• The tragedy of the ganja policy

    Traditional ganja industry players have the potential to contribute to "facilitating enterprise for employment and growth"
    The Jamaica Observer
    Sunday, August 9, 2015

    The amendment of the Dangerous Drugs Act 2015 in February has laid the foundation for the development of the policy framework governing a ganja industry in Jamaica. Key Ministries have to develop policies that will enable maximum economic benefit to the nation. This has led to a foray of discussions among many Jamaicans, especially those posturing to benefit from the "green gold rush", on how best to ensure that the prospective policies result in the traditional ganja growers and the common citizens gaining a share of the "ganja pie".

  • Cannabis in Berlin: Illegal...or not?

    Zero tolerance in Görlitzer Park
    Cannabis News Network
    Friday, August 7, 2015

    In Germany the possession of cannabis is illegal. Even small amounts are prosecuted, but charges are usually dropped. The definition of this "small amount" varies depending on the federal state. Most states do not prosecute up to 6 grams. The state of Berlin, being the most liberal, allows 15 grams. However the use and consumption of cannabis is not forbidden in Berlin, it’s actually one of the most liberal cities in the world regarding cannabis. Germany's number one open illegal market to buy cannabis in public is Görlitzer Park, affectionately known as "Gorli" by the locals.

  • Surprising news about teens, marijuana, and health issues. It’s all good

    The researchers found no links to physical or mental health issues
    The Washington Post (US)
    Wednesday, August 5, 2015

    With the widespread availability of marijuana in recent years thanks to its legalization in a growing number of states, there has been increasing concern about the long-term health consequences on teens who might be able to get easier access to it illegally. A study published by the American Psychological Association in the journal Psychology of Addictive Behaviors should alleviate some of the worst fears. The researchers found no links to physical or mental health issues -- including depression, psychotic symptoms or asthma -- in any group, even those with very high use.

  • Nitrous oxide campaigners take drug outside UK parliament in protest at bill

    About 100 people attend a mass inhalation against psychoactive substances bill, which would criminalise sale and supply of ‘nox’ and other drugs
    The Guardian (UK)
    Saturday, August 1, 2015

    uk nitrous oxide banA protest against the government’s proposed ban of legal highs erupted in laughter on Saturday, as dozens of demonstrators simultaneously inhaled nitrous oxide outside the Houses of Parliament. The demonstration was in opposition to the psychoactive substances bill, which would criminalise the sale and supply of any mood-altering drug not specifically excluded from existing drugs legislation. The demonstration was organised by the Psychedelic Society of London, whose members were on hand dishing out balloons filled with nitrous oxide, known as nox, as well as leaflets instructing protesters how to use the drug safely.

  • Decriminalise cannabis; consider its commercial benefits - Akrasi-Sarpong

    Drug control policies, and accompanying enforcement practices, often entrenched and exacerbated systematic discrimination against people who used drugs
    Modern Ghana (Ghana)
    Tuesday, July 28, 2015

    ghana ganjaYaw Akrasi-Sarpong, Executive Secretary of the Narcotics Control Board, called for an open debate with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), to join in on-going global debates on the drug issue. He advocated for the decriminalization of cannabis, with an argument drawn along lines, such as the commercial benefits not only as a powerful medicinal plant, but for the production of various products, including soap and cosmetics, for export. He said there was currently a growing recognition among the scientific community in the Western World of the immense benefit of cannabis, with respect to its commercial use, and were adopting new ways through science, to address the drug menace, instead of sticking to the old ways and a total ban of cannabis.

  • Is Italy about to legalize cannabis?

    Proposals that would largely decriminalize marijuana in Italy have the support of 250 MPs – but does that mean Italy will be legalizing the drug any time soon?
    The Local (Italy)
    Tuesday, July 28, 2015

    Under a new law proposal in Italy, people over the age of 18 could cultivate up to five plants at home and growers could set up social clubs involving a maximum of 50 people and 250 plants. The scope of social clubs would be to provide spaces for growers to consume and share their product, but would prohibit them from profiting from the sale of cannabis. The general sale would instead be under the control of a state monopoly that would licence dedicated shops. The proposed legislation was drafted by the parliamentary intergroup, Cannabis Legale, and presented to parliament on July 15, 2015.

  • In ‘revolutionary’ shift, cannabis to be sold in pharmacies

    Deputy health minister says medical marijuana will be prescribed and supervised like medications classified as narcotic
    Times of Israel (Israel)
    Monday, July 27, 2015

    israel-medical-marijuana2Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman announced that pharmacies in Israel will be stocked with medical marijuana to ease the often arduous bureaucratic process faced by patients prescribed the drug. During an address to the Knesset Committee on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Litzman said the current system of dispensing medical marijuana to patients was unbalanced. “Today pharmacies give out all kind of drugs, including narcotics such as morphine, and it’s done in a perfectly orderly fashion. So marijuana will be handled the same way,” he said.

  • Cannabis petition forces MPs to consider debating legalisation

    More than 125,000 sign appeal calling for total legalisation hosted on government’s official e-petitions website
    The Guardian (UK)
    Saturday, July 25, 2015

    A petition calling for the total legalisation of cannabis in the UK has been signed by more than 125,000 people in just four days. The response to an appeal hosted on the government’s official e-petitions website means MPs must now consider debating the issue in parliament. All petitions that reach 100,000 signatures are given such consideration. The petition’s success comes after a persistent campaign on social media, with activist-linked Twitter accounts around the world calling on UK-resident marijuana smokers to sign up.

  • Record number of raids on Swedish drug farms

    Sweden criminalized illicit drug use in 1988, following a two-year attempt to introduce a more tolerant approach that was considered a failure by authorities
    The Local (Sweden)
    Wednesday, July 22, 2015

    cannabis-growingSwedes are growing more and more cannabis. Never before have so many illegal drug farms been reported to the police, according to Swedish media. In 2014 a total of 904 cannabis farms were reported to the police – more than quadruple the 211 reports officers received in 2004, according to the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (Brottsförebyggande rådet, BRÅ). (See also: Denmark: More young Danes prefer cannabis to alcohol | Norway sees first synthetic cannabis death)

  • SPD und Grüne für entspanntes Kiffen

    Strikte Regeln zum Cannabis-Konsum bescheren Strafverfolgern viel Arbeit und hohe Kosten. Einige Landesregierungen werben für mehr Toleranz
    Die Tageszeitung (Germany)
    Dienstag, 21. Juli 2015

    germany-cannabisCannabis-Konsum milder bestrafen oder gleich ganz legalisieren: In den Bundesländern mehren sich die Rufe nach einem liberaleren Umgang. Baden-Württembergs Ministerpräsident Winfried Kretschmann (Grüne) sprach sich für eine Legalisierung von Cannabis aus, um den Stoff zu entkriminalisieren. Die Hamburger Landes- regierung erwägt, die Gesetzesregeln zum Konsum zu lockern. Mit dem neuen Bremer Regierungschef Carsten Sieling (SPD) hatte sich erstmals ein Ministerpräsident für die Legalisierung ausgesprochen – sofern der rechtliche Rahmen das zulasse. (Google translation in English | Mehr dazu: Das große Kiff-Verständnis)

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