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Canada Now Has More Than 1,000 Legal Recreational Cannabis Dispensaries

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Business.

It is official. Canada now has more than 1,000 dispensaries. The last official count as of mid-July was actually 1010.

This is a stunning development in a country that, as of the first year of recreational legalization decided that only the government would be in the dispensary business.

How things have changed in just the last 18 months.

Further, it is also expected that the number of dispensaries is set to grow sharply, given the number of applications in the pipeline.

Where the dispensaries are opening to date is another matter. Openings are still highly uneven. The provinces with the most amount of dispensaries to date are Alberta and British Columbia, like the U.S., on the west coast. Ontario, the headquarters of the largest public companies, lags behind, in large part because of politics, and because of course, the original scrapped plans to mandate government-owned outlets for the recreational market.

Why Does This Matter?

One of the most intriguing stories out of the Canadian market is how effective mom and pops have been in staying the course, in part because patients have the right to grow their own (even if they have to obtain a license to do so). The larger companies are facing a huge backlash, in other words, from regional growers who want to grow and sell locally.

While the big public companies are absolutely investing in next-gen canna products, there is still a lively cultivation and distribution market afoot beyond them, and further one that is regulated first by the federal government and then, in the details, by the Canadian “states.” Just like the United States and certain countries in Europe could and probably also will be within the next five years.

Market Vs. Cannabinoid Forces

One of the stranger aspects of the plant is that in the process of legalization, certainly widely held “truths” about the market inevitably fall to the wayside. The first, as seen plainly in the Canadian dispensary conversation, is that the government cannot “control,” it. Patients and recreational users alike will find ways to get access to this plant, and in ways that continue to democratize the conversation.

And while there are still conversations of “one cannabis company to rule them all,” these have gotten decidedly lower in volume as the reality of meeting market demand if not regulatory muster has kicked in for those on the front end of this discussion.

Bottom line? While there will inevitably, just like the German distribution market, be consolidations and pivots, the cannabis market in Canada is opening, finally, for full and unfettered access to go along with all that reform.

The International Cannabis Business Conference will be resuming its international conference schedule as of 2021. In the meantime, stay tuned to this blog and sign up for our newsletter.

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European Commission Is Considering Classifying CBD As A Narcotic

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Business.

As if the confusion over Novel food in the EU was not daunting enough! The news just surfaced late last week that the European Commission has delayed 50 CBD-related Novel food applicants through September to consider the question of whether CBD extracted from the plant should be considered a narcotic.

The directive only applies to food items containing naturally occurring CBD and not synthetic cannabidiol.

Novel food regulations in the EU apply to any products not widely consumed before 1997.

If the EC qualifies hemp plants, even with less than 0.2% as a narcotic (the amount of THC allowed in hemp and as set by the region’s regulators, then the entire conversation has entered the next loopy diversion.

For the past several years, European level conversation about hemp has led to a strange stand-off between regional regulators and individual countries who have continued down the path of greater access and normalization. Namely, as of now, the (non-binding) legal guidance on the status of hemp on the EU side of the Channel is that anything hemp oil-related that is not pressed from seeds (in other words from the flowers and leaves of the plant) is “Novel.”

This alone has been disruptive for the industry – including country-wide health departments and downstream, state, and municipal guidance based on the same. The City of Cologne, for example, just banned all CBD extracts not labeled as novel food. Depending on the Commission’s decision in September, this might be the conversation about all things CBD that is extracted in any way, from the plant that effectively bans CBD for sale across Europe.

Legalization Has Taken A Sideways Move In Europe

There are two reasons for the industry to be concerned. 

The first is that the entire CBD discussion is clearly going to be mired in this kind of ridiculous contretemps for some time to come – especially if the World Health Organization decides to reschedule THC in December. 

Even framing the conversation in the terms that it now is – namely is CBD Novel food or narcotic -  is also a particularly strange way to characterize a plant that has been in use for both medical and recreational purposes for more than a millennia.

Such an avenue of discussion is clearly intended to iron out the many wrinkles that still exist in reforming regulation. It is also clearly intended to throw havoc into the ever-evolving parallel conversation that is clearly on the drawing board here – namely recreational reform.

If every cannabinoid extracted from the cannabis sativa is a narcotic, the entire discussion will be thrown sideways into a regulatory no man’s land that will take a decade to get unstuck. It is doubtful that individual countries in Europe, starting with Luxembourg, will allow that to happen, or to wait that long. Much less the nascent industry.

For more updates on the evolving European cannabis space, stay tuned to this blog and be sure to book your tickets to the International Cannabis Business Conference when it returns to Europe.

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Ireland Is Delivering Medical Cannabis To Patients Who Cannot Travel To The Netherlands

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Medical.

Every suffering patient deserves safe access to proven medications that help treat their condition(s). Anyone who disagrees lacks compassion. Unfortunately, not every suffering patient has safe access to a popular, effective, and safe medication – the cannabis plant.

A number of countries continue to prohibit cannabis, even for medical purposes. Among the list of countries that do allow medical cannabis, many have programs that are so limited that most suffering patients are left on the outside looking in.

Ireland is home to a limited medical cannabis program, which results in many suffering patients traveling to The Netherlands in order to obtain cannabis. Traveling is much harder right now due to the ongoing pandemic.

Fortunately for the limited number of approved patients in Ireland, their government is helping bridge the gap. Per The Times:

The Department of Health is delivering medicinal cannabis to patients during the pandemic due to travel restrictions and quarantine requirements.

There are about 30 patients with a licence from the government which allows them to travel to the Netherlands to collect medicinal cannabis.

For the 30 patients that this program helps, this is a great thing. However, for the remaining countless suffering patients in Ireland, the gesture by the government is obviously meaningless.

The suffering patients of Ireland deserve to have a comprehensive medical cannabis program – one that helps all suffering patients and allows them to cultivate their own cannabis, in addition to other robust safe access options.

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Major League Soccer May Approve A CBD Sponsorship In 2020

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Business.

Cannabis reform is spreading to all parts of the globe, and that includes professional sports. For many decades professional sports leagues have prohibited cannabis in all forms, including in advertising.

Cannabis prohibition is a harmful policy wherever it exists, and that obviously includes professional sports. Athletes should be measured by their athletic abilities and moral character – not by the level of THC metabolites that they have in their bodily fluids.

The NHL was a pioneer when it comes to cannabis policy, in that it has not included cannabis on its list of banned substances for many years. Other leagues are warming up to the idea. One front of cannabis reform in sports that has been problematic is cannabis-based advertising.

Sports leagues, and teams within those leagues, bring in a lot of revenue from advertising and sponsorships. Numerous cannabis companies would love to support professional sports teams in that manner, however, such advertising is prohibited in most leagues.

Major League Soccer might be changing their policy soon, and allowing CBD advertising. Per Sports Business Daily:

It is “likely” that the MLS Board of Governors will approve CBD as a new commercial opportunity for teams by the end of 2020, multiple sources tell SBJ’s Mark J. Burns & Terry Lefton.

Commissioner Don Garber last month said that the league would suffer a $1 billion loss in revenue due to the coronavirus pandemic. Sources said that allowing even more commercial opportunities, like with CBD, would help teams and the league recoup some of that money, albeit only a small fraction.

Cannabis advertising revenue will not fix every economic issue that Major League Soccer is experiencing, just as it doesn’t fix every single budget issue when it comes to cannabis tax revenue and governments.

However, that new revenue source can help to some extent, and given the fact that CBD is legal nationwide in the U.S. and in a growing number of countries, and CBD is non-toxic and does not induce intoxication, allowing CBD advertising in the MLS, or in any professional sports league, is an obvious no-brainer.

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New Zealand Recreational Use Vote On The Fence

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Politics.

With two months until the vote, opinion polls in New Zealand are beginning to pull slightly ahead in favour of legalization of adult-use cannabis. According to one poll which was published at the end of June, 56% of respondents plan to vote for legalization on September 19. Slightly more women than men (59 to 52%) plan to change the law.

The reason this national vote is quite so momentous is that this is also the date of the New Zealand national elections for president. When Americans go to the polls in November, however, they do not get to vote on federal national reform of the recreational kind. That is why the Kiwi vote is also one the rest of the world is watching right now.

Here is the other interesting nugget about the timing. Beyond the general political refurbishment on the regular schedule, in other words, and cannabis legalization, there are also other big issues on the ballot, like right to die regulations. Beyond legalizing adult use, in other words, there are major public policy issues at stake as well as a national election that are also likely to create heavy turnout and draw out both older and younger voters. Older voters everywhere are also beginning to come around on the issue, but even in New Zealand, this is a demographic with the lowest support for recreational reform. As usual, the highest numbers poll in those in their twenties and thirties.

Why Would A Victory In New Zealand Matter?

This is a very strategic election right now, globally, for the entire issue of cannabis reform. If the measure passes, it will also turn the country into the third (after Canada and Uruguay) which have effectively normalized the entire cannabis conversation.

This in turn will only galvanize activists if not the industry elsewhere – most notably both Europe and the United States (if not Australia beyond that). The industry is slowly starting to normalize, but the endless problems between in-progress regulations (and of every kind) and reform still on drawing boards is absolutely hindering the industry everywhere.

If the Kiwis in other words, move to legalize cannabis for consumers over 20 years old in September, look for that green tide to sweep globally.

The next step for recreational reform is clearly on the agenda will, in other words, be given a big push forward.

For evolving updates on global policy and business regulations, be sure to stay tuned to the International Cannabis Business Conference blog and the return of the conferences everywhere!

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British Virgin Islands Moves Forward On Medical Use

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Medical.

In a move that will undoubtedly see cannabis medical tourism go to new heights in the Caribbean, the British Virgin Islands’ House of Assembly passed a bill to legalize the production and use of cannabis in early July.

The Cannabis Licensing Act, 2020 provides a framework for medical marijuana use but adults can also possess up to one gram without filling out any paperwork. With a self-declaration form, adults can possess up to 50 grams. More than this will require a prescription from a medical practitioner.

In a move designed to please the tourist industry, visitors can possess cannabis as “therapeutic users” if they self-register.

Cultivation
The government will dedicate 50 acres of land for the cultivation of cannabis and is clearly gearing this into an economic development project for farmers. Cultivation will of course also be licensed by the government.

Beyond the considerable domestic trade this is likely to create, the government is also looking at export possibilities.

Questions About Tourism – On and Off Land
The Caribbean may well be the place where some of the more interesting rules about cannabis use are defined in the coming decades. Because these are international waters, the use of cannabis on the high seas remains an issue that is under the jurisdiction of international law. Yet after December, when the World Health Organization (WHO) is expected to change the classification of THC, this too will change.

Medical cannabis yachting tours may well become one of the hot growth industries of the next decade. But in the meantime, the “land-lubber” local tourist industry will inevitably experience a shot in the arm that other jurisdictions, certainly in the midst of a COVID-19 meltdown, may well emulate. Especially if cannabis itself is found to be in any way a preventative if not curative.

What Goes Down In The Caribbean May Also Happen In The Mediterranean
One of the reasons that this is such a bell-weather decision right now is that the other tourist hotspot with beaches that tends to follow similar trends, is located in and around Europe. The yachting and boating economies of French and Spanish coast communities have been devastated by the pandemic. 

A similar kind of move across the Pond, in other words, might be in the cards. 

In Spain, political parties have increasingly advocated linking cannabis reform with economic development. This clear signal in one of the hottest tourist spots in the world might be just the ticket to move the conversation in similar waters elsewhere.

For the latest updates on how the global cannabis industry is evolving, be sure to book your tickets to the next International Cannabis Business Conference when the conferences return to Europe.

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New Zealand Poll Shows Cannabis Legalization Measure Losing

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Politics.

As it stands right now, there are two countries that have legalized cannabis for adult use. The first to do so was Uruguay, and the second was Canada. Both countries have experienced their ups and downs when it comes to implementing legalization, but by most measures, the policy change has been a success.

Two other countries, Mexico and Italy, have had Supreme Court decisions rendered which deemed cannabis prohibition to be unconstitutional in those nations. Lawmakers in both countries are working to pass measures to implement legalization per the Court’s directives.

New Zealand will be voting on cannabis legalization in September, and unfortunately for cannabis reform supporters, the latest polling is not favorable. Per 1 News:

Those polled were asked if they are planning on voting for cannabis to be legalised or to remain illegal at this year’s referendum:

Legalise: 40% (up 1 from February’s poll)
Remain illegal: 49% (down 2)
Will not vote: 1%
Don’t know/refused: 11% (down 2)

*Percentages do not add to 100% due to rounding.

The results of this poll are clearly disappointing, however, cannabis advocates and activists in New Zealand should use it as an opportunity to get motivated and spread the word about the benefits of cannabis legalization, as well as the harms of prohibition.

Cannabis prohibition is a harmful public policy no matter where it exists, and New Zealand is no exception. Hopefully the polling is off, and people are just scared to answer ‘no’ to a pollster yet plan on voting ‘yes’ on Election Day, which is a common phenomenon in places where cannabis is prohibited.

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Thailand To Allow Private Sector Cannabis Production

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Business.

When it comes to cannabis reform, one of the toughest places to be is on the Asia continent. Whereas cannabis reform has spread across almost every other continent, Asia is still largely stuck on the wrong side of history.

One country, Thailand, is looking to make a major play in the cannabis industry, as proven by recent news that Thailand is expected to allow private sector cannabis production, as well as foreign investment. Per Khaosod English:

Reopening its cannabis regulatory platform after months of disruption caused by the coronavirus, the Food and Drug Administration has prepared a draft bill to abolish a 5-year ban on the private sector making cannabis medicine.

Two draft ministerial regulations, one on marijuana and the other on hemp, under scrutiny since the end of last year and January respectively by the Council of State—the government’s legal arm—are also inching ahead following the easing of the lockdown.

Under these three pieces of legislation and regulations, foreigners will be allowed to get involved as long as they hold shares not exceeding one-third in a company incorporated under local law.

These are sensible pieces of legislation that should be adopted by the Thailand government. Right now there is no private-sector cannabis production allowed, and that is not only limiting for local economies, but also for patients that do not have as robust of a selection of medicine as reasonably possible.

Allowing foreign investment is always a slippery slope, in that in some instances it crushes opportunities for local investors and entrepreneurs. Placing a cap on ownership percentage is a good move in order to increase opportunities for foreign investors while balancing it with the need to protect opportunities for local entrepreneurs.

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Australia Moves Forward Into The Global Cannabis Export Game

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Politics.

Cannabis reform is moving forward in interesting ways down under. Not content to “just” begin producing medical crops for domestic consumption, the Australian parliament appears to be following in the steps of Israel. Namely, the Export Control Legislation Amendment to the Certification of Narcotic Exports 2020 bill was approved in mid-June. Beyond the legislative lingo, this basically means that Australian grown narcotic and hemp cannabis products will face less red tape in being exported to the rest of the world.

More interestingly, the amendments to the bill were intended to give an extra boost to the Australian economy by allowing more cannabis to be exported in the wake of the COVID crisis.

Export certification offered by the Australian government will allow Australian exports to meet import requirements of countries now importing cannabis (of both the hemp and medical kind). 

The government is looking in particular at countries China as well as other markets in South-East Asia, Canada and the U.S.

Is There A  Global Demand If Shortage Of “Legitimate” Cannabis?

This is an emerging debate right now as the German market records a record-breaking quarter for insurance approvals and the state of Nord-Rhein Westphalia bans all hemp that is not “Novel Food” regulated. Is there a “legitimate” cannabis shortage?

That is a very good question. 

There is certainly a race to get crops and products certified under existing regulations. However, those are also changing. It is not likely that the current EU regulations will stand as is on the hemp front. It belies common sense to insist that hemp oil pressed from cannabis seeds is somehow “not novel” while that extracted from flowers and leaves is. This is a debate, sadly, that is also almost guaranteed to overshadow the recreational developments now absolutely looming in Europe.

However European regulations are just one part of the overall discussion. It is intriguing that the Australians seem to be targeting hemp markets outside of Europe with this new initiative. Medical products exports from Australia to Europe however, have been in the pipeline for the last several years.

Regardless of the shape of the overall developing market – the reality is that Australia is the largest exporter of food and agriculture generally to both China and other regional neighbours, this is an interesting development. It is an even more positive statement that post-COVID, cannabis will continue to gain status as both an economic crop and an important export product – globally.

Be sure to return to the International Cannabis Business Conference as the world begins to open up post-COVID. Details about returning conferences will begin to be posted soon.