Author name: Kducey

An Overview Of Cannabis Policy Modernization Efforts In Europe

Nowhere on Earth is as exciting from a cannabis policy modernization standpoint right now as the European continent, where several nations are working to modernize their cannabis policies and launch, or expand, regulated cannabis industries.

Europe is already home to two nations that have passed national adult-use reform measures. Malta became the first European nation to do so in late 2021, and Luxembourg became the second nation in Europe to pass such a measure when lawmakers approved a bill earlier this year. The only other nations on Earth that have passed national adult-use measures are Uruguay (2013) and Canada (2018).

Cannabis is the most popular illegal substance in Europe among consumers, which is also true of every other continent. The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) estimates that roughly 8% of adults in European Union member nations have consumed cannabis at least one time in the last year.

At least 1.3% of the European Union’s adult population, nearly 4 million people, report consuming cannabis on a daily basis. It’s quite likely that the true figure is considerably greater, being that many people do not feel comfortable admitting to being a cannabis consumer to government officials conducting surveys when cannabis is prohibited.

Europe is home to unique public policy approaches to cannabis regulation. A great example of that can be found in Switzerland where limited regional adult-use cannabis pilot programs are up and running. Such programs permit localized cannabis commerce to help lawmakers and regulators gather data to be better suited to craft national policies.

Switzerland may be the most associated with pilot programs right now, however, that designation is likely to be conceded to Germany in the coming years. Lawmakers in Germany are working to pass a national adult-use measure that would, among other things, permit regional pilot programs. When that happens, Germany’s pilot programs will likely become far more common, and larger in size, compared to what is found in Switzerland.

To best understand the current status of cannabis policies in Europe one needs to look no further than Germany and to a lesser extent Malta. The world is learning in real-time, through Germany’s legalization efforts, what is permitted at a national level in Germany according to the European Union, and what requires further continental reform.

Policymakers in Germany set out in 2021 to pass a robust national legalization measure, somewhat similar to the model that Canada has implemented. Unfortunately, via ongoing discussions with the European Union, German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach was informed that national sales run afoul of continental agreements.

The European continental cannabis policy debate is largely one of semantics. Legalizing cannabis to boost economies is not permitted in Europe. However, modernizing cannabis policies for research purposes, including public policy research purposes, is permitted. So is modernizing cannabis policies to boost public health outcomes, and it’s within those parameters that European lawmakers are allowed to operate.

This is why medical cannabis is permitted across Europe, and why Malta and Luxembourg are permitted to end cannabis prohibition as it pertains to individuals (cultivation, possession, and consumption). For Malta specifically, it’s why noncommercial cannabis clubs are allowed to be licensed there. That level of national legalization is allowed under EU law, and more nations should pursue such reform.

Yet, just because current EU policy prohibits national cannabis regulation models from mimicking Canada doesn’t mean that it will always be that way. Germany is leading a coalition of European governments that wish to change continental agreements to remove adult-use restrictions. Advocates in many European nations, particularly in the Czech Republic and Slovenia, are working to get their nations’ leaders on the right side of history. When Germany legalizes, it will likely usher in a wave of similar activity across the continent.

It’s unclear how long it will take for continental reform to be achieved in Europe, however, every country that modernizes its policies to permit sales, and sees its legal sales succeeding, will add to the momentum for larger reform. Just as legal adult-use commerce is winning in the Western Hemisphere, the same will be true on the other side of the ocean once the legal industry is given a proper chance.

This article first appeared at TheTalmanGroup.com and is syndicated with special permission

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Policy.

Europe

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Annual International Cannabis Business Conference In Berlin

The International Cannabis Business Conference is once again bringing its signature blend of industry, policy, and entertainment to Berlin’s iconic Estrel Hotel. The two-day B2B conference, which is the largest of its type in Europe, will be held on April 16th and 17th, 2024.

Over 5,000 global cannabis entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, regulators, and industry service providers from over 80 different countries are expected to attend the annual conference in 2024. In addition to the two-day curriculum portion of the event, which is sponsored by The Talman Group, there will be an infamous event after-party. The International Cannabis Business Conference after-party is sponsored by Advanced Nutrients and is sure to be an amazing time.

Germany is currently leading the effort to modernize Europe’s outdated cannabis policies. It is no secret that lawmakers in Germany are working through the legalization process right now, as well as taking the lead in cannabis policy discussions with the European Union.

Germany is the metaphorical crack in the prohibition dam, and when it bursts, it will open the policy modernization floodgates. That all makes Berlin the perfect backdrop, and the place to be, in mid-April 2024 at the International Cannabis Business Conference.

If you have a cannabis industry product or service that you want to get in front of a truly international cannabis audience, and at a better time than ever before, consider exhibiting and/or sponsoring the 2024 International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin.

Early bird ticket pricing is in effect through December 6th. Get your tickets today before the event sells out. Click here to see a video with more information about the upcoming conference.

Written by Get your tickets today on

Berlin, Germany

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Cannabis Commonly Used As A Sleep Aid

Insomnia, the inability to fall asleep and/or remain asleep, is a major health problem around the world. Whether patients suffer from insomnia as a primary condition, or if insomnia is caused by a different health condition, insomnia can have a massively negative impact on a person’s overall health. That negative impact can affect both physical and mental health.

When a human is sleep deprived, they become more irritable, and handling daily tasks becomes more difficult. A lack of sleep impairs brain functions such as memory and decision-making, and it can lead to depression. Physically, insomnia can impair patients’ immune systems, among other concerns.

Cannabinoids within the cannabis plant have served as a sleep aid for many insomnia patients over many years. A recent study in Canada looked at cannabis and sleep among cancer survivors specifically. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Halifax, Canada: Nearly a quarter of Canadian cancer survivors acknowledge consuming cannabis as a sleep aid, according to data published in the Journal of Cancer Survivorship: Research and Practice.

Investigators surveyed over 1,400 cancer survivors. Twenty-four percent of respondents said that they used cannabis prior to bedtime, “with reported benefits including relaxation, reduced time to fall asleep, fewer nocturnal awakenings and improved sleep quality.” (Cannabis is legal for both medical and adult use in Canada.)

Over two-thirds of consumers said that they initiated cannabis use following their cancer diagnosis. Over one-third of consumers said that they used marijuana daily.

Adults frequently report using cannabis and CBD products as sleep aids. Data published in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine reported that the enactment of adult-use marijuana legalization laws is associated with a significant reduction in the sales of over-the-counter sleep aids among the general public.

Full text of the survey, “A cross-sectional survey of the prevalence and patterns of using cannabis as a sleep aid in Canadian cancer survivors,” appears in the Journal of Cancer Survivorship: Research and Practice.

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

 

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Cannabis import export statistics

The BC LDB will soon launch a new data report that they say will help provide licensed producers with better insight into which retailers are purchasing their products. 

The report comes based on feedback from many producers in the industry who need such insight to better understand where to focus their efforts and engagement with retailers, as well as potentially address so-called “data deals” between some retailers and producers.  

In a memo sent out to stakeholders, the LDB explains that the BC Cannabis Wholesale Customer Distribution Report “will provide LPs with a list of the retailers that are purchasing their products and the number of cases purchased by each retailer, by SKU, over a four-week period.”

Beginning October 2, 2023, the report will automatically be included in LPs’ report portfolios. This report will be free for the first year. After that, the province will review the program to decide what fee structure will be needed.

Health Canada expects cannabis exports to continue to increase significantly, with more than a thousand applications already submitted as of September 12, 2023.

The federal regulator has already received 1,211 applications from Canadian companies seeking to export cannabis since the beginning of the fiscal year on April 1, 2023, and has approved 1,147. In a presentation made online on Tuesday, October 24, a representative with Health Canada said they expect these numbers to continue to increase. 

The number of applications and permits issued has been increasing on an annual basis, with 1,805 permits issued in 2022-2023, 1,421 in the previous year, 1,267 in 2020-21, 1,213 in 2019-20, and 272 in 2018-19.

The top countries for Canadian companies to export cannabis to are, in order, Australia, Germany, Israel, Argentina, the UK, and the US.

Canada’s Cannabis Regulations allow for the export of cannabis to countries with a recognized legal medical cannabis framework. Currently, exports are only allowed to countries with a medical cannabis framework, often helping to address supply gaps in various countries that have recently legalized. 

Canada also allows imports of cannabis on a very limited basis, such as importing starting materials (e.g., seeds, plants) for a new licence holder, or for small quantities of cannabis for research purposes.

Canadian licensed producers have been increasingly looking to overseas markets to address challenges related to the supply glut domestically.

As of March 2023, the most recent data from Statistics Canada shows that 125,981.76 kg of dried cannabis had been permitted to be exported from Canada, and 98,260.18 litres of cannabis oil. Only 28.05 kilograms of dried cannabis and 65.88 litres of oil were imported into Canada.

Cannabis import export statistics

 | STAFF

Health Canada Expects Cannabis Exports to Continue to Increase Read More »

BC launches new data report for cannabis producers

The BC LDB will soon launch a new data report that they say will help provide licensed producers with better insight into which retailers are purchasing their products. 

The report comes based on feedback from many producers in the industry who need such insight to better understand where to focus their efforts and engagement with retailers, as well as potentially address so-called “data deals” between some retailers and producers.  

In a memo sent out to stakeholders, the LDB explains that the BC Cannabis Wholesale Customer Distribution Report “will provide LPs with a list of the retailers that are purchasing their products and the number of cases purchased by each retailer, by SKU, over a four-week period.”

Beginning October 2, 2023, the report will automatically be included in LPs’ report portfolios. This report will be free for the first year. After that, the province will review the program to decide what fee structure will be needed. 

“I have a feeling this will lead to more reps coming to my door. But my big concern is if you’re making money off this, we should be getting our share because it’s our data. And I would prefer it was anonymous and it was telling them which regions.” 

MIKE BABINS, EVERGREEN CANNABIS

The report will only include purchasing data for an LP’s product, not any other producers or any other data related to retailers’ sales. 

The report will include the business name and address of each retailer that purchased their product, the LDB SKU number and product name of each product purchased, and the number of cases purchased by each retailer, by SKU.

Two BC cannabis producers tell StratCann the news is welcome and needed, although one retailer says they aren’t too excited by the idea of the LDB sharing their data with producers.  

Sean Curly, the director of sales at FN Canna/All Nations, says he’s excited by the news, and that this can save struggling producers money while also allowing them to better identify which stores are most familiar with their products. 

“One of the foundations of our business is around connection,” says Curly. “We strive to create connections with all our partners, including our partner retailers. So this is a huge step forward to be able to now connect directly with those retailers that support us.”

He says it can also help address so-called “data programs” or “data deals”  where producers pay retailers for similar data. 

“If other provinces can come to the plate and deliver a service like this, I think that can help get rid of those kinds of deals. The more the government can provide transparency and allow LPs to connect directly with retailers is only going to support this industry and help create a healthy, vibrant industry.” 

 

Mike Babins, the owner of Evergreen Cannabis in Vancouver, says he supports the idea behind the report and thinks it could address the “data deals”. However, he’s not too excited by the idea of his sales data being provided and potentially sold to LPs. 

“On the one hand, I think I should be the one who should be sharing the info with them,” says Babins. “On the other hand, if I were one of those doing data deals, it would hurt me, I suppose. But I’m not doing that because I think that’s not appropriate to do. 

“I have a feeling this will lead to more reps coming to my door. But my big concern is if you’re making money off this, we should be getting our share because it’s our data. And I would prefer it was anonymous and it was telling them which regions.” 

Janeen Davis, VP of sales at Joint Venture Craft Cannabis, echoes the concerns about “data deals” and the hope that this report will help combat them. 

“Data deals have hit BC now, and the unfortunate writing is on the wall that certain retailers would not stock supplier’s products unless they were paid for data. With the BC LDB and BC government coming out with this level of transparency, it will prove that many retailer data deals are simply disguised slotting fees which most suppliers cannot afford. I am proud to see BC LDB lead the charge to create a sustainable industry for suppliers as well as retailers.

 | DAVID BROWN

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Cannabis producers can now provide samples to cannabis stores in BC

The BC Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB) has updated its regulations to allow cannabis retail store licensees and their employees to accept samples from a federal licence holder. 

These changes will apply to Cannabis Retail Stores (CRS) and Producer Retail Stores (PRS ie farmgate).

A sample can not be used for any type of inducement. The LCRB has no limit on the size of a cannabis sample, but notes that samples are expected to be “of reasonable size and quantity and should have little retail value”.  The retailer must provide a “nominal fee” for the sample.

A representative with BCs Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General says that while a the nominal fee/value is not defined in legislation or regulation, the amount can be negotiated between the licensees. An example of a nominal fee could be $2, says the representative.

Although retailers are not allowed to supply cannabis samples to other cannabis licensees, the LCRB says they are exploring this possibility in the future, along with allowing all marketing licensees to accept and provide samples to other licensees. 

 

The change is based on industry feedback. Earlier this year, BC confirmed they were engaging industry on the issue. 

Randy Rowe, the owner of the Grow Up industry conference, taking place October 1-3 in Victoria BC, says he was one who worked closely with the BC government to push for these changes. Grow Up’s Victoria event has been structured to allow for samples, which will be carefully tracked. 

“This is a game changer for brands in BC,” says Rowe. “Being able to get in front of retailers gives producers a stronger opportunity to educate retailers on their product. For cannabis events like ours, this gives us the opportunity to bring a large number of retailers and brands together to be able to provide samples.”

CRS and PRS licensees will be required to keep records relating to cannabis samples that contain the following information (handbook section 3.4.17):

a) the unique excise tax identifier from the original packaging of the cannabis sample;

b) the date the licensee received the cannabis sample;

c) the federal licence holder and name of the representative that provided the cannabis sample;

d) the nominal purchase amount that the licensee paid for the cannabis sample; and

e) the amount or quantity of cannabis sample received.

Some other provinces allowed such samples from the beginning of legalization, like Ontario and Saskatchewan, while Alberta recently began allowing them this past March.

Earlier this year, a spokesperson for the Cannabis Cultivators of BC, representing a handful of producers, told Stratcann that its members would love to see the province create an accessible cannabis sampling program. This would allow producers to inform retailers of what is already on the market and what is coming soon.

“Allowing cannabis sampling gives retailers the ability to touch, see, and feel the products they plan on bringing into their stores, increasing transparency in the process and instilling confidence in what they recommend to their consumers.

“Items for consideration could include making sampling available for products prior to provincial launch by BCLDB and allowing producers to distribute samples directly from their own facilities: aspects which would help our sector improve speed, remove administrative burden, and remain responsive to changing consumer and retailer needs.”

Jaclynn Pehota, the executive director of the Retail Cannabis Council of BC (RCCBC), told StratCann her organization has been lobbying the BC government to make such changes, as well. 

“Product sampling is critical to making informed wholesale purchasing decisions for licensed retailers. Sampling is also an important sales tool for producers,” Pehota tells StratCann. “RCCBC made a formal recommendation in April 2023 that representative samples of any cannabis product in the market should be allowed on a B2B basis in BC.”

 | DAVID BROWN

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Cannabis software company receives $1 million from Government of Canada

GrowerIQ, a seed-to-sale software company for cannabis producers, has now secured just over one million dollars in funding from the federal government. 

In a press release today, the Ontario-based company announced the completion of its latest funding round, securing CAD $1,080,000. GrowerIQ says the funding, which comes through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), will be used to improve its cannabis tracking system.

The announcement comes following the recent news of Barbados selecting GrowerIQ as the exclusive cannabis tracking partner for the country. 

Andrew Wilson, CEO of GrowerIQ, says the funding round will help the company continue to grow as not only a Canadian brand but a global one. 

“We are thrilled to have secured this funding to accelerate our mission of transforming the cannabis industry,” said Andrew Wilson, CEO of GrowerIQ. “This investment will allow us to further develop our cutting-edge technology and expand our global footprint. We are committed to providing cannabis producers with the tools they need to succeed in an increasingly competitive market.”

“Our goal is to bring together all systems, processes, advisors, and capabilities into one place, to help simplify what can easily spiral into something very complex,” Wilson previously told StratCann about his approach to the service. “We built the seed-to-sale platform from the perspective of the grower, and coded those insights right into the system’s process flows. So, users of GrowerIQ benefit from those decades of agricultural experience just by using the system.”

 

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Canadian Cannabis Sales

Cannabis sales in Canada passed the 420 million mark again in June, following a slight decline after the Christmas shopping season.

Total retail sales of cannabis in June 2023 were over $426 million, up from $415 million in the previous month and a peak of $425 million in December 2022.

Like sales in many retail sectors, cannabis sales have dipped in the months following the Christmas shopping seasons over the last three years, before again building on an ongoing, upward trend. 

The number of retail stores across Canada also continues to grow, although the pace has slowed considerably compared to the first four years of legalization. 

  • BC: 506 public and private stores as either open or “coming soon”
  • Alberta: 746
  • Saskatchewan: 177
  • Manitoba: 189, 109 of which are in Winnipeg 
  • Ontario: 1,748 as authorized to open 
  • Quebec: 98
  • New Brunswick: 25 public stores, plus six private stores and six farmgate stores 
  • Nova Scotia: 49
  • PEI: 4 
  • Newfoundland and Labrador: 45
  • Yukon: 6 cannabis stores
  • Nunavut: 1 licensed store
  • Northwest Territories: 6 brick-and-mortar locations, plus one online store

 

August 23, 2023 | stratcann.com | Staff

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The Global Significance Of German Cannabis Policy Modernization

Federal Cabinet Approves Legalization Measure In Germany

Earlier today members of Germany’s government announced that the nation’s federal cabinet had approved a draft cannabis legalization measure that would serve as the first phase of an ongoing cannabis policy modernization effort largely led by Germany’s Health Minster Karl Lauterbach. The measure now heads to the Bundestag for consideration by members of the legislative body.

The proposal, as it currently stands and subject to further potential changes, would allow adults to legally cultivate, possess, and consume cannabis for personal use in Germany. The measure would also create noncommercial clubs that would provide cannabis to members. Purchasing limits would be involved, as would ‘buffer zones,’ limits on the number of clubs per jurisdiction, and a limit of 500 members per club. Minister Lauterbach made an appearance later in the day, during which he defended his measure:

The German Hemp Association stated the following regarding today’s federal cabinet approval and the transition of the process over to the Bundestag:

The German Hemp Association welcomes the cabinet draft as a milestone on the way to reforming cannabis policy in Germany. With the debate now starting in the Bundestag, the passage of the law is within reach. Hundreds of thousands of consumers have been the subject of criminal proceedings for consumption-related offenses in recent decades. This senseless repression could come to an end at the turn of the year.

The DHV hopes that the participation of the MPs will bring a breath of fresh air to the discussion about the details. Because since the draft bill, no major improvements are discernible. All of the main criticisms of the DHV are still relevant:

  • The ban on consumption in cannabis cultivation clubs is unrealistic.
  • The distance regulation will make it unreasonably difficult for clubs to find suitable locations.
  • The distance regulations for consumption cannot be observed. They violate the principle of certainty of the Basic Law. Neither consumers nor the police can know exactly where consumption is permitted and where it is not.
  • The threat of penalties and fines for small violations of the already arbitrary limits is completely exaggerated. Possession of 25 grams is perfectly legal, possession of 26 grams carries a prison sentence of up to three years. A fine of up to 100,000 euros can be imposed for consumption within a distance of 199 meters from a school.
  • A total of three plants for home cultivation is not enough. An upper limit of 25 grams is unrealistic for the storage of home-grown cannabis in your own home.

The DHV is confident that these and many other problems will now be addressed in detail in the parliamentary process. However, the current plans cannot remain the same. A large-scale suppression of the black market is only possible with the nationwide introduction of cannabis specialty shops for adults.

“Today is a good day, above all, because Parliament now has sovereignty over further decisions and no longer Karl Lauterbach,” said DHV spokesman Georg Wurth.

The second phase of Germany’s current cannabis policy modernization effort, if it succeeds in making it through the political labyrinth, will involve the launch of regional cannabis pilot projects. Germany’s pilot projects will be generally similar in principle, but likely not in size and scope, to the pilot projects currently operating in Switzerland.

Due in large part to limitations at the EU level, Germany’s current policy modernization effort does not involve the legalization of large-scale cultivation and national sales. However, that is not to say that those components will never be passed and implemented.

Today’s approval by the federal cabinet is one of the many steps along the way. It’s a significant one to be sure, although, it needs to be seen as a milestone, and not a final destination. Now that the process for approving the phase one bill has been turned over to domestic lawmakers, it will be interesting to see what evolutions the political process may yield.

It’s vital for cannabis observers to consistently keep Germany’s legalization efforts in the proper global context. Germany is trying to modernize its cannabis policies and stand up an adult-use cannabis industry for its population of over 83 million people. By comparison, the combined population of all four current legal nations (Uruguay, Canada, Malta, and Luxembourg) is only roughly half that of Germany’s population.

Furthermore, Germany shares more borders with other countries than any other nation in Europe, and all of those countries currently prohibit adult use. It’s logical that Germany’s cannabis policy modernization effort is taking longer given how ‘heavy the lift is,’ and that is also why German legalization will prove to be more significant than its predecessors. Germany is ushering in the modern cannabis policy era.

Criticisms for larger reform are absolutely valid, but the fight is also not over. A recent study by the Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics found that comprehensive legalization in Germany would net the country 4.7 billion euros per year via cannabis taxes, fees, and savings from no longer enforcing failed cannabis prohibition. That is significant, and clearly worth fighting for, in addition to fighting to prevent lives from being needlessly ruined by draconian public policies.

German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach is currently headed to India for a meeting of G-20 health ministers. Given that he just held a press conference today and made international headlines, again, it’s a safe bet that cannabis will be a popular topic of discussion between Minister Lauterbach and his peers.

While it’s unclear how many will be sympathetic to Germany’s efforts, one has to assume that at least some of Minster Lauterbach’s peers will be curious and want to learn more about the topic, and that is a good thing. As a long-time cannabis activist friend used to say in regard to cannabis reform, “If we are talking, we are winning,” and Germany has the whole world talking right now.

When legalization inevitably becomes a reality in Germany, and it inevitably succeeds, other nations are going to surely follow suit and that will, in turn, result in cannabis policies being modernized on a much larger scale globally than they are right now. The legalization process in Germany has been frustrating up until this point to be sure, however, today is a big milestone that is worth celebrating, both within Germany’s borders, and beyond.

Germany

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Policy.

 

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new cannabis law in California signed

California Governor, Gavin Newsom, has signed into law legislation that allows marijuana to be sold legally at a variety of events.

Assembly Bill 128 allows state regulators to issue licenses for Cannabis Event Organizers, which would be defined by law as “a licensee authorizing onsite cannabis sales to, and consumption by, persons 21 years of age or older at a county fair event, district agricultural association event, or at another venue expressly approved by a local jurisdiction.”

The proposal was signed into law by Governor Newsom on July 10. The measure was passed with overwhelming support in the state legislature, with a 75 to 1 vote in the Assembly and a 40 to 0 vote in the Senate.

According to its legislative summary, “this bill would require the Department of Cannabis Control to submit to the Department of Justice fingerprint images and other related information for criminal history information checks of certain employees, prospective employees, contractors, and subcontractors, as specified. The measure “authorizes the issuance of a state temporary event license to a licensee authorizing onsite cannabis sales to, and consumption by, persons 21 years of age or older at a county fair event, district agricultural association event, or at another venue expressly approved by a local jurisdiction, as specified.”

California legalized recreational marijuana for everyone 21 and older in 2016 via a voter initiative. The first marijuana store opened their doors in 2018.

Assembly Bill 128 takes effect immediately.

 

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