{"id":29769,"date":"2024-04-19T14:49:29","date_gmt":"2024-04-19T13:49:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cannabishealthnews.co.uk\/?p=29769"},"modified":"2024-04-19T14:49:57","modified_gmt":"2024-04-19T13:49:57","slug":"is-europe-the-sleeping-giant-of-global-cannabis-reform","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannabishealthnews.co.uk\/2024\/04\/19\/is-europe-the-sleeping-giant-of-global-cannabis-reform\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Europe the \u2018sleeping giant\u2019 of global cannabis reform? Insights from ICBC Berlin"},"content":{"rendered":"
In Berlin this week, for a historical International Cannabis Business Conference,<\/a> there was just one topic on everyone\u2019s lips \u2014 Germany\u2019s newly-passed<\/a> CanG law.<\/span><\/p>\n On 1 April, lawmakers voted to pass the bill, which will see the country take a phased approach to the legalisation of adult-use cannabis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n With Pillar one now underway, individuals are permitted to carry up to 25g of cannabis for personal use and grow up to four plants at home.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Applications for Growing Associations (not to be confused with \u2018social clubs\u2019 given the fact that you are not permitted to consume on site or within 100 metres) are due to open on 1 July.<\/span><\/p>\n Based on the current restrictions which limit clubs to one for every 6,000 residents \u2014with a maximum of 500 members each\u2014experts are expecting to see up to 3,000 official associations opened in the next few years.<\/span><\/p>\n However, some industry insiders suggest there could be many more\u2014potentially up to 10,000\u2014 \u2018unofficial\u2019 or \u2018activist-focused\u2019 clubs setting up to override some of the government\u2019s restrictions and administrative procedures.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Due to be implemented at a later date, pillar 2 will see the roll-out of a limited regulated market for adult-use sales, which will be closely monitored by researchers under a pilot study model.<\/span><\/p>\n This scientific data will be crucial, according to Peter Homberg, partner at Dentons and head of the European Cannabis Group, when it comes to the so-called \u2018pillar three\u2019, which will see Germany seek other countries in the EU to try to convince lawmakers to change the current prohibition policy.<\/span><\/p>\n German officials were forced to scale back initial plans<\/a> for full legalisation following meetings with the European Commission.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The UN single convention on Narcotic Drugs and the Schengen Agreement, which translates this into EU law, prohibits the commercial sale of cannabis for adult-use. <\/span>Sources have <\/span>previously told Cannabis Health <\/span><\/a>that it would require at least seven countries to convince the EU to abolish this law or apply a workaround.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Given that Germany is the most influential country to introduce this level of federal cannabis legalisation, with four million consumers, and a total market potential of 7.8 billion Euros, Beau Whitney, head economist at Whitney Economics, is anticipating a response from the UN and\/or EU.<\/span><\/p>\n And with a number of other neighbouring countries examining legislative change of\u00a0 some kind, Europe could be set to be the \u2018sleeping giant\u2019 of global cannabis reform.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c[We can] expect an accelerated expansion in the EU of legalised cannabis,\u201d said Whitney, speaking at ICBC on Tuesday 16 April.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMost EU countries are examining reforms but are confused on direction and scope. The \u2018legal in one country is legal in all\u2019 argument may open up markets in other countries\u2026 others will examine pilot programmes and social clubs.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n He added: \u201cIf countries reform quickly, then the EU could supplant the US as the major leader in global cannabis. While most feel the US sets the pace, the EU could very well be the catalyst in global cannabis reform.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Speaking on Wednesday 17 April, Lisa Haag, founder of Germany-based consultancy, MJ Universe, said the only way to ensure widespread reform and overcome existing barriers was for cannabis to be removed from the UN Single Convention altogether.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe signal convention is, in my opinion, the biggest trade barrier,\u201d she told Cannabis Health.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe need to have cannabis either reclassified, or even entirely removed, from the single convention. It\u00a0 seems very unlikely that this will happen, but there are other possibilities such as modification, and so we should lobby for change as an industry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n And it might not be as far off as it seems.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cRegulators are now interested in these discussions, there is movement,\u201d Haag continued.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThere is more and more acceptance within governments for hemp and medicinal cannabis cultivation, and also on an individual, country and state level for legalisation. Governments understand that the status quo is outdated and needs to change because it’s not working anymore.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n She added: \u201cYou can see more openness from regulators now, because they understand that it is a very good commodity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n For more insights <\/a>on the evolution of European cannabis reform, Cannabis Europa, takes place in London from 25-26 June, 2024, with discussions exploring the state of play in Germany, the Netherlands, Greece and the UK, as well as global markets. Find out more<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Following the landmark legislative change in Germany earlier this month, experts are expecting to see a ripple effect across the continent.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":29775,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","content-type":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[1204,55,129,48,934,1358],"yoast_head":"\nPillar three\u2014 pushing for wider EU reform<\/h4>\n
EU could overtake US as leader in global cannabis reform\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Movement from regulators?<\/h4>\n