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Paraguay To Issue First Medical Cannabis Production Licenses

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Medical.

Paraguay has become the latest South American country to announce that it will issue licenses for companies to cultivate medical cannabis. Medical cannabis is still prohibited in some countries on the continent, however, cannabis reform is sweeping across South America and tremendous business opportunities are being created.

Cannabis grows very well in many parts of South America, including in Paraguay. Medical cannabis could revolutionize the agriculture industry in the country. Initially, Paraguay intends to issue at least 5 licenses. Per ADN:

Arnaldo Guizzio, minister of the National Anti-Drug Secretariat (SENAD), said through his Twitter that the program will be coordinated with several government agencies.

The State will grant five licenses to those companies that meet all the requirements to carry out controlled planting and industrialization of medical cannabis.

The official said that in November there will be a documentary approval and once the licenses are awarded, they will have to verify if they comply with the security approaches to obtain the approval.

Paraguay is home to roughly 7 million people, with a per capita income of $9,826. Agriculture accounts for 20% of GDP and about 35% of employment in Paraguay, with the main crops being manioc (cassava), corn, cotton, tobacco, and sugarcane.

Cannabis could easily become one of the top cash crops in Paraguay eventually, however, that will take quite a bit of time if it happens. For now, the announcement of 5 licenses is a step in the right direction.

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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.

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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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The NHS Legalizes Two Cannabis Based Medications

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Medical.

While the struggle for cannabis reform goes on in the United Kingdom, GW Pharmaceuticals is laughing all the way to the bank. At the beginning of the month, NICE (the friendly-sounding drugs advisory body) issued stringent and narrow guidelines for prescriptions of cannabinoid medication that sounded like they came from the last century.

Notably, NICE appeared only to issue guidelines for prescription of GW Pharma’s drugs – Epidiolex and Sativex. Also NICE specifically recommended that medical cannabis was not prescribed for chronic pain, any neurological condition outside of epilepsy, and both cancer and AIDS seem to be off the table, as well as conditions like glaucoma.

At least for now.

In a noted good development, GW is also now lowering the cost of the drugs, although total numbers of Lennox Gastaut and Dravet Syndrome patients (children) are just at the breakpoint for crossing over from “orphan” to mainstream drug.

Manufacturers are able to charge higher prices for orphan drugs because such drugs are not bought in bulk. There are about 8,000 children in the UK with these conditions. The treatment currently costs between ₤5-10,000 ($6-12,000) per patient per year.

That said, this is a narrow window of care. Many parents of children with epilepsy are importing drugs from the EU and Canada because Epidiolex either does not work as effectively or the effect tapers off. This amounts to thousands of pounds per month, per child.

Sativex will also be available, but only for MS patients. Previously the NHS had refused to cover the cost of the mouth spray (also very expensive), on the grounds that the cost was too high relative to the impact of the drug.

While the policy changes, in other words, benefit one company, it is likely that pressure groups, from patient lobbies to industry ones, will now have a basis to press forward for greater reform if not opening of the market.

But nothing comes fast here. In the meantime, British patients are indeed being tasked with keeping a “stiff upper lip,” when it comes to using cannabis to treat pain or indeed any other condition.

As with many things in the cannabis industry if not reform, there are frequently times when the hard-fought steps forward on acceptance of the plant as a drug take a few paces back too.

The British market is opening. But so far, those who must rely on public healthcare are being completely left out of the game when it comes to medical coverage for other conditions. Only 18 prescriptions have been issued so far in the last year per the NHS. A Freedom of Information Act request reveals that only 108 prescriptions have been processed privately.

It is estimated that 1.4 million Britons currently avail themselves of the black market to obtain their cannabis for conditions ranging from chronic pain to spasticity.

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Australia Lets General Practitioners Prescribe Medical Cannabis

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Medical.

The UK and Australia might both be members of the Commonwealth, but their approach to medical cannabis so far could not be more different.

In the UK as of the beginning of the month, the NHS agreed not only to authorize just two cannabis drugs (manufactured by GW Pharmaceuticals) but also mandated that those prescribing the same must be specialists.

In Australia, in contrast, GPs have just been given the go-ahead to prescribe.

What a world of difference!

Why Is It So Important To Allow GPs To Prescribe Cannabis?

Doctors everywhere are still resistant to prescribing cannabis and legislation mandating that not only “doctors” but specialty doctors (like neurologists or oncologists) does not help. It creates at least an extra step for patients to obtain a prescription. And adds to the expense of care.

Making patients go to hospitals (as opposed to local clinics) also does not help ease access problems.

In places like New York, for example, this approach is beginning to trickle down in its own way. Community clinics in the Big Apple now do prescribe the drug. However, in Europe, the discussion is still way behind the times.

Australia at least seems to be forging a path only so far seen widely in Israel. Government reimbursed doctors will be able to prescribe the drug.

Why Is This Problem So Difficult In Europe?

Part of the problem is that while European healthcare is “comprehensive,” systems everywhere are bogged down with bureaucratic processes that deliberately slow down changes in care to make sure that they are cost-effective and work.

When it comes to the cannabis conversation, however, this means a fairly radical rethinking of even Euro healthcare provision.

Cannabis patients also tend to defy other chronically ill patients. With cannabis, formerly immobilized or fully disabled patients can more easily function if not better or fully manage their conditions. This also means that patients forced to obtain their drug illegally, can get better, faster and then lobby for change.

In places like Luxembourg and Denmark right now, that also might be on the cusp of changing. In Luxembourg in fact, the government is expanding its medical training program for doctors next year and increasing the budget for doctor training. Other places in Europe are not so progressive – at least at the moment. 

Most patients in Europe still obtain their drug the “old fashioned way.” Namely through grey and black market channels.

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Thailand Health Minister: Cannabis Will Be A Major Agricultural Product For Thai Households

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Medical.

Thailand has a long history with the cannabis plant. It has been a part of the nation’s culture for many years, despite Thailand’s prohibition policies in recent decades. A cannabis revolution is underway in Thailand that is likely to result in the country becoming a world cannabis industry leader.

Many parts of Asia have some of the harshest cannabis laws on the planet, which is a big reason why Thailand’s push for progressive cannabis policies is such a big deal. It would be one thing if the nation was just pushing for limited reforms, however, what Thailand is moving towards is a truly revolutionary public policy model.

Thailand’s Health Minister announced this week some of the details that will be involved with the public policy change. Per Bloomberg:

The changes will allow household cultivation of six cannabis plants to increase supplies for medical products, Anutin Charnvirakul said in a speech in Bangkok late Wednesday. The move will also give Thais a crop they can grow to boost their incomes, he said.

“We are in the process of changing laws to freely allow the medical use of marijuana,” he said. “We have high confidence that marijuana will be among the major agricultural products for Thai households. We are speeding up the law changes. But there is a process to it.”

Paraguay recently announced a similar concept of providing the ability for families to cultivate cannabis, albeit just hemp. It will be very interesting to see if Thailand’s model is successful, and if so, if other nations in the region will adopt a similar model.

Last year Thailand became the first country in Southeast Asian to allow medical cannabis.

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How Much Does Your Medical Cannabis Cost?

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Medical.

The question of patient access, just about everywhere, comes down to not only a way to easily obtain one’s cannabis, but also to be able to afford it.

Patients just about everywhere (with a few exceptions) are still struggling with both issues.

In The US…

Cannabis is not federally legal yet. However, economics in many state markets, particularly recreational ones, have continued to push the price of cannabis lower. That said, for many patients any out-of-pocket is prohibitive. Thanks to a lack of federal reform, there is no health insurance that currently covers anything but dronabinol in the United States, let alone a mandate to prescribe and cover cannabinoids. Adding insult to injury and even in the largest state economy (California), towns and municipalities are allowed to ban the cannabis industry from operating within their jurisdictions. This has already created “cannabis deserts” where patients have to drive long distances to find legal outlets, not to mention continued to encourage the online, unregistered, and grey markets to flourish.

Patients, depending on where they are in the U.S., and whether or not they can avail themselves of a non-profit collective, can pay fairly low prices for cannabis. But they can also be forced into expensive, recreational-only models. It is still all over the place.

In Canada…

Patients so far have retained their right to grow at home, and as a result, access in Canada is the easiest and cheapest out of any country so far. However, it is not so easy to be completely “off-grid” when it comes to medical cannabis. So far, at least, there is also no mandatory health insurance coverage for the same. All expenses come out of pocket, and growing medical-grade can get expensive, even at home.

In the UK…

Assuming that Brexit is still possible, look for massive disruption on the cannabis front if it happens. Even though the drug can now be prescribed by Schedule II prescription, rumours are that as of this fall not a single patient has been reimbursed by the NHS so far. With the number of operations outsourced to private surgeons skyrocketing, expect the same thing on the cannabis front. Look for extremely rocky territory here as the issue continues to make headlines, and that the doctor to write the prescription will set you back about $1,200 per month when combined with the cost of medical cannabis.

In Europe…

Germany is the most “forward” when it comes to patient access. However, while patients theoretically can get their medical cannabis covered under health insurance (so prescriptions can cost the patient about $12 per month), this is not the reality for many Germans. Out-of-pockets, even when you can find a doctor to prescribe, can easily run $1,200 per month. While the supply chain problem is also starting to ease, there are still major issues with achieving a steady supply at most pharmacies across Germany.

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Sir Patrick Stewart Demands Medical Cannabis Legalization

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Medical.

The United Kingdom has one of the most restrictive medical cannabis programs in Europe. Legal medical cannabis access is restricted to only the most extreme medical cases and conditions, and even then, the forms of medical cannabis that are available to patients are very limited.

Famed Star Trek actor Sir Patrick Stewart has become increasingly vocal in his demand for medical cannabis legalization in the UK, as demonstrated in a recent interview. Stewart suffers from arthritis. Per Express:

“”I have arthritis in both my hands and thumb joints and have been prescribed various drugs, including a cream which didn’t do much. The moment I started using cannabis-based cream it worked and I could feel an immediate reduction in discomfort.”

Sir Patrick Stewart is just one of many patients that experience relief after using cannabis to treat arthritis. It is estimated that as many as 350 million people suffer from arthritis across the globe. A vast majority of them are only provided the option of using harmful (and often addictive) painkillers, or going without medicine, or breaking the law by using medical cannabis.

Cannabis has proven to be an effective pain management tool and is far safer than most pharmaceutical drugs. Opioid-based painkillers have wreaked havoc on society over the years, including in the UK, and the fact that opioids are legal in the UK while medical cannabis remains largely illegal makes no sense, as Patrick Stewart pointed out in his interview:

“It seems perverse that opioid prescriptions are still at such high levels when medical cannabis could be a much safer and more cost-effective alternative. I have been given steroid injections for the pain in the UK. Last year I had eight injections into my fingers and knuckles which is about as painful as anything one can imagine.” Stewart said according to the interview.

Stewart is one of the most recognizable celebrities in the world and has a massive fanbase. Hopefully, his advocacy will help tip the scales in support of comprehensive medical cannabis legalization in the UK.