International Cannabis Policy

Five years after the United Kingdom legalized medical cannabis products for use on the National Health Service (NHS), the government still has not funded the trials that would allow physicians to prescribe cannabis products.

Lawmakers in Japan’s House of Representatives have passed a bill to legalize cannabis-derived pharmaceuticals. The bill would also establish legal restrictions on general cannabis use, which was not previously referenced under federal law.

South African lawmakers on Tuesday approved a bill to legalize the personal use of cannabis. The measure does not legalize cannabis sales, meaning if individuals want to consume it legally, they have to grow it.

The Australian Medical Association says that while it supports certain cannabis decriminalization policies, it is opposing a bill to legalize adult-use cannabis due to the potential for increased “health and social-related harms.”

London-based Beckley Waves — a psychedelics startup incubator focused on therapies, education, and software — has raised $3.3 million in seed funding.

A proposal to legalize cannabis for medical and religious purposes and decriminalize the possession of small amounts of cannabis has been introduced in The Bahamas.

The Cabinet of Germany on Wednesday passed a bill to legalize the adult use and cultivation of cannabis; the measure still requires approval from parliament.

Hemp Black, a subsidiary of Australia-based Ecofibre, today signed a $9 million annual supply deal with Under Armour Inc. Under the deal, Hemp Black will provide specialty yarn made from its trademarked eco⁶ hemp biochar.

Albania’s Parliament voted 69-23 last week to legalize medical cannabis and industrial hemp but the law focuses primarily on product exports, rather than establishing a domestic market.

The Ukraine Parliament gave initial approval this week to a medical cannabis legalization proposal. The law still could see additional amendments and must pass a second reading before heading to President Volodymyr Zelensky for his signature.

The draft bill for Germany’s upcoming adult-use cannabis legalization bill was revealed last week by the Ministry of Health.

Doctors in Australia can now prescribe psychedelics including MDMA and psilocybin as a treatment for PTSD and depression. The changes took effect on July 1.

Luxembourg this week became the second European Union member nation to legalize adult-use cannabis. Under the new law, adults can home-grow up to four cannabis plants and publicly possess up to three grams of cannabis flower.

Jersey Hemp, the only farm in the British Isles that is licensed to grow hemp to manufacture CBD products, has shut down operations after the UK government said it found THC in the company’s CBD exports and declared their products illegal.

Malta, which became the first European Union country to legalize adult-use cannabis in 2021, still hasn’t licensed any non-commercial cannabis clubs despite having received 26 applications since the application window opened about four months ago.

Colombian lawmakers voted 47-43 in favor of federally allowing adult-use cannabis sales but, per Colombia’s constitution, the proposal requires more than a simple majority, and it ultimately failed to pass the chamber.

Antigua and Barbuda has authorized Rastafari to grow and consume cannabis as their faith considers the plant sacred. PM Gaston Browne said the reforms would prevent further religious discrimination.

With multiple EU members looking to legalize cannabis at the national level, the influence of Europe’s cannabis social clubs as the region’s earliest legal retailers is more important than ever.

Creso Pharma has agreed to fully acquire Australia-based Health House International, which works in the international distribution of medical cannabis products and is licensed to store and trade controlled substances including psilocybin and MDMA.

European cannabis advocates their eyes on the Czech Republic, where officials have expressed support for legalizing adult-use cannabis but also recently took measures to crack down on the sale of CBD products.

While Germany’s efforts to legalize and regulate adult-use cannabis suffered a minor blow following last week’s revelations, the country remains on track to launch a five-year adult-use cannabis pilot program and, in the meantime, intends to decriminalize cannabis possession and home growing.

According to a recent survey, 53% of Fins believe that cannabis use and possession should not be a crime in Finland but just 24% said that cannabis should be fully legalized.

Germany announced the watering down of its cannabis legalization efforts after talks with EU officials but the plan is to still legalize possession, allow limited home grows, and establish members-only “cannabis clubs.”

A recent study found that 37% of medical cannabis patients in Australia have a legal prescription for the plant, up from just 2.5% in 2018.