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Request For Proposals For Cannabis Businesses Requested By South African Government

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Archives, Business, Policy.

The Gauteng provincial government and the federal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development have requested interested parties to submit business partnership proposals

As of April 29, the South African government has released an announcement that they are looking for proposals to “unlock economic opportunities and job creation” through the development of the cannabis vertical.

The specific areas for development being considered include:

  • Funding and capitalization ideas to underwrite both hemp and cannabis cultivation, processing, and distribution.
  • Exchange, trading, and aggregation platforms for both domestic and export purposes. This will include both certification and QA processing.
  • Aggregation schemes for the vertical.
  • Carbon reduction and other phytoremediation programs including the rehabilitation of lands devastated by mining.

The Gauteng government is offering both leases on state-owned land as well as tenancy in special economic zones created specifically for this purpose.

This development is a direct outgrowth of the announcement by the premier of Gauteng, David Makhura in February of this year.

The focus, for now at least, is to build a “cannabis hub” focusing on medical and industrial use rather than the creation of a recreational market.

A Key Economic Differentiator

South Africa has taken a global lead in focusing on the development of the cannabis industry, unseen anywhere else in the world to date. The hope is that by developing a high-tech agricultural industry here, the government will open the door to over 130,000 new jobs being created by industry partners.

These efforts have not gone entirely unnoticed by the rest of the world. Greece has been on a cannabis development path to attract foreign investment for the past several years, although Covid and the lack of reform in the rest of Europe has put a dent in those plans as well as delayed them. So has the Channel Island of Guernsey.

Beyond Greece and Guernsey in Europe, several Latin American countries are now examining the sector for the same reason, although the countries that are most interested in the same may run into issues that South Africa will not. Namely, that rainforests will be further decimated by landless farmers looking to produce cannabis.

So far, in South Africa, the focus has been to create a planned “cannabis hub” and further to focus on cultivation that also has an environmental slant to it.

Sadly, more developed countries have not followed suit. However, as the project in South Africa develops, it will be interesting to see the impact elsewhere as reform continues to progress globally.

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Most Canadian Patients With MS Report Consuming Cannabis

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Archives, Science.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a serious issue around the world. It is estimated that as many as 2.8 million people suffer from MS globally and that someone new is diagnosed with the health condition every 5 minutes.

MS is a progressive disease involving damage to the sheaths of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms include, but are not limited to, numbness, impairment of speech and of muscular coordination, blurred vision, and severe fatigue.

Cannabis has been found by a growing number of MS patients to help effectively and safely treat their condition. Those personal experiences are backed up by a growing number of peer-reviewed studies.

A recent study out of Canada reflects cannabis’ popularity as a form of treatment among MS patients. Below is more information about the recent Canadian MS study via a news release from NORML:

Edmonton, Canada: Most Canadians diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) report using cannabis to mitigate their symptoms, according to data published in the journal Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders.

Researchers affiliated with the University of Alberta, Department of Medicine surveyed MS patients’ frequency of cannabis use and their motivations for consuming it. Canadian officials legalized the use of medical cannabis products nearly two decades ago. Adult-use sales were legalized in 2018. An oral spray containing precise ratios of plant-derived THC and CBD (Sativex) has also been available by prescription in Canada for the treatment of MS since 2005.

Authors reported that nearly two-thirds of respondents had consumed cannabis during their lifetimes and that 52 percent identified themselves as current users. Patients most frequently reported consuming cannabis to address symptoms related to sleep (84 percent), pain (80 percent), and spasticity (69 percent). Respondents said that cannabis was “moderately to highly effective” at mitigating their symptoms. The majority of patients acknowledged learning about the therapeutic use of cannabis from “someone other than [their] healthcare provider.”

Human trials indicate that the use of both whole-plant cannabis and cannabis extracts can alleviate various symptoms of the disease as well as potentially modulate its progression.

Full text of the study, “Medical cannabis use in Canadians with multiple sclerosis,” appears in Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders. Additional information about the use of cannabis in multiple sclerosis is available from NORML.

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Why Is the German Government Delaying Cannabis Reform?

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Archives, Policy.

Promises are promises. So why are there repeated indications that the new coalition is putting the issue on the backburner?

Six months ago, the new German governing coalition made recreational cannabis reform one of their election planks. After the election, in November, they also made promises that reform would progress this year.

It is now May – and so far, the only message out of Berlin is that this entire issue is low priority and further will be pushed back for other “more important” discussions. So far this has included the war with Ukraine as well as lingering Covid complications.

However, with Covid clearly receding as masks come off in public life, there is no more excuse from this angle. Further, the war may pose some large problems – notably how Germany is going to get its oil and gas and whether to send weapons to the war zone, but this should not distract from other big-ticket political issues now cooling on the backburner.

Here is a list of reasons why cannabis reform should be a top priority for the government this summer.

Recession and Inflation

There are repeated warnings and indicators that economies including the great German machine, will suffer from a twin blow of supply chain problems (in part caused by the war and partly by Covid), plus inflation that is affecting almost every aspect of life. There is no denying that this industry creates both jobs and tax revenue that the German government really needs.

A Green New Deal

This lofty ideal is stalling everywhere, yet cannabis reform, including in Europe, is a great way to jump-start this discussion. Not only is phytoremediation (usually with hemp crops) now starting to be a “thing” but organic continues to be a priority for consumers – even with inflation. This industry ticks both of these boxes.

The Medical Revolution is Stalled

Earlier this year, the largest insurers made the news by saying that the “cannabis craze” is over. This is not true, and by a long shot. About 40% of patients who should qualify for coverage are being denied it – and that impacts sales as well as funding for more trials. Beyond this, patients are consumers too – and they need both choices and affordable options – especially if insurance companies are slow to approve reimbursements. Not to mention protection from law enforcement.

The Police Are Busting Hemp Sellers

While it is a tragic reality, the police have stepped up efforts to prosecute even legitimate hemp sellers. There are approximately 200 criminal cases now pending against CBD specialty stores across the country and the pace does not seem to be tapering off. Legalization would stop this kind of police activity, for the benefit of taxpayers. Of course, the prosecution of patients would also stop.

It is time for a change. No more delay. Legalization Now!

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Nepal Appears To Be On Track To Re-Legalize Cannabis

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Archives, Policy.

New legislation to legalize cannabis is now underway in Nepal – the rooftop of the world

The country at the “top of the world” is now moving to relegalize cannabis. The plant has been illegal here since 1976 thanks to pressure from the United States. Before that, the country had a long history with cannabis.

During the 1960s, the drug was sold openly on “Freak Street.” Before this, Nepalese citizens used ganja for centuries as both a medical drug and a holy offering for Hindu gods.

Recent Efforts to Forward Legalization

There have been two serious efforts to relegalize cannabis – the first as a motion filed by the Communist Party in Parliament in 2020 and the second, a formal legalization bill, introduced in 2021. A change of government during Covid has slowed down progress, but it is clearly picking up again as the world re-opens post-Covid.

The prevailing attitude amongst lawmakers is that now that cannabis is being legalized by western countries, including the US, there is no reason to continue with a ban that bankrupted many farmers.

Medical cannabis is legal here – however, there is no framework for therapeutic use. The government still enforces a ban on both consumption and sales.

Enforcement, however, is already patchy.

A Boon for the Tourist Economy

The country is known as “the ceiling of the world” – possessing 8 of the world’s tallest 10 mountains. For this reason, tourism has become the country’s main source of revenue and foreign income.

In 2015, this was badly shaken by a series of earthquakes that year. Five years later, the entire sector collapsed completely thanks to Covid.

Making cannabis legal again will create not only jobs in cultivation but help shore up the revival of the tourist industry here.

A Domino for Cannabis Reform in Asia

One of the other interesting aspects of Nepal’s reform may be that cannabis will become more popular with its Asian visitors. Over half of all foreign tourists to the country are Asian.

Given the slow pace of reform in other countries (only Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand have formal cannabis programs or have enacted at least medical reform), the ability to sample cannabis while on vacation may also allow the seeds of reform to travel far from Nepal, and to countries who have so far been slow to implement change.

This could very well include India, where the question of formal reform has repeatedly stalled. It could also include China, the world’s largest producer of hemp but where both possession and consumption still carry heavy penalties.

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Cannabis Control Bill Moves Forward In Trinidad And Tobago

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Archives, Business, Policy.

Trinidad and Tobago’s emerging medical cannabis industry received a big boost on Friday when the Caribbean nation’s House of Representatives voted unanimously to pass the Cannabis Control Bill 2020.

The bill would, among other things, set up the Trinidad and Tobago Cannabis Licensing Authority which would serve as the regulatory body for the nation’s medical cannabis industry.

As I previously reported, part of the measure would create licenses for religious use. The religious use licensing provisions seemed to be causing some concern among religious groups and at least one lawmaker leading up to the vote, however, those concerns were obviously not enough to prevent the unanimous vote.

There are five cannabis licenses that people who use cannabis for religious purposes would be able to apply for according to the measure:

  • a cultivator license
  • dispensary
  • import license
  • export license
  • transport license

Cannabis was decriminalized in Trinidad and Tobago in 2019, and people can possess up to 30 grams of cannabis and cultivate up to 4 plants on their own property. The recently passed measure would create economic opportunities if it makes it all the way to the finish line, especially in rural areas, as touched on by coverage from Newsday:

In his wind-up on the motion Minister of Local Government and Rural Affairs Faris Al-Rawi said the bill would give the country opportunities to make some “serious money” even as the broader relaxation of the law on cannabis consumption (by the Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill has greatly helped to unclog the country’s legal justice system. He said the commercial handling of cannabis under the Cannabis Control Bill will not be impeded by the Dangerous Drugs Act, Proceeds of Crime Act, Medical Board Act, or Pharmacy Board Act.

He said the bill will allow individuals entering the cannabis industry to become bankable, without any risk of correspondent bank failure.

“People have the opportunity to make some serious money in a serious industry.”

The Cannabis Control Bill now moves to the upper house (Senate) of the bicameral Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago.

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Malawi Farmers Considering Cannabis As Demand For Tobacco Declines

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Archives, Business, Policy.

The life of a small-scale farmer is not an easy one. After all, there are no set hours and there are no days off. From sunrise to sunset you have to do as much as you can to get the most out of every day, especially during non-winter months.

Tobacco farmers have it even harder in that the crop that they cultivate is surrounded by a great deal of stigma, and understandably so. Smoked tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death on earth.

With that being said, not every tobacco farmer is greedy and evil. Many simply cultivate tobacco because that is essentially their only option. For some farmers in Malawi, cultivating tobacco is the foundation of their existence.

Malawi ranks 7th globally for overall tobacco production and leads the world in cultivating the ‘burley’ tobacco variety. Burley tobacco leaf is commonly used for making cigarettes.

As demand for tobacco products continues to decline around the world, farmers in Malawi are scrambling to try to find a new crop to cultivate.

More and more farmers are considering cannabis as an alternative to tobacco, however, the price for licenses is extremely steep, especially considering that Malawi is one of the poorest countries on earth. Per Africa News:

Growers, who operate in groups of around 30, have on average to cough out $10,000 per collective in farming licence fees alone.

Easing the process of obtaining cannabis licences would give farmers an immediate boost.

“It takes just about three months to mature, and then boom, we have the forex,” said Tchereni.

“Licences can’t be this expensive.”

Malawi is not the only country in Africa that is considering making the transition from cultivating tobacco to cultivating cannabis.

As we previously reported, Zimbabwe is also seeing an uptick in interest in cannabis among farmers. Zimbabwe is Africa’s largest overall producer of tobacco.

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Scientists Observe Hemp Extracts Delaying The Aging Process In Honey Bees

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Archives, Science.

Getting older stops being fun at some point. At least, I know that was the case for me. When you are younger you can’t wait to get old enough to go to school, or old enough to get a bike, or old enough to drive, or old enough to go to bars/dispensaries, etc.

But at some point aging becomes burdensome. Stuff starts to hurt that didn’t, hair stops growing in some places and starts growing in other places, and you aren’t able to do some of the physical things that you used to. For the physical things that you can still do, you do them slower and everything is sore for much longer afterwards.

Humans try very hard to delay or even try to reverse the aging process. It’s big business too. According to Statista, “in 2020, the global anti-aging market was estimated to be worth about 58.5 billion U.S. dollars. The anti-aging market is estimated to see a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of seven percent between 2021 and 2026.”

Obviously, not all anti-aging products work. A vast majority of them are nothing more than glorified snake oil that is used to financially prey upon people that want to age slower and live longer. However, there is one thing out there that may possess some promise for anti-aging product seekers – hemp.

Researchers affiliated with the Department of Invertebrate Ecophysiology and Experimental Biology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland recently explored the relationship between honey bees and the consumption of hemp extracts.

“We examined the effect of hemp extract on the activity of the antioxidant system (catalase, peroxidase, glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and total antioxidant capacity) in the hemolymph of adult honey bees (Apis mellifera).” the researchers stated.

The study involved the researchers dividing the bees into three groups:

  • an experimental group fed with pure sugar syrup with cotton strips soaked with hemp extract put inside the cage
  • an experimental group fed with a mixture of sugar syrup with hemp extract
  • a control group fed with a mixture of sugar and a water-glycerine solution.

The researchers collected hemolymph samples on the 1st day of the study and every following week until all of the bees died. The researchers then examined the deceased bees.

“The activities of all antioxidant enzymes were higher for the experimental groups, compared to those for the control group. The highest antioxidant activities were noted in the group supplemented with cannabis with the use of syringes.” the researchers stated.

“Supplementation with hemp also increased the lifespan of bees in this group compared to that of the bees consuming only sugar syrup (control: 35 days), with 49 and 52 days for groups of cannabis on strips and in syrup, respectively. Hemp extract, thanks to its antioxidant properties, increased the activities of key antioxidant enzymes that protect the bee’s organisms against free radicals and thus delay the aging processes.” the researchers concluded.

Obviously, bees are not the same as humans, so how this applies to the human species is something that needs to be researched before any applicable conclusions can be made. However, the results as they pertain to bees are still very insightful. Hemp extracts are perfectly safe for bees and for humans, so boosting the consumption of hemp extracts in both species is a no-lose situation.

It is no secret that the global bee population is dwindling and that it could lead to catastrophic effects on the world’s ecosystems. Helping bees stay alive longer is always a good thing, and from that perspective, the results of this study are very remarkable and will hopefully be used to effectively help the world’s bee population.

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How Many UK Patients Are Being Privately Prescribed Cannabis?

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Archives, Business, Policy.

The United Kingdom is a fairly rough place when it comes to safe access to medical cannabis. The country’s medical cannabis program is notoriously restrictive, leaving suffering patients with little to no options depending on the situation.

For starters, the number of medical products that are considered to be legal in the United Kingdom is very low. Raw flower is not available to patients, and patients are not permitted to cultivate their own cannabis.

The National Health Service only allows cannabis-based products. Below is the definition of what that involves, via the National Health Service’s website:

There are three broad requirements that a product should satisfy:

  • The product is or contains cannabis, cannabis resin, cannabinol or a cannabinol derivative
  • It is produced for medicinal use in humans; and
  • It is a product that is regulated as a medicinal product, or an ingredient of a medicinal product.

The definition is necessarily broad to take account of the range of preparations which are cannabis-based that have been used for therapeutic purposes and to ensure that raw products/ingredients and intermediate products are captured.This is essential to ensure that where there is a clinical need, a patient will be able to access appropriate cannabis-based medicines and/or products can be made to meet any prescription.

Patients can get a prescription for a cannabis-based product through the National Health Service (NHS), however, as of last summer only 3 prescriptions had reportedly been issued by NHS.

Filling the void left by the NHS is private prescriptions. The prescriptions can only be issued by clinicians listed on the Specialist Register of the General Medical Council, and even then, the products eligible for a prescription are limited.

According to a new report from Prohibition Partners, private prescriptions have risen in the last two years. Below is an excerpt from their report:

Based on Prohibition Partners’ calculations, which conservatively assume all quarters in 2021 are equal, the annual number of products for last year amounted to 23,466 – a 425% increase on 2020. Things are moving more quickly elsewhere in the UK. On the island of Jersey, with a population of just over 100,000 inhabitants, more than 2,000 prescriptions were filled from January 2019 up to late 2021.

To put the figures into perspective, Prohibition Partners estimates that there are as many as 1.4 million patients in the United Kingdom that would purchase medical cannabis products if they were able to.

With that in mind, the uptick in private prescriptions in the UK is welcomed news, however, the UK’s medical cannabis program still has a long way to go when it comes to improving safe access for suffering patients.

In addition to expanding the type of products that patients can acquire, such as raw flower, patients also need to be able to cultivate their own medicine if they choose to do so, among other much-needed improvements.

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Thailand Has Granted 80 Cannabis Licenses

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Archives, Policy.

Thailand is getting ready to embark on a unique public policy journey with plans to officially launch a nationwide, every-household-eligible cannabis program this summer.

As of June 9th, every household in Thailand will be able to cultivate low-THC cannabis if they choose to, and according to prior coverage provided on this website, there will be no limit to the number of plants that someone can cultivate as long as they are registered with the government.

People and entities are already applying for licenses, with some already being granted by Thailand’s government. Per Bangkok Post:

The general public and organisations have filed 4,712 applications with the FDA, seeking licences related to the use of either as an ingredient or product.

So far, 80 licences have been granted for the production of cannabis, hemp and cannabidiol (CBD) products, including hemp seed oil, dietary supplements, beverages, seasoning sauce, jelly candy and instant food, said the FDA official.

In the grand scheme of things, 4,712 applications is a drop in the bucket for a country that has a population of roughly 70 million people. The granting of 80 licenses is an even smaller drop in the bucket.

However, every country has to start a new program somewhere, and with weeks to go before the program actually launches, it’s likely a safe bet that the number of applications will spike considerably between now and June 9, and along with it, a spike in the granting of licenses.

Hiccups and bumps along the way are to be expected given that Thailand is doing something that has essentially never been tried before. Hopefully the launch of home cultivation proves to be successful and it encourages other nations in Thailand’s region to reform their cannabis laws.