Category: NEWS

“The legalization of marijuana is a racial and criminal justice imperative, and today’s vote is a critical step towards a fairer and more just system”.*

New York Attorney General Letitia James

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill on Wednesday to legalize adult use of marijuana, making it the 15th U.S. state to allow recreational use of the drug, while Virginia moved to legalize possession of small amounts by July, reports Reuters.*

Cuomo said the bill, which was approved by the state Assembly late on Tuesday night, would also wipe the slate clean for many people previously charged with marijuana crimes.

“The bill creates automatic expungement of previous marijuana convictions that would now be legal,” Cuomo wrote on Twitter, announcing that he had just signed the legislation. “This is a historic day.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam proposed moving up the legalization of simple possession of marijuana to July rather than wait until 2024.

Northam said racial disparities in prosecution of marijuana-related crimes prompted him to accelerate the timetable. He cited a report by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission which found that Black residents were more than three times as likely to be arrested for possessing small amounts of the drug.

“Our Commonwealth is committed to legalizing marijuana in an equitable way,” Northam said in a statement.

NORML, a pro-marijuana group, earlier welcomed the news from New York state, saying that tens of thousands of New Yorkers were arrested every year over petty marijuana offenses, and that most were young, poor, and people of color.

“The legalization of marijuana is a racial and criminal justice imperative, and today’s vote is a critical step towards a fairer and more just system,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement.

New York state’s official website recently projected that tax collection from the adult-use cannabis program would reach $350 million annually and also create 30,000 to 60,000 new jobs across the state.

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The validity of the pilot project section of the Narcotics Act is limited to ten years. Apart from the pilot tests, the general ban on non-medical cannabis remains in force throughout Switzerland.*

Federal Council

The Federal Council adopted, at its meeting of March 31, 2021, the ordinance on pilot tests for the controlled release of cannabis for non-medical purposes. The text specifies the strict conditions under which the studies may be carried out. The aim of these trials is to provide a solid scientific basis for future decisions on the regulation of cannabis, reports the Federal Council’s communications service.

As of May 15, 2021, requests for the implementation of pilot trials on the consumption of cannabis for non-medical purposes can be filed with the Federal Office of Public Health. These studies should help to increase knowledge about the advantages and disadvantages of controlled access to cannabis. In particular, they will make it possible to assess and document, in a scientific framework, its effects on the health of users and on consumption habits, but also to measure its impact on the local illicit drug market as well as on the protection of young people. and on public safety.*

Controlled products and risk awareness*

As part of the pilot tests, consumers will be able to legally acquire various cannabis products. The proposed cannabis must meet high quality requirements and be organically grown. As supply chains are followed and tightly controlled from seed to product distribution, the black market will be bypassed. In addition to product information, participants will be made aware of the risks associated with consumption by point of sale staff who will be trained accordingly.*

Strictly supervised pilot tests*

Pilot tests will be rigorously supervised. Strict youth and health protection requirements as well as a total advertising ban will be applied. The quantity of cannabis that participants can buy per month will be limited, its resale prohibited, as will its consumption in public places. Only adults who already use cannabis will be able to participate in a study, minors will be excluded. Participants must also reside in the canton where the pilot test is set up. Finally, their state of health will be monitored throughout the study.*

The validity of the article on pilot projects of the Narcotics Act is limited to ten years. Apart from the pilot tests, the general ban on non-medical cannabis remains in force throughout Switzerland.*

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Though growing cannabis is currently illegal in Morocco, it has long been tolerated and the North African kingdom is among the top global producers.*

U.N. drug agency

Morocco plans to allow the farming, export and domestic sale of cannabis for medical and industrial use, the government said on Thursday, a move it hopes will help impoverished farmers in the Rif mountains amid a growing legal global market for the drug, report Reuters.*

Past attempts to legalise cannabis farming in Morocco have failed, but the co-ruling PJD party, the largest in parliament, dropped its opposition after the U.N. drug agency removed the plant from its list of most tightly controlled narcotic drugs.*

The bill, which the cabinet is expected to approve next week, aims to improve farmers’ incomes, protect them from drug traffickers who now control the trade in cannabis and gain access to the booming legal international market for the drug.*

Cannabis is mostly grown in the northern Rif mountains, which in recent years have seen protests over economic inequality.*

The draft law, seen by Reuters, envisages a national agency to monitor production, transportation and sales. The recreational use of cannabis in Morocco would still be banned.*

Parliament, where the moderate Islamist PJD is the biggest party, must still approve the plan.*

Though growing cannabis is currently illegal in Morocco, it has long been tolerated and the North African kingdom is among the top global producers, according to the U.N. drug agency.*

Morocco reduced the amount of land where cannabis is cultivated from 134,000 hectares in 2003 to 47,000 hectares six years ago, the Interior Ministry has said.*

In December, the U.N. drug agency’s member states narrowly voted to remove cannabis from the most tightly controlled category of drugs, following the World Health Organization’s recommendation to make research into its medical use easier.*

Morocco was among the countries backing the change.*

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“Not everyone responds to cannabinoids. Some people have a favorable clinical response and will be relieved, while others will not”*

Head of clinic HUG, Déborah Lidsk-Haziz

The Council of States confirmed on Monday the desire to lift the ban on therapeutic cannabis in Switzerland. Currently issued under authorization, the change of law will avoid this administrative step. However, the treatments will not be reimbursed by LaMal, reports Radio Télévision Suisse.*

Les médecins pourront prescrire du cannabis à des fins médicales sans autorisation. Après le National, le Conseil des Etats a accepté lundi à l’unanimité la modification de la loi sur les stupéfiants. Les malades auront ainsi plus facilement accès à ces médicaments.*

Doctors will be able to prescribe cannabis for medical purposes without authorization. After the National, the Council of States unanimously accepted the modification of the law on narcotics on Monday. Patients will thus have easier access to these drugs.*

Authorized export

According to the Minister of Health Alain Berset, the administrative obstacles and the costly procedure push some patients to obtain supplies directly on the black market. The law will therefore make it possible to better adapt to the current system.*

The cultivation, manufacture and marketing of cannabis for medical use will be possible under the authorization and control system provided by Swissmedic. The commercial export of cannabis for medical use will also be allowed. On the other hand, there is no question of growing your own plants for personal use.*

Medical caution

Despite the growing popularity of the treatment, caution remains in the Primary Medicine Service of HUG. “Not everyone responds to cannabinoids. Some people have a favorable clinical response, will be relieved, while others will not, “explains clinic manager Deborah Lidsk-Haziza. *

She continues, “So there is a variability in the therapeutic response that cannot be explained. This is the reason why it is important not to present it as a miracle cure. However, in some patients it significantly reduces pain associated with, for example, chemotherapy when opioids fail. Prescribed in the second line, it can thus promote sleep while reducing opioids and improving quality of life.”*

The head of clinic nonetheless emphasizes that these drugs do not replace conventional treatments and remain narcotics, which can have significant side effects.*

The law change does not take into account the reimbursement of cannabis-based treatments by compulsory health insurance.*

To date, only one cannabis-based drug, used to relieve the effects of multiple sclerosis, is recognized by Swissmedic and reimbursed by insurance.*

Despite the change in the law, other treatments costing 2 to 300 francs per month can only be reimbursed by LaMal at the request of doctors and at the goodwill of insurance companies, according to the explanations of the Federal Office of Health. public.*

A report from the Federal Department of Home Affairs on the effectiveness of cannabis-based medicines, with a view to possible reimbursement, is expected in 2021.*

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“Cannabis leaves, when put in the food or even a small amount … it will help the patient to recover faster from the illness,”*

Pakakrong Kwankao, the project leader at the hospital

“Giggling bread” and “joyfully dancing salad” aren’t the usual dishes on a menu in Thailand, but one eatery is hoping its cannabis-infused cuisine can lure foreign tourists and take the taboo out of the recently legalised leaf, report Reuters.*

The restaurant at the Chao Phya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital in Prachin Buri started serving its own happy meals this month, after Thailand de-listed cannabis as a narcotic, allowing state-authorised firms to cultivate the plant.*

“Cannabis leaves, when put in the food or even a small amount … it will help the patient to recover faster from the illness,” said Pakakrong Kwankao, the project leader at the hospital.*

“The cannabis leaf can improve appetite and make people sleep well, and also be in a mood, in a good mood.”*

The hospital is known as a pioneer in Thailand for studying marijuana and its ability to relieve pain and fatigue.*

Thailand in 2017 became the first Southeast Asian country to legalise cannabis for medical use and has since opened numerous medical marijuana clinics.*

The restaurant’s offerings include a happy pork soup, deep-fried bread topped with pork and a marijuana leaf, and a salad of crispy cannabis leaves served with ground pork and chopped vegetables.*

“I’ve never taken cannabis before, it feels weird but it’s delicious,” said diner Ketsirin Boonsiri, adding it was “quite strange”.*

Nattanon Naranan said the taste of the cannabis leaves was similar to everyday vegetables, but the after-effects were quite different.*

“It makes my throat dry and I crave sweets,” she said.*

Thai deputy education minister Kanokwan Vilawan said the next step was to offer famous Thai dishes to reach an international audience.*

“We plan to add more (cannabis) to Thai dishes that are already well known, such as green curry soup, to boost the popularity of these dishes even more,” Kanokwan said.*

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“Kidman will help the unit, Sera Labs, boost its multi-channel distribution efforts and sales of an anti-aging skincare line and for its pain relief body creams and serums.”

Cure Pharmaceutical Holding Corp

Academy Award-winning actress Nicole Kidman has signed up to promote cannabis-based products for U.S.-based Cure Pharmaceutical, the company said on Tuesday, the latest celebrity to endorse the plant for its therapeutic and pain relief related benefits, report Reuters.*

Kidman will help the unit, Sera Labs, boost its multi-channel distribution efforts and sales of an anti-aging skincare line and for its pain relief body creams and serums.*

The actress will also be “key in development” of three products the company will launch next year, Cure Pharmaceutical Holding Corp [CURR.PK] said.*

A non-psychoactive compound derived mainly from the hemp plant, cannabidiol, or CBD, is being researched for various medical applications and has found increased use in relaxatives and beauty products.*

Demand for CBD and other cannabis products has skyrocketed this year as the coronavirus pandemic kept people at home, limiting entertainment options and adding to stress.*

However, traditional advertising and marketing avenues remain off-limits due to tight restrictions on cannabis, and companies have partnered with celebrities to build their brands.*

Cronos Group Inc tapped actress and New York Times best-selling author Kristen Bell to launch ‘Happy Dance’, a CBD skincare brand in October.*

Celebrities have also jumped on the bandwagon. Rapper Jay-Z, lifestyle guru Martha Stewart and singer Willie Nelson are among celebrities who have partnered with or launched their own CBD product lines.*

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“The cannabis bill would expunge federal marijuana convictions and impose a 5% tax on cannabis products. The revenue raised would help reinvest in communities most adversely impacted by enforcement of the law.”

Representative Earl Blumenauer, a Democrat and co-chairman of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus

The U.S. House of Representatives voted on Friday December 04, to decriminalize marijuana at the federal level, but the legislation is not expected to advance further as long as the Senate remains in Republican hands, report Reuters.*

It was the first time either chamber of Congress has voted to end the federal ban on marijuana since the drug was listed as a “controlled substance” in 1970.*

Fifteen U.S. states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational use of marijuana, and over 30 states allow some form of the drug for medicinal purposes. U.S. cannabis sales hit record levels over the Thanksgiving weekend.

But the federal ban on the drug persists, which creates conflicts with state laws and limits cannabis companies’ access to banking services and funding.*

The Democratic-majority House voted 228-164, largely along party lines, to lift the federal prohibition. But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, is an opponent of the change, meaning a decriminalization proposal is unlikely to see Senate action unless Democrats manage to win both Georgia Senate seats and with them Senate control in a Jan. 5 runoff election.*

The bill the House passed would allow states to regulate marijuana, Representative Earl Blumenauer, a Democrat and co-chairman of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, said in debate.*

“This legislation does not legalize cannabis across the country. It stops the federal government from interfering with what states have decided to do,” he said.*

Republican Representative Debbie Lesko said she found it incredible that Democrats were talking about “legalizing marijuana” instead of focusing on passing more relief from the coronavirus pandemic. “Sometimes I think that the world is turned upside down,” she said.*

In fact, the House in May passed a mammoth coronavirus aid bill, but it did not advance in the Republican-run Senate. Negotiations are underway on a smaller compromise bill.*

The cannabis bill would expunge federal marijuana convictions and impose a 5% tax on cannabis products. The revenue raised would help reinvest in communities most adversely impacted by enforcement of the law, Blumenauer said.*

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” …the European commission concludes that CBD should not be considered as drug and can be qualified as food.“

Daniel Kruse, EIHA President

The European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA) received yesterday a letter from the Health services of the European Commission stating that CBD can be qualified as food, report EIHA.*

Moments before, the UN recognised the medical value of cannabis and accepted WHO recommendation to rescheduled it.*

In light of the recent Court judgement C-663/18, the Commission has reviewed its preliminary conclusion on cannabidiol, stating that it should not be considered as a drug within the meaning of the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961. This breakthrough comes at the same time as the United Nations’ Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) votes to accept the World Health Organisation’s recommendation to removecannabis from Schedule IV of the 1961 Convention,which was reserved for substances with “particularly dangerous properties” and little or no therapeutic value.*

“A truly historic moment for mankind: The United Nations, based on WHO recommendations, recognises the medical value of cannabis and removes it from Schedule IV of the 1961 Convention. Finally, the medicinal usefulness of cannabis is officially acknowledged” Says Mr Daniel Kruse, EIHA President.*

“After this historic vote, it is worth highlighting that industrial hemp and non-medical CBD still remain out of the scope of the Single Convention. That is why, the second decision of this week is even more important for our industry: in light of the comments received inter alia from EIHA and of the recent European Court of Justice ruling, the European commission concludes that CBD should not be considered as drug and can be qualified as food. As the President of EIHA and as a pioneer of the hemp industry for 26 years, I truly thank the UN and our EU commission for these absolutely great Christmas presents!“*

In practical terms, the recent statement by the Commission means that the verification of the validity of EIHA’s Novel Food application has been resumed.*

“As predicted, the ECJ ruling has had a positive effect on the Commission’s position. Now that CBD can be qualified as food, the EIHA Novel Food joint application is perfectly set up for achieving safety assessment and standards for our growing industry.” Says Ms Lorenza Romanese, EIHA Managing Director. “We also welcome the vote of the United Nations, which leads to a modern and sound scientific approach regarding cannabis in general.“*

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