Much has been made about the price difference between the legal and illegal cannabis markets in Canada, but the information surrounding the topic of prices on the illicit and licit markets is misleading. Statistics Canada’s most recent figures from earlier this year show legal cannabis being about twice the supposed cost of illegal or black market cannabis, with legal cannabis on average selling at about $10.30 per gram compared to about $5.73 per gram for illicit cannabis. But while the numbers for legal cannabis provided by Statistics Canada are based on verifiable numbers in legal, regulated stores both online and brick-and-mortar, the pricing for cannabis purchased from the illegal sector is based on anonymous polling data collected by the federal government.

Across the world, the state of environmental stress is unprecedented. As scholarship and activism on ‘environmental justice’ points out, poorer and marginalised communities face particular exposure to environmental harms. This holds particularly true for populations in the global South. The role of illicit drugs in relation to these environmental stresses is an underexplored terrain. Yet, as this report will argue, drugs, as well as the policy responses to them, are an environmental issue.

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The introduction of a legal, regulated cannabis market in the Czech Republic may end up in the European Court of Justice, said drug policy coordinator Jindrich Voboril. He believed this to be the best option, as prohibition has been proven not to work and only brings costs and risks. Voboril's draft proposes the authorisation of domestic and commercial cultivation of cannabis, special clubs for recreational use, and licensed sale in shops for people over 18. Given the European legislation and the fact that the Czech government is now the only one in the EU envisaging a commercial market for recreational cannabis, it is likely that another member state will challenge the measure in the European Court of Justice. (See also: We are waiting for Germany to legalize cannabis, says Minister Válek)

El presidente de la Comisión de Justicia, Julio Menchaca, de Morena, dijo que a más tardar el 23 de este mes debe estar aprobada la regulación, porque a partir de ese día la Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación podrá declarar inconstitucionales los ar-tículos de la ley de Salud, así como las disposiciones que penalizan el uso de la cannabis. El dictamen incluirá las 11 iniciativas que se han presentado en el Senado pero tomará como base para su elaboración la que presentó la ex senadora Olga Sánchez Cordero. El senador Menchaca afirmó que la regulación de la mariguana será para uso lúdico, medicinal e industrial –el cáñamo–. Se permitirá su uso recreativo, aunque aún se analiza el gramaje para consumo diario.

El senador Gustavo Bolívar radicará una iniciativa que buscará la regulación del consumo de cannabis recreativo por parte de adultos. Dice que la intención es brindar productos de la mayor calidad, reducir los riesgos y la inseguridad y arrebatarle el negocio al microtráfico en las ciudades de Colombia. El proyecto de ley que, de entrada, promete amplio debate en el Legislativo al proponer la regulación del consumo recreativo de marihuana en el país. Con el articulado, por ejemplo, se abre la posibilidad de que en Colombia funcionen los conocidos “coffee shops”, para el consumo de productos derivados de esta planta, tal como sucede desde hace varias décadas en Países Bajos.

El proyecto de Ley Federal para la Regularización de la Cannabis avalado la víspera en comisiones, debe ser modificado a fin de no criminalizar el autoconsumo de esa droga en adultos, coincidieron senadores de Morena, PRI y PRD, quienes plantean que se elimine la obligación de realizar adecuaciones a las viviendas de los fumadores de mariguana, para establecer un espacio reservado a ello, lo que será verificado por las autoridades. Ello significa “una intromisión a la privacidad y una violación a los derechos humanos, recalcó la senadora de Morena, Jesusa Rodríguez. La senadora priísta, Silvana Beltrones, hizo notar que dentro de la regulación que se hará, debe estar presente la justicia social y asegurar la participación de campesinos y pequeñas comunidades en el mercado legal.

En una votación exprés, la Comisión Primera de la Cámara aprobó en primer debate el proyecto que busca regular el consumo recreativo de marihuana para adultos. 26 representantes participaron y la mayoría respaldó la iniciativa: 17 votaron a favor y nueve en contra. La discusión fue breve porque solo faltaba la votación final para que el proyecto continúe su trámite, ya que la semana pasada la comisión aprobó el informe de ponencia positiva y agotó la argumentación entre sus promotores y detractores. Juan Carlos Losada y Juan Fernando Reyes Kuri, representantes liberales, son ambos autores de la propuesta. (Lea: “Uso adulto del cannabis es una lucha por la libertad y los derechos fundamentales”: Juan Carlos Losada)

O PS vai apresentar nos próximos dias um projecto de resolução na Comissão de Saúde para que seja criado um grupo de trabalho sobre a utilização recreativa da cannabis. Mas os deputados do PS só irão entregar o seu projecto de lei no próximo ano - até lá ainda querem ouvir especialistas e organizar duas conferências sobre o assunto. Parlamento já chumbou o tema uma vez porque os deputados do PS consideraram ser preciso discutir o tema com maior profundidade. O Bloco de Esquerda entregou um projecto de lei já em Junho de 2022, e o diploma da Iniciativa Liberal foi admitido no Parlamento em Abril. Tanto o BE com a IL recuperam as propostas que já tinham feito na legislatura passada, mas que acabaram por caducar com a dissolução do Parlamento.

"A nossa vontade é expressa e inequívoca e não tem volta atrás". Falando em nome da bancada parlamentar do PS, Miguel Costa Matos, líder da JS, deixou claro, em conferência sobre efeitos da canábis nos adolescentes, que a decisão de legalizar a cannabis em Portugal está tomada. Presidente do Observatório Europeu frisou: "A ilegalidade das substâncias é causa de doenças." "As drogas têm mudado, temos de adaptar as nossas respostas e políticas ao que mudou. O nosso modelo de análise e referência ainda é o modelo da epidemia de heroína [fim do século XX, início deste], não podemos ter as mesmas respostas que há 20 anos. Deve-se ter um objetivo que seja possível," Alexis Goosdeel, diretor do Observatório Europeu da Droga e da Toxicodependência (OEDT).

The ‘Weed Care’ experiment in the city of Basel was supposed to launch on September 15. But it has been put on hold because traces of pesticides were found in some of the supposedly organic plants. Basel’s health department said on Friday that the delay could last several weeks or even months as products must now be analysed again by an independent body. Six cannabinoid products – four types of cannabis flowers and two types of hashish – were due to go on sale in nine pharmacies from next week. The Federal Office of Public Health approved the pilot scheme in April as part of a project by the University of Basel, its psychiatric clinics and the cantonal health department.

The first anti-drug law in the US was a local law in San Francisco passed in 1875, outlawing the smoking of opium and directed at the Chinese. Marijuana prohibition also had racist underpinnings. This time it was the Mexicans. Just as cocaine was associated with black violence and opium with Chines white slavery, in the southwest border towns of the US marijuana was viewed -- beginning in the early 1920s -- as a cause of Mexican lawlessness. Cocaine regulations also were triggered by racial prejudice. Cocaine use was associated with blacks just as opium use was associated with the Chinese.

El exministro del Interior Jorge Larrañaga tenía el anhelo de acceder a las direcciones de los clubes cannábicos, que son una de las tres vías para adquirir marihuana con fines recreativos que habilitó la ley de control y regulación; las otras dos son la compra en farmacias y el autocultivo. El dirigente del Partido Nacional fallecido en mayo de 2021 tenía la sospecha de que una parte de la producción de los clubes se volcaba al mercado ilegal y que incluso una fracción se comercializaba en Brasil. El titular de la Secretaría Nacional de Drogas (SND), Daniel Radío, siempre fue contrario a la iniciativa, pero no por considerar que las autoridades no deben tener acceso a las direcciones, sino porque antes de entregarlas debía “salvaguardar la identidad de los usuarios”.

Daniel Radío, secretario general de la Secretaría Nacional de Drogas, rechazó el artículo que se incluyó en la Rendición de Cuentas y que habilita al Ministerio del Interior a acceder a la dirección y ubicación de los autocultivadores y clubes cannábicos registrados en el Instituto de Regulación y Control del Cannabis (Ircca). "Este artículo es el mal y el mal tiene sanción quirúrgica, se extirpa", expresó. "No resuelve nada, daña y tiene deslealtad institucional", agregó. "Es haberle hecho una trampa a la gente, porque nosotros le dijimos 'vení tranquilo y anotate tranquilo que tu dato es sensible y no se lo pasamos a nadie'. ¿O sea estafamos nosotros?" (Véase también: Marihuana: el registro al que Lacalle se oponía y ahora propone que acceda la Policía)

Se define como conservador pero remarca que es un defensor de los derechos de las personas, y en ese sentido sostiene que no se pueden cambiar las reglas de juego sobre el registro de consumidores de cannabis, porque sería violentar las garantías legales ya otorgadas. Daniel Radío dijo en entrevista con El País que cambiar las reglas ahora es “entrampar” a los usuarios, y que el problema del narcotráfico no reside en la eventual venta ilegal desde los clubes. "Votamos una ley que protege la identidad. No puede ser que cambies la ley y ahora la ley no protege más. No podemos haber entrampado a la gente. Tiene que generarse cierta garantía jurídica a las personas".

Raphael Mechoulam, a pioneering Israeli chemist who is credited with opening the field of cannabis science after identifying the structure and function of the key compounds of cannabis, died on March 9 at his home in Jerusalem. He was 92. Professor Mechoulam’s groundbreaking work with cannabis began in the early 1960s, just before the use of marijuana and other drugs exploded in countries around the world, bringing seismic changes to popular culture while also kicking off decades-long battles about health effects and enforcement. His research earned him the unofficial title “the father of cannabis research.”

Rastafarians in Barbados will be permitted to use cannabis for sacramental purposes. The announcement was made during a Sitting in the House of Parliament by Attorney General Dale Marshall during the debate on the Medical Cannabis Bill (2019). Marshall admitted changes needed to be made to the way government treats religious use of cannabis considering it does not fall into the category of recreational or medicinal. He also pointed to the legal precedent based on cases in Antigua and South Africa where the court acknowledged it was an infringement on the constitutional rights of Rastafarians to criminalize them for using cannabis. (See also: Rastas to bring cannabis case against Barbados government | Ras Simba wants AG to allow ganja use for all)

In der Kölner Innenstadt soll der Verkauf von Cannabis legal möglich werden, so wünscht es sich eine Mehrheit in der Bezirksvertretung. Geplant ist eine Arbeitsgruppe „AG Cannabis“ zu gründen und Abgabestellen in Apotheken einzurichten. Eine Mehrheit aus Grünen, FDP, Linken, Deine Freunde und der Ratsgruppe Gut beschlossen in der Bezirksvertretung den Modellversuch. In der „AG-Cannabis“ soll eine Strategie zur kontrollierten Abgabe des Rauschmittels entwickelt werden. In der Arbeitsgruppe sollen Mitglieder von Suchthilfeträgern, Drogenexperten, die Polizei und Fachpolitiker miteinander diskutieren.

When it was first proposed, the concept of marijuana legalization seemed solid enough. Take the world’s most popular illicit substance, establish a taxed and regulated marketplace and watch all of the evil associated with the herb – the criminal activity, the youth consumption – fade away into a footnote of American history. And by all accounts, it was a plan that should have worked. Considering all of the insanity surrounding the cannabis trade, it’s hard to argue that marijuana legalization is working. It should be, but the scene is just too convoluted. Sure, the polls show the majority of the U.S. population supports marijuana legalization. But that doesn’t mean they will buy it legally once it happens.

The process to legalise recreational cannabis in Luxembourg will take at least another two years as the government is set to unveil a first roadmap early in 2020. The government pledged to legalise marijuana as part of its 2018 coalition agreement, but the process is running into some delays. Initially foreseen for the autumn of this year, a proposed action plan by the health ministry remains outstanding. "We don't want to rush this," a ministry spokeswoman told the Luxembourg Times. "We decided to take all the time we need." Only once the framework has been adopted by the entire cabinet can the drafting of a law to legalise cannabis begin. Among the issues at stake is the potential violation of three United Nations drug control treaties that Luxembourg has signed.

Federal parliament could override state laws to legalise recreational marijuana use in Australia, according to new constitutional advice obtained by the Greens. As the minor party ramps up its campaign to legalise cannabis ahead of a planned private member’s bill to be introduced next year, the Greens’ justice spokesperson, David Shoebridge, said the advice from constitutional lawyer Patrick Keyzer paved the way for new federal laws. The Greens say that empowering the commonwealth to regulate the cultivation, licensing and sale of cannabis – including the measures needed to create a legal national cannabis market – would override state and territory laws criminalising marijuana. (See also: ‘Staring people in the face’: The 22-year-old case to legalise cannabis)