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First Patients In Colombia Receive Domestically Cultivated Medical Cannabis

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Medical.

The South American nation of Colombia has cultivated cannabis for many, many years. A lot of that cannabis was exported illegally to international markets. While that is presumably still the case to some extent, the cannabis scene is evolving rapidly in Colombia.

A legal cannabis industry is emerging in Colombia, with legal cannabis exports ramping up. However, exports are not the only thing that is ramping up in Colombia. The country’s domestic medical cannabis program is ramping up as well, and a significant milestone was recently passed. Per Dinero:

In full emergency for the coronavirus and during the first day of isolation ordered by the District and some departments of the country, 7 patients received in Bogotá the first doses of medicinal cannabis cultivated and processed in Colombia.

It is a milestone for the local legal cannabis industry and a critical step for this industry eager for real and practical results.

The firm that developed this masterful formulation (medication and with personalized doses and components) is Khiron Life Sciences, which obtained the certificate of good manufacturing practice from Invima.

Cannabis grows very well in Colombia. Unlike other countries, where a significant amount of labor and resources are needed to cultivate quality cannabis, the cannabis plant thrives naturally in Colombia’s environment.

Labor is cheap in Colombia, which combined with how well the cannabis plant grows in the South American nation, producers in Colombia will be able to sell cannabis for cheaper compared to producers in other countries.

Colombia will no doubt take its rightful place as a global cannabis producer and will supply cannabis to legal markets around the world, just as it has for unregulated markets for so many years. But it’s very encouraging to see that suffering patients within Colombia’s borders will receive safe access to medicine too.

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Are Prices Going To Fall On Domestically Grown Cannabis In Germany?

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Business.

With the world in lockdown and the race for “The Vaccine” if not “The Cure” what does this bode for cannabis pricing and availability in Europe, and specifically Germany?

For now, pharmacies are absolutely in lockdown, preventive medicine mode.

But there is hope on the horizon. A new tender bid for a domestic distributor for cannabis grown in Germany has now been issued by BfArM (the German FDA). To be considered, applications must be filed electronically by April 28.

This distribution contract will run from September 2020 for several years (until 2025).

BfArM will still technically “own” the cannabis, although distributors must pick up the product at the three locations in Germany where this is grown and deliver it to pharmacies as well as store it if necessary.

The winning distributor, who must have experience in narcotics distribution, although not necessarily cannabis, will be required to have experience, insurance, and the ability to prove their track record with good distribution practices. 

The agency believes that the floss will be bundled in 50-gram containers, which the distributor will then deliver to the pharmacies.

What Will Happen To Pricing?

BfArM has set pricing at €2.3 euros a gram. With a mark-up for administrative management costs at BFArM, plus a distributor mark-up, the total price to pharmacies is expected to beat the current price they are paying (about €10 per gram). By law, pharmacies are required to mark up everything by statute, although what this overhead will be is in discussion between insurers and pharmacies right now.

The good news, however, is that for the first time since the cultivation bid was offered, pharmacies will be able to sell the drug at a price considerably less than the current prices. And this is good for everyone.

What About Imports?

There is a lot of discussion about the pricing of imports right now. Clearly, the price to beat is German domestically produced cannabis. However, everyone also knows there is not enough being grown in the country. How much insurers (to start with) will be tolerant of large deviations from the price of domestically produced cannabis is unknown. However, this development alone begins to shed light on a price band for imports that is clearly developing.

Be sure to attend the International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin this summer for more developments on the German cannabis market.

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What Kind Of Cannabis Is Being Dispensed In German Pharmacies?

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Business.

According to the latest figures from the statutory health insurers, there are now five different kinds of cannabinoids being dispensed and covered in Germany.

What are the trends, and where is this going in 2020?

Unprocessed Flower Is Still A Big Deal – The dispensation of unprocessed flower has steadily increased at German pharmacies for the last year. Between January and December, insurers increased their payments from €3.7 million euros to €5.5 million euros, an increase of just over 48%. That is good news for the raw flower market.

Cannabinoid Preparations Are Also Increasing – Cannabinoid preparations, which have now been reclassified into three different categories (cannabinoid preparations, flower used in preparations and full-spectrum extracts) have also increased from €2.9 million at the beginning of the year to €5.6 at the end of 2019 (a 93% increase).

Pharmaceutical Cannabinoids Hold Steady – Interestingly, finished pharmaceutical products increased the least in the last year (from €1.4 million at the beginning of January to €1.8 million by December). This is only a 28% increase, suggesting that patients are requesting, and insurers are covering, floss and floss based preparations at the pharmacy.

Trends For 2020

Overall reimbursements for cannabis as medicine are also increasing. In sum €123 million worth of cannabis was reimbursed in 2019, an uptick of 67% over the €74 million worth of cannabinoids that was reimbursed in 2018. 

That said, overall prescriptions did not increase in the same proportion – namely there was a 44% increase in the number of prescriptions processed year over year between 2018 and 2019 (267,348 over 185,370). This appears to indicate that doctors are writing prescriptions for larger quantities of cannabis, not necessarily that there are more patients.

All of this data is also based only on statutory health insurers (public healthcare). Data from private insurers is still not included.

The other issue in the room and in a big way, is that many early adopter patients have given up on legitimate prescriptions due to the hassle, if not fights with their insurers. This population, which is also largely untracked for obvious reasons, is either growing their own again, or obtaining it from the black market. In many parts of Europe, however, due to border closures caused by the Covid-19 epidemic, the difficulty of obtaining the drug in the first place may yet encourage many patients to go back into the legal system again or to look again, for a prescribing doctor.

Be sure to attend the International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin this summer to understand the latest trends on the ground in the largest cannabis importing market.

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Canada’s Cannabis Industry Lobbies For Economic Aid Due To Virus Fallout

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Business.

The coronavirus is wreaking havoc on the global economy, and the cannabis industry is no exception. Some states in the U.S. have designated the cannabis industry to be ‘essential’ however, that is more of the exception than it is the rule.

Economic stimulus packages are being proposed all over the world, including in Canada, to help industries weather the storm. Members of the cannabis industry in Canada are lobbying to be part of any national aid package. Per Bloomberg:

Canada’s cannabis industry is lobbying the government to be included in Ottawa’s $82-billion economic aid package for businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 70 cannabis industry professionals, ranging from producers to retailers to consultants, signed a letter sent to Industry Minister Navdeep Bains and Finance Minister Bill Morneau requesting the government provide the legal pot sector “immediate measures to receive economic stimulus.”

“Canada’s cannabis industry has weathered several shocks in the past six months, including the loss of over 2,000 well-paying jobs in the sector. Our access to capital, including credit, is challenging,” according to the letter obtained by BNN Bloomberg.

Access to capital is particularly problematic for cannabis businesses, and not just in Canada. Investment money was flooding into the industry for a time, however, that has changed recently. Reliable access to credit has always been an issue for the cannabis industry. If the cannabis industry is to survive in Canada, it will likely need some help in doing so.

A similar effort is underway in the United States where members of the cannabis industry are lobbying lawmakers to include the cannabis industry in any future stimulus packages.

Some cannabis companies continue to do well in the U.S. despite the economic issues caused by the virus response, however, there are plenty of others that are struggling, and even those that are continuing to succeed may be unable to continue to do so because of all of the uncertainty surrounding the larger economy.

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U.S. Cannabis Advocates Call For Continued Safe Access To Cannabis

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Business.

We are living in the midst of truly difficult times. It’s no secret that the coronavirus has turned most of the world upside down, and as of right now, there doesn’t seem to be a definitive answer as to when we can expect things to return to normal.

As the confirmed case numbers for the coronavirus continue to rise around the globe, more and more countries are taking steps to temporarily shut down industries so that people can adhere to social distancing strategies that health officials are calling for. We sincerely hope that it all proves to be effective and that it works out as quickly as possible.

One industry that is being deemed ‘essential’ in a growing number of jurisdictions is the cannabis industry. Lawmakers and regulators in various areas have already made the designation, which allows cannabis operators to continue to conduct business, albeit in a limited fashion in most cases.

Cannabis dispensaries, for instance, are being allowed to conduct delivery services in areas that were previously off-limits, and some dispensaries are allowed to perform curbside service for their customers, many of which are patients that rely on medical cannabis. With that being said, many other jurisdictions have yet to designate the cannabis industry as ‘essential.’

A coalition of cannabis advocates is calling on governments across the United States to deem that the cannabis industry is an essential industry and to ensure continued safe access to cannabis. Below is a press release from the Marijuana Policy Project that provides further details:

In response to escalating efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 by social distancing, the Marijuana Policy Project and other organizations have released an open letter urging governors and legislative leaders to take necessary actions to ensure continued safe access to cannabis in a way that is consistent with public health.

In states with legal medical cannabis, the letter recommends state leaders declare medical cannabis businesses “essential,” allow medical cannabis delivery, online ordering, and curbside delivery, ensure individuals are allowed to consult with physicians by telemedicine, and extend the expiration date of medical cannabis cards until after the crisis has abated, among other recommended actions. The letter sent to leaders of states with medical cannabis or cannabidiol laws can be found here.

In a separate letter, the Marijuana Policy Project and other organizations recommend that similar measures should be implemented in states that also have adult-use cannabis laws. The letter notes the importance of declaring all cannabis businesses “essential,” as most adult-use consumers are using cannabis for therapeutic purposes.This includes many veterans due to a Veterans Affairs policy against VA physicians providing medical cannabis certifications. The letter sent to leaders of states with both medical cannabis and adult-use laws can be found here.

In addition to the Marijuana Policy Project, Doctors for Cannabis Regulation, Law Enforcement Action Partnership, Veterans for Natural Rights, and Veterans Cannabis Project signed onto both letters. The Epilepsy Foundation signed onto the medical letter.

States and jurisdictions have already taken some of these important actions. Coupled with  orders for all non-essential businesses to close, New York, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco affirmed medical cannabis dispensaries are “essential” businesses and can remain open, while also practicing self-distancing. Other states, such as Illinois, Louisiana, and Michigan, have implemented measures that allow for curbside pick-up and/or expanded delivery options. The Marijuana Policy Project is tracking state measures to preserve access in light of COVID-19 here.

Statement from Steve Hawkins, Executive Director at the Marijuana Policy Project:
“Throughout the course of this pandemic, it remains vital for state leaders to ensure patients can safely access medical cannabis. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have adopted cannabis into their treatment regimens. Many of those same people have compromised immune systems or a serious medical condition. During this crisis, patients should not have to fear the prospect of losing access to a treatment option that is essential to their wellbeing.”

Statement from Laura Weidner, Esq., Vice President of Government Relations & Advocacy at the Epilepsy Foundation:
“For individuals living with epilepsy, timely and continued access to all treatment options, including medical cannabis, that work to control or reduce their seizures is critical. To change, limit, or deny access to a treatment option that works for an individual can be dangerous and lead to breakthrough seizures and related complications including accidents, injuries, and avoidable hospitalizations that further burden the health care system in this critical time.

“In some cases, a sudden loss of access to a successful treatment option could lead to an untimely death. While not everyone with epilepsy would or should consider medical cannabis as a treatment option, those who successfully do so in consultation with their healthcare providers must not lose access.”

Statement from Doug Distaso, Executive Director at the Veterans Cannabis Project:
“It’s critical that the men and women who bravely served their country can continue to count on receiving the life-saving medical treatments used for PTSD, chronic pain, and the other wounds of war. Like any patient who relies on widely available medical treatment options, veteran patients need assurance their access to cannabis is not unnecessarily and unfairly limited during this crisis.”

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The Impact Of Cannabis On Retroviruses

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Medical.

As the world now hunkers down inside, and “social-distancing” has become part of a global vocabulary, the race is now on for both a vaccine and a “cure.”

There are, however, in the cannabis community, many who are now asking legitimate questions – such as will cannabis be part of the answer?

Those who lived through the worst years of the AIDS epidemic in particular, who are doing the loudest asking. Like AIDS, the virus – COVID-19 (or Corona) is a retrovirus. That means that while not exactly alike, there are similarities.

And while cannabis was never seen as a “cure” for AIDS within the responsible medical cannabis community, everyone who has been a caretaker or even a patient knows that Delta9 THC consumption has helped them cope with the side effects of antiviral treatment. If not help slow the progression of HIV (by lowering viral loads). And certainly, lessen the stress of having a chronic condition.

No Comprehensive Studies So Far

It speaks volumes about the stigma of cannabis that is still in the room that so far no country has called for any kind of testing about how cannabinoids (not just CBD) might help boost immune systems against this disease – particularly for the most vulnerable. Indeed, in early March, the UN moved its decision about the reclassification of cannabis back 9 months.

The implications of this are indeed interesting. Starting with the fact that cannabis potentially should be considered legally not “just” as a narcotic but, more accurately certainly for long term patients, as an anti-viral aid. That said, older people cannot just begin consuming Delta9 THC. 

Does CBD Have The Same Effect?

No. 

A “Natural Immunity”?

One of the reasons that a pandemic is so terrifying (see the Global Influenza Epidemic at the end of WWI) is that this is a virus that humans have no natural immunity to and there is no existing medicine to treat the same.

However, there are ways to boost your immune system naturally. A healthy diet, low consumption of alcohol if not abstinence, sleep and exercise, are the best ways to stay healthy. 

How cannabis might fit into that picture is another story. 

In the meantime, it is imperative that cannabis patients protect themselves with more diligence than usual. 

It is also important that the legitimate cannabis industry steps up to the plate.

It is imperative that governments hear from the industry at this juncture.

Trials, including to see how cannabis might help longer-term on preventing future pandemics, are absolutely required.

We are all responsible.

The International Cannabis Business Conference will return to Europe this summer.

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The Legend Of Brownie Mary – And Implications For The Corona Pandemic

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Medical.

Mary Jane Rathbun was a legendary cannabis activist. As a hospital volunteer in San Francisco during the height of the AIDS epidemic, she became known for baking and distributing cannabis brownies to AIDS patients at San Francisco General Hospital. Along with Denis Peron, Rathbun also helped pass San Francisco Proposition P in 1991 and California Proposition 215 in 1996. She was also instrumental in setting up the San Francisco Buyers Club – the first medical cannabis dispensary in the United States.

She was arrested three different times during this process, helping to bring interest and attention to the issue of both AIDS and cannabis legalization. Globally.

Although Rathbun is no longer here (she died in 1999), her legacy lives on.

As of last week, 21 years after her death, cannabis dispensaries across the United States, in states like Illinois, California and New York have deemed cannabis dispensaries as essential as pharmacies and thus allowed to stay open.

On The Front Lines Of Pandemics

Bravery is still required of those in the cannabis industry. Starting with figuring out how to serve patients in the best way. Especially in an environment where changing laws and times still do not really protect either cannabis patients or the industry.

The first is clearly to observe rules of operating in the pandemic applicable to all businesses. The second is to think of ways to help your clients. Home delivery is of course just one option. But so is finding ways, after the immediacy of the pandemic is over, to push forward greater cannabis reform and to support medical trials about the efficacy of cannabis as a viral and neural protectant. For the protection of both the industry and patients.

Cannabis as a drug (both as narcotic and antiviral) is in the room right now as much as governments want to pretend that it isn’t.

From AIDS to Corona – What Has Changed?

There has been a change in the way cannabis is viewed, but there is still a long way to go. And sadly, cannabis is still considered, at least officially, as a drug that is on the side-lines. 

As the world recovers and gets back on its feet if not properly back to business, the industry itself as well as advocates and patients need to make sure that cannabis is elevated to its proper place legally as well as in medicine cabinets – not to mention global laws about the classification and use of this drug.

Sick people are not criminals – nor is the cannabis industry illegitimate – at any place and in any country, that legitimately tries to help them.

The International Cannabis Business Conference will resume its conference schedule this summer.

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Dutch Officials Reversed A Decision To Force Cannabis Coffee Shops To Close

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Business.

Dutch coffee shops are famous for serving cannabis. People have traveled from all over the world for multiple decades to Dutch coffee shops in order to purchase cannabis and enjoy the local culture. As with virtually everything right now, Dutch coffee shops are being affected by the spread of the coronavirus.

Initially, Dutch coffee shops were instructed to close out of caution, which led to the hoards of consumers lining up outside of the coffee shops to make one last purchase. Media coverage from around the world showed long lines of people waiting out in front of the shops.

That initial decision was reversed this week, with Dutch officials stating that the shops could remain open, albeit in a limited capacity. Per NOS:

Mayors already urged the cabinet today that the coffee shops should be allowed to open their counters again. They feared that the illegal drug street trade would flourish again due to the forced closure. So they hear their call.

Customers of takeaways and coffee shops are advised to avoid crowds. Also, the purchased items may not be consumed on the spot.

The decision comes in the same week that officials in San Francisco and New York in the United States deemed the cannabis industry to be ‘essential’ and dispensaries were allowed to remain open despite many other types of businesses being ordered to close.

While many people use cannabis for recreational purposes, many also use cannabis for purely medical purposes. For some of those patients, their only safe access to cannabis is via Dutch coffee shops, and from that standpoint, it’s great to see that people will continue to have that access.

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Does Germany Actually Know How Much Cannabis It Is Consuming?

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Business.

There has been a growing awareness, including among policymakers, that something is not working with the current German cannabis laws and that starts with understanding who is doing what. With a lack of clarity around all private patients, the numbers being reported are those who have made it through the “statutory” health system to approvals. This kind of insurance covers the vast amount of Germans (90%).

However private patients are in another kettle of fish. They may have an easier time finding doctors willing to prescribe, but the prices they face at the pharmacy are eye-watering. This is one of the biggest problems the German government itself now faces. Estimating the amount needed accurately, while trying to get a grip on what is legit and what is not coming in over the border.

With a relaxation of CBD rules now in the offing, this puts another wrinkle into the game. Drug interdiction in such an environment – and determining which is legit and which is not – is becoming even more of a losing game. Does any policeman want to arrest a patient for CBD flower?

Upping Domestic Production

The country is now in the grips of an extended leadership discussion that has been going on for several years. Issues across the map, including cannabis reform, are catching the traditional party unawares. There are many reasons that Germans want to see cannabis cultivation expanded here – including of course capitalizing on a national theme – namely exports. But there are many other compelling reasons slowing the industry down. Acceptance is one thing. Finding a way to bring this unwieldy, strange plant, into regulated rules is another.

That said, with a clarification on at least CBD, there is another subtext in the room. If hemp as a plant is not “novel,” much less cannabinoids extracted from the same, what does this mean about the THC discussion? Especially as medicine and already in the room?

These are all issues now on the table as the country faces the reality that medical cannabis works, and for a range of conditions. But who should get priority? Who should pay for it? And is there actually enough certified product to even go around now?

All of these questions from a policy perspective are in the air right now, as Germany again faces a leadership challenge within the CDU, and political alliances are again shifting. Cannabis and legalization policies are very much in the front and center of German life. And likely to be so for the foreseeable future.

Be sure to attend the International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin – now moved to new summer dates for the latest and greatest updates on an industry that is finally starting to come into its own.