Policy – Page 11 – International Cannabis Business Conference

Austria’s CBD Flower Ban Faces Legal Challenges

Written by Hazel Norman on April 27, 2025. Posted in Business, Policy.

Months after it was reportedly determined that dried hemp flowers in Austria with a THC content of up to 0.3% are subject to the country’s tobacco tax and monopoly, the nation’s government is facing ongoing legal challenges from cannabis industry members.

“The Austrian cannabis industry is breathing a sigh of relief after the publication of a constitutional opinion by leading jurist Dr. Heinz Mayer. According to Mayer, the sale of CBD weed with less than 0.3% THC is not subject to the tobacco monopoly, despite earlier reports from the Ministry of Finance. This would allow CBD shops to legally resume the sale of smokable cannabis products.” reported Cannabis Industrie in its original coverage (translated to English).

“Mayer argues that the ruling of the highest administrative court only confirms that CBD weed falls under tobacco excise duty, not under the monopoly itself. According to him, an extension of the tobacco monopoly to cannabis would be in conflict with the Austrian constitution and European law.” the outlet also reported.

According to a previous analysis by the Tax Foundation, Austria places a €3.32 excise duty per 20-pack of tobacco cigarettes. An additional ‘value added tax’ or VAT is also placed on tobacco products, raising the total tax per pack of tobacco cigarettes to €4.23. The Tax Foundation estimates that tax as a share of the final selling price per pack of tobacco cigarettes is 77%.

Regulators across Europe, and many other parts of the world, are struggling to rectify the inconsistencies in laws and regulations on consumable hemp products. For many years, hemp products were largely limited to textiles. However, many savvy entrepreneurs are bringing more consumable hemp products to emerging markets, often referred to as ‘cannabis light,’ and policymakers are scrambling to try to catch up.

According to the Austrian government, sales of cannabis light products must exclusively go through official tobacco shops as long as the sales ban remains in force. Vending machine sales are also prohibited according to the Austrian government.

German Scientists Call For Further Development Of Legalization

Written by Johnny Green on April 25, 2025. Posted in Policy, Science.

Roughly a year after Germany’s government implemented the first provisions of a national adult-use cannabis legalization measure, members of Germany’s scientific community are urging lawmakers and regulators to make further improvements to the nation’s legalization model.

“In light of the evaluation of the cannabis law announced in the coalition agreement, experts from health and legal sciences are clearly speaking out against reversing partial legalization, according to the Süddeutsche Zeitung.” the German Cannabis Business Association (BvCW) stated in a recent newsletter (translated from German to English).

“They recommend maintaining decriminalization, legally protecting cultivation clubs, and scientifically investigating the long-term effects of the law. Legalization limited to personal possession and acquisition without a legal production and distribution system makes neither health nor security policy sense.” BvCW wrote in its newsletter.

“Instead of commercialization following the North American model, they see the German model as an opportunity to research distribution through cannabis clubs—for the first time on this scale worldwide—and thus gain reliable new insights for evidence-based cannabis policy.” BvCW also stated.

Cannabis is currently legal for adult use at a national level in Uruguay, Canada, Malta, Luxembourg, Germany, and South Africa. Additionally, regional adult-use cannabis commerce pilot trials are operating in the Netherlands and Switzerland, and two dozen states in the U.S. have adopted recreational legalization.

Out of all of the legal recreational jurisdictions on the planet, none of them have the exact same legalization model. Current European Union agreements prohibit member nations from allowing robust adult-use cannabis sales like what is found in the Western Hemisphere.

However, EU agreements do permit member nations to allow adult-use cannabis activity to boost public health and research efforts. As of April 1st, 2024, adults in Germany can cultivate, possess, and consume a personal amount of cannabis. They can also join one of the nation’s licensed cultivation associations, and soon, they will be able to enroll in a regional adult-use pilot trial.

Berlin Cannabis Offenses Down Almost 75% Since Legalization

Written by Johnny Green on April 25, 2025. Posted in Policy.

One year after the initial components of adult-use cannabis legalization took effect in Germany, cannabis offenses are down nearly 75 percent in Berlin. Starting on April 1st, 2024, adults in Berlin can possess up to 25 grams of cannabis when away from their homes, up to 50 grams in their private residences, and they can cultivate up to three plants in private for personal use.

“Since the partial legalization of cannabis in Berlin, the number of related crimes has decreased significantly. Between April 2024 and March 2025, the police registered approximately 2,300 offenses. In the same period last year, there were approximately 8,430 cases, according to a response from the Berlin Health Administration.” reported t-online in its local coverage translated from German to English.

“Most violations concerned illicit trafficking (1,175 cases) and the illicit distribution and transfer of cannabis (550 offenses). In addition, around 120 administrative offenses were recorded, such as smoking marijuana near playgrounds.” the outlet also reported.

Adult consumers, German courts and law enforcement, and ultimately German taxpayers, have all greatly benefited from the CanG law. Consumers no longer face prosecution for personal cannabis activity, the nation’s court system is no longer jammed up with needless cannabis consumer cases, German law enforcement is freed up to focus on fighting real crime, and taxpayers no longer have to foot the bill for enforcing harmful, ineffective cannabis consumer prohibition policies.

The Institute for Competition Economics at the Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf previously conducted an analysis finding that adult-use legalization could yield as much as 1.3 billion euros per year in savings for Germany’s police and judicial system.

The Biggest Winners Of German Legalization So Far

Written by Johnny Green on April 22, 2025. Posted in Business, Policy.

More than a year after the first provisions of Germany’s adult-use legalization law took effect, domestic and international cannabis policy and industry observers continue to evaluate the impact of the policy modernization change.

Starting on April 1st, 2024, adults in Germany can cultivate, possess, and consume a personal amount of cannabis. Additionally, cannabis was removed from Germany’s Narcotics List as part of the nation’s CanG law. The changes in German public policy have had a positive effect on society, industry, and government.

“One year of the cannabis law is already a complete success for me, because it’s a year without criminalization and unnecessary persecution. Access to support services has been made easier, and there’s more education going on, which is precisely one of the health policy goals. The fact that cannabis clubs are now also emerging shows that there’s a movement here as well. This will noticeably reduce the black market, similar to home cultivation.” stated Dirk Heidenblut (former member of the Bundestag), according to Merkur (translated from German to English).

Earlier this month, the new governing coalition in Germany announced that, at least for the time being, there will be no changes to the CanG law. Evaluations of German cannabis policy and regulations will be ongoing, but the coalition’s announcement was welcomed news for cannabis advocates and industry members.

The coalition announcement comes after polling found little support for a CanG reversal. A recent YouGov poll has found that a minority (38%) of the nation’s citizens support reversing German adult-use cannabis legalization.

Additionally, according to the results of a Forsa survey commissioned by the KKH Kaufmännische Krankenkasse, 55% of surveyed Germans do not want to repeal the nation’s CanG adult-use legalization law. Only 36% of the Forsa survey respondents indicated that they want to repeal legalization, with the rest being undecided.

Arguably, the biggest winner of German adult-use legalization so far is the nation’s medical cannabis industry and the patients it serves. According to a recent report by the Bloomwell Group, prescriptions for medical cannabis in Germany increased by roughly 1,000% between March 2024 and December 2024. The report also found that prices for medical cannabis products are decreasing in Europe’s largest medical cannabis market.

During the first three full months following Germany’s enactment of the CanG adult-use legalization law (Q3 2024), legal medical cannabis imports increased by over 70% compared to the previous period.

Another major winner is Germany’s home cultivation sector. According to a recent survey by the German Cannabis Business Association (BvCW), consumers reported that ‘seeds and accessories (e.g. grow box sets) for home cultivation and cannabis flowers, followed by humidity regulators for storing cannabis,’ were the most frequently sold out items in their area.

The Institute for Competition Economics at the Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf previously conducted an analysis that found that adult-use legalization could yield as much as 1.3 billion euros per year in savings for Germany’s police and judicial system.

Germany’s legalization model is not perfect, and advocates must continue to push for improvements. With that being said, the CanG law is clearly better than cannabis prohibition, and it is superior to other policies in place in other European nations.

Budapest March Protests Against Cannabis Prohibition

Written by Hazel Norman on April 22, 2025. Posted in Policy.

Over the weekend, the internationally recognized cannabis holiday 4/20 took place worldwide, with events, gatherings, and demonstrations occurring in several jurisdictions. One such gathering was held in Budapest, Hungary, where cannabis advocates protested the nation’s cannabis prohibition policies.

“The event was held by Hungarian political party ‘Two-Tailed Dog’, with participants pointing out that alcohol has a far more serious negative effect and causes greater social harm than marijuana, the consumption of which is criminalised.” reported EuroNews in its coverage.

“At the Million Marijuana March event, MKKP co-chair Zsuzsanna Döme argued that alcohol and designer drugs cause much greater social harm, yet the government criminalises the usage of marijuana by young people.” the outlet also reported.

Whereas numerous European nations have modernized their cannabis policies to permit safe access to medical cannabis, and in some cases recreational cannabis, Hungary has seemingly trended in the opposite direction.

Currently, most European countries have operational medical cannabis programs. Cannabis is legal for adult use in Malta, Luxembourg, and Germany, and regional adult-use cannabis commerce pilot trials are operating in the Netherlands and Switzerland.

“A demonstration for legalising marijuana held on Easter Sunday “is a shameless provocation”, László Horváth, the government commissioner for eliminating drug dealing, has said, vowing that the protest would be “the last” of its kind.” reported Daily News Hungary about Sunday’s protest.

Italian Court Upholds Classification Of CBD As A Narcotic

Written by Hazel Norman on April 21, 2025. Posted in Business, Policy.

Italy’s emerging cannabis industry was dealt another major setback recently, with an Italian court ruling that cannabidiol’s (CBD) classification as a narcotic is permissible. A previously approved measure in Italy equated floral hemp with cannabis flower that is high in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content.

“In yet another blow to Italy’s beleaguered hemp sector, the Lazio Regional Administrative Court (TAR) has rejected an appeal by stakeholders challenging the government’s restriction of oral CBD products, solidifying a ban that has drawn sharp criticism from legal and trade experts.” reported HempToday in its coverage.

“Italy has now effectively banned all oral compositions of CBD derived from the cannabis plant, including extracts from flowers, leaves, or stalks, limiting them strictly to prescription-only pharmaceutical use. The decision expands prior restrictions, which only applied to flower-derived CBD.” the outlet also stated.

According to a recent economic report, Italy’s cannabis light industry employs over 20,000 people.

“The light cannabis sector has a direct economic impact of almost one billion euros, with another additional billion of indirect impact, and the creation of 22 thousand full-time jobs.” reported Dolce Vita in its original coverage.

“These are the recently updated estimates of the Italian light cannabis market, therefore relating only to inflorescences (without CBD oils and shredded) developed in a study by MPG Consulting, led by the specialized economist Davide Fortin together with the lawyer Maria Paola Liotti and commissioned by the Canapa Sativa Italia association.” the outlet also stated.

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Slovenian Parliament Introduces Europe’s Most Progressive Medical Cannabis Law

Written by Johnny Green on April 17, 2025. Posted in Business, Policy.

The International Cannabis Business Conference team has received confirmation that Slovenia’s Parliament has officially introduced a medical cannabis policy modernization measure that, once adopted, will make Slovenia home to Europe’s most progressive medical cannabis model. Below are components of the proposed model:

Full Legalization for Medical and Scientific Use
The bill legalizes the cultivation, production, distribution, and use of Cannabis sativa L. for medical and scientific purposes, under a regulated and controlled system.

Open Licensing: Everyone Who Qualifies Can Apply
The bill introduces a non-restrictive licensing system: any individual or company that fulfills the conditions can obtain a license. There will be no public tender and no state monopoly. Both public and private entities can produce and distribute medical cannabis.

Strict Quality and Production Standards
All cannabis for medical use must be grown and processed according to GACP (Good Agricultural and Collection Practice), GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice), and European Pharmacopoeia standards, ensuring high-quality, safe products for patients.

Cannabis and THC Removed From Prohibited Drugs List for Medical and Scientific Purposes
Cannabis (plant, resin, extracts) and THC will be removed from Slovenia’s list of prohibited substances within the regulated medical and scientific framework.

Standard Prescription Process
Medical cannabis will be available on regular medical (MD and DMD) or veterinary prescriptions, like other medications. Special narcotic prescription protocols will no longer be required.

Ensured Patient Access
The law ensures a stable and continuous supply of cannabis through pharmacies, licensed wholesalers, and healthcare providers, so that patients are not dependent on imports or irregular access.

Recognizing Public Support For Referendum
The law follows the results of the 2024 advisory referendum, where 66.7% of voters supported medical cannabis cultivation. It received majority support in every voting district, indicating strong public backing.

Economic Opportunity
Slovenia’s medical cannabis market is projected to grow by 4% annually, reaching over €55 million by 2029. The bill opens the sector to domestic innovation, job creation, and export potential.

In Line With International Law and European Practices
The bill is aligned with UN drug conventions and builds on successful models from countries like Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, and the Czech Republic, ensuring legal sufficiency and international compatibility.

(This is breaking news, and this article will be updated as further details of the coalition agreement are identified.)

Study Finds Canadian Legalization Is ‘Displacing Illegal Cannabis Market’

Written by Frank Schuler on April 14, 2025. Posted in Business, Policy.

Canada became the second country to ever adopt a national adult-use cannabis legalization measure in 2018 and was the first G-7 nation to adopt the public policy change. The first country to adopt a national recreational cannabis legalization measure was Uruguay in 2013.

Since 2018, Canada’s recreational cannabis market has served as the international leader in size and scope and has also served as the top cannabis commerce public policy model for international researchers to examine.

A team of researchers affiliated with the Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University, and the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research at McMaster University conducted a study analyzing legalization’s impact on Canada’s unregulated cannabis market. The study’s findings were recently published in the academic publication International Journal of Drug Policy.

“We used interrupted time series analysis to evaluate whether recreational cannabis legalization (legislative passage in October 2017/implementation in October 2018) was associated with changes in quarterly national household expenditures on medical cannabis, illegal cannabis, and all cannabis types combined (licensed, illegal, and medical) in Canada from 2001 to 2023, adjusting for price fluctuations.” the researchers stated about their study’s methodology.

“When recreational cannabis legalization was passed, medical cannabis represented 11.8% of the market and illegal cannabis 88.2%. At five years post-recreational cannabis legalization implementation, medical cannabis decreased to 3.7%, illegal cannabis decreased to 24.3%, and licensed cannabis took over 72.0% of the market. The overall cannabis market increased in size by 75% over these 5 years.” the researchers stated about their findings.

“Recreational cannabis legalization in Canada appears to be achieving one of its primary goals by displacing the illegal cannabis market, and medical users also appear to be transitioning to the recreational market.” the study’s authors concluded.

Cannabis is currently legal for adult use at a national level in Uruguay, Canada, Malta, Luxembourg, Germany, and South Africa. Additionally, two dozen states in the U.S. have adopted recreational cannabis legalization measures, and adult-use commerce pilot trials are operating in the Netherlands and Switzerland.

Israel Announces 165% Tariffs On Canadian Cannabis

Written by Hazel Norman on April 14, 2025. Posted in Business, Policy.

Israel is an international leader in medical cannabis in many ways, having allowed legal medical cannabis activity by patients going back to the 1990s. It is also considered the birthplace of modern medical cannabis research.

The Israeli medical cannabis market is large in size and scope, which makes it a popular destination for medical cannabis product imports and exports. Historically, medical cannabis products from Canada have been popular in Israel. However, that could be changing in the future, with Israel announcing stiff tariffs on Canadian cannabis.

“Israel’s Minister of Economy and Industry has announced the nation will impose tariffs on Canadian cannabis at rates as high as 165% for the next four years.” StratCann reported. “The decision still needs to be approved by the country’s Knesset Finance Committee and Finance Minister.”

“In its adoption of the Minister of Economy’s Advisory Committee recommendations, the new levy tariffs will be 165% on all Canadian cannabis imported into Israel, except for Decibel (12%), Village Farms (28%), Organigram (53%), and Tilray (70%).” the outlet also reported.

Persistence Market Research estimates that “the global medical marijuana market is expected to grow from USD 33.1 Bn in 2025 to USD 83.1 Bn by 2032, registering a CAGR of 14.0% during the forecast period.”