Skip to main content
cannabis plant flower cannabis plant flower cannabis plant flower cannabis plant flower cannabis plant flower

Poll Shows Overwhelming Support For New Jersey Cannabis Legalization Measure

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Politics.

Election Day is only two weeks away in the United States, and voter turnout is shaping up to be record-breaking. That is good news for states that are voting on cannabis reform measures.

Historically, a higher voter turnout tends to help the chances of cannabis reform measures passing on Election Day. Conversely, having a cannabis reform measure on the ballot has contributed to greater voter turnout rates because people that may have stayed home actually show up and vote since cannabis reform is on the ballot.

One state that will be voting on adult-use cannabis legalization is New Jersey. The legalization effort in New Jersey has been going on for many years, and in 2017 when current New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy was elected it was expected that New Jersey would legalize fairly quickly.

As the sessions continued to pass and the New Jersey Legislature failed to follow through on getting legalization approved, it became obvious that the issue would be better decided by voters.

New Jersey lawmakers referred a legalization measure that will appear on the ballot for voters to decide. If current polling is accurate, the measure will win by a landslide, as reported by Marijuana Moment:

New Jersey voters support a marijuana legalization referendum that’s on their ballots by a nearly three-to-one margin, according to a new poll released on Friday.

The Stockton University Polling Institute survey found that when likely voters were asked whether they “support or oppose a constitutional amendment legalizing marijuana in New Jersey,” 66 percent were in favor, compared to 23 percent in opposition.

If New Jersey voters approve legalization, it will likely result in a domino effect in the surrounding area. Cannabis legalization is closer than ever in New York and Connecticut, and pressure is especially high right now with Massachusetts already having legal adult-use sales occurring.

If/when legalization wins in New Jersey on Election Day, states like New York and Connecticut will have to decide very quickly if they want to see even more cannabis tax revenues going to other states or if they want to finally get on the right side of history and see those dollars stay within their borders.

mexico flag mexico flag mexico flag mexico flag mexico flag mexico flag mexico flag mexico flag mexico flag mexico flag mexico flag mexico flag mexico flag mexico flag mexico flag mexico flag mexico flag mexico flag

Cannabis y Libertad – Will Mexico’s Recreational Coup Be A Bloodless One On Both Sides Of The Rio Grande?

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Politics.

For those who know their Mexican history, the slogan of the country’s revolution between the years 1910-1920 was Tierra y Libertad (land and freedom).

This century is about to see a bit of a repeat. Including a restriction imposed by that revolution (the illegality of cannabis itself) that is about to go down in flames.

The Mexican Supreme court ruled on October 31, 2018, that current laws in the country prohibiting the recreational use of cannabis are unconstitutional. Further, the court ruled that the government must implement laws to essentially begin the process of regulating the industry by March 2019. 

Previously, the Supreme Court had ruled in 2015 that the prohibition of personal cultivation and use was also unconstitutional as it violated the human right to the free development of one’s personality. Limited medical reform was then implemented in 2017 by the government.

So far, essentially, however, this is an uncomfortable can that has been kicked down the road repeatedly by the nation’s lawmakers.

That is about to change.

The country’s legislators have a new deadline – December 15 – to pass cannabis legislation of the recreational kind.

The question still on the table is what kind of legal market this might look like – and if indeed the market will be protected or opened to foreign investors and companies.

Rec Reform “South Of The Border”?

Realistically, particularly with continued political delay north of the border (even in a Biden presidency), the development of a Mexican marijuana market that is recreationally legal is likely to start a massive influx of capital into the region – even if just to displace traditional “landed” interests that might have previous experience in the drug industry in the country – but not from the legal side of the world.

And in an irony of history, Mexico will lead drug reform north of the border, by legalizing a market and industry on a federal level that the U.S. at least, for all of its forward reform at the state level, has yet to embrace.

A revolution indeed. And further one that will undoubtedly become, beyond state reform domestically, the final nail in the coffin of prohibition in the U.S. as well.

For the latest updates on the global cannabis industry, be sure to attend the International Cannabis Business Conference when it returns to live conferences!

laptop computer internet virtual laptop computer internet virtual laptop computer internet virtual

New Zealand Cannabis Legalization Campaign Wins The Twitter Battle

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Politics.

New Zealand could become the third country to legalize cannabis for adult use. Currently, cannabis is legal for adult use in Uruguay and Canada, and New Zealand could join that list if voters approve a legalization measure this month.

Election Day is technically on October 17th in New Zealand, although early voting is already underway. The election was originally scheduled for last month but was delayed due to a coronavirus outbreak.

Only time will tell if the measure ultimately passes, however, a study was recently conducted that sheds some light on the level of support for the measure, at least on social media.

Twitter is an extremely popular social media platform that is often harnessed for political purposes. Whether it’s by an official campaign or just a single voter, many New Zealand-focus tweets have involved the legalization measure.

A coalition of researchers based in Australia, the United States, and New Zealand examined Twitter data to gauge the level of support and opposition for New Zealand’s cannabis legalization measure.

Specifically, the researchers “conducted a sentiment analysis of all historic cannabis‐related tweets and referendum‐specific tweets written in New Zealand.”

The researchers didn’t just look at the data in recent months. They went all the way back to July 2009 and identified 304,760 tweets about cannabis legalization and New Zealand.

“Overall, the tweets were predominantly positive (62.0%) and there was a higher proportion of positive tweets written in 2020 (65.3%) compared to negative or neutral tweets. Similarly, for referendum‐specific tweets, the 2020 data reveal a generally positive view of cannabis (53.5%).” researchers concluded.

Twitter is obviously not the same as the ballot box.

For the sake of those that were harmed by cannabis prohibition in New Zealand, and countless others that are at risk of prosecution because of their cannabis use, hopefully voters approve the measure and get New Zealand on the right side of history.

The world will find out soon enough!

europe europe europe europe europe europe europe europe europe europe europe europe

European Cannabis Reform Inching Forward Despite Covid

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Politics.

Does the expected WHO decision on cannabis this December have anything to do with it?

A funny thing is happening across Covid-stressed Europe. Governments are either inching forwards reluctantly on aspects of the cannabis question, or they are being challenged to change the law in court. Regardless, it is clear that cannabis is on the agenda, even if reluctantly, just about everywhere.

Indeed in the last month, these individual developments have inched forwards across the continent:

Spain: The Canary Islands Parliament just voted to move full reform forwards. While far off the Spanish mainland if not far from Catalonia (the Spanish autonomous “state” that is also home of Barcelona aka home of the vast majority of cannabis clubs), and closer to the coast of Africa than Madrid, this small archipelago of 4 million people could well help put pressure on the central Spanish government to finally begin to federally regulate the industry at all levels. In the meantime, one of the heroes of the club movement is challenging the legitimacy of the federal Spanish law in European Human Rights Court.

Italy: Quietly published in August, the Agriculture Ministry has included the extract of hemp flower in an official list of agricultural products that can be used for medical purposes.

France: On October 7, the French released news of the much-promised medical trial finally being instituted in the country no later than March 31, 2021, and to run for a period of two years. This comfortably puts any French cannabis experiment absolutely in line with one apparently established internationally by globally moving forces. See the UN.

European Countries Seem To Be Aligning With A Medical Outlook

With the increased formalization of the German market (namely BfArM has now chosen a distributor for domestically produced crops), the writing is absolutely on the wall that at a diplomatic, nosebleed level, countries across Europe have now absolutely fallen into line on accepting cannabis as a legitimate medical plant if not product.

This is a victory, no matter how incomplete. For those who remember the days before 2016, no matter how slow change has sometimes seemed, it is also one achieved in almost record time, all things considered. 

The Next Steps

There is nobody in the industry, let alone those who seek to regulate and shape it externally, who believes that this is all “over.” Even after the WHO makes what is widely predicted to be its landmark announcement in December. 

Too many patients remain outside care. And both hemp and recreational reform beyond that are now also absolutely on the horizon, no matter how many years and countless fights remain.

Be sure to book your tickets to the only European cannabis industry conference that keeps you up to date if not on the cusp of developing trends across the industry. The International Cannabis Business Conference returns to Europe in 2021!

france flag france flag france flag france flag

Three French Mayors Call For National Cannabis Reform

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Politics.

While German patient numbers continue to steadily if slowly rise, the UK begins to set out its unique stance on CBD and other European countries make similar kinds of (more) canna friendly announcements, one country in Western Europe still stands out for its decided lack of reform.

Namely France.

Despite all sorts of promises, and from the highest political office in the land no less (namely the current if unpopular President Emmanuel Macron) reform even of the medical kind has not significantly budged in France.

With no established clubs or coffee houses, even in the grey areas of the law (see Spain and Holland), an insurer mandate to cover patients (Germany) or even exploratory market tests scheduled (Denmark, Holland, Switzerland), the country indeed is the laggard not only in Western Europe, but Europe generally.

The question, really is why?

One thing is for sure. It is not a question of better cheese or wine much less a snotty attitude about pronunciation. The French government is moving like snails (and not the delicious variety with butter and garlic) when it comes to reform.

A Political Response

But all is not lost in the land of Asterix. In late September, three French mayors, Gil Avérous (Châteauroux), Boris Ravignon (Charleville-Mézières) and Arnaud Robinet (Reims), have begun to speak out as a group – and for recreational reform.

Their main concerns? That 1.5 million regular users will continue to have to buy from the black market. And of course that the black market encourages criminality and money laundering – to the tune of at least 1.2 billion euros a year.

It may not sound like much of a response, even though they are also challenging other politicians and at all levels to join this campaign. 

But it is a good sign.

A Brief History of Cannabis In The Land of “Vive La Revolution!”

Perhaps it seems strange to foreigners that the home of democratic revolutions, as well as infamous lines from the last nobility to party on – as in “Let them eat cake,” would be slow adapt to the canna revolution. However, slow it certainly has been.

As of 2013, France changed the law (in place since 1953) to allow limited medical use. And as of September 1, 2020, the penalty for being found with cannabis as a user was reduced to a 200 euro fine with no police custody.

For the best regulatory guidance on the changing markets in Europe, be sure to return to the International Cannabis Business Conference next year!

cannabis flower plant cannabis flower plant cannabis flower plant cannabis flower plant cannabis flower plant cannabis flower plant

Yes, I Inhaled – New Zealand’s PM Admits Smoking Cannabis In Election Debate

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Politics.

The topic of recreational cannabis reform is absolutely atop the country’s election debate as New Zealand stares down its own national elections on October 17. Originally scheduled to take place on September 19 but delayed because of COVID, the vote for rec reform is not expected to be successful.

The majority of New Zealanders do want to see more medical reform, and the topic is likely to be a big issue going forward, particularly, if as expected, the recreational reform campaign fails at the ballot box. The country, like many others, is now beginning to quantify and structure its medical industry. That said, a full-boat “Canadian” if not U.S. state style cannabiz appears to be just a bit too forward for the Kiwis this year. And if it fails, the topic is also likely to get booted down the political pike for several years, at least.

The topic of recreational reform, however, is still enough of a political bug bear that defending Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was forced to admit recreational use “a long time ago” in her most recent televised debate against her opponent. She has so far refused to say how she will vote on recreational reform herself.

Is Recreational Taking A Breather?

Canna history is likely to show that 2020 was clearly a transitional year for the entire industry, globally, but recreational was far from the top of the agenda just about anywhere.

There are reasons for this apart from bureaucratic decisions that are still far removed from science.

The UN is likely to reset the entire debate about the plant itself as of the end of the year – no matter what it decides.

From that point on, other countries (see Luxembourg) are likely to take the ball forward, but only against a medical discussion that first and foremost recognizes the plant and its extracts as at minimum a kind of superfood if not wonder drug.

2021 is likely to see a restart of the discussion across Europe, particularly given what has happened here so far, particularly with a greater interest in hemp and extracts as a way forward to wellness, beyond a visit to the doctor.

For the latest on industry trends be sure to attend the International Cannabis Business Conference when it returns to Europe next year.

Spain flag Spain flag Spain flag Spain flag

Could A Pending Court Case Change The Cannabis Club Question In Spain If Not Europe?

Written by Marguerite Arnold on . Posted in Politics.

The Spanish cannabis market is one that has evolved over the last several years, primarily via the very greyness of the status of cannabis per Spanish law. Namely, much like it has been for decades in Holland, Spanish citizens may consume cannabis in private “clubs.” Operating them, or indeed growing for them, however, has been perilous for many involved directly in the debate.

Now the legal challenge of one of the leaders of the entire discussion is having his day in a European Court. Namely, Albert Tió, one of the leaders of the Spanish club movement, has a human rights case now headed to Strasbourg. 

Tió, a 53-year-old activist and father of minor children, was the secretary of one of the largest cannabis associations in Barcelona with nearly 4,000 members. In February 2014, the indoor grow facility that supplied the association was shut down by police, and both Tió and two other directors were convicted of crimes against the “public health and illicit association” by the Provincial Court in Barcelona.

This sentence was later ratified by the Spanish Supreme Court which also refused to process the appeal against the conviction. Tió, as a result, left Spain to avoid prosecution and is now seeking retribution at the European Court of Human Rights.

The Impact of The Case On Spanish (And Other European) Cannabis Clubs

The case could well have a large impact on not only Spanish but other European cannabis social club models, particularly in countries like Germany where the right of cannabis has now been enshrined as a medical one, and the right of association, even post Covid, is a hot topic.

Tió’s argument is that his conviction as one of the leading voices for cannabis reform, leading to the origin of the formal “club” law approved by the Catalan government in 2017 is a violation of the rights of autonomy and personal dignity contained in the European Convention on Human rights.

If he wins, as many suspects he might, it will have huge implications on the formal establishment of not only clubs but the associated cultivations associated with them. This in turn, especially in Spain, moves the needle towards a formally regulated industry. 

Across Europe, the win could also upset the apple cart in places like Germany, which have seen three years so far of “medical” reform but no movement whatsoever on either non-medical hemp reform (if not backward steps) and many obstacles in the way of greater medical access for most patients.

While three countries in Europe (Denmark, Holland and Luxembourg) plus Switzerland are moving forward with recreational trials if not plans, Spain as well as countries like Germany have not moved forward to enshrine a formal medical or recreational industry. This also appears now to be on the brink of changing, one way or the other.

For the latest updates on the ever-changing European cannabis marketplace, be sure to attend the International Cannabis Business Conference when it returns to Europe in 2021.

cannabis plant flower cannabis plant flower cannabis plant flower cannabis plant flower cannabis plant flower

Lawmaker In Australia Pushes For Cannabis Decriminalization

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Politics.

Cannabis policies can take on many forms around the globe. Unfortunately, the most common form is prohibition. Cannabis reform is thankfully spreading across the globe, however, the majority of countries on the planet still prohibit cannabis.

A far superior yet rarer form of cannabis policy is adult-use legalization. Currently, only Uruguay and Canada have this policy in place. Many countries also permit the legal use of cannabis for medical purposes.

One policy area that is somewhat in between the others is cannabis decriminalization.

Cannabis decriminalization is not the same as legalization in that there is still a penalty for cannabis possession, yet it is also not the same as full-prohibition because cannabis possession is treated as a civil infraction under a decriminalization policy and not treated as a criminal offense.

Cannabis decriminalization appears to be the favored policy for at least one lawmaker in Australia. Per Daily Mail:

Calls for cannabis to be decriminalised are growing with one MP saying the drug is no more addictive than booze or tobacco.

New South Wales Labor MP Rose Jackson told parliament on September 23 legalising the drug would be ‘economically sensible’.

Decriminalization and legalization are often used interchangably by lawmakers even though they are not actually the same thing.

With that being said, even decrminalization is an economically sensible public policy because it lets cops go after real criminals instead of prosecuting and incarcerating people for cannabis.

MP Jackson is 100% correct that cannabis is no more addictive than alcohol or tobacco and cannabis should be regulated in Australia as such.

Unlike tobacco and alcohol, the cannabis plant has never killed anyone. If alcohol and tobacco are legal in Australia and can be properly regulated, then the same should be true for cannabis.

new zealand flag new zealand flag new zealand flag new zealand flag new zealand flag new zealand flag new zealand flag new zealand flag new zealand flag new zealand flag

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Joins New Cannabis Legalization Poster Campaign

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Politics.

New Zealand may become the third country to pass a cannabis legalization measure. It all depends on whether or not New Zealand voters approve a cannabis legalization referendum measure next month during New Zealand’s election.

The election in New Zealand was originally scheduled to occur this month, and along with it the vote on the legalization measure, however, a coronavirus outbreak resulted in the election being delayed by roughly a month.

Polling for the legalization measure has been all over the place, with several polls showing the measure winning and several others showing that the measure is losing. What will happen on Election Day in New Zealand, which is now October 17th, is anyone’s guess at this point.

The New Zealand legalization effort received a boost recently via a new poster campaign in support of the referendum. The poster campaign features 60 people expressing support for the measure, and one of those people is former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark. Per RNZ:

It includes some familiar faces, like Helen Clark, as well as everyday Kiwis who support legalisation.

Dame Diane Robertson is one of those 60 New Zealanders. She’s the executive director of the New Zealand Data Trust, and the former Auckland City Mission chief executive.

“I think it’s time we legalise something that has been commonly used but at the moment we’re penalising people, particularly people who are low income and Māori about a drug that a lot of people are using … it’s a waste of police time, of resources and it marginalises people.”

It’s not every day that a former prime minister of a nation endorses a national cannabis legalization effort. This is obviously a really big deal.

Whether or not it proves to be a big enough deal to resonate with enough New Zealand voters to push the measure over the top remains to be seen and we will ultimately find out on October 17th.

If the measure is successful New Zealand would become the third country to legalize cannabis for adult use along with Uruguay and Canada.