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Panel In Mexico To Make Cannabis Legalization Recommendations

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Politics.

In 2018 Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled that cannabis prohibition was unconstitutional, and tasked lawmakers in Mexico with passing legislation to implement cannabis legalization.

The court decision effectively made Mexico the third country to legalize cannabis for adult-use, with the first two being Uruguay and Canada. Both of those countries passed legislation to legalize cannabis for adult use.

The court decision in Mexico put a deadline in place that lawmakers were bound by – one year from the court ruling. That deadline came and went, yet no legislation was passed by Mexico’s lawmakers.

An extension was granted by the Supreme Court of Mexico, and lawmakers now have until April 30th to make it happen. It is unclear what would happen if the new deadline is missed. Recently Mexico’s President announced that a panel will conduct research and offer up recommendations to lawmakers. Per Marijuana Moment:

The president of Mexico said on Monday that a government panel is being formed in order to make recommendations for a legal marijuana system in the country.

While he didn’t offer many details about the commission, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said it will be focused on studying public health aspects of legalization.

Only time will tell if some, or any, of the provisions recommended by the government panel will make it into any successful legislation. For that matter, only time will tell if lawmakers succeed in passing legalization legislation prior to the deadline.

For a brief time last year, it appeared that the push for a legalization measure would be successful, however, the effort stalled after special interests made a big push to kill the measure that seemed to have the most potential. April 30th is not far away. Hopefully lawmakers can get the job done this time, and pass sensible legislation.

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Trends And Predictions For The Cannabis Industry In 2020

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Business.

Hard as it is to believe, this multi-billion dollar baby was mostly illegal everywhere just six short years ago. How much the world has changed – and in almost every way.

This year, as the world begins its third decade of the 21st century, cannabis is morphing yet again, but along lines and via trends that have been much in the offing over the last decade if not century. What are those trends?

  1. Regulation and of the international, regional and domestic kind is in the room and in every way. From certifying products and supply chains along the way to making regulatory arguments about how the plant should be accessed and treated, these are the conversations that make deals happen. 
  2. CBD Hype is absolutely in Europe – but it is a different animal here than anywhere else. As countries now face determining what is “safe,” if not “normal,” this kicks up other discussions about the regional and international treatment of not only this plant, and its processing, but other kinds of commodities. Not only is a whole set of regulations in flux across Europe that affects all edibles, but Novel Food is a bugabear that the industry, so far, has not widely cracked.
  3. Prices Are Finally Falling. The German government has set a reference price and it is comfortably within the range set by Italy and Luxembourg. External competitors both within and adjacent to Europe (see Poland and Macedonia) have so far been dealt a blow by the shifting winds of interpretation of not only GMP but other global standards and rules that can only be changed at an international level (read the World Health Organization and the UN) are still the ruling determinates of who gets to trade with whom. This is going to be a long road.
  4. Cannabis is a commodity – like any other. That said, the paths into this industry, starting with financing, are still anything but “normal.” That said, there is a normalization afoot, even in some of the more untraditional practices that previously raised eyebrows. The role of investment banks in this industry, given the popularity of reverse IPOs and pooled capital funds, is now in question. How private equity globally responds is much in the room this year.
  5. 2022 is on the calendar and expect recreational discussions to take off only after this date. In the meantime, there are new opportunities opening, new sales channels forming and new coalitions in the offing. It is a fertile time to be in the industry, no matter how challenging it still often is.

Do not miss the International Cannabis Business Conference’s conferences this year in North America and Europe!

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Cannabis Operators Turn To Hemp For Diversification

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in International CBC San Francisco.

The cannabis industry is spreading all over the United States, one jurisdiction at a time. Medical cannabis is particularly widespread now, and adult-use cannabis is hopefully not too far behind to states that still cling to prohibition. The size of the U.S. cannabis industry is enormous, and getting larger with every passing week.

But while the cannabis industry pie might be large, it is made up of an ever-growing number of slices. To make matters even more problematic for entrepreneurs and cannabis companies that focus on high-THC products, cannabis industry regulations can be confusing, conflicting, and are seemingly always changing.

That has led some of those companies to seek out opportunities in the hemp sector. It’s an extremely important trend that everyone in the cannabis industry needs to be mindful of. Our friends at GreenState have an in-depth analysis of this topic that we encourage all of our followers to check out. Below is an excerpt:

“The rules that govern hemp cultivation are far more favorable than those that govern non-hemp cultivation. Whereas a grower in a legal adult-use state like Oregon has a strict canopy limit on the size of their THC garden, farmers in Oregon can, and do, cultivate hemp fields that measure in the dozens or even hundreds of acres. This is true in other states as well. To a cultivator that is limited to square footage canopy for high-THC cultivation, being able to cultivate over 1,000 acres of hemp is an enticing option and a great way to diversify their operations.”

Read more at: https://www.greenstate.com/explained/cannabis-operators-look-to-hemp-for-diversification/

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UK’s Justice Secretary: Cannabis Will Not Be Legalized Anytime Soon

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Politics.

Cannabis prohibition is a failed public policy, no matter where it exists, including in the United Kingdom. Cannabis has been found to be 114 times safer than alcohol, however, people in the United Kingdom are having their lives ruined on a regular basis simply because they possessed cannabis.

Even after someone has complied with whatever punishment was handed down against them due to their cannabis offense they are still essentially branded with a ‘cannabis scarlet letter’ because their record will follow them wherever they go, and thus the punishment is ongoing.

A cannabis offense on a person’s record can result in lost employment opportunities, negative ratings from lenders and insurers, and in some cases, it can even prevent a person from having their residential rental application being approved.

The United Kingdom needs to get on the right side of history. Unfortunately, recent comments by the United Kingdom’s Justice Secretary suggest that it could be a while before that happens. Per Twitter from late last week:

It’s truly a shame that in 2020 a top government official in the UK is still making the claim that cannabis is such a dangerous drug that people’s lives need to be ruined simply because they possess it. The claim is essentially stating that law enforcement’s focus should be on investigating and prosecuting cannabis-only offenses rather than being focused on violent crimes because that’s effectively the result of the enforcement approach that is being touted.

Law enforcement resources are not unlimited, and they should be focused on areas that make sense and keep as many people safe as possible. No one is safer because a cannabis consumer is getting investigated and prosecuted by law enforcement. The focus should be directed towards going after actual criminal activity. How many actual crimes could be prevented in the time that it takes to bust a cannabis consumer in the UK? Shouldn’t limited public resources be prioritized in a better way?

The citizens of the UK deserve a sensible cannabis policy that is based on science and compassion, and not on the outdated political views of a minority of government officials.

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Thailand’s New Medical Cannabis Model Is Off To A Solid Start

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Medical.

Thailand has historically been home to some very harsh cannabis laws. However, that has changed recently with leaders in Thailand taking a more sensible approach to cannabis policy. Thailand recently launched its first legal cannabis-based clinic where patients could seek safe access to medical cannabis treatment and information.

According to reports out of Thailand, the launch of the first clinic has resulted in thousands of patients receiving consultations, and many more signing up for appointments. Per The Star:

The country’s first marijuana-based clinic is bustling with patients just 10 days after it opened with more than 4,000 seeing the doctor and 12,000 people seeking appointments until March.

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said many were interested in marijuana treatment, after he visited the marijuana-based clinic which is run under the supervision of the Health Minister.

The clinic has been visited by 4,639 patients, who had booked their appointments in advance through an application process.

As time goes by, these numbers will be dwarfed by considerably larger numbers as more clinics open up across Thailand. However, the medical cannabis program in Thailand is off to a good start, and it’s encouraging to see suffering patients receiving cannabis-based medicine that will hopefully help them treat their conditions in a way that is considerably less harmful than pharmaceutical drugs.

Thailand is currently in the process of setting up rules and regulations that would allow every household in Thailand to cultivate low-THC cannabis and sell it to the government of Thailand. It’s a very unique approach to medical cannabis policy and sourcing, and if it works in Thailand, it could become more common in other countries in the future.

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4 Reasons Why 2020 Will Be An Enormous Year For The Global Cannabis Industry

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Business, Medical, Politics.

The last 25 years have seen the cannabis movement and support for reform go from being labeled as ‘political suicide’ by political pundits to becoming a mainstream political issue with overwhelming support from aspiring candidates and incumbents. The legal cannabis industry is larger than ever before, and by most measures is still just getting started.

Every year of the 2010s built on the previous year a cannabis movement momentum standpoint, and momentum for reform accelerated with each passing New Year’s Day. 2019, which by many accounts was not supposed to be a big year since it’s an off-election-year in many jurisdictions, proved to be a tremendously significant year for cannabis.

2020 is already shaping up to be the biggest year for the cannabis reform movement and emerging cannabis industry to-date, and we are just barely wrapping up the third week of the year. Below are 4 reasons why 2020 will be the biggest year for cannabis in modern history.

Adult-Use Legalization is Spreading

As it stands right now, Canada and Uruguay are the only two countries on earth that have implemented an adult-use cannabis law and related regulations. However, two other countries, Mexico and Italy, now have case law on the books that have struck down adult-use cannabis prohibition. This year those countries are expected to pass legislation to back up the court decisions, and that will be significant. With the list of legal countries doubling in 2020, it could influence other countries to take a harder look at joining the list and getting on the right side of history.

Cannabis Policy in the United States is at a Crucial Crossroad

If the United States has not already passed the tipping point for cannabis reform, 2020 will definitely be the year when it happens. Cannabis reform is reaching to the most conservative parts of the country, with medical cannabis having already made the ballot in Mississippi and is expected to appear on the ballot in Idaho on Election Day as well. Virtually every presidential candidate has expressed support for adult-use legalization, and several state legislatures are expected to pass reform measures this session. 2020 is doubtful from a federal legalization standpoint in the U.S., however, it’s less doubtful than it has been in modern history, and tailored reform measures, such as cannabis industry banking, have a great chance of being approved by federal lawmakers this year.

The Industry is Booming

The legal international cannabis industry is growing in size every single day, and at a tremendous rate at that. Reform measures in new markets are being explored with greater focus than ever before, established markets are maturing, and international imports and exports are ramping up in many countries with more on the way. The cannabis industry is more attractive now to investors than in years past, and opportunities are popping up for entrepreneurs on every continent in one form or another. The emerging CBD industry gets a lot of media attention these days, and rightfully so, however, the THC sector is becoming more and more accepted as stigma continues to fade. 2020 will no doubt be a monster year for the cannabis industry, and that will help further build momentum for global reform efforts.

Innovation is Coming

Now that the cannabis industry has gone mainstream and proven itself to be here to stay, investors are not only supporting cannabis cultivation and retail operations but also efforts to revolutionize the cannabis industry from a technology standpoint. Israel recently launched the first state-backed cannabis technology incubator, and it’s likely that other countries will eventually follow suit. Inventors and innovators are focusing hard on cannabis-related projects right now, and its likely impact on the cannabis industry will be on display across the globe throughout 2020. Don’t be surprised to see a lot of cannabis technology breakthroughs this year.

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From RustBelt To GreenBelt? Dortmund Gets Itself On The Cannabis Map

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Business.

For soccer fans, BVB Dortmund needs no introduction. In fact, it is the world-famous sports team that has kept this former Rühr Valley industrial powerhouse on the team as the region is slowly turned into an academic and research hub.

But the city has also had another reputation for some time – namely one where drugs and crime, particularly in a place near the north of town (Nordstadt or Borsigplatz) had blighted large areas of an otherwise quaint, reinventing German town.

That might be changing. There is a renewed focus this spring by several political parties to make medical marijuana an “issue.” Especially as there are now 100 legitimate patients, with a potential for 6,000 more. Both Die Linke and Pirate political parties have now taken up the challenge with local authorities, demanding both cultivation of medical cannabis within the city as well as the establishment of a local cannabis club for the distribution of the same.

Authorities seem mildly interested in the same – but it is clear that such proposals are increasing all over the country.

Dortmund, like many German rust belt towns, is going to be an interesting place to watch for cannabis activism going forward. Particularly as those proposals intersect with both economic redevelopment that is actively going on in such places, directed by the German government and academic, tech or insurance hotspots.

With similar campaigns also going on in nearby Bremen, as well as cities and towns across the country, look for this issue to become an ever more fervent one.

The topic of medical cannabis has caught fire in Germany and most people who are seriously in need know the current situation is unworkable for most parties.

As the first crops grown in Germany come to the market this year, look for more calls for local, German production, as opposed to that financed or grown by outsiders – and for everything to do with matters from quality to price.

As much as the government has tried to slow down the tide, the movement for increased access to the plant will not be stopped and is showing up in places where pain, of both a physical and economic kind, has been in the room for decades now.

That is a potent mix, and 2020 promises to be another potent year for the industry – and at all levels. 

Be sure to book your tickets now for the top cannabis industry festival in Europe this spring – the International Cannabis Business Conference in Barcelona, Berlin, and Bern!

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Russian Authorities Propose Criminal Prosecution For Pro-Cannabis Online ‘Propaganda’

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Politics.

If you are a cannabis advocate and you spend any amount of time on social media platforms or browsing the internet, there is a good chance that you will come across a pro-cannabis meme, post, or article. Cannabis content is extremely popular right now, especially memes and videos, and a really engaging post can easily go viral and be seen by millions of people.

In Russia, if authorities have their way, that popular content could land someone in prison. Per Talking Drugs:

Russian President Vladimir Putin proposes to toughen anti-drug laws and add criminal punishment for propaganda of drug use online. In addition, he proposed to block online information about drug preparation schemes and sites of drug distribution without a court warrant.

The Kremlin’s official web-site published the President’s commission to introduce changes to the Russian legislation regarding the “non-judicial access restrictions to online information about means of production and utilization of narcotic substances and new potentially dangerous psychoactive substances as well as about sites of their distribution.”

Specific penalties for the proposed initiative must be developed by the Cabinet of Ministers.

The proposal applies to all illegal narcotics in Russia, including cannabis. Once the Cabinet of Ministers develops the specific penalties, it’s quite possible that someone could be prosecuted simply for posting a story online about someone successfully overcoming their addiction to harmful substances, including opioids, with the use of medical cannabis. A light-hearted meme could prove to be seen as illegal by authorities.

Even with specific penalties for offenses be codified, what is considered to be an ‘offense’ itself could be very vague, and thus ripe for corrupt enforcement practices. Russia is a very tough place to push for cannabis reform, which is extremely unfortunate given how badly the nation needs sensible cannabis laws.

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Goldenseed Becomes First Private U.S. Cannabis Farm To Sell SEC-Qualified Stock To The Public

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Business.

When it comes to stock listings and companies that cultivate cannabis, the United States is a land of regulatory hypocrisy. Whereas companies that are based in Canada have historically been allowed to offer SEC-qualified stock options to the public, the same is not true for companies based in the United States. That appears to be changing.

Goldenseed, a “California lifestyle cannabis and hemp brand” that is backed by music group Green Day’s bassist and co-founder Mike Dirnt, recently announced that it has become the first private U.S. cannabis cultivation company to be approved to sell SEC-qualified stock to the public. Per GlobeNewswire:

Mike Dirnt, bassist and co-founder of American rock band Green Day, announced that Goldenseed - a California lifestyle cannabis and hemp brand he advises and has invested in – is the first private U.S. cannabis cultivator ever qualified by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to sell stock to the general public. Anyone who wants to invest in and actually own stock in a privately-held U.S. cannabis farm, can now do so for the first time in history for as little as $100.

Dirnt has been involved with Goldenseed as an investor, brand ambassador and advisor since 2018. “I’m excited to be a part of a farm that grows cannabis and hemp the way Goldenseed does,” Dirnt said. “People who want to invest probably already love this plant, and are believers in what I, and many others, consider to be nature’s medicine. I think Goldenseed honors all of that in the right way.”

Whether this particular stock offering is a good buy or not is something that investors will have to determine on their own after conducting robust due diligence. However, regardless of the merits of the stock offering from a profit potential standpoint, the fact that the stock offering is SEC-qualified is historic.

Hopefully this is the first of many such approvals to come in the near future. There is no valid reason why U.S. cannabis cultivation companies should be hindered from following in the footsteps of Goldenseed. Allowing Canadian cannabis cultivation companies to list on the U.S. stock exchange, while forcing U.S. companies to seek listings on the Canadian exchange, makes zero sense and negatively impacts the opportunities for investors everywhere.