• Sadiq Khan: Time for cannabis rethink to cut violent crime

    A report from MPs on the Commons health committee called for a government consultation on decriminalising drug possession for personal use
    Evening Standard (UK)
    Friday, November 1, 2019

    London Mayor Sadiq Khan called for a rethink on cannabis laws and policing amid concern about the links between drugs and violent crime. The Mayor softened his stance on the class B drug by calling for an “evidence-based conversation” about legislation and enforcement. He said the Evening Standard’s investigation into reforming the laws on cannabis had shown how attitudes were changing. It found that 63 per cent of Londoners back its legalisation for adult recreational use. Mr Khan, who last year said he was opposed to relaxing the rules on recreational use, told the Standard: “The time is right for our society to have an evidence-based conversation about cannabis — about the law, how it is enforced, and how we support those struggling with addiction."

  • Glimmer of hope for cannabis industry as talks continue with US

    Banking issues hindering growth of cannabis industry, says CLA chairman
    Jamaica Observer (Jamaica)
    Thursday, October 31, 2019

    Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Investment, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Dermon Spence has indicated that there could be headway in sight for the difficulties with banking for the local cannabis industry. Jamaica's legal cannabis industry continues to be severely hampered as banks refuse to handle ganja money, the Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) has acknowledged. With the strong lobby by the Jamaican Government and the changing environment in the United States for cannabis banking, there were some positive developments in sight. The country's banking industry is tied to that of the US through correspondent banking arrangements. Local banks are cautious and are “unwilling to transact business with individuals and companies operating in the legal cannabis industry”

  • Regulated marijuana trial must not encourage use, ministers say

    All cannabis cafe personnel will have to go on a compulsory course to be able to identify problematic behaviour
    Dutch News (Netherlands)
    Wednesday, October 30, 2019

    The Dutch government experiment with regulated marijuana cultivation must not give the impression that the state is encouraging the use of the drug, the ministers responsible for the trial have told MPs in a briefing. ‘On the contrary, using cannabis can lead to acute health problems, such as accidents, panic attacks and psychotic episodes,’ the ministers said. ‘It can also lead to addiction and lung problems, partly due to the way it is inhaled in combination with tobacco.’ For this reason, all the packaging will carry a compulsory health warning and there will be leaflets inside the packets with further warnings. The packaging should not be attractive and the THC-CBD levels in the drug should be indicated as well.

  • Study finds declining trend in prevalence of cannabis use disorder among frequent users

    Contrary to expectations, the frequency of cannabis use disorder among people reporting daily/almost daily use decreased significantly between 2002-2016
    News-Medical Net (UK)
    Wednesday, October 30, 2019

    cannabis bud handThe prevalence of cannabis use disorder decreased in 2002 to 2016 among frequent users,, according to a new study conducted at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Changes in social attitudes and the traits of frequent users may explain the decline, according to researchers. This is one of the first studies to examine the general health profile of people using cannabis daily or almost daily and the trends in the prevalence of cannabis use disorder in this population. The findings are online in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence. (See also: Marijuana use tied to lower rates of depression and suicidal ideation among PTSD patients)

  • ACT dope laws ‘flout UN treaty statutes’

    The International Narcotics Control Board has written to the federal government asking for clarification over the laws
    The Australian (Australia)
    Monday, October 28, 2019

    australia cannabis map2The UN narcotics agency has warned that the ACT Labor government’s move to legalise cannabis in the national capital had put Australia in violation of its international treaty obligations on illicit drug control. The International Narcotics Control Board has written to the federal government asking for clarification over the laws, citing concerns they contravened at least three international con­ventions to which Australia was a signatory. “The board has noted with concern recent reports regarding the legalisation of cannabis possession, use and cultivation in small amounts in the Australian Capital Territory, effective 31 January, 2020,” the letter read. (See also: ACT cannabis legalisation 'inconsistent' with international law: United Nations)

  • Risks of cannabis use for mental health treatment outweigh benefits

    New study shows evidence of positive outcomes is scarce while symptoms can be exacerbated
    The Guardian (UK)
    Monday, October 28, 2019

    The use of cannabis medicines to treat people with depression, anxiety, psychosis or other mental health issues cannot be justified because there is little evidence that they work or are safe, according to a major new study. A review of evidence from trials conducted over nearly 40 years, published in the journal Lancet Psychiatry, concludes that the risks outweigh the benefits. And yet, say the authors, they are being given to people with mental health problems in Australia, the US and Canada, and demand is likely to grow. (See also: A big study on weed and mental health reveals just how little we know | Can we make cannabis safer?)

  • Angela Merkel's party mulls legalizing cannabis in Germany

    Prominent members of the ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU) have begun to openly discuss legalizing marijuana in Germany
    Deutsche Welle (Germany)
    Saturday, October 26, 2019

    Daniela LudwigGermany's center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is openly considering a momentous u-turn in their party's attitude to the legalization of cannabis. "Cannabis could be freed for personal use, of course with controlled production and distribution," CDU interior policy spokesman Marian Wendt told the RND network. "The resources freed in the police and judiciary should be used to fight the illegal trade." Wendt's statement came after the German government's drug commissioner Daniela Ludwig also signaled a more liberal new drug policy in the conservative party. Ludwig, of the CDU's Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), said in an interview, "We need to stop with the ideologically-charged black-or-white debates, because we won't get any further."

  • As Russian money poured into cannabis, Giuliani allies scrambled to partake

    Andrey Kukushkin and three others were indicted in a scheme to funnel money to politicians who could potentially help them obtain retail marijuana licenses
    The New York Times (US)
    Wednesday, October 23, 2019

    dollar cannabisFederal law still treats cannabis as an illegal substance, and traditional banks have been wary of getting involved. Wealthy financiers have moved in to fill the void — including a growing cast of investors from Russia and former Soviet Union countries who have helped shape the industry's growth. One of the nation’s largest cannabis companies, Curaleaf, is led by one of Russia’s most influential financiers and backed by another, allowing the company to pursue rapid expansion and hefty acquisitions. Investment firms have taken their own stakes: A San Francisco-based venture capital fund run by the Russian tech entrepreneur Pavel Cherkashin, backed largely by investors from Russia and the former Soviet Union, has put $2 million into Pure Spectrum, a Colorado-based business marketing CBD products.

  • Small-scale outdoor growing is firing up Legalization 2.0

    Former outlaws of the cannabis industry are stoking the next reefer revolution to show consumers what the business of bud could have been – and could still be
    Now Toronto (Canada)
    Wednesday, October 23, 2019

    canada ottawa cannabisMark Spear might be a thorn in the side of the Canadian weed industry. Or he may be a heel. He certainly stands out when it comes to gently pissing off the ones writing the rules on the Green Mile of corporate weed on Bay Street. Across the country, there are thousands more like Mark Spear – old-school cannabis folks who know how to grow weed better than anyone, and who want to see cannabis grown in the ground under the Canadian sun. They’re the former outlaws of the cannabis industry who were supposed to benefit the most from legalization. The Harper-era privatization of medical cannabis has led to a deeply corporatized recreational weed market. And for folks like Spear, it’s all a bit disappointing.

  • 'It was like ordering pizza': Cocaine taxis on the rise in Berlin

    Cocaine delivery services are one of the easiest ways for people to get their hands on the Class A drug
    The Local (Germany)
    Monday, October 21, 2019

    Police are investigating a growing number of "cocaine taxis" – cars that deliver the drug to any location – in the German capital. According to local Berlin broadcaster RBB, police opened 35 new probes involving cocaine delivery between the months of May and October alone this year. In 2018, there were 11 police investigations in connection with “cocaine taxis” in Berlin. It has prompted concerns over increased usage of the class A drug – and how easy it is to get a hold of it in the capital. Customers who want to buy cocaine order a "taxi" by making a phone call or sending a text with the address they want it delivered to. They are then connected to an unofficial call centre.

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