Every Monday, Zeweed brings you the best in hemp wellness and cannabis news, including this week: 420 Intel, Agence Ecofin, Marijuana Moments, Hemp Grower, High Times, Sechat and Le Monde.
France. Presidential election 2022: should cannabis be legalized in France?
That’s the question the daily newspaper has been examining. With cannabis set to be a key issue in the French presidential elections, Le Monde offers Internet users some answers in a 10-minute video segment that perfectly sums up the ins and outs of the debate.
Le Monde’s article and video are available here.
Morocco. The government adopts a draft decree outlining the legalization of cannabis.
The draft decree legalizing the use of cannabis for medical and industrial purposes was approved by the executive on Thursday March 3. In detail, the provinces of Al Hoceima, Chefchaouen and Taounate will be those authorized to cultivate and produce cannabis in the Cherifian kingdom, with the possibility of adding new areas in the future at the request of local or foreign investors.
The Agence Ecofin article is available here.
USA: Activists and campaigners demand that Biden keep his promises on cannabis.
A coalition of pro-legalization and minority civil rights groups sent a letter to House leadership on Tuesday, March 1, urging them to schedule a vote on a bill to legalize marijuana federally and promote social equity this month.
The Marijuana Justice Coalition (MJC) – made up of over 20 advocacy organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Urban League, Human Rights Watch and many others – points out that the reform promised by Biden is long overdue, and that further delaying the vote will mean the unnecessary incarceration of people with minor cannabis offenses.
The Marijuana Moments article is available here.
United States. Twitch becomes the first social network to accept cannabis advertising.
As cannabis businesses continue to struggle with inconsistent guidelines and arbitrary enforcement of terms of use imposed by social media sites like Facebook Meta and Instagram, video streaming service Twitch is emerging as a viable marketing alternative to more restrictive social media environments.
The 420 Intel article is available here.
United States: California and Utah prepare to inaugurate the cannabis market for animals.
Two proposed bills, one in Utah and the other in California, would offer veterinarians the option of prescribing hemp- and cannabis-based medicines with pet owners.
Senate Bill 209 in Utah would clarify that “licensed veterinarians are not prohibited from discussing the effects of cannabis on an animal with the animal’s owner”
In California, the bill would give veterinarians the right to recommend cannabis-based products as pet medications or supplements. The bill would protect veterinarians from disciplinary or financial penalties for offering these same treatments to pet owners.
The Hemp Grower article is available here.
Costa Rica. The country opens up to therapeutic cannabis and hemp cultivation.
On Wednesday March 2, the medical cannabis bill passed the day before was signed into law by the country’s president, Carlos Alvarado. The bill had been at a standstill since Alvarado vetoed it in January, arguing that limits should be placed on individual cultivation and consumption. Lawmakers sent it back to him with the requested modifications this week.
The High Times article is available here.
Paraguay. The country inaugurates the first carbon-neutral hemp crop.
Hemp is a formidable ecological tool. With this in mind, several Paraguayan companies have joined forces to promote hemp and show that responsible cannabis cultivation is possible. The Hemp Hub Paraguay project could well enable the country to become carbon neutral thanks to the cultivation of industrial hemp. Currently, the business conglomerate already has an international certification – issued by SGS USA, the world leader in testing, inspection and certification – which validates hemp cultivation as carbon positive. So far, they are the only company to have achieved this feat.
You can read Sechat’s article here.
