The Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) and the State have been accused of having no real interest in ensuring that small farmers get their fair share of the legal marijuana pie, as pilot cultivation programmes have been allowed to fall by the wayside and emphasis placed on heavy regulation. This sentiment was expressed by Government and Opposition politicians at a meeting of the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC), which had in attendance senior representatives of the CLA and its parent ministry. The pilot project for cultivation launched in Accompong, St Elizabeth crashed out with the onset of the novel coronavirus pandemic, while that planned for Orange Hill, Westmoreland did not get off the ground due to problems with land access.

The Narcotics Control Board meeting has endorsed the Public Health Ministry's latest draft list of narcotic substances, in which all components of cannabis no longer appear as a Category 5 narcotic substance. After the meeting, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said this decision is in line with the government policy to promote the use of cannabis for medical, research and educational purposes. It also complies with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's order to have people benefit from cannabis. However, cannabis extracts must have less than 0.2% of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) by weight. With cannabis legalisation being a flagship policy of Mr Anutin's Bhumjaithai Party, he said the party will propose a draft bill on the issue to the House of Representatives.

National leader Todd Muller says his party will likely support the legalisation of cannabis if New Zealand votes "yes" in the upcoming referendum. National has previously declined to commit to enacting the result of the non-binding cannabis referendum, which will be voted on in September as part of the 2020 election. But Muller signalled a softer stance, after ousting Simon Bridges from the leadership, indicating he would legalise cannabis "if the people have spoken" in support. The bill being proposed by the Labour-led Government would allow cannabis to be consumed, sold, and purchased for recreational use, by people 20 years or older. Personal possession of 14 grams of cannabis, the sale of cannabis edibles, and growing up to four cannabis plants per household would be allowed. 

The National Council on Substance Abuse (NCSA) has said they will be monitoring closely the new legislation which allows Rastafarians in Barbados to cultivate and use marijuana for sacramental purposes. Last year, the House of Parliament passed the Sacramental Cannabis Act 2018 which allows those within the Rastafarian faith to grow and cultivate marijuana on the premises where they worship. The legislation states that those who wish to grow and use the plant for sacramental purposes would need to apply for a permit. The Manager of the NCSA, Betty Hunte, said the possibility of marijuana falling into "the wrong hands" is a real concern, as is the case with any drug. 

B.C.’s New Democratic and Green parties say they would not oppose a research trial to evaluate the regulation of adult marijuana use, which would be a step towards taking pot use out of the criminal realm, according to Stop the Violence BC. The B.C. Liberals said a research trial would have to be initiated by the federal government and only then would they give the proposal “serious consideration.”

More than 155 million Americans will now live in states with legal weed. Maryland and Missouri passed legalization referendums on Tuesday, meaning there are now 21 states where anyone at least 21 years old will be able to legally possess marijuana. That marks a seismic shift since Colorado and Washington became the first states to back full legalization at the ballot box a decade ago. “[It’s] just further evidence that cannabis legalization for adult use is mainstream American public policy,” said John Hudak, an expert on cannabis policy at The Brookings Institution. “That shows you how much progress has happened in American public opinion.”

Luxembourg is likely to run into trouble with its neighbours if it sticks by its plan to legalise cannabis - a policy that remains unthinkable particularly in France and Germany. The country's new coalition government, formed last year, has pledged to legalise cannabis in the five years it is scheduled to stay in power. How and when this will happen, remains to be seen. But the Grand-Duchy's big neighbours Germany and France are unhappy anyway, fearing legal pot in Luxembourg could cause trouble back home. If Luxembourg follows up on its plan to legalise cannabis, every adult in Luxembourg will be allowed to cultivate, buy, possess and consume cannabis for personal use.

Nepal's marijuana ban could soon be up in smoke, as lawmakers mull a return to the liberal drug policies that once made the Himalayan republic a popular pit stop on the overland "hippie trail". Now, with Western countries easing their own prohibitions on marijuana, the government and legal reform campaigners say it is time to stop criminalising a potent cash crop with centuries-old ties to the country's culture and religious practices. "It is not justifiable that a poor country like ours has to treat cannabis as a drug," Nepal's Health Minister Birodh Khatiwada told AFP. "Our people are being punished... and our corruption increases because of smuggling as we follow decisions of developed countries that are now doing as they please."

Ruling party lawmakers have proposed legalizing marijuana in Nepal, where it has been used for generations and was famed during the counterculture '60s. Forty-six members of the ruling Communist Party of Nepal filed the proposal in Parliament to legalize the production and use of marijuana, party lawmaker Birod Khatiwada said. He said the Himalayan country's mountainous terrain is suitable for the crop and allowing farmers to grow it would greatly benefit those who are impoverished. The proposal must be debated in Parliament before any changes are made to existing laws. (See also: From mellow to high: How the movement to legalise marijuana is lighting up Nepal)

The Dutch government wants to clear up several issues regarding the application process to grow legal recreational marijuana. The process is part of an experiment in the Netherlands to legalize – though it’s limited in scope and time – the production of marijuana destined to be sold in coffee shops. (Basic information about the application process.) Only applicants that demonstrate the capability to cultivate at a large scale – a minimum of 6,500 kilograms per year – will be considered. But a newly released FAQ specifies that the winners won’t necessarily have to grow that amount. Up to 10 growers will be selected to supply roughly 80 coffee shops in 10 municipalities during a period of at least four years. (See also: Netherlands receives 149 grower applications for recreational cannabis experiment)

The Netherlands is laying the groundwork to become the first country in Europe to allow commercial production of adult-use marijuana – although initially the program would be considered an “experiment.” Under the Dutch plan, a limited number of companies would be allowed to legally grow marijuana to supply coffee shops in the country that would, in turn, sell the products to consumers. While Dutch authorities tolerate the sale of recreational cannabis in such shops under certain conditions, cultivation and wholesale for that market remains completely illegal. The government is looking to address the contradiction with the closed cannabis supply-chain experiment.

The Dutch government will hold a draw to choose 10 marijuana cultivators for the country’s upcoming pilot program, according to a letterto Parliament from the medical and justice ministers. The winners of the draw will likely be the first in Europe to legally grow adult-use cannabis for commercial purposes. The pilot program involves 10 cultivators supplying almost 80 “coffee shops,” which currently operate in a system where sales are legally tolerated but cultivation is prohibited. Ten municipalities are taking part in the program with all their coffee shops, but the growing locations do not necessarily need to be in those localities.

The Dutch government will start accepting applications in July from potential cultivators for its adult-use cannabis experiment. From July 1 until July 28, companies will be able to apply to grow adult-use marijuana for supply to coffee shops in 10 municipalities around the country. July marks the official start to the preparatory phase of the limited-scope experiment that will mandate all coffee shops in the 10 participating municipalities be supplied exclusively with legally grown cannabis. Until now, all coffee shops have carried cannabis only from the illicit market. The selection process of up to 10 growers is expected to take six months. (See alos: Cannabis firms can sign up for licensed growers test next month | Wanted: 10 marijuana farmers with experience and integrity)

The Netherlands' experiment with regulated cannabis cultivation has been delayed again. The trial will only start in the second quarter of 2023, Ministers Ernst Kuipers of Public Health and Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius of Justice and Security said in a letter to parliament. The initial plan was to start selling regulated cannabis in 2020. That was then delayed to the second half of 2022 and now to next year. According to the Ministers, it is taking longer than expected to get to the point "when the quantity, quality, and diversity" of the legally grown cannabis is sufficient to supply the participating coffeeshops. They expect this point to be reached in the first half of next year at the earliest. (See also: Dutch regulated marijuana growing trial is delayed as problems mount | Dutch recreational cannabis production pilot beset by delays)

The Ministry of Justice published a statement (FR) on Tuesday announcing that the legalisation of private cannabis cultivation and consumption was officially included in Luxembourg's gazette. This means that the law will come into force on Friday 21 July this year, four days after the text was published. Adults will thus be allowed to grow up to four cannabis plants per household. Consumption and transportation of cannabis outside of one's home remain prohibited, as do private sales. The law also stipulates new and reduced penalties for violations. (See also: Everything you need to know about the new cannabis law)

Reforming the Cannabis industry into one which earns maximum benefits globally, is the goal of newly appointed Chairman for the Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA), LeVaughn Flynn. Flynn, who has written several articles advocating for the cannabis industry, said he believes the industry is at a very interesting point, where there is transformation, and is elated to lead the process that will benefit Jamaicans. “We've seen the rescheduling and reclassification of cannabis by the United Nations and also by the US Government, and those things give us the impression that potentially, in another couple years, we could have cannabis legalised at the Federal level in the US, and when that happens, that completely opens the global free trade for cannabis,” he said.

The new cabinet is to sanction experiments with legal marijuana production to be sold in cannabis cafes. Details are still sketchy, but between six and 10 local authority areas will probably be singled out for the experiment, which will lead to council-licenced growers producing marijuana for sale in their own locality. Breda and Eindhoven are among the cities which have already come forward. While officials turn a blind eye to the sale of small amounts of marijuana for personal use, how the drug ends up in licenced coffee shops remains a grey area. Dozens of local authorities have for years argued for licenced production to remove drugs gangs from the entire chain. (See also: Legal cannabis cultivation in Netherlands to test organized crime impact)

Legislation to set up a recreational marijuana marketplace, decriminalize cannabis and loosen penalties for underage possession of the drug and alcohol was signed into law by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, more than three months after voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot to legalize adult use of the drug. The Democrat-led Assembly and Senate passed the last-minute measure to ease penalties on underage possession of both alcohol and marijuana to secure Democratic Gov. Murphy’s signature on legislation they had sent him in December. Murphy had earlier said he backed the legislation, but delayed signing for more than two months amid concerns that young people of color could still face arrests, running afoul of his goal of undoing the effects of the war on drugs in Black communities.

It was sold on the streets and at parties. It was sold to people from all walks of life, from university students to businessmen to middle-class workers. It was sold not only in its leafy form but also in edibles like cakes, brownies, cheesecakes and the like. There have even been some stories of some marijuana dealers making home deliveries. But how has this changed since marijuana was decriminalised? Are more people buying weed? Are people buying more weed? Have the prices changed since decriminalisation? Or is it business as usual? Business Day approached – let’s call them “small businessmen” on Trinidad – who specialised in the distribution of the plant, and the word on the street is, so far, nothing has changed. But according to consultants on the law, changes will come and soon.