As Newsweed revealed last week, the Social Security Financing Bill (PLFSS) published this Wednesday does not include provisions relating to the generalization of medical cannabis. Companies in the sector and patients awaiting a therapeutic option are alarmed by this absence and are mobilizing to demand a generalization, still possible via amendments to the PLFSS that certain deputies could support.

“Experimentation must give way to legislation”

Seventeen patient associations, representing people suffering from diseases such as multiple sclerosis, cancer, epilepsy and others, are calling for a generalization of therapeutic cannabis in an article published in Le Parisien.

Concerned that medical cannabis, which currently helps 1,700 patients relieve intense pain, risks being abandoned or subject to restrictive use policies, these patients emphasize the urgent need to expand the access to medical cannabis, emphasizing its established practice in many Western countries as a means of relieving pain and suffering.

The group of associations wished to recall that the trial launched in March 2021 aimed to evaluate the circuit for making medical cannabis available to patients suffering from chronic and severe pain, in particular those suffering from multiple sclerosis, epilepsy , severe neuropathic pain, spasticity due to central nervous system disorders, cancer and palliative situations at the end of life.

For many patients, cannabis-based medications offer not only an alternative, but also “a glimmer of hope in the face of ineffective or poorly tolerated treatments. “. However, despite the trial’s promising results, recent developments are poised to leave nearly 300,000 patients in prolonged suffering.

The government’s commitment in 2022 to legalize medical cannabis and provide access to it now appears uncertain, plunging patients into distress. The associations are therefore concerned about the contradictory signals and the lack of action from the government, and urge the authorities to keep their promise to integrate medical cannabis into common law without hindering patient access.

“The French sector is ready”

In an article published on Capital.fr, Frantz Deschamps, president of Santé France Cannabis, the French association of players in cannabis for medical use, insists on the fact that the French cannabis industry is ready to excel in the medical cannabis sector. and to provide the first patients.

Over the past three years, French industry players have diligently prepared the ground, establishing a secure supply chain to guarantee the quality and safety of medical cannabis. Substantial investments have been made in research and development, cultivation, the development of innovative medicines and the creation of cutting-edge manufacturing processes. The industry has worked closely with public authorities to share data and ideas, with the aim of developing a legal framework that meets the needs of patients while respecting production site safety and medicine quality standards.

For Santé France Cannabis, decisions regarding the post-experimental period being imminent, a further extension would be detrimental and risk compromising the viability of a booming French cannabis industry. What’s more, the creation of this industry in France would be crucial for health sovereignty, a lesson underlined by the COVID-19 pandemic. France “has all the necessary assets to excel at all levels of the value chain, from research to production and distribution”.

Santé France Cannabis therefore calls for the integration of medical cannabis into common law, in order to guarantee real access to patients.

Members of the Senate Banking Committee have approved the SAFER Banking Act, paving the way for its final vote in the Senate, which would be a major step forward for the U.S. cannabis industry.
The recently updated legislation – formerly known as SAFE Banking Act – would transform the cannabis industry in the United States.

While the bill has been under discussion for ten years, it was first introduced as a standalone bill in 2019, encountering a number of blockages. It was later attached to the Authorization Act of National Defense (NDAA) to pass as an emergency bill during the COVID-19 pandemic, before being withdrawn and never passing the Senate.

The long-awaited law would provide cannabis businesses with access to essential banking services, preventing banking regulators from penalizing banks that provide services to cannabis businesses, preventing cannabis businesses’ revenue from being subject to to money laundering laws and allowing cannabis businesses to obtain loans and financial services.

Additionally, it would free businesses from having to operate on a cash-only basis, a problem that has hampered the sector for years and has seen businesses subject to armed robberies.

Last week, the SAFER Act underwent a number of significant amendments before being submitted to the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

The bill passed 14-9, and the bipartisan support it enjoys sets the stage for its vote in the Senate, which, for the first time, will vote on cannabis legislation.

In a statement to members, cannabis reform group NORML commented: “Similar bills have already passed the House of Representatives seven times, but this is the first time the Senate has passed legislation to protecting cannabis consumers and licensed suppliers from the threat of violent theft, while providing access to the financial services that small cannabis businesses desperately need to survive and thrive in the face of unregulated operators and massive corporate interests. »

Rob Nichols, President and CEO of the American Banking Association, said, “We commend the Senate Banking Committee for advancing the SAFER Banking Act and thank Senators Brown, Merkley, Daines, Schumer, Sinema, Lummis and Cramer, along with the other cosponsors, for their leadership. »

“This urgently needed, bipartisan legislation will resolve the current conflict between state and federal laws so that banks can serve state-licensed cannabis and cannabis-related businesses, while improving public safety, tax collection and financial transparency. The status quo is simply untenable for consumers, small businesses and banks operating in states where cannabis is legal. »

“Based on today’s bipartisan vote, we urge the full Senate to expeditiously consider this bill. »

After passing the Senate committee, the SAFER Banking Act will be submitted to the Senate and the House of Representatives for further debate, amendments and votes.

In Canada, many legal cannabis products overstate their THC and CBD content. Several studies, including those conducted by two laboratories and a cannabis producer, reveal a significant discrepancy between claims on labels and actual potency, with some products containing up to 20% less THC than advertised.

This misrepresentation of power has caused concern among industry experts. Borna Zlamalik, senior vice president of innovation and research and development at OrganiGram Holdings Inc. in Moncton, New Brunswick, says some cannabis companies intentionally manipulate their sampling procedures to present their products in the best possible light. day possible.

The lack of standardized testing methods and government oversight has contributed to this problem. Critics say producers sample and process products selectively, so they don’t accurately represent entire batches. There are also allegations of fraudulent testing techniques used by some cannabis testing companies to inflate THC results.

Health Canada has noted these concerns and is investigating complaints about inaccurate labels. It launched a data collection program in July to compare product results to potency claims, promising compliance and enforcement measures where necessary to mitigate health and safety risks.

This problem has worsened in recent years, with cannabis producers and laboratories competing for the market in a context of saturation. Customers are increasingly relying on price and power to differentiate themselves, which has led to an increase in average product power. This trend has led to financial losses for companies like OrganiGram as consumers switch to competing products with higher advertised potency.

Supra Research and Development, a Kelowna-based testing lab, tested 46 dried flower products and found that none met advertised THC levels, with most products being more than 20 percent lower. . A similar test conducted by High North Labs in Vaughan, Ontario showed that no products achieved the stated potency, with the majority being at least 5% less than the declared quantity.

These discrepancies have prompted calls for standardized analysis protocols within the industry to ensure accuracy and consistency. Health Canada is already studying the idea of ​​setting THC variability limits for dried cannabis, as they currently exist for extractions, cannabis cosmetics or edibles.

In the United States, academic research has confirmed claims of THC content inflation, with labels on 80% of cannabis products overestimating THC content by at least 15% in some cases. Michigan’s cannabis regulator launched audits on products containing more than 28 percent total THC, while Washington state shut down labs that produced exaggerated results.

Last week, representatives from several European countries met at the invitation of the Maltese government to discuss the issue of cannabis regulation, the German Ministry of Health said in a press release. This meeting, which is a continuation of the discussions that took place in Luxembourg in July 2022, aims to promote a modern and health-oriented cannabis policy.

International cooperation for modern cannabis policy

The meeting agenda included discussions on national developments and approaches to cannabis policy. International cannabis policy frameworks were also discussed.

Burkhard Blienert, head of the German delegation and representative of the German federal government for drug addiction and drug issues, emphasized the importance of international cooperation in this regard in the press release:

“We face drug and drug policy challenges that no country can address alone. There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to implementing proper cannabis policies. It is all the more important that European countries which innovate share their national approaches and exchange their experiences. The main goals of the amended cannabis policies are to strengthen prevention, reduce health risks, reduce stigma and facilitate access to help. Relying solely on bans will not move us forward in this debate.”

Despite existing bans, at least 4.5 million adults used cannabis last year in Germany alone. This poses “significant risks” because illicit cannabis on the black market “increasingly contains active substances and is often contaminated with other substances or drugs.”

Continued ministerial consultations on cannabis regulation

The Malta meeting marked the continuation of the ministerial consultations on the regulation of cannabis for non-medical purposes, which took place for the first time on July 15, 2022 in Luxembourg, where a delegation from the Netherlands was also present at the meeting. time but refused to sign the joint declaration.

In addition to Malta, Germany and the Netherlands, delegations from Luxembourg and the Czech Republic were also present.

The aim of these discussions is to promote modern and health-oriented cannabis policies across Europe. Participating countries hope to jointly develop effective approaches to address the challenges of current cannabis use and ensure a better future for their citizens.

Last week, Democratic lawmakers in Wisconsin announced a bill that would end the ban on recreational cannabis.

Wisconsin State Senate Minority Leader Melissa Agard announced the bill at an event at a Wisconsin hemp farm and said the status quo is more harmful than cannabis .

“I’ve said it many times, we know the most dangerous thing about cannabis in Wisconsin is that it remains illegal,” Agard said, as quoted by local news channel WSAW. “Over the past decade, I have worked to undo Wisconsin’s outdated and deeply unfair cannabis policies and put our state on a path to prosperity. »

Under the proposal, Wisconsin adults ages 21 and older could legally possess cannabis. The measure would also lay the groundwork for a legal, regulated cannabis market in the state, like many of its neighbors.

“Right now, we’re seeing our hard-earned money flow across the border into Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota, amounting to tens of millions of dollars each year. This is money we could reinvest to help our friends and neighbors and make our state a place where people want to live, work and play,” Ms. Agard was quoted as saying by WSAW.

In a statement, bill sponsor Darrin Madison said legalizing cannabis “is a matter of public safety and racial justice here in Wisconsin.”

“Wisconsin residents engage in cannabis use and deserve to be able to purchase safe cannabis and use it responsibly without being criminalized. According to the ACLU, Black people were 4.24 times more likely to be arrested than white people in Wisconsin in 2018. Similar disparities exist in sentencing, resulting in immeasurable harm to Wisconsin’s Black communities. The bill we introduced today lays a solid foundation for people who have been severely sentenced for non-violent possession charges and the ramifications of those convictions,” Mr. Madison said.

Polls also show that Wisconsinites support legalizing cannabis.

“Wisconsin is ready to legalize cannabis: 69% of Wisconsin residents, including a majority of Republicans, support full legalization of cannabis. It is high time that our state respects the will of the majority and seizes the many economic and social benefits that cannabis legalization has to offer. Let’s join the people in more than half the country who said ‘yes’ to putting the flawed policy of prohibition behind us and raise our expectations,” Agard said in a press release.

The state legislature, controlled by Republicans, may not be ready, however. Despite broad public support and support from Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, Wisconsin’s Republican lawmakers have so far opposed legalization.

“Redemption and forgiveness have power, especially for people who have worked to overcome past mistakes to become productive, positive members of their communities,” Mr. Evers said in a statement released at the time. “I am grateful to be able to give a second chance to these people who have worked hard to achieve this.

Early last year, Mr. Evers vetoed a Democratic-backed measure that would have imposed harsher penalties on people arrested for drug use, calling it “another step in the wrong direction.”

“I am vetoing this bill in its entirety because I oppose the creation of additional criminal offenses or penalties related to marijuana use,” Mr. Evers said in a 2022 letter to the ‘assembly.

“It is widely accepted, and research over the past decade confirms, that the criminalization of cannabis has disproportionately impacted communities of color, particularly in Wisconsin, where incarceration rates show disparities long-standing racial conflicts,” added Mr. Evers.

Mr. Evers concluded his letter by explaining his interest in justice reform.

“States across our country, whether controlled by Democrats or Republicans, have taken and are taking significant steps to combat rising incarceration rates and reduce racial disparities by investing in drug treatment , community reentry programs, alternatives to incarceration, rehabilitation and other data- and evidence-based practices that we know are critical solutions to reforming our justice system,” the governor continued on the subject. of the question. “The data and science are clear on this issue, and I urge the Legislature to begin serious conversations about justice reform in Wisconsin.”

Last week, the committee of National Collegiate Athletic AssociationNCAA) on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports (CMAS) recommended removing cannabis from its list of prohibited substances, instead calling for a “robust educational strategy.”

The sports association, which organizes the sports programs of many major schools and universities in the United States. first announced in June that it was considering these reforms. Some American sports federations such as the NBA, MMA or MLB no longer screen for cannabis.

The committee concluded that removing cannabis from its testing protocols:

• recognizes the ineffectiveness of the existing policy, which includes banning, testing and penalizing
• affirms role of NCAA drug testing program to address only performance-enhancing substances
• and highlights the importance of moving toward a risk reduction strategy that prioritizes school-level education and support over penalties.

In a statement, James Houle, chairman of the commission and chief sports psychologist at Ohio State, said that “when it comes to making a decision on a matter as important as this, we agree that the members should have the opportunity to vote on the final result.”

“We recommend a radical paradigm shift when it comes to cannabinoids. We want to modernize the strategy with the most recent research to give schools the best opportunity to support the health of student-athletes,” James Houle said in a press release.

The NCAA said the recommendation “aims to refocus the health of student-athletes while recognizing member opinions and the changing cultural and legal landscapes surrounding cannabinoids” and that it is “based on extensive study informed by the industry and subject matter experts,” including doctors and addiction experts.

In 2022, CMAS increased the thresholds for cannabinoids leading to test failure from 35 to 150 nanograms per milliliter of blood, thereby aligning with the policies of the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Over the past year, the Czech Republic has emerged as Europe’s most exciting prospect for cannabis reform and potential commercial legalization.

In the first in a series of articles dedicated to in-depth study of the market, focusing on everything from progressive hemp laws to supply chains and investment potential, Business of Cannabis looks at the current political climate in the country.

With majority public support for the proposed regulatory changes, the Czech Republic has one of the most promising political landscapes in Europe when it comes to cannabis reform.

While obstacles undoubtedly remain on the path to legalization, the Czech Republic should have an easier path than other European countries such as Germany, which must overcome the lack of a majority in the upper house as well as the inevitable resistance international.

The Czech market

In September 2022, the country’s national drugs coordinator and former anti-communist activist Jindřich Vobořil announced plans to implement comprehensive cannabis reform by early 2024.

The first version of this bill was submitted by members of the Czech Republic’s current five-party right-wing government coalition, the Pirate Party, and focused not only on reducing risks, but also on benefits economic potential of regulation and taxation.

“Through taxation we will obtain billions of crowns per year while avoiding unnecessary spending on law enforcement. Furthermore, if we manage to launch a regulated market at the same time as the German market, our economy will benefit from considerable opportunities in the field of exports,” stated a press release from the Pirate Party in October 2022.

Indeed, if the Czech government succeeds in establishing a commercial adult-use cannabis market, projections suggest that the market size per capita could be larger than that of Germany, if it succeeds.

According to the report European Adult-Use Cannabis Report of Prohibition Partnersthe Czech Republic, which has around 10.5 million inhabitants, could see its adult-use market reach 158.65 million euros by 2027.

If the same adult-use market were launched in Germany, whose population is around eight times that of the Czech Republic, its market is expected to reach 259 million euros during the same period.

Last year, the Czech National Observatory for Drugs and Drug Addiction (NMC) found that around 800,000 people used cannabis in the Czech Republic and that almost a third of the country’s adult population had at least tried it. this substance.

Dr. Tomas Ryska, general director of Astrasana Czech sro, one of the leading Czech cannabis companies, told Business of Cannabis that this figure is likely much higher, as the study only considered people who use cannabis for medical purposes.

Legislative progress

Since the bill received the green light in April, expert groups have been hammering out the details. The bill proposes the authorization of domestic and commercial cultivation of cannabis and the creation of Cannabis Social Clubs and licensed sales in stores for persons over 18 years of age. Czech citizens will be able to buy up to five grams of cannabis flowers per day, but will have to register in a “register of special users”.

Mr. Voboril explained at the beginning of the year: “The customer will only be able to purchase a limited quantity per month in order to prevent him from doing his own business. Sellers would then have access to the register through a specific code and could check the quantity already purchased.”

Different government departments are giving their views and comments on the bill before it is presented and put to a vote.

Mr Vobořil is understood to have been in regular contact with the European Commission, his European counterparts and the various parties in his coalition.

Although no definitive timetable has been given, Mr. Ryska believes that after the summer break, “the most important part of the process will now take place during the fall, and a final decision should be made before the end of the year ” .

Of the five political parties that will form a coalition in 2021, four would support Mr Vobořil’s proposals.

The plans are also backed by Prime Minister Petr Fiala, who leads a five-party coalition with 108 seats, and thus a majority in the 200-seat parliament, and by the country’s newly elected president, the former NATO general Petr Pavel, who publicly supported the proposals.

Last July, Mr Vobořil met with the leaders of the Christian Democrats (KDU-ČSL), the only coalition party opposing the proposals, to explain to them that regulating cannabis would be the best possible method to protect the youth of the country and society as a whole.

A few weeks ago, the party organized a round table in the Chamber of Deputies with doctors, drug addicts and other experts, during which a number of participants expressed concerns about the possibility of ” adding another addictive substance to the current portfolio of legal drugs.”

However, according to Mr. Ryska, this is just part of the long-awaited reaction from the opposing side, which he had been warned about in a separate meeting at the government office a few weeks earlier.

“I attended a meeting at government headquarters and one of the things that was mentioned was that we should expect a negative campaign against these planned changes. In fact, this is already the case. We can regularly read articles against the draft regulation,” he declared.

He explained that this roundtable was only attended by doctors and experts who had already expressed opposition to the proposals, and that it was an orchestrated part of this negative campaign.

Despite this growing opposition, it is important to note that the KDU-ČSL is not entirely opposed to the proposals. The party generally supports self-cultivation and decriminalization to some extent, but is specifically opposed to the deployment of a commercial market.

More importantly, many believe that the support of the KDU-ČSL will not even be necessary for the bill to pass.

“The Christian Democrats have such a weak preference that if the elections were held today, they would not even enter Parliament,” continued Mr. Ryska.

However, they are still part of the coalition, so their opposition could potentially “unbalance the government if they oppose it”.

Even without their support, other opposition parties should be able to vote freely on the legislation, meaning the numbers could be found elsewhere.

Although nothing is definitive, Mr Ryska suggests that “technically it is possible that the Christian Democrats’ vote is not necessary.”

A recent report from Harm Reduction International (HRI) highlights how wealthier countries, such as the United States and Europe, continue to provide substantial foreign aid to the global war on drugs, mostly allocated to law enforcement and military efforts.

The HRI calls on governments to “stop using money from their limited aid budgets” to support policies that have a negative impact on people who use drugs.

We know that public health programs that prioritize community and justice are effective and save public funds. Yet governments and donors around the world continue to waste vast amounts of money on funding punitive responses to drugs. https://t.co/zumPT5s8cc #investjustice pic.twitter.com/eLObjJPf9w

— Harm Reduction International (@HRInews) September 14, 2023

The report ” Aid for the War on Drugs » reveals that between 2012 and 2021, 30 donor countries allocated $974 million in international aid to the “fight against narcotics”.

Part of this aid, totaling at least $70 million, has gone to countries that have the death penalty for drug offenses.

As the report notes, in 2021, aid funds were allocated to Indonesia to support a “counter-narcotics training program”, the same year Indonesia issued a record number of 89 death sentences for drug-related crimes. Japan has given several million dollars to Iran to help fund its drug detection dog units, as Iran has executed at least 131 people on drug charges in 2021.

Within a decade, the United States became the largest contributor, accounting for more than half of the world’s funding for the war on drugs, or $550 million. They are followed by the European Union ($282 million), Japan ($78 million), the United Kingdom ($22 million), Germany ($12 million), Finland ($9 million dollars) and South Korea ($8 million), indicates Marijuana Moment.

The war on drugs receives more foreign aid than school feeding, early childhood education, labor rights and mental health care. During the period described in the report, 92 countries received assistance for “narcotics control.” The main beneficiaries were Colombia ($109 million), Afghanistan ($37 million), Peru ($27 million), Mexico ($21 million), Guatemala and Panama ($10 million). dollars each).

“There is a long history of drug policy being used by global powers to reinforce and enforce their control over other populations and target specific communities,” the report reads. “Racist and colonial dynamics continue today, with the richest governments, led by the United States, spending billions of taxpayer dollars around the world to strengthen or expand punitive drug control regimes and related law enforcement measures.

“These funding streams are out of step with existing evidence, as well as international commitments on development, health and human rights, including the goal of ending AIDS by 2030” , underlines the report. “They rely on and empower systems that disproportionately harm Black and Indigenous populations around the world. »

While some countries, such as the United Kingdom, have reduced spending on foreign drug initiatives, others have chosen to increase their funding. Thus, the United States significantly increased its support for the war on drugs early in President Joe Biden’s term.

While the United States is the world’s largest contributor to the war on drugs, the HRI report highlights the fluctuations in these numbers. For example, in 2021, the United States allocated $301 million in aid for “narcotics control,” which is a significant increase from $31 million the previous year. According to the report, Colombia has become the main beneficiary of this aid.

The legalization of cannabis for medical purposes is supported by the majority of Filipinos, according to a recent study by independent think tank Capstone-Intel Corp.

The survey, conducted Aug. 1-10, found that 63 percent of 1,205 respondents supported legalizing cannabis for medical purposes, provided supporters “conduct more research [et] set strict guidelines for access and dosage control.” Respondents also highlighted the need for increased awareness and education regarding medical cannabis.

The remaining 37% are opposed to legalization, reports the Manila Times.

The poll also found that 38% of respondents agreed that legalizing medical cannabis could provide a viable solution for patients who have not found effective treatment through conventional medicine. On the other hand, 29% neither agree nor disagree with this statement, while 24% agree that legalizing cannabis for medical purposes could bring relief to these patients.

The poll also showed that 49% of respondents called for continued research and studies into the potential benefits and harms of using cannabis for medicinal purposes.

According to the study, 55% of those surveyed said they “strongly agreed” with the legalization of medical cannabis in order to guarantee its quality, safety and adequate control of its dosage. And 30% of those surveyed “agreed” with this statement.

The legalization of medical cannabis has still not been enacted in the Philippines, even though two bills propose it, at the initiative of MP Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Senator Robin Padilla who are its main defenders.

Ms. Arroyo joined forces with former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez to support the legalization of medical cannabis by introducing House Bill 7817.

Padilla supports Senate Bill 230 (Medical Cannabis Compassionate Access Act), in which he cites Israel as a good example of the use of medical cannabis due to its strict rules and regulations. The project has been underway since 2019.