Embassy HEADLINES Issue 426

TOP STORIES

Global survey of cannabis cultivators

AUSTRALIA/NZ

NZ Election 2020: School principals split over legalising cannabis

Principals’ Federation president Perry Rush has drawn a storm of protest from some of his own members after endorsing the legalisation of cannabis in next month’s referendum.

Aussie cannabis industry set for painful shakeup – report

Australia’s battered medical cannabis industry is set for even more pain as a looming price war will force some companies out of business, a new industry report predicts.

The Help End Marijuana Prohibition (HEMP) Party’s Submission to the Victorian Inquiry into Cannabis

NORTH AMERICA

CBD food market identified as major Canadian economic recovery opportunity – new report on food and beverages

BC to allow “small-scale producers” to deliver cannabis directly to licensed retailers as well as farm-gate sales beginning in 2022

“I think it’s fantastic they have made this decision,” says Dunn. “It sounds like they are really incentivizing small scale, micro cultivators to join the market and get their products out and make a name for themselves”

Arizona Company Now Has the Largest Indoor Cannabis Facility in the U.S.

Copperstate Farms now has the largest indoor cannabis facility in the United States with 40 acres under glass. It is also the top employer in Snowflake, Arizona. The company is the largest producer of bulk distillate in the state, supplying a third of the Arizona market, and currently has more than 50 medical marijuana strains in development and 50 in production.

Changing Quickly: Which U.S. States Are Looking to Legalize Cannabis Next?

In the US, between legal medical programs, and recreational adult-use programs, more than half of America’s 50 states now allow some kind of cannabis use, with seemingly a new one joining in every day. Which states haven’t made the plunge yet, but are on the way? Read on.

Oregon wildfires destroyed at least seven marijuana businesses: ‘confirmed total loss’

The wildfires appear to have directly affected a tiny percentage of the state’s 2,300 licensees but it’s too soon to know whether that destruction and other indirect impacts might have a broader effect on this year’s crop.

Americans will spend $60 billion on illicit marijuana this year, report says

Studies estimate that between 12% to 14% of adult Americans enjoy cannabis. That’s a massive group of consumers—and they spend billions of dollars every year on marijuana. Unfortunately, according to a new report, more than 71% of that spending goes to the illicit market, due to various forms of cannabis prohibition enforced in 39 states.

South Dakota aims to legalize cannabis like never before

This November, South Dakotans will try to do something no state has done before—legalize both medical and adult-use cannabis at once. What are the chances? How are the bills written? Why bother with both? Our legalization guide has answers.

A new analysis by the campaign seeking to pass a marijuana legalization ballot measure in South Dakota shows that nearly one out of 10 of all arrests in the state are for cannabis, and that enforcement is carried out in a racially disproportionate manner.

New campaign makes push for interstate cannabis commerce in U.S.

The Alliance for Sensible Markets has released a plan under which the group will urge governors across the country to enter interstate compacts in order to facilitate the movement of cannabis between states where pot has been legalized.

Illinois Revises Marijuana Licenses Process After Complaints

Illinois tweaked how business owners seeking recreational marijuana licenses can apply following complaints that the process favored politically connected and rich applicants over minorities and veterans who were supposed to benefit.

2020 U.S. Hemp Season Sees Farmers Battling Thieves Again 

Last year was a shocker for hemp theft in the USA and it’s not clear if this year has any better given increasing awareness and education around the fact that hemp and marijuana are not the same thing. Hemp’s levels of THC, the intoxicating cannabinoid, are so low it has zero recreational value. The number of media reports this year does seem to be lower even though hemp cultivation is becoming more prevalent; so perhaps the message is getting through – but the season isn’t over yet.

British Columbia to reserve shelf space for Indigenous cannabis producers

The program will highlight cannabis products produced by B.C. Indigenous producers in BC Cannabis Stores, helping consumers easily identify those products and make purchasing decisions.

Manitoba weighs on-site cannabis consumption, but not for smoking

Manitoba’s provincial cannabis store regulator is considering a new type of cannabis business license that would allow on-site consumption of ingestible and topical marijuana products, but would bar smoking or vaping.

WORLD

In Luxembourg 630 patients consume 270kg of medical cannabis per year

Obtaining a prescription is not easy. Patients must have a serious illness, often at an advanced stage, experience severe pain, or have symptoms that stimulate fear.

UK regulatory landscape: import and export of medical cannabis

While doctors are now allowed to prescribe medicinal cannabis in certain circumstances, many patients still face an uphill struggle in obtaining this medicine, which can effectively treat or alleviate the symptoms of some medical conditions. One of the many hurdles to overcome is the slow and bureaucratic process of importing medicinal cannabis, which runs paradoxically to the UK’s position as the world’s largest exporter.

Pakistan to Legalize Hemp Cultivation and Production

In what it describes as “a landmark decision,” on September 1st, the government of Pakistan announced its intention to legalize hemp, effective immediately.

Why is India persecuting Rhea Chakraborty when Demands for Legalisation of Cannabis are Growing?

The investigation into the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput has revealed evidence of usage of marijuana by him and his girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, who has been arrested for the same. Cannabis or marijuana is a native Indian plant that finds place in Indian culture.

Japanese couple face arrest for allegedly posting 800 pro-weed messages online

Croatia Company Plans Solar-Powered Hemp Boat, Showing Versatility of Cannabis

With all this talk about the new global medicinal cannabis market, it’s easy to overlook its versatile sister industry – the industrial hemp market. Hemp markets may be slow to open for some countries, but one Croatian company is showing just how useful hemp is, and just how many things it can do.

South Africa’s Parliament is accepting public input on a marijuana reform bill

Macedonian Company Finally Wins EU-GMP Certification

In Macedonia, cannabis is not legal for recreational use at all, and there are no decriminalization or personal use laws to boot. However, in 2016, Macedonia did approve a bill for medical cannabis within the country.

French Committee Pushes for Cannabis Legalization

Israel medical cannabis patient count hits record as imports soar

The number of authorized medical cannabis patients in Israel has more than doubled in the past two years – topping 70,000 – despite persistent supply and regulatory challenges, according to new data from the Israeli Medical Cannabis Agency (IMCA).

UK food regulators reject CBD as narcotic, stand by novel food deadline

Great Britain has rejected the European Commission’s preliminary stance that hemp flower-derived CBD should be regulated as a narcotic.

Paraguay Grows it, Brazil Takes it… Will New Cannabis Laws Change Anything?

South America is becoming a new hotspot for changing cannabis laws, and international cannabis trading. One of the biggest providers of cannabis in South America is Paraguay, with much of its product being moved to Brazil. But it’s all black-market. Can the new rules change this?

The Scientist (2015) Medical Marijuana: Studying For a Higher Purpose – Prof. Dr. Raphael Mechoulam

“The Scientist” is a documentary that traces the story of Nobel prize nominee Dr. Raphael Mechoulam from his early days as a child of the Holocaust in Bulgaria, through his immigration to Israel, and his career as the chief investigator into the chemistry and biology of the world’s most misunderstood plant. Dr. Mechoulam ascertained that THC interacts with the largest receptor system in the human body, the endocannabinoid system (ECS).

Registered Cannabis Patient Cited for Possession While Hiking on Federal Land

Freddy is just the latest to fall into the gap between state and federal policy on marijuana usage. It’s a gap that’s especially relevant in Arizona, where over a third of the state is federal land, and one that can escalate a simple recreation issue like a missing hiking permit into something more serious.

Famous Historical Figures Who Used Marijuana

People, including famous historical figures, have been using marijuana for medicinal and recreational purposes for thousands of years. In this video we take a look at 8 of our favorite famous historical figures who used marijuana in the past.

Medical Cannabis Live Series – AU & NZ Panel [Online]

Thursday, 1 October 2020 7:00 pm AEST: Join an esteemed panel of industry leaders as they discuss key commercial insights about the Australian and New Zealand cannabis markets.

Cannabis and Mental Health – Dr. Jamie Rickcord [Online]

Thursday, 8 October 2020 7:30 pm AEST: Join Dr. Jamie Rickcord as he discusses his insights into using cannabis as a treatment for mental health during COVID-19.