International Cannabis Business Conference Blog – Page 141 – International Cannabis Business Conference

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German Coalition Government In Waiting Sends Positive Signal On Recreational Cannabis Reform

Written by Marguerite Arnold on November 23, 2021. Posted in Politics.

The news that the so-called “traffic light” coalition had decided to work together on some kind of recreational cannabis reform is a positive step – but there are many details along the way to be done and dusted.

Last week, the news that the pending coalition government in waiting had come to an agreement on changing German cannabis policy spread, virally, within hours, first from German-language sites to English ones – and from cannabis specialty blogs to mainstream news.

The announcement, no matter how many details remain to be ironed out, is in fact, big news. It signals that the coalition government of the SPD, the Greens and the FDP will prioritize legislation as early as next year to start to tackle the entire recreational cannabis conversation. While the police have recently come out against recreational reform, just on a safety front, the green tide has turned here, and everyone knows it. Further it is a relatively easy lay-up win for a new government which is looking for ways to work together and gain points with an electorate that just voted the CDU out of power for the first time since the end of WWII.

That said, the devil is in the details – and this being Germany, there are a few to think about.

By far, the most important issue is how to redefine cannabis legally – and further to carve out medical versus recreational use starting with the German Narcotics Act. And that is daunting.

Here is why. Cannabis is listed as a narcotic in the Act. This is already problematic as Germany is now out of step with current EU thinking on at least CBD (namely that it is not a narcotic). However, CBD is the least of the problems here. THC is, when used medically, technically a “narcotic” – and further one that fits neatly, and pharmacologically, in the medicine cabinet of definitions that include major pain drugs, starting with opioids. “Legalizing” this as a recreational substance will take some legal eagling and wordsmithing to figure out a new kind of definition for cannabis under German (as well as EU) law. This is particularly challenging when, at an international level at least, cannabis is still defined as a Schedule I drug.

The push towards compromise is also happening at a time when the rumours are that the European Commission may yet rescind its ruling that CBD is not a narcotic.

Given the political winds, it is unlikely that the new coalition, once it formally agrees to work together and takes power in early next year, as widely expected, will backtrack on its promises. But it is also very likely that what may emerge is clear decriminalization and a deliberately small, limited and highly expensive to access market – at least at first. There is precedent. See the German bid.

But then again, see the German bid – which left German firms out of the first iteration of the same. There is hope at least that German politicians might have learned something so far – if not from other countries than the first medical tender.

It is for this very reason that no matter how messy the first iteration of recreational reform is likely to be, that it will change the conversation here and in a meaningful way – not only in Germany but across Europe. And that is significant, indeed.

Book your booths now as the International Cannabis Business Conference begins to gear up for next year’s conferences in Barcelona, Berlin, and Zurich!

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Just How Much Would The German Recreational Market Be “Worth?”

Written by Marguerite Arnold on November 23, 2021. Posted in Business, Politics.

A new study by the Institute for Competition Economics at the University of Düsseldorf estimates that the German recreational market could be worth 4.7 billion euros – but what is all this estimating based on?

A new study by the University of Düsseldorf has estimated that legalizing cannabis could bring in as much as 4.7 billion euros a year to the German economy. In Germany, this includes not only the size of the market but the impact on tax revenues, social security contributions from the legalized business, and savings to the police and justice system. The study estimated that 1.8 billion euros of this amount would in fact flow directly into the state treasury.

Of course, all of this is just conjecture at this point. However, given the current furore over the possibility of recreational legalization here of late, a study on the potential worth of said industry was bound to get attention.

But what do such estimates really have to do with reality? After all, when it comes to cannabis, German consumers are just like consumers everywhere else. Not to mention an estimate, before the market has even started, anywhere, is just that. However, here are some contributing factors to consider (beyond the nitty-gritty of getting there).

Size Matters

Here is one way to think about the potential market here. Colorado’s population is just over 5 million and the recreational market there tops $10 billion as of this year (in real-time). Germany has a population of 80 million. It does not take a huge imagination to figure out that Deutschland may turn out to be the EU’s most valuable recreational market, beyond its medical one.

There are a couple of differences to consider right off the bat of course. The first is that there is a real medical market here – and unlike in Colorado, health insurance does cover medical cannabis. Indeed, there are about 100,000 patients in the German system. That number is also going to increase over time – potentially to as much as 10% of the entire population.

What happens beyond that – in other words, a purchase of cannabis without a doctor’s prescription – is literally the great unknown. It is also established that consumers begin to use not only fewer illicit and prescription drugs but drink far less alcohol when cannabis is legal (at least in legalizing states and countries to date). In Germany, this is potentially a huge market – limited at this point by legalization and imagination. Culturally, Germans are ready for something new – particularly a plant they are hearing a great deal more about of late.

Beyond speculation, in other words, however, one thing is very clear. Germans are getting ready for some kind of recreational cannabis reform. And that is pretty massive.

Be sure to stay abreast of breaking European and global cannabis news and developments by following the International Cannabis Business Conference blog!

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Many Employers Are Dropping Cannabis Drug Testing Requirements To Attract Workers

Written by Johnny Green on November 23, 2021. Posted in Business.

Cannabis consumers come in all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds. Despite what mainstream media would have you believe over the course of many decades, all walks of life consume cannabis.

Consumers have faced all types of discrimination because of prohibition, with one particularly difficult form of discrimination occurring in the labor market.

As many cannabis consumers will attest, they either refrained from applying for a job, were prevented from being hired, or were later terminated because of failing a drug test for cannabis.

Workers should be measured by their skills, morals, and contributions to a workplace, and not by the presence of metabolized THC in their bodily fluids. Fortunately, more and more employers are ditching cannabis drug testing. Below is more information about it via a news release from our friends at NORML:

Some employers are abandoning drug testing requirements as a way to attract new hires and to retain current employees, according to survey data compiled by the Manpower Group.

Pollsters surveyed representatives from over 45,000 employers in North America and Europe. Nine percent of respondents acknowledged that they had “eliminated job screenings or drug tests” as a way to either attract or keep their employees. Sixty-nine percent of respondents acknowledged experiencing “difficulty” in filling staffing positions in the current job market, a 15-year high.

In June, representatives of the Amazon corporation announced that the company would no longer engage in pre-employment marijuana screenings for its new hires, except for those in federally regulated positions (that mandate drug testing). The company further announced in September that it had “reinstated eligibility for former employees and applicants who were previously terminated or deferred during random or pre-employment marijuana screenings.” The Amazon corporation is the second-largest employer in the United States.

In recent months, lawmakers in several states - Nevada, New Jersey, New York, and Montana - have enacted policies limiting employers’ ability to pre-screen applicants for past marijuana use, as have councilmembers in a growing number of municipalities, including Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC. New York’s policy further limits employers’ ability to sanction current employees for their off-hours marijuana use absent evidence of “articulable symptoms of cannabis impairment.”

Urinalysis detects the presence of inactive marijuana byproducts that may be present for as many as 100 days post-abstinence. As per the United States Department of Justice, the detection of these products “only indicates that a particular substance is present in the test subject’s body tissue. It does not indicate abuse or addiction; recency, frequency, or amount of use; or impairment.” Additional information is available from NORML’s fact sheet, ‘Marijuana Legalization and Impact on the Workplace.’

Writing About Cannabis Is A Crime In Czech Republic

Written by Johnny Green on November 23, 2021. Posted in Politics.

In early October we reported on a disturbing situation in the Czech Republic regarding a cannabis media company and its editor being persecuted by the government for doing nothing more than providing cannabis education. Unfortunately, the case resulted in a conviction, which is inhumane, to say the least.

It sets a dangerous precedent for the repression of freedom of speech and people’s right to information. If you care about freedom of the press, you are encouraged to donate to Robert Veverka’s crowdfunding transparent bank account no. 2900469065/2010
(IBAN: CZ4320100000002900469065, BIC/SWIFT: FIOBCZPPXXX - https://ib.fio.cz/ib/transparent?a=2900469065). The funds collected will be used to cover the costs of the lawsuit and for the further fight for freedom of expression. Below is more information about the case via a press release sent out by Magazin Legalizace:

On November 3, 2021, the Legalizace magazine and its editor-in-chief, Robert Veverka, were convicted of inciting and promoting “toxicomania” by the district court in the town of Bruntál.

The editor-in-chief, Robert Veverka, and the publishing company of the Legalizace magazine, both prosecuted since the summer of 2020 for allegedly inciting and promoting “toxicomania”, were given a one-year prison sentence contingent on a probationary period of two and a half years as well as a fine of 50,000 CZK by the district court in Bruntál following two court hearings.

According to the public prosecutor, Jan Žalman, Veverka and the publishing company have committed the crime of inciting and promoting toxicomania by publishing more than two hundred articles during 2010-2020 which allegedly gave the impression of cannabis processing and handling being legal, provided qualified instructions on cannabis cultivation, processing, and storage, and by publishing cannabis-themed advertisements as well as offering legal and freely marketable cannabis seeds which appeared several times as a supplement of the printed magazine issues. This conjecture was confirmed by Judge Marek Stach in his verdict on November 3, 2021, when he found the defendants guilty of the above.

Although the judge admitted that the Legalizace magazine gives the impression of a very objective medium, as it provides broadscale, comprehensive information and expert opinions as well as insight into the medical aspects of cannabis, he proclaimed the reason for his verdict is that some of the articles may incite the desire in certain individuals to acquire equipment that could enable them to grow, harvest, process, and use cannabis in a way which is illegal. The judge also stated that if the printed photographs depict cannabis flowers evidently covered with resin, these images cannot therefore be of industrial cannabis without psychoactive properties. According to the judge, such content is a temptation to readers; almost every issue of the magazine allegedly possesses the capability of influencing the conduct of readers and inciting them to abuse addictive substances. Although the majority of the articles found in the published magazine issues are legally sound, according to Judge Marek Stach, even one single article with the potential to incite readers is enough for the Legalizace magazine to constitute the crime of inciting and promoting toxicomania.

“The judge mentioned that he is not competent to assess the benefits of the current legislation, the benefits of cannabis products in healthcare, or the negative effects of cannabis use, but that he must base his verdict on the existing legislation which is binding for all. He stated that according to his judgement, Legalizace magazine evidently and factually constituted the criminal offence of inciting and promoting toxicomania. He did not take into account the legislative provisions allowing for cannabis to be handled legally in certain cases or the comprehensive and educational nature of the information published in the magazine. On the contrary, the judge expressed his doubts as to whether the individuals who granted interviews to the magazine were made aware of its content and overall message. Personally, I consider the verdict to be very biased and severely restrictive of the freedom of expression, the right to express political opinion, and the right to information,” says Robert Veverka.

The verdict is not final, the defendants are waiting for the written statement of the reasons for the court’s decision to be issued and will use this time to consider a possible appeal. The verdict has caused considerable outrage among the lay and expert public alike, which is calling on the newly appointed Chamber of Deputies to update the outdated legislation on psychoactive substances and the specific section of the law referring to the inciting and promoting of toxicomania.

If you care about freedom of the press, you are encouraged to donate to Robert Veverka’s crowdfunding transparent bank account no. 2900469065/2010 (IBAN: CZ4320100000002900469065, BIC/SWIFT: FIOBCZPPXXX – https://ib.fio.cz/ib/transparent?a=2900469065). The funds collected will be used to cover the costs of the lawsuit and for the further fight for freedom of expression.

Media Contact:

Robert Veverka, tel. +420 773 691 561, email: robert@legalpub.cz

Website: https://magazin-legalizace.cz/, FB: https://www.facebook.com/magazinlegalizace

Robert Veverka is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Legalizace magazine, the head of the Legalizace.cz NGO, a member of the Prague Council Commission for Drug Policy Coordination, and a representative and member of the Security Commission and Education Commission of the Prague 2 municipal borough.

Why Looming Cannabis Legalization In Germany Is A Very Big Deal

Written by Johnny Green on November 18, 2021. Posted in Politics.

News broke today that an agreement has been struck in Germany to legalize cannabis for adult use and to create a regulated adult-use cannabis industry framework.

Momentum for adult-use legalization in Germany was picking up steam leading up to the last election, which was discussed at length at our last conference in Berlin where we hosted <a href=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dg-SYV6WmE&t=18s”target=”_blank”>a historic bipartisan discussion about cannabis policy in Germany</a> featuring panelists representing all major political parties in Germany.

Members of the incoming governing coalition comprised of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), the Free Democratic Party (FDP), and the Greens are reportedly introducing the measure in the upcoming session. Per <a href=”https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/ampel-parteien-einigen-sich-auf-legalisierung-von-cannabis-a-216b328b-5746-4eb8-afe6-034ea7a05269″target=”_blank”>Spiegel</a> (translated from German):
<blockquote>According to SPIEGEL information, the traffic light parties want to legalize the sale of <a href=”https://www.spiegel.de/thema/cannabis/” data-link-flag=”spon”>cannabis</a> for consumption purposes. The coalition working group on health and care agreed on this, as the Funke media group first reported. ”We are introducing the controlled distribution of cannabis to adults for pleasure purposes in licensed shops,” stated the negotiators of the <a href=”https://www.spiegel.de/thema/spd/” data-link-flag=”spon”>SPD</a> , Greens and <a href=”https://www.spiegel.de/thema/fdp/” data-link-flag=”spon”>FDP</a> in the result paper of the relevant working group. This controls the quality, prevents the transfer of contaminated substances and guarantees the protection of minors.

According to the report, the relevant law is to be evaluated after four years with a view to its social impact. So far, the sale of cannabis for consumption purposes has been banned in <a href=”https://www.spiegel.de/thema/deutschland/” data-link-flag=”spon”>Germany</a> . The Greens and FDP have long been in favor of legal, regulated trade in cannabis.</blockquote>
It is significant when any nation moves towards cannabis legalization and away from prohibition. However, Germany is a particularly large domino to fall.

As of right now, only two countries have legalized cannabis for adult use – Uruguay and Canada. A number of countries are moving towards legalization, including Luxembourg which recently announced plans to legalize in 2022.

Switzerland allows low-THC cannabis products to be bought and sold, and court decisions in South Africa, Italy, and Mexico have created quasi-legalization.

Unless another country beats it to it, Germany would be the third country to comprehensively legalize cannabis for adult use, would be only the second G-7 nation to do so, and the first on the European continent to do so.

In the grand scheme of things, legalization in Germany is a much bigger deal compared to Uruguay and Canada because of the economics involved as well as the ripple effect that it will presumably create.

Germany has a population of roughly 83 million people, which dwarfs the populations of Canada (38 million) and Uruguay (3.5 million) combined. Whereas <a href=”https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/countries-by-gdp”target=”_blank”>Germany</a> is home to the fourth-largest economy on earth, Canada’s economy is ranked 10th and Uruguay is ranked 80th.

Legalization in Uruguay was historic because it was the first country to legalize, and Canada was also historic in its own right for being the first G-7 nation to legalize. However, the global effect from Germany legalizing will almost certainly prove to be more significant.

Germany has long held a significant amount of political influence in Europe and beyond. It is also a major international hub for technological and industrial innovation.

If Germany beats all of its neighbors to adult-use legalization and becomes an adult-use oasis, the profit potential could be enormous. A recent study shed some light on what types of numbers can be expected. Below are excerpts about the study, via <a href=”https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/pot-gold-cannabis-could-bring-germany-5-billion-year-survey-2021-11-16/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Reuters</a>:
<blockquote>Legalising cannabis could bring Germany annual tax revenues and cost savings of about 4.7 billion euros ($5.34 billion) and create 27,000 new jobs, a survey said on Tuesday as politicians thrash out rules for the budding sector.

The survey by the Institute for Competition Economics (DICE) at the Heinrich Heine University in Duesseldorf, and commissioned by the German hemp association, found that legalising cannabis could lead to additional tax revenues of about 3.4 billion euros per year.

At the same time, it could bring cost savings in the police and judicial system of 1.3 billion euros per year while creating tens of thousands of jobs in the cannabis economy.</blockquote>
Legalization in Germany is still a work in progress, being that an actual law has not taken effect yet. With that being said, legalization does appear to be inevitable in Germany, and in the meantime, the eyes of the entire cannabis community will be locked on the European country.

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Brazil May Legalize Medical And Industrial Cannabis By Year’s End

Written by Marguerite Arnold on November 17, 2021. Posted in Politics.

The Bolsonaro government has been pushed, like many other governments before it, to move the goalposts for medical and industrial cannabis

The largest country in South America, Brazil, is about to consider medical and industrial cannabis reform (probably in the last two weeks of November).

This is big news especially as it clears the way for not only private companies to embark on a cannabis cultivation plan, but the government and non-profits as well.

Cannabis with high levels of THC will require strict security measures, such as a 2-meter wall around such cultivations, along with biometric-only access. Hemp cultivation permission will be given, if the bill is passed, by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply.

However, even if the legislature approves the bill, it may still hit snags at the President’s desk for signing. Jair Bolsonaro has been steadfastly against the bill – even calling it “crap” in public.

That said, it is unlikely, especially given the tide of reform that is also hitting South America of late, and the opportunity for a domestic crop with a high value as an export, that Bolsonaro will veto the bill.

A Brief History of Brazilian Cannabis Reform

All cannabis is still illegal in Brazil. However, as of 2019, the government passed reforms allowing the import, manufacturing, and sale of cannabis products (but not cultivation). Since then, particularly Canadian companies like Canopy Growth and Clever Leaves have imported and sold cannabis products to the locals. The Brazilian marketplace is one of the most valuable in Latin America – with up to 13 million people as potential customers.

Why This is Significant

Brazil is headed by a far-right leader. Most people (and parties) of this political persuasion, all over the world, are broadly opposed to cannabis reform. However, Bolsonaro is also supported by the farming caucus in the Brazilian Congress, which currently holds just under half of the seats in both chambers. A new law merely requires a simple majority to pass it.

If reform passes, it is also likely that Brazil will become a leading supplier of both hemp and medical cannabis to the rest of the American continent, if not further afield (see Europe), particularly given the example of Columbia.

The world’s most valuable agricultural crop is increasingly overturning even the most die-hard opponents – and Brazil may be the latest example, but it won’t be the last.

For more news about the global cannabis industry, be sure to follow the International Cannabis Business Conference blog.

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South Africa Examines Hemp Production To Clean Up Gold Mining Areas

Written by Marguerite Arnold on November 17, 2021. Posted in Science.

As part of an overall plan of including cannabis in its economic development plan, the government is currently examining how (and if) cultivation of hemp can restore land blighted by gold extraction

The University of the Witwatersrand is currently funding a study to determine if the cultivation of hemp might be able to restore land that has been blighted by the highly toxic and destructive practice of mining gold.

A master’s degree candidate, Tiago Campbell, is examining the suitability of several different crops for their phytorestorative properties. This includes Indian mustard, water hyacinth, alfalfa, and sunflowers. However, he is also including hemp in the list. According to his research so far, hemp appears to be a “heavy metal hyper accumulator” – and beats all the other plants he has so far studied. This is not a new finding; however, it is further confirmation of the same. In the 1990s, the Ukrainian government also documented the plant’s ability to absorb heavy metals like nickel, zinc and chromium which were present thanks to the meltdown of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

Campbell has planted 1,000 cannabis plants in soil collected from the area. The plants have all grown normally.

The land he is targeting is near Johannesburg, in Gauteng Province, an area blighted by more than a century of irresponsible and unsustainable gold extraction. The area is known for one of the world’s largest gold deposits. There are also about 380 abandoned mining areas in this zone, containing elevated levels of toxic and radioactive materials – which includes arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, copper, zinc, and uranium.

The pollution in the area is a result of mine drainage which includes heavy metals known to be hazardous to both humans and wildlife.

The cultivated crops could not be used for consumption however they could be used for other purposes – such as hempcrete.

The New Green Gold

The focus on hemp to clean up the damage done to the land is just one of the efforts now well underway in South Africa to focus on the cultivation of the plant as a form of economic development.

While gold mines have long been a source of wealth for the country, the practice of extracting gold is highly destructive to the environment – rendering it unsuitable for both man and beast.

By cleaning up such areas, the land would be reopened for resettlement – and redevelopment.

For more news on the global cannabis industry, be sure to stay tuned to the International Cannabis Business Conference blog.

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How Much Public Revenue Would Cannabis Legalization Generate In Germany?

Written by Johnny Green on November 17, 2021. Posted in Business, Politics.

Germany is home to the largest legal medical cannabis market on the European continent. That is not surprising considering that Germany is home to the fourth-largest economy on the planet behind only the United States, China, and Japan.

Until recently, Germany imported more medical cannabis products than any other country and it was only recently that the country was passed on that front by Israel.

Part of that is due to the rise of domestic production in Germany and it’s also partly due to ongoing issues in Israel that have resulted in a spike in their medical cannabis imports.

It’s likely a safe bet that adult-use legalization in Germany would be huge. Germany is a massive domino and when it falls, the public policy repercussions will be felt throughout Europe and beyond.

A lingering question regarding adult-use legalization in Germany is how much money would such a public policy change yield for public coffers in Germany?

A recent study provides an answer to that very question. Excerpts about the study below, via Reuters:

Legalising cannabis could bring Germany annual tax revenues and cost savings of about 4.7 billion euros ($5.34 billion) and create 27,000 new jobs, a survey said on Tuesday as politicians thrash out rules for the budding sector.

The survey by the Institute for Competition Economics (DICE) at the Heinrich Heine University in Duesseldorf, and commissioned by the German hemp association, found that legalising cannabis could lead to additional tax revenues of about 3.4 billion euros per year.

At the same time, it could bring cost savings in the police and judicial system of 1.3 billion euros per year while creating tens of thousands of jobs in the cannabis economy.

Those numbers are very encouraging, and lead to the next logical question – when will Germany legalize cannabis for adult use? Germany legalized cannabis for medical use in 2017.

Earlier this month Bloomberg broke the news that a legalization coalition in Germany is gaining momentum and that the drafting of a strong legalization measure is nearing completion. Per Bloomberg:

Germany’s likely next ruling coalition is closing in on a deal to legalize cannabis for recreational use, the strongest signal yet that long-awaited growth of Europe’s marijuana market is gaining traction.

Negotiators for the Social Democrats, Greens and pro-business Free Democrats are hammering out the details, including conditions under which the sale and use of recreational cannabis would be allowed and regulated, according to people familiar with the talks, who asked not to be identified because the discussions are private.

At this point, it’s not a question of if Germany will legalize cannabis for adult use, it’s a question of when. Whether this latest measure passes or not, some type of legalization measure is going to pass sooner rather than later in Germany.

Luxembourg has already announced plans to legalize cannabis for adult use in 2022, and Italy also appears to be on a path to legalization in the near future. Countries like Switzerland and the Netherlands have adult-use pilot programs ramping up.

It’s very unlikely that lawmakers in Germany are going to sit by and see other countries reap the benefits of legalization. As we now know from the study cited in this article, there’s way too much money being wasted on prohibition and too much potential profit potential to keep prohibition in place.

The excitement in Germany is enormous, and support for cannabis reform and the emerging cannabis industry grows every day throughout Europe. Join us in Berlin in July 2022 at our flagship conference to get in on the action.

Our conference in Berlin is the largest cannabis industry B2B event on the European continent and the July 2022 conference is going to be the one biggest yet. To find out more info click here.

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Argentinian Police Make Formal Distinction Between Medical And Recreational Cannabis

Written by Marguerite Arnold on November 10, 2021. Posted in Politics.

The chief of police in the province of Corrientes has signed orders that direct local police to avoid investigations of legitimate medical cannabis crops.

As of the last week in October, Commissioner General Félix Barboza, the chief of police in Corrientes, has signed an order officially limiting police in initiating follow-ups and investigations of legitimate medical cannabis cultivations.

Per internal agenda No. 6636, and dated October 27, the resolution is to “avoid the initiation of sterile criminal cases and the ineffective expense of processing a process.”

This does not mean that those growing crops for recreational purposes are off the hook. They will be prosecuted according to existing law. The current regulations for citizens with a special registration with REPROCANN (the registry of the domestic cannabis program), allow the cultivation of up to 9 flowering plants, 30ml of cannabis oil, and up to 40 grams of dried flowers.

A Necessary Step

The police are on the hook just about everywhere right now to distinguish between different kinds of use – and most of them know, at least on a small scale, that this is wasted effort. In Argentina, cannabis is decriminalized for personal use in small amounts and has been since 2009. Medical cannabis has been legal since September 2016. Almost exactly at the same time that the German government voted unanimously to mandate cannabis be covered under public health insurance, Argentina’s Senate approved the medical use of CBD cannabis oil. Since November last year, self-cultivation has been legal as have regulated medical sales.

This recent police initiative, in other words, is an attempt to create state-wide definitions of what the limits for personal use and possession are.

It is exactly this kind of definition that advocates in Germany (for example) are trying to put in front of the new coalition to enact some kind of cannabis reform. So far, aus Deutschland, this kind of statement has not occurred. Indeed, patients continue to get arrested, both for possession and for growing their own.

Towards A Global Tolerance of Home Grow?

The issue of home grow is a sticky one just about everywhere. In Canada, the government has considered limiting the right of patients to grow their own, although such efforts have repeatedly failed. Canadians, just like Argentinians, must register to grow such crops, but the right is constitutionally guaranteed. Other countries and regions (including in Europe) are now wrestling with precisely the same kinds of issues. And this kind of debate will not be over soon.

In the meantime, state and regional if not national police are left to interpret the law – and patients if not recreational consumers continue to pay the price.

For the latest news, trends and analysis about the global cannabis industry, stay tuned to the International Cannabis Business Conference blog!