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Alex Rogers – The Cannabis Edutainer

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Business.

International Cannabis Business Conference is one of the biggest events worldwide regarding professional networking in cannabis. Attracting visitors from over 70 countries worldwide, the International Cannabis Business Conference is expecting over 2.500 visitors for the International Cannabis Business Conference Berlin event this year. krautinvest.de got to talk with Alex Rogers, founder of International Cannabis Business Conference, about his experience in the cannabis industry, his venture and what visitors can expect for this year’s Berlin show at the InterContinental Hotel Berlin.

krautinvest.de: Alex, this is the fourth International Cannabis Business Conference taking place in Berlin. You set-up events in five locations worldwide since you started. Can you tell us how you feel about this development? What did you expect when you started in comparison to where you stand now having grown one of the biggest cannabis industry events worldwide?

Alex Rogers: I really was not sure what to expect. About 6 years ago, I had an idea that cannabis reform would spread across the globe, therefore opening up the industry in multiple worldwide markets. It does not seem like an astonishing idea now, but 6 years ago, it was quite novel. Many of my friends and colleagues were skeptical, as cannabis was still a very underground industry in Europe. I booked the venue for our first International Cannabis Business Conference Berlin in May of 2016, to be held in April 2017. When I booked the venue, Germany had about 1000 medical cannabis patients and it did not look like that number was going to drastically change anytime soon. The famous court decision came soon after that, which set a court precedent for patients to be able to grow their own cannabis at home. This, in turn, prompted the German Health Ministry to finally put some more sensible regulations and rules together regarding cannabis patients’ access to medicine. The rest is history, as the new regulations came into play just a few months before our first Berlin event. I believe this set of circumstances really helped catapult us right out of the gate. Since then, we have seen Germany and most of Europe begin to liberalize their cannabis laws at a rapid rate, comparatively speaking.

krautinvest.de: What topic excites you most about the industry at the moment? How do you think Europe is different from other international markets? Where do you think global cannabis markets are heading?

Alex Rogers: I love seeing the industry boom in general, whether it’s the advances in tech, biotech, finance or lifestyle products. With these advancements, invariably, public and administrative policy follows. Implementation is 90% of the law. What excites me the most is the notion of freedom and liberty. From a US Constitutional perspective, It could clearly be argued that a state has the right to create a law against a drug, however, there is no constitutional allowance for federal drug laws, as it pertains to personal consumption. In other words, there is no true legal framework that justifies national legislators to be in the business of creating federal laws that control what we do in the privacy of our own homes. Cannabis is the perfect example and analog and the more the cannabis industry grows, the more this aforementioned postulation comes into question.

krautinvest.de: The International Cannabis Business Conference has built up a solid and massive industry-related online news channel. How important do you believe is a good mix of online and offline engagement with the people? Why did you put emphasis on that and how do you think does the content help shape opinion?

Alex Rogers: This is a good question. We decided at our inception that we wanted to create germane and relevant content and editorial that described what was happening in and around the international cannabis industry ecosystem. Again, when we started out, many of our articles were not so popular. Now, we have become one of the top sources for intl cannabis news. It has been astonishing. We get to help shape narratives and opinions. It is an immensely beneficial and powerful tool for us. Especially the mixture of online and offline brings a lot of people to our site and to the local events, which makes the topic even more tangible. It is a great tool to keep people informed and engaged so that they get the same quality of content between events and so they can read up and keep up-to-date on the developments that we are discussing offline and in real life on stage.

krautinvest.de: An important element of your event is entertainment. Why do you think this is such an important factor in the creation of the cannabis conversation? Which VIPs could you win for this year’s International Cannabis Business Conference on the 1st to 3rd of April?

Alex Rogers: In my previous life, before becoming a serial entrepreneur in cannabis, I was in the music business, as well as a performer. It is important for me to attach some deeper meaning to what we all do in our regular day to day lives. Music and art have always provided humanity with this great catharsis. After a long day at the conference, networking and learning, which, however productive, can be quite a cerebral and tedious affair. It is nice to unwind in a different atmosphere that can also be conducive to a more intimate type of networking.

I am excited to have Jim Belushi coming to Berlin. I have a few more dignitaries that will be announced in the weeks to come. I also have a very big name I am about to announce for the after-party performance.

krautinvest.de: The International Cannabis Business Conference always manages a well-balanced and well-curated programme. What are the main topics this year? What topics get you the most excited from a personal perspective?

Alex Rogers: All of International Cannabis Business Conference’s events are very individual and matched to the location. Germany, in comparison to other of our events, has a stronger focus on medical cannabis since this is the main focus of the industry in Europe at the moment. On the first day of this year’s International Cannabis Business Conference Berlin the programme will focus more on the medical cannabis and market development, whereas the second day’s programme will focus more on hemp, global drug policy and market innovation. I think the thing that gets me the most excited is the dynamic and the traction the topic has gained in the meanwhile. At International Cannabis Business Conference, we bring together the makers and shakers of this industry, so I am almost more excited about the impact of the discussion that takes place at and after the event. On stage, we are not only discussing single markets anymore, but we are heading in the direction of a global cannabis industry. This is going to be an exciting year for cannabis worldwide.

krautinvest.de: We believe so, too. Thank you for the interview.

About Alex Rogers:

Visionary entrepreneur and political activist, Alex Rogers, is the founder and CEO of three thriving ancillary cannabis businesses. Cutting his teeth as an activist in the early nineties under the tutelage of Jack Herer, Alex has a deep proprietary knowledge of the industry. He has played a key role in professionalizing and mainstreaming the cannabis industry, building one of Oregon’s most popular medical marijuana clinics in a matter of a few years, and the first-ever to advertise medical marijuana on network TV in America. He also founded and runs the Oregon Marijuana Business Conference (OMBC), the state’s biggest and longest-running cannabis business conference. Living in five different countries throughout his life, and able to communicate in all respective languages, Alex considers himself an international citizen, thusly spawning his latest creation, the International Cannabis Business Conference. A Magna Cum Laude graduate in Political Science, he has used his knowledge of law and politics to push cannabis policy forward all over the world.

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This interview was first published at: https://krautinvest.de/alex-rogers-der-cannabis-edutainer – syndicated with special permission

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Is Recreational Cannabis Reform Finally Internationally A La Mode?

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Politics.

With Mike Bloomberg calling for decrim and record expungement in the United States as he tests the political race, and German politicians moving, inching, deliberating slowly towards acceptance of the new normal, it is clear that 2020 is going to be another showdown year on cannabis.

Yet what exactly does this mean besides political lip flap? Will anywhere (like the United States or Germany) suddenly pop “pro weed” for any purpose? And what does that mean for the industry, if not users and patients, really?

Legalization Is Still A “Long” Game…But…

Nobody really thinks that federal legalization in the United States is going to happen before 2021, no matter who wins the White House. That said, this great big green enchilada is coming to a Congressional hearing on both sides of Capitol Hill as soon as the dust clears on the Presidential election. That said, all those hearings and committee meetings and poison amendments to slow this bad boy down, take time.

In Germany right now, there is also a fascinating drum beat now thrumming. The discussion of where the country goes next is bringing cannabis squarely into the mainstream political debate for the first time ever. Look for parallel developments here from now on. But things are absolutely cooking at a new tempo despite everyone’s attempt to “just stay sensible.” Germans are giddy about the prospects of legalization on all fronts. Starting with not arresting legal patients. However, beyond that, there are marches in the streets here about the need for ways to protect the industry at its retail front (think CBD) as well as every kind of user. Not to mention better ways to make sure that pharmacies are not caught in the middle of still tough access and approvals issues.

It is not unrealistic to believe that within 24 months, there will be a national discussion about legalization as Germany again redresses its political issues overall. And that will have huge implications on the discussion globally.

Business (Starting With Prescriptions) Follows Politics

As much as the industry has been a voice for reform, ultimately the legal business follows political reform, obviously. And that still has a long way to go and in places where the industry still needs advocates. Starting with doctors.

As Germany has proven, legitimization at a federal level does little to move doctors to prescribe a drug of any kind, let alone this one. There are many issues still in play about basic patient access, and not all of those can be solved politically – indeed most of them cannot. 

That said, many of those can use the help of the industry, starting with an increased focus on doctor education, particularly in Europe.

For this reason, any ostensibly “political” marketing campaign attached to the plant or products also should understand that the most important hills are still to be won, and far from the centres of political power. No matter how also obviously full and formal reform should be on the top of everyone’s agenda, even if a step at a time.

For an in-depth look at the efforts on the ground at the last mile of the discussion in Germany and internationally, be sure to attend the panels on regulatory reform and doctor education at the Berlin International Cannabis Business Conference, April 1-3, 2020.

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South Africa’s President Charts New Path For Cannabis In Political Speech

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Politics.

Unlike politicians in other places, South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa included cannabis in his State of the Nation address. Specifically, Ramaphosa linked cannabis initiatives to stimulating a sluggish economy.

How many in the industry (see the U.S. and Europe right now) to hear their national politicians saying something like this:

“This year we will open up and regulate the commercial use of hemp products, providing opportunities for small-scale farmers; and formulate policy on the use of cannabis products for medicinal purposes, to build this industry in line with global trends. The regulatory steps will soon be announced by the relevant ministers”.

Imagine Donald Trump saying something like this. Or on the European side, people like Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron (the presidents of Germany and France).

Sometimes you have to go to another of the world and dream about what is possible, even if not at home yet. Although in this case, South Africa is only about two years ahead of the same conversations in the “more developed West.”

The Impact Of South Africa

With strong ties both to its African neighbors and trade routes developed to the UK and Europe, South Africa is in a catbird seat to begin to pick up major export with all of the above. Competing on price, of course, with local hopefuls in Southern Europe is one thing. The African trade is another. 

Understanding, however, how to import from such distant places is not without its steep learning curves – if not expensive long-distance flights. Meeting the right people and finding the right partners is the key to building a business no matter where the source and or supply chain is ultimately located.

With a shortage of medical cannabis in the room in Germany and an upping of the rules (certifications for radiation have hit the mainstream so everyone has to be cognizant of that in the medical market), foreign markets like South Africa will also increasingly be on the radar.

Source of Certified Product Counts

Understanding the rules, and knowing how to properly get certified for the European market is one big battle that everyone faces from the foreign side. Communicating market needs and trends is the other issue from the buyer side is another matter.

That is also why face-to-face contact, at one end or the other or both, is a requirement at this stage, and not an option.

For the best cannabis industry networking on the planet, be sure to book your tickets now for the International Cannabis Business Conference 4 – returning to Barcelona, Berlin and Bern as of March 2020! Check our conference schedule. Also, be sure not to miss our panels focusing on export/import.

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Tax On Cannabis Is Repealed In Switzerland

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Business.

The cannabis industry is booming in Switzerland, where low-THC cannabis products have increased in popularity and availability in recent years. Since 2011, low-THC cannabis products have been legal in Switzerland for adults. ‘Low-THC’ is defined in Switzerland as having less than 1% THC. High-THC products are still prohibited in Switzerland.

Switzerland is at the forefront of a floral hemp industry that is growing in size at an exponential rate. Often billed as a ‘tobacco alternative,’ low-THC products have generated quite a bit of revenue for the government of Switzerland, however, a recent court ruling will send at least some of that back to certain companies, as well as potentially prevent future types of taxation. Per Swiss Info:

The Swiss Federal Court has ruled that cannabis – the legal, low-THC version – should not be subject to the tobacco tax.

Responding to the complaints of three cannabis production companies, the court found that there was no legal basis for a 25% tobacco tax on the sales price of cannabis. The tax will be dropped immediately.

In Switzerland, cannabis with a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of less than 1% is legal. It is sold as oil, tea or directly in its flower form. Cannabis blossoms are not explicitly mentioned in tobacco tax legislation, the Federal Court stated in its ruling, which was announced on Tuesday.

A lack of tax will help the industry thrive even more than it already was in Switzerland. Without the tax, products can be sold for cheaper to consumers, and that will presumably make products more enticing for customers.

The downside of the court decision is that it will obviously lower government revenues generated by the cannabis industry. It will be interesting to see if legislation is passed to impose a cannabis-specific tax to replace the incorrectly applied tobacco tax.

Cannabis is not the same as tobacco. Studies have found cannabis, especially low-THC forms of cannabis, to be much safer than tobacco. Also, as noted in the court’s decision, not all forms of low-THC cannabis are meant to be smoked. Many products in Switzerland are topical rubs, among other smokeless options.

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Why Is Cannabis Content Being Blocked In Singapore?

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Recently Netflix revealed the instances in which it removed or blocked content due to government demand. In the 23 years that Netflix has offered its services, the company has only removed or blocked content as part of a government demand in 9 instances. One of those instances involved cannabis content.

Singapore reportedly demanded that Netflix block cannabis content to users located in the country back in 2018. Specifically, the country demanded that Netflix block ‘a California-based cannabis cooking sitcom,’ citing cannabis prohibition in Singapore as justification for the demand. According to the report, Singapore has made three demands in total, involving 5 pieces of content. New Zealand, Vietnam, Germany, and Saudi Arabia all made one demand each.

Entertainment is a common source for people’s first exposure to cannabis. In decades past that was a very bad thing because of the way that cannabis was portrayed in the media at the time. At the very birth of cannabis prohibition in the United States, the media was manipulated to help form negative opinions about cannabis among the population. Consumers were literally shown taking one hit from a joint, then jumping out of windows or harming those around them. Because the media can reach such a wide audience, propaganda born in the United States was spread far and wide and greatly influenced perceptions about cannabis around the world.

In more recent decades cannabis consumption was portrayed in the media as being the cause of laziness and contributing to lower IQ scores. It was a less extreme portrayal of cannabis consumers, yet it was still very inaccurate and unfair. Cannabis consumers were portrayed as deadbeats that were incapable of contributing to society, which is obviously ridiculous. Fortunately, that has started to change in recent years.

Platforms like Netflix have allowed producers to create content that is much more realistic and accurately reflects what cannabis consumers look and act like, with cannabis consumers coming from all walks of life and socioeconomic backgrounds. People at all levels of society consume cannabis, and it’s important that people know the truth about cannabis (the good and the bad).

Cannabis consumers in many areas don’t know what the best practices are when it comes to consuming cannabis responsibly. What is a good starting dosage? What is the difference between smoking cannabis versus eating food infused with cannabis? Those are great questions for a cannabis cooking show to tackle in a comprehensive way, which is why Singapore’s approach to blocking cannabis content is ridiculous (among many other reasons).

Prohibiting cannabis while working to prevent objective cannabis media coverage and blocking educational cannabis content falsely assumes that such a strategy will result in people completely refraining from consuming cannabis and/or seeking out cannabis information. Obviously, history has clearly demonstrated that people are going to obtain cannabis regardless of if it’s legal or not, and some will consume cannabis in an irresponsible way because they simply don’t know any better.

Government officials in Singapore likely know that if they can keep a stranglehold on cannabis content, they can control the narrative, a narrative that is largely built on fear and intimidation. Singapore is home to some of the harshest cannabis laws on the planet, with come offenses carrying the death penalty. Even personal possession can result in a decade in prison, and can even result in the offender being caned, so it’s not entirely surprising that Netflix cannabis content is blocked in Singapore, although it is still a very sad situation.

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Ontario Officials Accepting Public Comments On Cannabis Consumption Venue Licensing

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Business.

The Ministry of the Attorney General in Ontario, Canada recently announced that it is seeking public input regarding licensing social cannabis use venues and events. Social cannabis use venues such as cannabis lounges and cafes are currently prohibited in Ontario. Consumption at public events is also currently prohibited.

“Ontario continues to take a responsible approach to cannabis retail sales across Ontario, allowing private sector businesses to build a safe and convenient retail system to combat the illegal market while keeping our kids and communities safe,” said Attorney General Doug Downey in a press release. “We are asking Ontarians to share their feedback as we explore certain expanded cannabis-related business opportunities as part of our responsible approach to protecting families and communities. What we hear from the public and expert groups will help to inform possible next steps.”

Social cannabis use reform provides a number of benefits. The most obvious one is that it will create new types of businesses that cater specifically to providing spaces for people to consume cannabis. Just as people frequent clubs, bars, taverns, and pubs for the purpose of consuming alcohol in a social environment, so too will cannabis consumers be able to do the same in Ontario sooner rather than later.

Another benefit of social cannabis use reform is that it will help mitigate public consumption, which can be considered to be a nuisance by some members of the public, similar to many people’s desires to avoid tobacco smoke. Public consumption would likely not be eliminated entirely in Ontario if/when social use reform is implemented, but it will help address the issue to some extent.

An interesting benefit being touted by regulators in Ontario is that legalizing social cannabis venues and event licensing will help further combat the unregulated cannabis industry in Ontario. Consumers may be able to make legal purchases, however, not all of them have a place to safely consume the cannabis that they purchase. It’s an issue that affects tourists, individuals in low-income housing, as well as patients in care facilities.

Presumably, some portion of people in those situations prefer to purchase cannabis from unregulated sources simply because the individual that they are making the purchase from will let them consume cannabis where they are located. Social consumption reform would provide regulated alternatives, which is a good policy move for Ontario as long as it is implemented properly.

Ontario is one of many jurisdictions in North America that is seeking to allow regulated social cannabis consumption at establishments and at events. Valid concerns exist regarding social cannabis use reform, not the least of which is mitigating impaired driving and keeping cannabis out of the hands of children. However, those concerns can be properly addressed with sensible policies and regulations.

If venues can serve alcohol in a responsible manner, the same can be achieved with serving cannabis and/or allowing people to bring their own cannabis for consumption. The same is true for concerts, plays, and other events. Some jurisdictions, such as Denver, Colorado and the Bay Area of California, have already successfully implemented social use reforms, which is something that regulators in Ontario can no doubt learn from.

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New Poll Results Have New Zealand Cannabis Legalization Measure Losing On Election Day

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Politics.

Voters in New Zealand will get the chance to vote on a cannabis legalization measure on Election Day. New Zealand’s election will be held on September 19, 2020. So far only two countries have legalized cannabis for adult use – Canada and Uruguay. Court decisions in Mexico and Italy have established case law for legalization, however, measures have yet to be implemented on the public policy side of the equation.

It is the hope of cannabis advocates everywhere that New Zealand’s legalization measure passes. Unfortunately for the cannabis reform movement in New Zealand and elsewhere, a recent poll shows that support for the measure is currently well under the required majority threshold for it to win. Per 1 News:

New Zealanders are more likely to vote against legalisation of cannabis in the upcoming referendum, according to the latest 1 NEWS Colmar Brunton Poll.

Those polled were asked, ‘At this stage, do you think you will vote for cannabis to be legalised, or for cannabis to remain illegal?’

Remain illegal – 51%
Legalise cannabis – 39%
Will not vote – 1%
Don’t know / refused – 9%

The poll found that the most opposition was found among people that self-reported as being ‘Asian New Zealanders, National Party supports and people aged 55 and over.’ Younger people were more likely to support the legalization measure. Below are some of the provisions of the referendum that New Zealand voters will see on Election Day:

  • A minimum purchase and used age of 20;
  • Ban on all marketing and advertising of cannabis products;
  • Requires harm minimization messaging in the retailing of cannabis;
  • Prohibits consumption in public places and limits use to private homes and specifically license premises;
  • Limits sale of cannabis to specifically licensed physical stores (not online or remote sales);
  • Strict controls and regulations on the potency of cannabis;
  • Establishes a state licensing regime that all stages of the growing and supply chain are licensed and controlled by the Government, and will limit the amount of cannabis that is allowed to be grown.

There’s a lot of time between now and Election Day, so hopefully the numbers will trend upwards as the vote approaches. It’s also quite possible that the poll results are misleading due to a phenomenon in which people don’t want to admit that they support legalization out of fear, yet ultimately plan on voting for legalization when given the chance to do so in private.

Uruguay: Research Finds That Youth Cannabis Use Did Not Rise Following Legalization

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Politics.

One of the most popular talking points for cannabis prohibitionists is the claim that if cannabis is legalized for adult use that it will result in a spike in cannabis use by younger people. The ‘what about the children?’ strategy has been in use for many decades by citizens and lawmakers that oppose cannabis reform in virtually every country.

Uruguay is one of two countries to have implemented an adult-use cannabis legalization law, with the other being Canada. Uruguay was the first out of the two, and insightful data is coming out of Uruguay regarding society and cannabis. Recently researchers released the results of a study in which self-reported youth consumption data following legalization in Uruguay was analyzed. Below are some of the study’s findings, per excerpts from La Diaria Salud:

On Monday, the National Drug Board presented the results of the VIII National Survey on Drug Use in Secondary School Students , which showed that marijuana use in middle school students did not increase between 2016 and 2018.

Nor did it find significant changes in the perception of the risk of frequent use, the ease of access, the prevalence of consumption per year and per month. ”The passage of the law did not lead to a greater increase in marijuana use among middle school students,” he reaffirmed.

This is encouraging news for fans of sensible cannabis laws. If there’s one thing that responsible cannabis supporters and cannabis opponents can both agree on, adult-use cannabis should be kept away from children.

Cannabis legalization and regulation is a much better option than prohibition because prohibition obviously does not eliminate use occurring, and legalization provides for conversations and education campaigns aimed at young people that are based in actual reality, and thus much more likely to succeed.

The cannabis industry in Uruguay is built in a way that it will not be as big of a government revenue generator compared to Canada, however, there will still be ample opportunities for the government to harness what public revenue-generating options there may be available, and use any revenues possible to help educate citizens of all ages in Uruguay about cannabis.

That’s a far better option than seeing revenue going to organized crime operations that obviously provide zero public benefits.

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Scotland’s First Medical Cannabis Clinic Is Set To Open

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Medical.

Cannabis reform is sweeping across the globe, however, there are still many countries that still prohibit cannabis, even for medical use. Even in countries where medical cannabis is legal, safe access to medical cannabis is not always widespread. An example of that is the situation that is going on in Scotland.

Medical cannabis laws were updated across the United Kingdom in 2018. At the time the reform was passed, medical cannabis advocates expressed fears that legal patient access to medical cannabis would be limited since it relied on a doctor’s prescription.

Time has proven that the fears were well-founded because in Scotland no licensed medical cannabis clinics exist. Fortunately, that is about to change. Per The Times:

Cannabis is set to be legally prescribed in Scotland at the country’s first private clinic for the drug.

The unit, which aims to provide medicinal cannabis for “all conditions acknowledged to benefit from it”, is scheduled to open in Aberdeen.

This is a very big milestone for suffering patients in Scotland. Obviously there is a lot of work left to be done in order to bring safe access to suffering patients throughout Scotland, however, the process has to start somewhere. Hopefully the new clinic helps suffering patients find relief from their conditions and helps build momentum for more clinics to open up.

No valid reason exists for prohibiting patients from responsibly using medical cannabis. Cannabis is more effective and safer than a laundry list of common medications. Patients should be able to make the safer choice if they want to and not have to live in fear because they consume a plant that is safer than alcohol.