Author: Johnny Green

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Zimbabwe Tobacco Farmers Get More Incentive To Switch To Hemp

Written by Johnny Green on February 22, 2023. Posted in Business, Policy.

Historically, Zimbabwe has served as the top producer of tobacco on the African continent, although in recent years many tobacco farmers in Zimbabwe have transitioned to cultivating hemp due to lowering global demand for tobacco. Zimbabwe’s government more than tripled the amount of allowable THC in hemp this month, and that should further motivate farmers to switch their fields from tobacco to hemp.

Prior to this month, the legal THC threshold for hemp in Zimbabwe was .3%, which is the legal standard in most countries around the world. However, a handful of countries have already raised the threshold from .3% to 1%, and Zimbabwe has followed suit. Zimbabwe joins Australia, Ecuador, Malawi, Switzerland, and Uruguay in setting its hemp THC threshold at 1%.

Why Does It Matter?

Going from a .3% THC threshold to a 1% THC threshold may not seem like a major leap, and yet, it is very significant. Whenever a hemp crop is tested and it has a higher percentage of THC than is allowed by law, the entire crop has to be destroyed. For obvious reasons, that is a very undesirable outcome for any farmer. In Zimbabwe, where the median income is just $932, a failed crop is particularly detrimental.

By allowing farmers in Zimbabwe to cultivate hemp with a higher THC threshold, it accommodates a greater level of THC percentage variance. Farmers that were worried about their current genetics producing slightly too much THC no longer have to worry as much. They now have more cultivars to choose from when deciding what to cultivate, and the medical cannabis products that they produce will be more effective since there will be more THC involved. The cannabinoid ‘entourage effect’ will be enhanced in patients that consume said products thanks to there being more THC in them.

Limited medical cannabis was first legalized in Zimbabwe in 2018, making it only the second country on the African continent to pass such reform. Since that time several other African nations have followed in Zimbabwe’s footsteps and legalized limited medical cannabis production. Will Zimbabwe become the continental leader for hemp, just as it has served historically for tobacco? Only time will tell, but the higher THC threshold will certainly increase the odds of that happening.

Jobs, Economic Boost, And An Improved Environment

Arguably the biggest motivating factor behind Zimbabwe’s recent THC threshold change is economic stimulation. Zimbabwe is one of the poorest nations on earth, and any and all jobs that the hemp industry can create are greatly needed. Demand for hemp products, particularly CBD-based products, is strong worldwide. If Zimbabwe can produce raw hemp to be made into products, and/or produces its own finished products, it will hopefully create many career opportunities in the process.

A booming hemp industry in Zimbabwe wouldn’t just help individuals that work directly in the industry. It would also help create ancillary hemp companies, from security to storage to just about anything else that the mind can imagine. The domestic hemp industry bringing in money from afar via exports would help boost local economies, with hemp industry workers spending their wages in the areas in which they live. Everyone would benefit from an economic butterfly effect from such activity, in addition to the public benefitting directly from increased industry tax and fee revenue.

Cultivating tobacco results in degraded soil and threatened biodiversity. Tobacco farming on a large scale often involves pesticides and fertilizers that are bad for the environment. Conversely, the hemp plant requires very little inputs and actually improves the soil in which it is cultivated via a process known as soil remediation. Furthermore, roughly 4.5 trillion cigarette butts end up in our oceans, rivers, soil, and other places every year, and presumably (hopefully) that will not be the case with hemp products. With all of that in mind, any hectare in Zimbabwe that transitions from tobacco to hemp is a great thing.

Cultivating Cannabis For An Emerging International Cannabis Market

Written by Johnny Green on February 17, 2023. Posted in Business, Entertainment, Policy, Science.

The act and art of cultivating the cannabis plant is far from a new thing. Researchers have found evidence of humans cultivating the cannabis plant in a domestic fashion going back roughly 12,000 years. Yet, the methods, techniques, and particularly the technology that humans have incorporated over time has evolved considerably.

For many years humans cultivated cannabis the same way that many crops were cultivated – by planting seeds into tilled soil and cultivating it under the sun using nothing more than rain or river/creek water. Over time fertilizer concoctions were eventually incorporated. Selective breeding techniques were eventually used by various cultivators, with particular genetics being grown for specific uses.

At some point cannabis cultivation operations moved indoors, both to control the environment that the plants were grown in to maximize yield as well as out of necessity to avoid detection by law enforcement. Advances in artificial lighting and feeding systems occurred as a result, with many of those advances still being used by producers today.

The cultivation sector of the emerging international cannabis industry is currently taking cannabis production to a level that was previously unfathomable. Advances in cultivation research and technology are allowing producers to cultivate cannabis that is of a higher quality and quantity than ever before.

One of the biggest benefits to cannabis reform efforts is the opening up of cannabis production research and innovation. No longer are cultivators restricting their crafts to closets and basements. They can completely operate out in the open and only be restricted by their creativity and ingenuity, and every cannabis consumer and patient on the planet is benefitting from it.

A group of leading cannabis production experts will be participating in a panel at the upcoming International Cannabis Business Conference in Barcelona on March 9th. It’s an amazing opportunity to learn directly from people that are at the forefront of the global cannabis production evolution. Panelists will include:

Marcus Richardson, Hashish Aficionado and Creator of Bubble Bags (Moderator)
Timo Bongartz, General Manager of Fluence Emea
Sabrina Carvalho, Cannabis Plant Specialist at Philips Horticulture LED Solutions
Neal Lund, Global Technical Advisor at RIOCOCO
Jeremy Youness, International Commercial Sales and Cannabis Cultivation Specialist at Fohse

The International Cannabis Business Conference is the leading cannabis business to business (B2B) event series on the planet, with previous conferences occurring in several countries on multiple continents. The event series is owned and operated by cannabis advocates that believe in celebrating cannabis culture, in addition to providing world-class cannabis industry education and networking opportunities.

The International Cannabis Business Conference has once again partnered with Spannabis, Europe’s top cannabis expo, to form another super-event that is a must-attend for anyone that is serious about succeeding in the emerging cannabis industry. Spannabis originally teamed up with the International Cannabis Business Conference in 2019, and the collaboration was a tremendous success. The 2023 super-event will be bigger and better than ever, with the collaboration event being the largest of its kind.

Not all networking opportunities are created equal, and that is particularly true in the cannabis space. International Cannabis Business Conference events are attended by cannabis leaders from dozens of different countries, with the Barcelona B2B trade show serving as the first major international cannabis event of its type for 2023. The conference itself will be held at the L’Auditori de Cornellà, with the after-party being held at the Hotel Arts (Ritz-Carleton) Barcelona. You can view the event’s schedule at this link here.

The International Cannabis Business Conference also has additional upcoming events in Berlin in June 2023. Secure your tickets now before the events are sold out!

What Percentage Of Germany’s Population Consumes Cannabis?

Written by Johnny Green on February 16, 2023. Posted in Policy.

For lawmakers and potential cannabis industry regulators, knowing what current cannabis consumption rates are in a given country is important for various reasons. First and foremost, knowing current cannabis consumption rates provides insight into what a potential domestic market size could be. Germany is trending towards adult-use cannabis legalization, and one of the main estimates that needs to be pinned down is the potential size of Germany’s adult-use cannabis market. After all, how else can determinations be made for such things as the initial regulatory jobs and entity licenses needed? Newly released data from Germany’s Epidemiological Addiction Survey gives lawmakers, regulators, and cannabis observers something to work with.

According to the survey data, nearly ten percent (9.6%) of Germany’s population used at least one illegal substance in 2021, the most recent year for which data is available. The most popular substance according to the survey results was cannabis, with roughly 8.8% of Germany’s population reportedly having consumed cannabis at least once during the one-year timeframe. Men (10.7%) were more likely to report having consumed cannabis compared to women (6.8%). Of the population that reported having consumed cannabis, young adults (18-24 years old) were the largest group (22.8% of consumers), followed by 25-39 year olds (12.3% of consumers), and 40-59 year olds (4.6% of consumers).

A Domestic Supply For A Continental Demand

It is worth noting that just because some survey participants reported having consumed cannabis in the last year in Germany doesn’t mean that they are all frequent consumers and/or that they would automatically make all future adult-use cannabis purchases from regulated sources. One has to assume that a subset of the professed cannabis consumer group involved in the survey tried cannabis but did not purchase it themselves, and that another subset would continue to make purchases via unregulated sources if/when Germany launches a regulated adult-use industry.

With all of that being said, the domestic market in Germany will still be enormous given the size of the nation’s population, assuming that a relevant number of current unregulated adult-use cannabis purchasers migrate to the regulated market. If it were an apples-to-apples comparison people could look to Canada, compare their consumptions rates and survey data pertaining to legal cannabis purchases versus unregulated ones, and be well-suited to make a very educated guess as to what the size of Germany’s legal market could be.

However, it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison, but rather, an apples-to-bratwurst comparison due to Germany’s level of tourism and its geographical location on the European continent. Germany shares more borders than any other country in Europe, and it’s a safe bet that adults from surrounding nations will cross the border to partake in the new found freedoms once Germany’s regulated industry launches. How many is tough to say, although it’s guaranteed to be a significant amount of people.

Unfortunately for many of those cannabis tourists, the supply in Germany may not be able to meet the demand, at least not at first. Germany’s current legalization pursuits involve a model that is built entirely on domestic production due to various treaty provisions. I don’t know how much cannabis the European continent can consume, but with Germany likely to serve as a legal continental adult-use cannabis market oasis for some duration of time I have to assume that it will be off the charts.

Will Regulations Be Affected?

It will be interesting to see how both regulators and cannabis industry members navigate the adult-use domestic supply provision of Germany’s reported legalization model. Will regulators put stringent purchasing limits in place to help balance demand with supply? Even if they did, would it be effective? Will we witness a boom in the number of domestic cultivation licenses issued in Germany to boost supply? If so, will the licenses be limited to a handful of companies or be issued to a wide array of companies? These are just some of the lingering questions swirling out there.

Meanwhile, when legalization does arrive in Germany, it will reportedly allow adult households to cultivate up to 3 cannabis plants (per the current plan), which will affect domestic demand to some degree. How many people will choose to cultivate their own cannabis, and equally importantly, how many of them will actually succeed in doing so, is anyone’s guess. Whatever amount it ends up working out to, it will help on the domestic front.

Some people may falsely assume that Germany’s government could care less about supply shortages, however, the premise being pitched by Germany’s Health Minister to the European Union is largely that Germany’s legalization goal is to improve public health via the consumption of regulated products. That public health outcome will only become a reality if/when prices for regulated products are competitive with the unregulated market. Supply shortages would obviously guarantee that the unregulated market would continue to thrive in Germany, and that is the exact opposite of what lawmakers and regulators want.

Canadian Banks Sued By The Cannabis Industry Over ‘Financial Discrimination’

Written by Johnny Green on February 15, 2023. Posted in Uncategorized.

One of the most hotly-debated topics in the cannabis industry relates to banking access for companies. Many companies over the years have experienced banking issues related to cannabis prohibition around the world, and yet, many other countries have had no issues.

Understandably, there are people in the cannabis industry that think banking reform is a top priority, while others don’t seem as concerned about it for one reason or another. Many advocates are not necessarily opposed to banking reform, but rather, do not want to see it tied to social justice and equity efforts and simply decided on its own merits. Conversely, there are also others that do wish to tie the two together.

Certain members of Canada’s cannabis industry are apparently no longer interested in debating in the ‘public square’ and have taken their fight to the court system. Below is more information about it via a news release from Groupe SGF:

Groupe SGF (Cannabis Legal Advisors and Consultants) announces the launch of a class action lawsuit on behalf of Mr. Gabriel Bélanger (Founder of Origami Extraction Inc.) against the Desjardins Federation, National Bank, Royal Bank, Bank of Montreal, TD Bank, and CIBC. The lawsuit alleges that the named banks have engaged in financial discrimination against actors in the legal cannabis industry in Canada.

The legal cannabis industry in Canada faces financial discrimination

The plaintiff, Gabriel Bélanger, is determined to expose to the Superior Court all he has suffered as an actor of the legal cannabis industry in relation with the defendants. The main allegations involve denials of opening bank accounts, sudden closures of current bank accounts, and denials of access to various financial tools such as mortgage loans and credit lines for legal cannabis industry businesses.

Class Action: Justice for industry actors

The class action includes all individuals or corporations that, directly or indirectly, do business with the major defendant banks and who are involved in the legal cannabis industry since October 17th, 2018.

For more information on the class action, please visit Groupe SGF’s website at https://groupesgf.ca/action-collectives-banques.

Quote

“For far too long, Canadian banks have treated the cannabis industry like pariahs, as if it was still completely illegal. By doing so, they are depriving the Canadian, but especially the local economy of developing a promising market.”

Me Maxime Guérin, Lawyer, Groupe SGF – Cannabis Legal Advisors and Consultants

About Groupe SGF – Cannabis Legal Advisors and Consultants and the Plaintiff

Groupe SGF is a Quebec law firm specializing in the cannabis industry. The company represents the interests of industry actors facing legal and financial challenges.

The plaintiff, Gabriel Bélanger, engineer, is the founder and main shareholder of Origami Extraction Inc., a cannabis micro-processing company located in Beauce.

SOURCE Groupe SGF – Conseillers juridiques et consultants en cannabis

For further information: Maxime Guérin, Lawyer, 418-476-2906 (dedicated line), 1-866-782-5910 (toll-free), max@groupesgf.ca

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Will Amsterdam’s New Cannabis Smoking Ban Become A Trend?

Written by Johnny Green on February 13, 2023. Posted in Policy.

Amsterdam is one of the most popular cannabis tourism destinations on earth, and for many years, the European city was the undeniable world champion of social cannabis use. It’s not a coincidence that the Cannabis Cup was held there, and only there, for a long time. Yet, in recent years Amsterdam has ceded ground to several other cities when it comes to cannabis tourism, and thanks to a pending policy regarding outdoor cannabis use, it’s possible that Amsterdam could become even less popular with cannabis tourists in the near future.

Starting in May, a new policy will take effect that bans outdoor cannabis consumption in Amsterdam’s famous Red Light District. It is estimated that 18 million tourists visit Amsterdam annually, and tourism activity in the Red Light District has yielded complaints from local residents, including complaints about the smell of smoked cannabis in the area. In addition to the cannabis smoking ban, Amsterdam is planning on toughening rules related to alcohol sales, as well as limiting bar and brothel hours.

Smoking As A Nuisance And Public Health Concern

Some people, myself included, do not mind the smell of cannabis. I live in the State of Oregon where cannabis is legal, and while public consumption carries a fine, smelling cannabis smoke while I am walking around town is still very common. I personally enjoy the smell of it and it makes me smile. However, my opinion is just one of many, and there are many people that do not like the smell of cannabis smoke, or any other type of smoke for that matter. People that do not like the smell consider it to be a nuisance, especially if the smell is constant, which I’d imagine is the case in Amsterdam.

In addition to people that do not like the smell of cannabis smoke outright, there are also people that do not like being around smoke due to health concerns. They may wish to avoid secondhand smoke for general health concern reasons, or it could be due to a diagnosed condition that is harmed by secondhand smoke. It is worth noting that cannabis smoke is not the same as tobacco smoke, however, much of the public likely doesn’t know that, and thus their concerns remain.

Late last year New Zealand passed the world’s first ban on tobacco cigarette sales, prohibiting retailers from selling cigarettes to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009. Obviously, some people will still be able to purchase cigarettes in New Zealand, but eventually the ban will apply to everyone as the nation’s population ages. The justification for the ban is public health concerns, and that, coupled with nuisance concerns related to smoke could result in similar policies spreading to other parts of the globe. Being that cannabis is also smoked, in theory, similar policies like what is in Amsterdam could be pursued in other jurisdictions, as well as prohibited sales of smokable forms of cannabis potentially, akin to the prohibition on tobacco sales in New Zealand.

Smokeless Forms Of Cannabis

Public cannabis consumption laws vary around the world, with most jurisdictions still treating such acts as crimes. Although, most of the charges that relate to public consumption crimes are based on the act of possession, not use. As prohibition is replaced with legalization, public consumption bans will shift from being based on possession prohibitions to consumption prohibitions. The difference is nuanced, but very important from an enforcement logistics standpoint.

Even in jurisdictions where cannabis is currently legal for adult-use, public consumption is still prohibited, albeit usually a fine versus a crime. Nearly all of the time, the way public use is detected is via the smell of smoke, and to a lesser extent, vaping. And yet, inhaling cannabis is only one of the many ways to consume it.

These days in a growing number of jurisdictions a wide variety of cannabis products are legally available, including edibles, topicals, beverages, transdermal patches, and other emerging smokeless methods of consumption. As those smokeless products increase in availability and popularity, concerns regarding cannabis smoke will become less prevalent. After all, would anyone in Amsterdam’s Red Light District care if someone was eating a cannabis-infused gummy or wearing a cannabis transdermal patch? How would anyone even know?

Individual In Hong Kong Faces Up To 7 Years In Prison For Bottles Of CBD Products

Written by Johnny Green on February 10, 2023. Posted in Policy.

Law enforcement officials in Hong Kong have made their first CBD-related arrest since a new law took effect at the beginning of this month. Starting at the beginning of February, all CBD products became prohibited in Hong Kong, with CBD now being classified at the same level as heroin and methamphetamine in the jurisdiction. Hong Kong was recently home to one of the most thriving CBD industries on the planet, however, most CBD companies closed in the lead up to the new law’s implementation.

The first man to face charges in Hong Kong under the new prohibition law was not reportedly selling CBD products. Rather, he had reportedly ordered a couple of bottles of ‘CBD skin oil’ from Denmark and was arrested when he was going to pick up the parcel containing the bottles. From there authorities searched a locker at a clubhouse that allegedly belonged to the individual, and in the locker was more ‘CBD skin oil,’ along with four grams of flower. It’s unclear at this time whether the flower involved was floral CBD hemp or flower that contained THC. Regardless, the individual is now facing potentially up to seven years in prison, and having to pay a fine of up to HK$1 million.

Why Would A Government Ban CBD?

As of the posting of this article, a search on PubMed.gov for the term ‘CBD’ yields over 10,500 results of peer-reviewed studies, many of them demonstrating that CBD is indeed effective at treating various ailments and conditions. PubMed houses the results of peer-reviewed studies from all over the world and is accessible to anyone with internet access. Many of the studies on PubMed that involve CBD have also found that the cannabinoid does not induce intoxication, unlike its cannabinoid counterpart THC.

Yet, despite it’s established wellness benefits and lack of inducing intoxication, CBD is still banned in Hong Kong, and at least one person is having their life ruined because of a new prohibition policy there. CBD products are bought and sold legally in many parts of the world now, and no meaningful public health issues have surfaced as a result. Thailand is a great example of CBD products being widely available and frequently consumed by people, and the sky remaining intact. Hong Kong prohibiting CBD is ridiculous, and penalizing people to the tune of up to 7 years in prison is even more ridiculous.

A Reminder Of The Need For Advocacy

The arrest in Hong Kong is truly unfortunate, and serves as yet another reminder that cannabis advocates still have a lot of work to do to ensure that no one is subjected to a nation’s criminal justice system due to cannabis. Cannabis prohibition is a failed public policy, and that is true in Hong Kong just as it is true anywhere else. A public policy prohibiting CBD is particularly shameful.

If you live in Hong Kong or have plans to travel there, proceed with caution. As one person is already unfortunately learning, law enforcement officials in Hong Kong are not going to take any cannabis activity lightly. If ‘CBD skin oil’ is resulting in someone facing potentially the better part of a decade in prison, it’s likely safe to assume that there will be zero tolerance for any cannabis possession of any kind.

Will Malta’s Cannabis Club Model Be Adopted By Germany And Spain?

Written by Johnny Green on February 9, 2023. Posted in Business, Policy.

In many ways the European continent seems like it is on the cusp of hitting warp speed for cannabis policy reform, and if so, a potential rapid spread of the legal cannabis industry could be on the horizon. The most noteworthy evidence of this can be found in Germany right now, where an adult-use legalization measure is expected to be introduced in the first quarter of this year. Once the measure is formally introduced in Germany it will likely be followed by similar measures being introduced in other European countries. Malta may not have as much political clout as Germany, however, its approach to cannabis clubs and adult-use regulation will also likely have a large butterfly effect on its continental peers whether people realize it or not.

In late 2021 lawmakers in Malta passed an adult-use cannabis legalization measure. It was the first time since the start of cannabis prohibition that a European country passed a national cannabis legalization measure that did not involve any limits on THC content for consumers over 21 years old. Only two other countries on the planet passed such measures prior to Malta doing so (Uruguay and Canada). Malta’s legalization model involves allowing people of legal age (18 or older) to possess up to seven grams of cannabis and for adult households to cultivate up to four plants per residence. Consumers that do not cultivate their own cannabis will eventually be able to make purchases at non-profit cannabis clubs, and the proposed approach to regulating cannabis commerce in Malta via non-profit clubs could become a blueprint for other European countries to copy in the near future.

The Malta Model

Starting on February 28, 2023, aspiring non-profit cannabis club operators can apply for a license through Malta’s Authority for the Responsible Use of Cannabis (ARUC). Regulations for such clubs include (but are not limited to):

A maximum of 500 club members
Cannot be located within 250 meters of a school or ‘youth center’
No advertising
Cannot use the word ‘cannabis’ in the club’s name, or anything that would ‘incite use’
At least two club founders with no prior convictions of money laundering
Clubs must have a legal representative
Club administrators have to be residents for at least 5 years
All cannabis has to be cultivated by the club itself (out of public view)
Registration fee of €1,000
License fee starting at €8,750
Initial licenses valid for 1 year, with 3 year renewals
Labeling requirements
Ongoing government auditing
Product testing
THC percentage caps for consumers 18-20 years old
Consumers can only have a membership at 1 club at a time
Revenue dispersal requirements

It still appears to be up in the air as to whether people will be able to consume cannabis on-site at the cannabis clubs, and while the current rules are fairly extensive, it’s always possible that they could evolve over time. After all, these new rules and regulations in Malta are brand new to the world by many measures, and there will no doubt be a need to tweak things as time goes on.

Will Germany And Spain Adopt Malta’s Approach?

Now that Malta is rolling out its legal cannabis commerce model, two countries that are of particular interest to me from a cannabis public policy standpoint are Germany and Spain, as they seem to be the European countries that will benefit the most from a ‘Malta butterfly effect.’ Make no mistake – Germany is on its own path towards legalization, and regardless of what is going on in Malta, the process for German legalization will continue. However, whether Germany will eventually have cannabis clubs and/or allow social use is unclear at this time, and it’s feasible that a successful rollout of clubs in Malta could encourage Germany to incorporate aspects of Malta’s legalization model as it pertains to those types of entities.

Spain, in my opinion, is much more likely to experience a cannabis public policy butterfly effect from what is going on in Malta compared to Germany. Spain is already home to numerous private cannabis clubs, albeit unregulated ones, and so it’s much more of an apples-to-apples comparison. Many, if not all, of the non-profit club provisions that are being adopted in Malta could also be adopted in Spain if lawmakers were willing to make it happen. Malta has quite literally provided Spain with a blueprint of how to regulate non-profit cannabis clubs. Of course, enough time will need to go by in order to know that the current regulations are sensible, but Malta’s approach is already better than Spain’s in that a formalized approach actually exists and is being implemented.

Malta may not have a huge economy or enormous population, yet, its approach to regulating cannabis commerce is historic in many ways, and the significance of the approach cannot be overstated. Being the first country on a continent to regulate adult-use cannabis commerce at a national level is not easy. After all, there is no guidebook for such an endeavor other than what has gone on in Uruguay and Canada, and even strategies from those countries aren’t always applicable on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. A successful launch in Malta would be a win not just for consumers within Malta’s borders, but also potentially for consumers across the European continent.

future of global cannabis industry panel icbc berlin 2022

Who Attends International Cannabis Business Conference Events?

Written by Johnny Green on February 7, 2023. Posted in Business, Entertainment, Policy, Science.

The International Cannabis Business Conference is the world’s largest global B2B cannabis event series, with upcoming events occurring in Barcelona on March 9th, the Global Investment Forum in Berlin on June 27th, and the series’ flagship B2B event in Berlin on June 29-30th. Tickets are available at Internationalcbc.com. Below are the types of individuals and entities that attend International Cannabis Business Conference events.

Entrepreneurs

Success in the business world, particularly at the international level, is far from automatic. The list of what it takes to be successful is exhaustive, however, at the top of the list is timing. The right timing can mean the difference between an entrepreneur going on to build one of the world’s next great companies or having to close operations.

Timing is particularly important in the international cannabis industry with everything evolving so quickly and market leaders being located all over the planet. The International Cannabis Business Conference brings true leaders and experts from all over the globe to its events to make learning and networking easier for aspiring international cannabis entrepreneurs.

Investors

The emerging legal international cannabis industry is still largely in its infancy, and that creates tremendous opportunities for investors. It’s very rare for an industry with as much profit potential as the international cannabis industry to essentially start from scratch. The cannabis brands and inventions that will reap financial gains far into the future are currently looking for capital and effective guidance to help scale operations, and investors that network with them in the proper setting at the right time will be significantly rewarded.

International Cannabis Business Conference events are attended by innovators from all over the world, with industry disrupting concepts and technology debuting at past conferences. International investors that are also in attendance benefit from seeing what opportunities are currently out there in the international cannabis space, as well as benefit from learning from global cannabis experts regarding industry and regulatory trends.

Policymakers

An important aspect of International Cannabis Business Conference events is providing a platform for cannabis policymakers and regulators from all over the planet to discuss reform efforts. By facilitating meaningful discussions between leaders from several jurisdictions, the International Cannabis Business Conference is moving cannabis reform efforts forward at the national, continental, and international levels.

One of the many examples of that can be found in Germany where the International Cannabis Business Conference holds its flagship event every year. Several public policy concepts and ideas that were initially proposed and discussed at the International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin have since become part of the mainstream political conversation as Germany continues its push towards adult-use legalization.

Industry Service Providers

The industry service provider sector of the emerging cannabis industry can be particularly difficult to navigate at the international level, with every jurisdiction and market having their own sets of laws and regulations. To make matters even more difficult for industry service providers, many of the regulations are constantly evolving. Fortunately, every new market that becomes legal creates new opportunities for industry service providers, and for those that are properly educated and establish the right networks, leveraging those opportunities can yield tremendous financial success. Industry service providers from all over the world directly benefit from attending International Cannabis Business Conference events.

Entertainers

It would not be an International Cannabis Business Conference event without world class entertainers in attendance. Numerous celebrities from television, music, film, and professional sports have presented and/or performed at International Cannabis Business Conference events, including at the International Cannabis Business Conference’s infamous event after-parties. Three-time Grammy award-winning reggae band Morgan Heritage kicked off its last European tour at the International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin last year, and it’s just one of the many examples of the level of entertainment that is present at the events.

Media

The International Cannabis Business Conference events are attended by representatives from top international media outlets, with some media representatives also participating on panels. Presentations from the International Cannabis Business Conference regularly generate headlines in leading mainstream and cannabis media outlets involving dozens of languages, proving once again that the International Cannabis Business Conference is where the world meets cannabis.

Media And Marketing In The Emerging International Cannabis Industry

Written by Johnny Green on February 7, 2023. Posted in Business, Entertainment, Policy.

Nearly every business in every industry on the planet needs to market their products and/or services to some degree in order to succeed. After all, how else would potential consumers and clients know about the business’ offerings?

When it comes to marketing, not all industries are created equal, with the emerging legal cannabis industry being a prime example. Whereas in other industries marketing strategies are only limited by financial resources and creativity, the emerging cannabis industry has additional hurdles and factors to consider due to ongoing cannabis prohibition in many jurisdictions.

Even in some legal jurisdictions where cannabis commerce is permitted, cannabis advertising and marketing rules and regulations are such that strategies can be very complicated and limited. It makes it much more difficult to make an impact from a branding perspective.

Furthermore, media and public relations efforts are also complicated for cannabis companies. Mainstream media has historically served as one of the top opponents for all things cannabis, and while that is slowly changing, generating positive media coverage that adds real value to a brand can be trickier for cannabis companies compared to companies operating in other industries. Meanwhile, cannabis-specific media continues to rise across the globe, and there are important nuances that are vital to know when corresponding with cannabis media and mainstream media outlets.

All of that is compounded by the rapidly changing landscape of the emerging cannabis industry, especially at the international level, in addition to the industry becoming increasingly more crowded with every passing year. Crafting and pursuing the right media and marketing strategy is paramount for every international cannabis company. It will be the difference between a company becoming a global powerhouse or folding.

The best way to learn how to craft a solid media and marketing strategy is to hear from true experts that have a proven track record of doing it, and opportunities like that do not pop up very often. Fortunately, the upcoming International Cannabis Business Conference in Barcelona will have a panel dedicated to the topic. The ‘Media and Marketing in the Cannabis Space’ panel will be moderated by Shane MacGuill, head of nicotine and cannabis research for Euromonitor International. MacGuill will be joined by:

Michael Knodt, freelance journalist
Simón Espinosa, CEO and founder, EN VOLÁ
Luna Stower, Chief Impact Officer, ISpire
Stephen Verbeek, President and CEO, Hello Cannabis

International Cannabis Business Conference events are attended by cannabis leaders from dozens of different countries, with the Barcelona B2B trade show serving as the first major international cannabis event of its type for 2023. The conference itself will be held at the L’Auditori de Cornellà, with the after-party being held at the Hotel Arts (Ritz-Carleton) Barcelona. You can view the event’s schedule at this link here. If you want to network with the best in the cannabis space, International Cannabis Business Conference Barcelona is a must-attend.

Spain is home to arguably the best cannabis culture on earth, with 70% of Spain’s cannabis clubs being in Barcelona. Roughly 90% of Spain voters support medical cannabis according to a recent survey by the Center for Sociological Research. Home to roughly 4 million regular cannabis consumers, 56% of residents in Spain support legalizing regulated cannabis sales to adults (18 or older). The current value of Spain’s cannabis industry is estimated to be €3.3 billion (£2.81bn) per year.

Over 1,000 people from over 40 countries will be represented at the super-event this March in Barcelona and that includes representatives from every sector of the industry as well as leading international cannabis policymakers and industry service providers. Attend the super-event in Barcelona to network with investors, entrepreneurs, industry regulators, and international policymakers and take your industry pursuits to the next level.

The International Cannabis Business Conference also has additional upcoming events in Berlin in June 2023. You can secure tickets now and take advantage of the early bird pricing discount.

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About the International Cannabis Business Conference

The International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin is Europe’s longest running and largest industry B2B tradeshow and conference. For more information, including how to register for International Cannabis Business Conference Barcelona, Berlin, and Zurich, please visit: Internationalcbc.com. Find out more on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

For more information or media inquiries, please email noelle@internationalcbc.com or call 541.864.0090.