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Haze Club case: ‘Cannabis grow clubs allow people to access their rights’
Denying people access to grow clubs amounts to indirect discrimination based on race
Mail & Guardian (South Africa)
Tuesday, February 2, 2021
Laws that criminalise grow clubs are unconstitutional and infringe on people’s rights to cultivate and use cannabis privately. This is according to a high court application by the director of The Haze Club (THC), Neil Liddell. Liddell and his attorneys launched a high court application. He is turning to the court to determine the legality of THC in light of the Constitutional Court’s 2018 judgment on the cultivation and use of cannabis. THC follows what has become known as the “grow club model”. Members of the club buy their own seeds. After signing up, a member delivers the seeds to be grown and harvested by THC. This model means that the cannabis plant is at all times under the ownership of the member. -
Democratic senators will push to pass pot reform bill this year
The senators said they will release “a unified discussion draft on comprehensive reform” early this year and that passing the legislation will be a priority for the Senate
CNBC (US)
Monday, February 1, 2021
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and two other Democratic senators said that they will push to pass this year sweeping legislation that would end the federal prohibition on marijuana. That reform also would provide restorative justice for people who have been convicted of pot-related crimes, the senators said in a joint statement. “The War on Drugs has been a war on people — particularly people of color,” said a statement issued by Schumer, of New York, and Sens. Cory Booker, of New Jersey, and Ron Wyden, of Oregon. “Ending the federal marijuana prohibition is necessary to right the wrongs of this failed war and end decades of harm inflicted on communities of color across the country.” (See also: Democratic Senate leaders announce steps to federally legalize marijuana in 2021) -
Le bloc de la Réforme dépose une initiative législative pour amender la loi 52
Plusieurs députés ont annoncé qu’ils comptaient présenter des initiatives législatives afin de réviser la loi 52
Business News (Tunisie)
Mardi, 2 fevrier 2021
Le bloc parlementaire de la Réforme a déposé une proposition législative pour amender la loi 52 de 1992 relative aux stupéfiants. Cette initiative vient répondre aux appels lancés par la société civile et des politiciens ayant contesté la peine de 30 ans d’emprisonnement infligée à trois jeunes kéfois pour détention et consommation de cannabis dans les vestiaires d’un stade. Le bloc de la Réforme propose d’alléger les sanctions pénales qui pourraient être infligées aux consommateurs de cannabis. Une manifestation a été organisée dans le centre de ville de Tunis afin de revendiquer l’annulation des peines d’emprisonnement et la légalisation de la consommation de cannabis. (Lire aussi: Mechichi : Trente années de prison pour avoir consommé du cannabis est excessif) -
‘There’s no stopping the industry now’: Democratic control is a big win for marijuana
The industry is poised for a big shakeup even though the prospects for passing major changes to federal policy remain slim
Politico (US)
Sunday, January 31, 2021
Cannabis companies are positioning themselves for the greater likelihood that federal cannabis restrictions will be loosened significantly. Sales are already booming. Cannabis sales hit $20 billion last year — a 50 percent jump over 2019. Legalization continues to spread across the country, with more than one-third of Americans now living in states where marijuana is fully legal. “There's no stopping the industry now,” said Andrew Kline, who recently joined the law firm Perkins Coie after serving as public policy director for the National Cannabis Industry Association. “The bigger players are going to be interested in acquiring smaller companies and becoming multi-state operators or expanding their footprint in different states.” -
Anger after Tunisians jailed for 30 years for cannabis use
The Tunisian League of Human Rights called the verdict "unjust"
The New Arab / AFP
Sunday, January 31, 2021
Tunisian human rights activists and social media users on Sunday slammed the sentencing of three people, all aged under 30, to 30 years each in prison for cannabis use. Mohamed Faouzi Daoudi, a spokesman for the court in Kef in northern Tunisia, said that the decision was "not just about drug use, but also the use of a sports field for their consumption." He said Tunisian law reserved harsh penalties for drug use in public spaces, and cited "law 52". Amna Guellali, from campaign group Amnesty International, said such sentences for drug use and possession were "unacceptable on principle". Social media users also denounced the court decision and called for demonstrations and changes to the law. (See also: Tunisian PM pledges review of 'harsh' sentences in cannabis cases) -
What has changed in the year since cannabis possession was legalised in the ACT?
Passed a year ago, the ACT's laws allow possession of up to 50 grams of cannabis per person
ABC (Australia)
Sunday, January 31, 2021
Dire warnings of legal loopholes, a mental health crisis and drug driving fears accompanied the legalisation of cannabis in the ACT last year. But one year on, cannabis users and stakeholders alike say that, while overall the impacts have been subtle, the change has been for the better. "Overall, we found cannabis use hasn't changed and, in some ways, that's the big story, because there were really dire predictions at the outset," Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Association ACT chief executive Devin Bowles said. Cannabis offences have dropped by 90 per cent in the last 12 months. ACT Health data shows there has been no increase in hospital presentations since the laws passed -
Chamber of Deputies rejects move to relax cannabis laws
According to those proposing the bill, the aim was to reduce the black market and drug-related crime
Brno Daily (Czech Republic)
Thursday, January 28, 2021
The Chamber of Deputies rejected a proposal to loosen cannabis laws in the Czech Republic, put forward by 40 deputies from six different parties. The bill was strongly supported by the Pirate Party, but was eventually rejected by 55 of the 89 deputies present. Under current Czech law, cultivating up to five plants for personal use is decriminalised, but is still a civil offence punishable by a fine. The proposal would have allowed citizens to keep five cannabis plants or 1.25 kilograms of dry cannabis legally, provided it was for personal use. Allowing others access to this personal supply would have been subject to a fine of up to CZK 15,000, though up to 30 grams could be given to others free of charge. -
Mexico on the brink of legalizing marijuana — But on what terms?
At least 40 percent of commercial cultivation licenses must be provided to communities that have been impacted by prohibition through forced crop eradication
Filter (US)
Thursday, January 28, 2021
Mexico is on the verge of becoming the third country in the world, after Uruguay and Canada, to legally regulate cannabis for personal, adult use. This comes after years of strategic litigation, a landmark Supreme Court declaration and a legislative process of over two years in the Senate. The country can almost taste legal regulation. It was a long and winding road to get this point. As the world’s second-largest producer of illicit cannabis and one of the countries most harmed by prohibition, Mexico approaches legal regulation with specific objectives—primarily of freeing up state resources that have been badly used to implement prohibition and of increasing social justice. But moving from discourse and rhetoric to affirmative actions and justice mechanisms can be complicated. -
House okays bid to legalise consumption of kratom
Kratom is a herb with biodiversity and has good potential to boost the economy and agricultural sector
The Bangkok Post (Thailand)
Thursday, January 28, 2021
Kratom will soon be removed from the narcotics list and cultivated as a new cash crop, after the House passed an amendment to the 1979 Narcotics Act. The House voted 319 to five to pass the amendment and 326 to five to endorse a 90-day transition. As such it is now due to take effect 90 days after it is published in the Royal Gazette. Prior to the House votes, Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin told MPs the amendment was aimed at legalising consumption of kratom. Mixing its juices with other narcotic substances, a popular pastime among some youths, will still be illegal, however. Legalising kratom will also change public perception of the plant and people who consume it as a herbal remedy, he said. -
Big money and a big stumble mark first year of Illinois' recreational weed law
A year after legalization, social equity remains a pipe dream
Politico (US)
Sunday, January 24, 2021
Illinois’ coffers have enjoyed a boost in tax revenue approaching the amount generated by booze sales thanks to the year that recreational marijuana has been legal there. But that success is dampened by the fact that the program’s loftier goal of bringing social equity to an industry dominated by wealthy white men hasn’t been met. Sales of highly taxed marijuana that have topped $1 billion are popular in a state with a $3.9 billion budget deficit. But other states are watching Illinois’ experiment that promised to ensure people of color could reap revenue in a rapidly growing, multi-billion dollar industry.” That’s not happening.
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