Embassy HEADLINES Issue 404
AUSTRALIA/NZ
Call for amnesty on personal cannabis use on 420 day during pandemic
‘This is an ideal time to take a fresh look at cannabis law reform with the current pandemic making it very relevant to many people across the country. If ten per cent of Australians use cannabis regularly as is quoted, though who really knows, that’s 2.5 million people. It could easily be more.’
From Criminal To Patient – Medical Canna Journey Australia
Follow me on my emotional & expensive journey from being an unlawful drug user to becoming a medical cannabis patient.
Survey results reveal Australian usage of medicinal cannabis for inflammatory bowel disease
New research conducted by the Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics at the University of Sydney reveals a quarter of Australians with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have used cannabis, predominantly from illicit sources, to manage their condition. They reported improvements in symptoms and reduced use of prescription medication.
Australia’s growing industrial hemp industry
In 2017, after extensive campaigning by industry bodies and advocates, the federal government of Australia approved the legalisation of hemp-based foodstuffs for human consumption.
Aussie Weed Prices
Cannabis prices fluctuate based on the typical factors which most consumer goods do – quality, supply, and demand. However, with recreational weed (currently) illegal in Australia, prices must also factor in a degree of risk. So how much does weed cost in Australia?
Coronavirus pandemic could trigger a spike in mental illness — this organisation thinks psychedelic drugs will help
In reference to psychedelic drugs: “We would be derelict in our duty as a country, as governments in this country, if we didn’t take this opportunity to grab hold of this technology.” Former Coalition MP Andrew Robb.
An online business directory and marketplace for the Australian cannabis and hemp industry
NORTH AMERICA
A look at both sides of the fight for equity in Chicago’s legal cannabis industry
A look into the years-long fight for Black and brown communities to have a seat at the table in Chicago’s legal cannabis industry.
Arizona Officials Note Spike In Medical Marijuana Sales Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
Local television station 3TV/CBS 5 reported this week that “around 17,000 pounds of medical marijuana was sold in the state during March,” which was “up around a ton from February’s figure, and included around 100,000 more transactions than in February.”
New report analyzes US wholesale cannabis prices across the nation
This video clip summarizes pre-coronavirus pandemic wholesale prices for the U.S. recreational and medical cannabis markets.
WORLD
Scotland set to get its first legal cannabis farm
A large greenhouse will be built where the drug will be grown for use in medicines.
Medical cannabis in Greece: legalisation and regulation
In 2018, the government of Greece approved the legalisation of cannabis for medical use.
Iceland amends narcotics regulation to allow hempseed imports
Farmers in Iceland will be allowed to import industrial hempseeds for the first time this year after the health minister gave regulators the power to grant exceptions to the Nordic island’s total ban on cannabis and cannabis products.
Lebanon becomes first Arab country to legalise cannabis farming for medical use in bid to beat economic crisis
Cannabis has long been illegally farmed in the fertile Bekaa Valley and government now hopes to turn it into a legal billion-dollar trade.
Danish health agency inspections on hold, including those for cannabis producers
Danish Medicines Agency inspections have been put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic. That means the country’s domestic medical cannabis businesses could face more delays in getting product to market as producers await certificates of compliance from the health agency.
HEALTH & SCIENCE
A classification of endangered high-THC cannabis (Cannabis sativa subsp. indica) domesticates and their wild relatives
Given the precarious continued existence of unaltered aboriginal wild populations of Cannabis in Asia, preservation in seed banks is an immediate priority.
Tod Mikuriya: Grandfather of Medical Marijuana
Dr. Tod Mikuriya was a critical force in the successful and ground-breaking effort to legalize medical marijuana in California in the 1990s. Now his papers are available to researchers through a newly archived collection at the National Library of Medicine.
Observations About Recent Health Concerns Over Vaping-Related Lung Illness
Science indicates black market products were the culprit behind EVALI, so how do consumers vape responsibly moving forward?
Cannabidiol As An Antibiotic Booster
Another study has indicated the cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) could have an important role to play in battling antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Nearly 30% of weed smokers switched to alternative products during pandemic
With experts warning of the dangers of smoking amid the coronavirus pandemic, 28% of marijuana smokers in a new survey said they have made the switch to edibles and other alternative methods of consuming cannabis.
COVID-19 and Cannabis Smoking and Vaping: Four Things You Should Know [report]
Summarizes four important facts currently known about COVID-19 and how it can affect people who smoke or vape cannabis products. Topics covered include the potential impact of smoking or vaping cannabis on lung health, the potential impact on the immune system, how it can have an impact on people infected with COVID-19 and guidance for reducing harms.
Cannabis May Ease Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms, Johns Hopkins Study Finds
Researchers are calling for formal clinical trials into the efficacy of marijuana for treating opioid use disorder after a newly published study found that cannabis may ease many common symptoms of opioid withdrawal.
Cannabis in the Treatment of Headache and Migraine
Migraine rating decreased in 88.1% of the sessions; an average 49.6% decrease in severity was reported; concentrate and flower form of cannabis appeared equally effective; there appeared to be a pattern of dose escalation over time.
CULTURE
A Timeline Of Marijuana
6.38 million years ago: Satan plants the first cannabis seed on the Asian continent to tempt future Christians.
Drink Your Weed: How Cannabis Beverages Finally Took Off
Edibles have been the breakout star of cannabis legalization — but drinkables could offer a whole new kind of high.
POLITICS & LAW
ACLU Underlines That Racial Justice Takes More Than Just Marijuana Legalization
Black people are more likely than whites to be arrested for marijuana, even after decriminalization and legalization, confirms a new report from the American Civil Liberties Union. The researchers support wider marijuana legalization, but are urging governments to simultaneously do much more to create racial justice.
BUSINESS & INDUSTRY
The Importance Of Advocacy And Social Responsibility In The Cannabis Industry
A 2019 survey of 420 consumers in the U.S. found that “fewer people (44%) say price is among the most important attributes of a company compared to environmentally friendly business practices (71%), social responsibility (68%), and giving back to the local community (68%).”
Americans Are Spending Their Stimulus Checks On Cannabis
Marijuana Businesses Pay Taxes, But Can’t Get Federal Disaster Relief
CBD and Cannabinoid Industry Association: education and regulation
As the leading trade body for the US CBD industry, the CBD and Cannabinoid Industry Association (CBDIA) aims to educate, inform and advocate for the industry’s unique needs.
Little Green Pharma’s first shipment of medicinal cannabis products has arrived in the U.K.
“This is an important milestone for [Australian company] Little Green Pharma as we enter the U.K. market and will provide us with an early mover advantage in what is anticipated to be a large medicinal cannabis market,” Managing Director Fleta Solomon said at the time.
Canopy Growth exits cannabis cultivation on three continents in major international pullback
Canopy Growth is ceasing more cannabis cultivation in Africa, Canada, Colombia and the United States in a bid to “improve efficiencies” in its global operations, the once high-flying marijuana giant said Thursday.
EVENTS
HHI Expo [Canberra/Brisbane/Sydney] Canberra Expo CANCELLED!
Nimbin MardiGrass [Nimbin] POSTPONED
Protest, Educate & Celebrate
1st – 3rd May 2020
Postponed for Now
Drug Policy Public Discussion Forum [Sydney] Postponed until October!
Australian Medicinal Cannabis Conference 2020 [Melbourne]
Garden States – Cultivating Plant Knowledge [Melbourne]
Saturday 6 December 2020 at 9:00am
Springvale City Hall, 397 – 405 Springvale Rd, Springvale VIC 3171
FUNDRAISERS/CAMPAIGNS/PETITIONS/SURVEYS
Story Lab: It’s time for a new conversation about drugs in Australia.
Unharm is launching Story Lab, a training program for eight people based in NSW to share their stories with the public and media, to shift the story about drugs in Australia by putting human stories to the forefront.
Closes on 14/4/2020 – Qld parliamentary petition to legalise cannabis
Australian Senate committee issues report on medical cannabis barriers
117 Public Submissions for Senate Inquiry
Read the submissions made to the Senate inquiry into current barriers to patient access to medicinal cannabis in Australia.