• Swiss cities test controlled cannabis distribution

    A commercial model could prove dangerous; a scheme where no one makes a profit is more appropriate, where those running it can decide what products to offer and train the sales staff properly
    Swissinfo (Switzerland)
    Sunday, July 23, 2023

    switzerland cannabis infoSwiss drug policy is shifting. Some pharmacies and social clubs in major cities are making cannabis available for recreational purposes under scientific pilot projects. There is even talk of extending such trials to cocaine. The scientific pilot SCRIPT will make cannabis available for sale in pharmacies in the Swiss capital Bern, along with the cities of Lucerne and Biel. The goal is to evaluate what impact a regulated, not-for-profit sale of cannabis coupled with advisory services may have on cannabis consumption. It is one of several pilot trials planned across Switzerland. In June, Bern’s city parliament overwhelmingly approved a motion from the Alternative Left party calling on the city to conduct a scientific pilot trial of controlled cocaine sales.  

  • New cannabis law to come into force on Friday

    After the new cannabis law was published in the 'Official Journal', Luxembourg's gazette, on Tuesday, the law is set to come into force on Friday 21 July 2023
    RTL Today (Luxembourg)
    Tuesday, July 18, 2023

    luxembourg cannabisThe Ministry of Justice published a statement (FR) on Tuesday announcing that the legalisation of private cannabis cultivation and consumption was officially included in Luxembourg's gazette. This means that the law will come into force on Friday 21 July this year, four days after the text was published. Adults will thus be allowed to grow up to four cannabis plants per household. Consumption and transportation of cannabis outside of one's home remain prohibited, as do private sales. The law also stipulates new and reduced penalties for violations. (See also: Everything you need to know about the new cannabis law)

  • Cannabis associations eye first quarter of 2024 for opening their doors

    Each club will be required to contribute a portion of each euro they make to a harm reduction fund
    Malta Today (Malta)
    Monday, July 17, 2023

    malta cannabisCannabis associations in Malta could be up and running by the end of March 2024, sources familiar with the matter have told MaltaToday. In June, it was revealed that 26 groups had applied for cannabis association licences from the Authority for the Responsible Use of Cannabis, (ARUC) but no timeframe was yet given. The biggest hurdle surrounding the licence approval involved receiving the green light from banks in order to take out loans to be able to operate, however, sources say that this issue has been resolved. Regarding the applicants themselves, ARUC had received applications for all five types of associations, characterised by their number of members.

  • Canadian marijuana entrepreneurs shift focus to ‘micro’ licenses

    The industry is already swimming in overproduction of low-quality cannabis that generally comes from “standard” production sites
    MJBizDaily (US)
    Monday, July 17, 2023

    Cannabis entrepreneurs in Canada are increasingly turning to smaller micro-cultivation facilities to manage costs and produce higher-quality marijuana at a time when the industry is facing a glut of “standard” product and falling prices. That shift ultimately could help shrink some of the Canadian cannabis industry’s current supply glut, given that micro-class licensees operate smaller cultivation facilities. At the end of 2022, Canada’s total indoor growing area was 28% lower than the all-time high reached in 2020. Consumers appear to be weighing price sensitivity with a desire for the highest-quality products they can afford at a particular price point.

  • Global resonance of Malta's drug policy reform highlighted at thematic round table

    “As more countries regulate the cultivation and distribution of cannabis, producer countries and relatively impoverished rural communities will experience a reduction of income”
    Malta Today (Malta)
    Friday, July 14, 2023

    malta roundtableThe not-for-profit model adopted by Malta for drug policy reform is resonating across other countries. The emphasis on a harm reduction approach, including considerations for social justice and the negative consequences caused by the ‘war on drugs', will remain key to ensuring cannabis reform promotes the well-being of society and protects the most vulnerable. Transnational Institute Program Director Martin Jelsma spoke about the relationship between drug policy reform in consumer countries, such as countries in the EU, and socio-economic development in producing countries predominantly in the global south, such as Morocco.

  • Coca price crash contributing to Colombia food insecurity, UN says

    Oversupply of coca - including more productive plants and record crops - is contributing to the crash
    Reuters (UK)
    Friday, July 14, 2023

    colombia coca cultivoA crash in the price of coca, the chief ingredient in cocaine, is contributing to food insecurity in Colombia and causing displacement, as people leave areas that depend on the illicit crop, according to an internal United Nations presentation seen by Reuters. Historically coca crops have provided better incomes than legal alternatives for thousands of rural Colombian families, with drug-trafficking groups often footing the costs of transport, fertilizers and other supplies. Now coca-growing farmers have no buyers for the leaves or coca base leading to economic hardship amid high inflation, according to an internal presentation from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

  • Germany unveils draft bill to legalize cannabis

    The draft bill also laid the foundations for the establishment of cannabis growers' associations (Anbauvereinigungen)
    Forbes (US)
    Monday, July 10, 2023

    germany flag cannabisGermany's government is taking steps toward the legalization of cannabis by publishing the draft bill for the first pillar of a two-pillar model designed to dismantle prohibition policies. German's Ministry of Health published on July 5 the long-waited draft bill to regulate the use of cannabis for personal use, home growing, and the establishment of cannabis growers' associations designed similarly to the cannabis social clubs' model. The proposed legislation aims to address the first pillar of a comprehensive two-pillar model that will put an end to cannabis prohibition. Under the draft bill, adults aged 18 and above will be allowed to possess up to 25 grams for personal use and cultivate a maximum of three plants. (See also: Top German officials unveil draft marijuana legalization bill)

  • If you care about the climate crisis, fight to legalize drugs

    The extent to which manufacturing drugs is harmful to the environment is almost entirely due to the fact they are illegal
    Filter (US)
    July 7, 2023

    deforestationOn June 26, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime released its annual report on the illicit drug trade. The headline is that despite millions of people killed, incarcerated and impoverished, and trillions of dollars spent on the global drug war, people are using more illicit drugs than ever. The UNODC accompanied its research with a booklet focusing on the effects of “environmental crime”—meaning, damage inflicted on ecosystems by organised drug trafficking groups—in the Amazon rainforest. Last year, the agency released its first specific report on “environmental crime,” and we are seeing increasingly high-profile figures speaking out about it. However, experts are warning that this latest UNODC report, along with much of the discourse around these issues, fundamentally misses the point in very dangerous ways.

  • No THC limit chosen to deter black market trade, explains Justice Minister

    When the second phase arrives, where you can buy something in an outdoor location, the law again will have to be adapted with specific rules on how cannabis can be transported
    RTL Today (Luxembourg)
    Wednesday, July 5, 2023

    luxembourg cannabisAfter the new law on the private cultivation and consumption of cannabis was passed in Luxembourg, RTL spoke to Minister of Justice Sam Tanson about the nitty-gritty details of the new legislation. The text of the law is clear: it will now be permitted to have four cannabis plants in the home. There are no provisions on the size of the plants or the quantity harvested. While adults in a household can only consume and keep for themselves what they reap from the four plants, there are no limits on either the quantity of cannabis or the THC content. Tanson pointed out that each plant is unique and no one can predict exactly how big it might turn out, how much it might yield, or how strong it might be.

  • Czechs have become more tolerant of cannabis use since 2019, says poll

    According to the findings of the survey, 76% of respondents also believe that drug addicts should be provided with free counselling
    Brno Daily (Czech Republic)
    Monday, July 3, 2023

    czech cannabis flag262% of Czechs consider the use of cannabis to be morally acceptable, according to a recent survey by the Centre for Public Opinion Research (CVVM), which is 9% higher than in 2019. Otherwise, the Czech public’s opinion on the acceptability of using other substances has not changed in the past four years. The use of ecstasy, methamphetamine and heroin continues to be met with the highest level of disapproval, from over 80% of respondents. “Longer-term comparisons show that views on the issues change little over time, and the current survey shows the most tolerant view yet of drug addicts, addiction treatment, and related services,” said the authors of the survey, which involved 800 people aged 15 and over between 27 March and 22 May.

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