to 4 plants in their private residences, versus the 3 plant limit in Luxembourg.

Before Luxembourg implemented its legalization model, Malta was easily the most restrictive legal nation on earth. Comparatively, Canada has the most robust legalization model on earth, followed by Uruguay. Both nations permit nationwide possession, sales, and cultivation, however, Uruguay limits legal sales to residents.

The elephant in the legalization room is still Germany, which continues to trend toward passing its own national legalization law. Once that happens it will likely open up the floodgates in Europe and beyond to varying forms of legalization.

Not too long ago, what legalization ‘looked like’ in the minds of many cannabis enthusiasts was much more uniform than what is actually playing out in reality. It may be a while before we see two countries with identical cannabis legalization models, and for that matter, we may never see two countries with carbon-copy national cannabis policies. Only time will tell.

For now, Luxembourg’s law is worthy of celebration, as long as people keep it in the proper context.