Policy – Page 58 – International Cannabis Business Conference

Cannabis Seizures At U.S./Mexico Border Fall To Historic Lows

Written by Frank Schuler on January 9, 2023. Posted in Policy.

By many measures the border shared by the United States and Mexico has served as ground-zero for the war on cannabis. It’s no secret that for many years cannabis, among other things, was smuggled from Mexico into the United States via various entry points along the nations’ shared border.

Starting in 1996 the demand for cannabis smuggled from Mexico into the United States started to be impacted by domestic cannabis reform in the U.S., with California becoming the first state to pass a medical cannabis legalization measure in U.S. history.

Between 1996 and 2012 several other states also passed medical cannabis legalization measures, many of which involved the launch of a regulated industry, and in 2012 two states passed the nation’s first set of adult-use legalization measures. Every state-level industry that launched in the U.S. further reduced the demand for smuggled cannabis from Mexico.

Cannabis is still smuggled into the U.S. from Mexico, however, the rate of it happening continues to dwindle, as reflected by recent seizure statistics from the United States Border Patrol. Below is more information about it via a NORML news release:

Washington, DC: Federal law enforcement agents are intercepting historically low quantities of cannabis at the southern border, according to newly released data provided by the US Department of Homeland Security, US Customs and Border Protection.

Federal statistics reveal that Border Patrol and Field agents confiscated an estimated 155,000 pounds of marijuana at the US/Mexico border in 2022. That is down almost 50 percent from 2021 totals and continues the dramatic decline in seizure volume that began in 2013, when nearly 3 million pounds of cannabis were confiscated at the southern border.

Some experts have previously speculated that licensed retail access to cannabis products, which began in Colorado and Washington in 2014 and is now available in almost half of all states, has significantly undercut demand for imported Mexican cannabis. According to conclusions provided by the US Drug Enforcement Administration, “In US markets, Mexican marijuana has largely been supplanted by domestic-produced marijuana.”

Separate data published last year by the Government Accounting Office and elsewhere indicates that interdiction efforts along the US border now typically involve the seizure of small quantities of marijuana and no other controlled substances.

Drug seizure statistics are available online from the US Customs and Border Protection website.

Will Costa Rica Become A Top Cannabis Tourism Destination?

Written by Hazel Norman on January 9, 2023. Posted in Business, Entertainment, Policy.

Cannabis tourism is not a new thing, however, the size of that particular sector of the emerging international cannabis industry has historically been limited. Obviously, that is due in large part to prohibition laws around the globe.

For many years Amsterdam was the undeniable leader when it came to international cannabis tourism, with a handful of other notable cities such as Barcelona and Vancouver (Canada) also serving as top destinations for cannabis enthusiasts.

As cannabis reform continues to spread across the globe, and with it, the legal cannabis industry, lawmakers in some countries are seeming to envision their regions also serving as top international cannabis tourism destinations, with the latest example of that being in Costa Rica. Per The Q Media (translated to English):

The bill to legalize the use of recreational marijuana in Costa Rica authorizes the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT) – Costa Rican Tourism Board – to promote the country as a destination for responsible consumption.

This is established in article 52 of initiative 23,383 that is being analyzed by the legislative commission on the environment (Comisión de Ambiente del Congreso).

Specifically, it indicates:

“The Instituto Costarricense de Turismo should establish information campaigns at the international level to promote Costa Rica as a tourist destination for the responsible consumption of cannabis for recreational use.”

The bill itself is far from guaranteed to pass, so the language pertaining to boosting cannabis tourism needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Cannabis advocates inside and outside of Costa Rica are clearly rooting for legalization to be adopted in Costa Rica, however, as with all things political, no one should count any eggs before they hatch.

According to World Data, “Costa Rica recorded a total of one million tourists in 2020, ranking 90th in the world in absolute terms.” With that in mind, any and all additional tourism that cannabis legalization can generate for Costa Rica will surely be appreciated.

Which Country Is More Likely To Legalize In 2023 – The U.S. Or Germany?

Written by Johnny Green on January 8, 2023. Posted in Policy.

When it comes to the ongoing fight to end global cannabis prohibition, there’s a saying that I often use – the bigger the nation’s economy, the bigger the domino. Don’t get me wrong, I certainly believe that cannabis legalization in every country is significant, and that any such victory should be thoroughly celebrated. However, there’s clearly a difference from an overall momentum-building standpoint between nations in regards to cannabis politics, and that is largely based on economic clout in the international community. For evidence of that, consider how much of the international cannabis community’s focus is dedicated to monitoring what is going on in Germany and the United States.

The United States and Germany are two of the top four economies on earth, ranked first and fourth respectively. The other two countries that round out the top four are China (second), and Japan (third), and as anyone that monitors international cannabis politics will be quick to point out, China and Japan are trending in the wrong direction and will not be legalizing cannabis for adult-use anytime soon. Conversely, both the United States and Germany are trending in the right direction, with advocates in both nations pushing harder than ever to end cannabis prohibition at the federal level within their borders. Advocates around the world are watching closely to see if either domino falls in 2023 because, after all, either domino falling would dramatically boost the chances of legalization efforts happening elsewhere on the planet.

Will The United States Legalize In 2023?

The United States is a very unique place when it comes to cannabis policy. At the federal level cannabis is a Schedule I substance and is greatly restricted, although hemp is legal and limited cannabis research is also permitted. Meanwhile, cannabis is legal for adult-use in a growing number of states and is legal in medical form to some degree in nearly every state. It makes for an interesting situation from a political science standpoint in that every year cannabis reform seems to spread at the local level in the United States while legalization at the federal level remains elusive.

A new Congress was recently sworn in after a federal election in the U.S., and it’s virtually guaranteed that no major legislation will be able to pass through both chambers in the next two years due to each chamber being controlled by opposing political parties. Cannabis reform, unfortunately, is going to presumably take a back seat to 24 months of partisan food fighting in the U.S. Arguably the saddest irony from a political science standpoint is that federal cannabis legalization is extremely popular in the United States, with Gallup’s most recent annual legalization poll holding steady at a 68% approval level for legalization. You will be hard-pressed to find anything in U.S. politics right now that has that level of support among all voters.

Cannabis advocates in the U.S. have remained hopeful year after year that federal legalization would finally happen in some fashion just to have their hopes dashed, and I personally think that the odds for legalization were better in the last Congress than this new one. Divisiveness is at the top of the menu in Washington D.C. right now, and even limited cannabis reform measures are likely to languish in the 118th Congress, with full legalization almost certainly being completely out of reach for the time being.

Will Germany Legalize In 2023?

Legalization’s progress in Germany may not currently be as some want it to be, myself included, however, Germany has a far greater chance of passing a federal adult-use legalization measure in 2023 compared to the United States. Pro-cannabis lawmakers in Germany have gone as far as blocking some of the Health Ministry’s funding due to delays in the introduction of an adult-use legalization measure. Politics and federal funding work different in the U.S. compared to Germany, and yet even with that factored in, there’s no equivalent level of pressure being incorporated by lawmakers in the United States right now. Performative federal cannabis legalization rhetoric is abundant in the U.S. Congress’ hallways, but actual action is rare on both sides of the aisle.

Germany’s Health Minister is currently trying to make his case at the European Union for a legalization measure to be introduced. The Minister previously indicated that the European Union’s approval would be required prior to a formal introduction of a legalization measure in Germany. Every day that the European Union lobbying process drags on pro-cannabis lawmakers in Germany grow increasingly frustrated, and rightfully so.

At some point in 2023 a German legalization measure needs to be introduced, regardless of if it has the blessing of the European Union or not. If the European Union does grant its approval in the coming months, that would nearly guarantee legalization’s passage in Germany not too long after the granting of the approval. However, in a scenario in which the European Union does not grant its approval in the first half of 2023, the pressure to introduce a measure in the second half of 2023 will be enormous. After all, legalization was part of the German governing coalition’s agreement once the 2021 election results were finalized.

It’s likely a safe bet that Germany’s Health Minister will not receive the same level of grace in 2023 that he did last year, and as we have already seen, there will be budgetary ramifications for any perceived delays. If pressure proves to be enough to get a measure introduced early enough in 2023, and the measure is truly in line with the spirit of the coalition government’s previously agreed upon legalization goals, then legalization could certainly occur in Germany in 2023. If that happens, that will, in turn, boost legalization’s chances on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

Medical Cannabis Products Now Covered By Government-Funded Health Insurance In Colombia

Written by Hazel Norman on January 8, 2023. Posted in Policy.

In 2022 Colombia’s Health Ministry approved the expansion of health insurance coverage of certain medical procedures and medications, including expansion to cover some medical cannabis products. The effective date for the expanded coverage was January 1, 2023.

While it never seemed to be in doubt that the medical cannabis insurance coverage would ultimately take effect, it was reassuring to see that the new coverage was indeed implemented, with reassurances provided by the Health Ministry.

News of the reassurances came via a press release from Khiron Life Sciences Corp late this week. Below are excerpts from the press release:

Khiron Life Sciences Corp. (“Khiron” or the “Company”) (TSXV: KHRN) (OTCQX: KHRNF) (Frankfurt: A2JMZC), announces that the new Colombian Government has included plant-based medical cannabis products (i.e., Khiron products) in the list of mandatory insurance-covered medications starting January 1^st, 2023, as well as the signing of a first-of-its-kind medical cannabis contract with one of Colombia´s largest insurance companies based in the city of Bogota.

Resolution 2808 of 2022 was signed by the Ministry of Health on December 30, 2022. This revision was necessary to remove unintended ambiguities that had arisen whether plant-based magistral preparations from medical cannabis (i.e., Khiron products) were also included in the insurance coverage. This is now once and for all clearly confirmed. The new government is fully committed with the use of medical cannabis as a covered treatment under the Colombian health system.

The Government used this iteration to also validate medical conditions where they find moderate to strong evidence that cannabis is an effective treatment. These medical conditions evaluated by the IETS (Technical Institute of the health Sector) include chronic and neuropathic pain, oncology pain, sleep disorders, epilepsy, and fibromyalgia, which represent the primary conditions treated with Khiron products.

During the first half of 2022, insurance-covered prescriptions represented more than 90% of the Company´s cannabis sales in Colombia. With a patient base of more than 25,000 patients, Khiron will immediately resume filling insurance-covered prescriptions through its Zerenia clinic network.

Alvaro Torres, CEO of Khiron, comments: “Today is a great day for patients in Colombia and Khiron. We welcome the decision from the new Colombian government to categorically mandate insurance coverage for our medical cannabis products. With this decision, Khiron will immediately tackle the backlog of covered medical cannabis products to our patients. In parallel, we have also secured a first-of-its-kind contractual relationship with one of Colombia´s largest government-owned insurance companies for medical cannabis specific healthcare services and dispensation. These two achievements, will allow us to revert to predictable recurring revenues, shorter collection periods and improved cashflow.”

Italian Army Seeks To Supply Country’s Entire Medical Cannabis Program

Written by Johnny Green on January 4, 2023. Posted in Policy.

Back in April 2015, Italy’s Army did something that shocked many people around the world – it unveiled to the international community a cannabis farm that it operated. The unveiling came months after a government announcement that the project would begin operations, although seeing so many plants in full bloom received considerably more attention than the government’s initial announcement back then.

The concept of a government cultivating cannabis is not new. After all, for over 50 years a federal cannabis research cultivation project has operated at the University of Mississippi in the United States, and some of the cannabis from the research program is supplied to a very limited number of medical cannabis patients. However, Italy’s medical cannabis effort involving the military is much different in size and scope.

When Italy’s Army held it’s unveiling in 2015, the stated goal of the cultivation project was to cultivate enough medical cannabis to supply thousands of patients, to keep the cannabis secure throughout the cannabis’ lifecycle, and to lower medical cannabis prices for approved patients. Zoom forward to today, and the cultivation project operated by Italy’s Army will likely end up supplying nearly half of the nation’s medical cannabis program in 2023, with the remaining medical cannabis supply coming from imports. Leadership in Italy’s Army recently expressed publicly a new goal of eventually supplanting exports entirely with domestically produced medical cannabis.

Increasing Cultivation Output

Currently, Italy’s medical cannabis policy requires that 1,500 kilograms of cannabis be cultivated, harvested, and provided to registered medical cannabis patients in a year. The Italian Army’s goal for 2023 is to cultivate enough cannabis to fulfill 700 of those required kilograms. To put that figure into perspective, the Army’s cultivation operation, which is located just outside of Florence, yielded 50 kilograms in 2020 and 300 kilograms in 2022.

“The next step is self-sufficiency — that’s our ambition,” said Nicola Latorre according to Defense News. Latorre leads the Italian Defence Industries Agency in charge of the cultivation project. All of the domestically produced cannabis that is part of the Army-operated program is cultivated indoors. Apparently the program started by utilizing two rooms, which has since expanded to ten. Presumably, the additional space required to increase production has already been identified and will be located at the same secure facility.

Part of the reported strategy to boost production also involves improved cultivation technology and techniques, including “perfecting lighting, watering, temperature and ventilation” as well as the use of a “blend of secret nutrients developed in-house.” The cannabis is cultivated hydroponically, and in addition to pursuing the goal of boosting overall production, Italy’s cultivation program will start providing patients with cannabis-infused olive oil at some point in 2023.

Expanding Safe Access To All Suffering Patients

It is great news, in general, that domestic medical cannabis production is increasing in Italy. With that being said, developing a nation’s medical cannabis supply in a way that gives the entire monopoly to the government and cultivating all cannabis under artificial lighting is far from optimal. In order for a medical cannabis program to reach its full potential, it needs to help as many suffering patients as possible, and that requires, among other things, a comprehensive approach to sourcing cannabis and providing safe access.

A landmark decision was rendered by Italy’s Supreme Court in late 2019 that provided some level of legal protections for limited home cultivation. The decision was significant to be sure, however, patients still run the risk of selective enforcement and specified cultivation rights need to be codified into Italian law for all suffering patients. Furthermore, the list of qualifying conditions for Italy’s medical cannabis program needs to be expanded considerably.

In addition to sensible medical cannabis policies that pertain to individuals, Italy needs to expand who can cultivate cannabis on a large scale. The Army can and should continue to cultivate cannabis if it wants to, if for any reason to boost competition and keep prices low, however, domestic private sector and charitable organizations also need to be allowed to operate in a similar fashion to help ensure that Italy’s medical cannabis industry truly becomes self-sustaining for the long haul, and that as many suffering patients get helped as possible in the process.

What Were The Top U.S. Cannabis Policy Stories In 2022?

Written by Frank Schuler on January 4, 2023. Posted in Policy.

The United States has historically led the charge when it comes to global cannabis prohibition, so any time cannabis policies are reformed in the U.S. it’s good news for the rest of the world, in addition to being good news domestically.

Unfortunately, 2022 did not yield national legalization in the U.S. as many cannabis advocates had hoped, however, there were still many notable victories. Below is NORML’s top ten cannabis policy events from 2022 per a news release:

#1: THREE MORE STATES ENACT ADULT-USE LEGALIZATION LAWS

Voters and lawmakers in three more states — Maryland, Missouri, and Rhode Island — enacted laws in 2022 legalizing adult-use marijuana possession and regulating retail cannabis markets. Voters in Missouri voted in favor of a constitutional amendment while Maryland voters approved a legislative referendum. Rhode Island’s law was enacted by the legislature. In total, 21 states — comprising nearly one-half of the US population — have now adopted laws regulating adult use marijuana production and retail sales.

“Reformers achieved numerous significant legislative victories in 2022,” NORML’s Executive Director Erik Altieri said. “As more lawmakers recognize that advocating for marijuana policy reforms is a political opportunity, not a political liability, we anticipate future legislative gains in 2023 and beyond.”

#2: TENS OF THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS RECEIVE MARIJUANA-SPECIFIC PARDONS AND EXPUNGEMENTS

The President of the United States and several state officials issued mass pardons and expungements in 2022 to those with prior low-level cannabis convictions. In October, President Joe Biden granted pardons to over 6,500 people with federal marijuana possession convictions. In Connecticut, Colorado, Oregon and elsewhere, officials issued over 100,000 marijuana-related pardons and expungements. To date, two dozen states have enacted legislation explicitly facilitating the expungement of prior marijuana-specific convictions. As a result of these laws, NORML estimates that 2 million Americans have had their cannabis-related convictions set aside in recent years.

“Hundreds of thousands of Americans unduly carry the burden and stigma of a past conviction for behavior that most Americans, and a growing number of states, no longer consider a crime,” NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano said. “Our sense of justice and our principles of fairness demand that public officials and the courts move swiftly to right the past wrongs of cannabis prohibition and criminalization.”

#3: SENATE FAILS TO MOVE SAFE BANKING ACT

The 117th Congress adjourned without members of the US Senate holding any hearings or votes on either the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act or other significant pieces of marijuana reform legislation. Since 2019, House members have advanced the legislation on seven separate occasions. The Senate companion bill had 42 co-sponsors, including nine Republicans.

“It is unfortunate that Congress, and members of the US Senate specifically, failed to take this opportunity to affirm the legitimacy of state-legal marijuana markets and instead acted in a way that will continue to deny this emerging legal industry access to basic financial tools and services,” said NORML’s Political Director Morgan Fox. “Until Congressional action is taken, state-licensed marijuana businesses, the hundreds of thousands of people they employ, and the millions of Americans that patronize them will continue to be at a higher risk of robbery due to the cash-heavy nature of this industry created by outdated federal laws. Furthermore, smaller entrepreneurs who seek to enter this industry will continue to struggle to compete against larger, more well-capitalized interests.”

Prior to the 2020 election, Sen. Chuck Schumer – then Minority Leader – pledged on multiple occasions that he would prioritize bringing legislation to repeal the federal criminalization of cannabis to a floor vote.

#4: MORE LAWMAKERS ENACT WORKPLACE PROTECTIONS FOR CANNABIS CONSUMERS

State lawmakers adopted numerous laws in 2022 limiting employers’ ability to either fire or refuse to hire employees solely based upon their off-the-job marijuana use. Specifically, lawmakers in California, the District of Columbia, and Rhode Island prohibited employers from discriminating against workers who test positive for carboxy-THC on a drug test, while protections for patients were enacted in several other states (e.g., Louisiana, Missouri, and Utah). In total, eight jurisdictions — California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Montana, and Rhode Island — have enacted statutes limiting employers’ ability to hire/fire workers for their recreational cannabis use in certain circumstances, while more than half of medical marijuana access states have enacted similar workplace protections.

“These decisions reflect today’s changing cultural and legal landscape surrounding cannabis,” NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano said. “It is time for workplace policies to adapt to this new reality and to cease punishing employees for activities they engage in during their off-hours that pose no legitimate threat to either workplace safety or productivity.”

#5: HISTORIC PERCENTAGES OF AMERICANS SAY CANNABIS SHOULD BE LEGALIZED

The percentage of Americans who support adult-use cannabis legalization remains at record highs. National survey data compiled by Data for Progress reported that 74 percent of likely voters now “support ending the federal ban on marijuana.” For the third consecutive year, polling data compiled by Gallup found that 68 percent of US adults say that “the use of marijuana should be legal.” Separate polls released this year by Fox News, Monmouth University, YouGov, Politico, and several others similarly reported that most Americans back legalizing cannabis.

“There is no buyer’s remorse on the part of the American people,” NORML’s Executive Director Erik Altieri said. “In the era of state-level legalization, voters’ support for this issue has grown rapidly — an indication that these policy changes have been successful and are comporting with voters’ desires and expectations.”

#6: FBI FAILS TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE MARIJUANA ARREST FIGURES FOR THE FIRST TIME

Data provided in October by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation reported that in 2021 over 400,000 drug-related seizures involved cannabis; however, for the first time in decades the agency failed to provide national estimates regarding the number of people arrested for marijuana-related violations. Data previously provided by the FBI has allowed NORML to track yearly marijuana-related arrests since 1965.

“At a time when voters and their elected officials nationwide are re-evaluating state and federal marijuana policies, it is inconceivable that government agencies are unable to produce any explicit data on the estimated costs and scope of marijuana prohibition in America,” NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano said.

#7: POTUS SIGNS LAW FACILITATING CLINICAL CANNABIS TRIALS AND DRUG DEVELOPMENT

President Joe Biden signed legislation into law facilitating the federal approval of cannabis-specific clinical research and drug development. It is the first time in over 50 years that a President has signed a stand-alone piece of legislation loosening federal marijuana prohibitions.

Under the new law, the US Attorney General is provided with a 60-day timeline to either approve or deny applications from scientists wishing to conduct clinical trials involving the use of cannabis by human subjects. The law also mandates the US Attorney General to solicit applications from those seeking to grow cannabis for either research purposes or for potential drug development, and it provides a timeline for the AG to approve those applicants. It also calls upon federal agencies, including HHS, to provide a report on the “potential therapeutic effects of cannabidiol or marijuana on serious medical conditions.”

NORML’s Political Director Morgan Fox said, “While the significance of POTUS signing the first stand-alone cannabis policy reform bill should not be overlooked, in truth, we don’t need more research to know definitively that prohibition is a misguided and disastrous policy.” He added: “That said, this legislation is certainly a step in the right direction that shows there can be bipartisan cooperation on this issue.”

With advocates facing a divided Congress in 2023, virtually any efforts to advance cannabis-specific reform legislation would require bipartisan support.

#8: ANALYSIS: STATE-LEGAL MARIJUANA INDUSTRY EMPLOYS OVER 428,000 FULL-TIME WORKERS

The state-licensed cannabis industry added over 100,000 new jobs in 2021 and now employs over 428,000 full-time workers, according to data compiled in February by Leafly.com and Whitney Economics.

According to its latest report, the cannabis industry created an average of 280 new jobs per day in 2021. That represents a 33 percent year-over-year increase, and it marks the fifth year in a row of annual jobs growth greater than 27 percent.

“At a time when the rest of the economy is struggling and people are leaving their jobs in droves, the legal cannabis industry is blooming, showing exponential employment growth, and attracting talented and driven individuals from across the workforce,” NORML’s Political Director Morgan Fox said.

#9: SURVEY: OVER 90% OF PAIN PATIENTS REPORT REDUCING THEIR OPIOID INTAKE FOLLOWING MEDICAL CANNABIS

The overwhelming majority of pain patients provided medical cannabis treatment report either reducing or ceasing their use of opioid medications, according to data published in August in the Journal of Addictive Diseases.

A team of Israeli investigators affiliated with Tel Aviv University assessed the relationship between cannabis and opioids in a cohort of patients with non-cancer specific chronic pain. All of the patients enrolled in the study were prescribed medical cannabis therapy in accordance with Israel’s medical cannabis access laws. Among those patients who reported using opioids at baseline, 93 percent either “decreased or stopped [using] opioids following cannabis initiation” – a finding that is consistent with dozens of other studies involving numerous other patient populations.

“The data is clear and consistent,” NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano said. “Cannabis is effective in treating a variety of forms of chronic pain and, for some patients, it provides a viable alternative to potentially deadly opioids.”

#10: MISSISSIPPI BECOMES 37TH STATE TO LEGALIZE MEDICAL CANNABIS ACCESS

State lawmakers passed comprehensive legislation in February regulating the production and dispensing of medical cannabis products. The legislation was enacted 15 months after state voters initially passed a similar medical marijuana legalization initiative. However, the courts later struck down the state’s citizens’ initiative process – thus nullifying the 2020 election result.

“Marijuana access has been long overdue for Mississippi’s patients,” NORML’s State Policies Manager Jax James said. “The overwhelming majority of voters decided in favor of this policy change two years ago, and while lawmakers cannot make up for lost time, they have an obligation to roll out this program as swiftly as possible so that patients can finally access the medicine they need.”

The Amount Of Legal Cannabis Planted In Greenhouses In Uruguay Nearly Doubled In A Year

Written by Johnny Green on January 4, 2023. Posted in Business, Policy.

Uruguay’s legal cannabis industry may not be as large as industries in other nations, however, it will always hold the distinction of being the first regulated national adult-use cannabis industry in the world’s history.

Lawmakers in Uruguay first passed a legalization measure back in 2013, nearly ten years ago. It took a handful of years for the first legal transaction to occur, and these days consumers of legal age in Uruguay have several options for legally sourcing cannabis, including via pharmacies.

By many reasonable measures the legal cannabis industry is succeeding in Uruguay, and that is reflected in statistics that were recently released regarding how much cannabis is being planted in greenhouses in Uruguay. The rate of increase is impressive. Per La Diaria Politica (translated to English):

The Directorate of Agricultural Statistics of the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP) published this week the 2022 Yearbook, which includes the current status and evolution of agricultural production and provides other related data, such as the volume of exports and imports. of agricultural products, the price of land and registered purchase and sale operations.

The document reports a significant increase in the area of cannabis in greenhouses, which went from 120,000 to 239,782 square meters between the agricultural years 2020/21 and 2021/22. In the same sense, the number of licenses granted for the plantation of cannabis went from 80 to 167 in the same period. In contrast, open-air cannabis plantations have been on the decline since 2020, and went from 580 hectares to 513 in the aforementioned period.

Greenhouses are a much more sustainable method for cultivating cannabis compared to cultivating cannabis inside of a building being that they use less non-renewable resources. The climate in Uruguay is favorable for cultivating cannabis in general, and greenhouses help keep pests and rain off of the plants while also maximizing exposure to sunlight.

As we previously reported, Uruguay recently expanded the number of cannabis options at pharmacies, with a higher-THC option rolling out last month. Another cannabis option is expected to come to pharmacies in Uruguay in late 2023, although it is still unclear what cannabinoid levels will be involved with the new variety.

France Lifts Ban On CBD Product Sales

Written by Hazel Norman on December 31, 2022. Posted in Business, Policy.

Roughly one year ago, on December 30, 2021 the government in France issued a ban on the sales of CBD products. CBD products have increased in popularity and availability throughout Europe in recent years, including in France.

Due to ongoing cannabis stigma, some lawmakers and regulators have portrayed CBD as being harmful, and they seem to have dusted off a number of reefer madness talking points that used to be applied to cannabis in general and are now revamping them to be more narrowly focused on CBD.

That stigma and ongoing anti-cannabis rhetoric by opponents has led to CBD crackdowns in some parts of the world. France’s ban was effectively short lived, as the ban was initially put on hold in January 2022 and is now being lifted altogether. Per Le Parisien:

The good news is confirmed for CBD sellers. Temporarily suspended last January, the ban on the sale in the raw state of the flowers and leaves of certain varieties of cannabis is now officially lifted, according to a decision of the Council of State on Wednesday , which “cancels the decree of December 30 2021 prohibiting the sale of cannabis flowers and leaves with a THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) level of less than 0.3%”.

The institution “notes that CBD (cannabidiol), which has no psychotropic effect and does not cause addiction, cannot be considered a narcotic product”.

The Council of State “retains that it has not been established that the consumption of the flowers and leaves of these varieties of cannabis with a low level of THC would involve risks for public health. It therefore considers illegal the general and absolute prohibition of their marketing”.

Another example of a looming CBD crackdown can be found in Hong Kong where a complete CBD ban is going into effect in 2023. Unlike France, leaders in Hong Kong have made it clear that they will not be reversing course and that the ban will indeed go into effect and anyone caught violating the new ban will receive years in prison.

France’s lifting of the previous CBD ban is certainly welcomed news, however, the European nation still has a long way to go when it comes to improving cannabis policy. Cannabis consumption is very popular in France, and cannabis prohibition is a failed public policy. It’s beyond time that France got completely on the right side of history when it comes to cannabis laws.

German Lawmakers Block Health Ministry Funding And Demand Legalization Measure

Written by Hazel Norman on December 26, 2022. Posted in Policy.

As 2022 draws to a close and cannabis observers start to look ahead to 2023, Germany will continue to be the focal point of most people’s attention. Germany’s Health Minister Karl Lauterbach is currently lobbying the European Union for its approval of the general legalization plan that he presented to the federal cabinet back in October.

Various theories are swirling as to why European Union sign off is being sought prior to the introduction of a measure in Germany, with the leading theory seeming to be that approval would mitigate challenges from EU member nations seeking to prevent the spread of legalization.

A group of lawmakers in Germany is growing impatient with the delays related to the introduction of legalization, demanding that a measure be introduced immediately. They even recently followed through with a threat to withhold some of the Health Ministry’s funding due to the delay. Per RND:

It was an unusual process: During the budget deliberations for 2022, the budget politicians of the traffic light coalition put Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) under heavy pressure: they decided to block an amount of one million euros for the ministry’s public relations work until Lauterbach presents a draft law for the legalization of cannabis agreed in the coalition agreement. The reason for this approach: the coalition partners had the impression that Lauterbach did not actually want the release and was therefore trying to delay the project.

Lauterbach actually thought he was on the right track, because at the end of October he presented very detailed key points for legalization. They stipulate that the acquisition and possession of up to 30 grams of cannabis should be exempt from punishment in the future. However, a concrete draft law is still missing.

There appears to be rumblings out of Germany that the components of the general legalization plan presented to the federal cabinet in October are not firm, and that it’s possible that some components could get watered down due to negative feedback from the EU during discussions.

Hopefully, a measure is officially introduced soon in Germany and the parameters are favorable, regardless of if there is EU sign off or not. It is unclear what will happen if/when EU approval is not granted.

Minister Lauterbach has previously indicated that he will not pursue legalization without prior EU approval, however, if it keeps resulting in lost funding perhaps it could change his tune. Meanwhile, we will all continue to wait and watch for any signs of movement.