After a short summer break, the editorial team is back with a press review that’s as green as it is fresh.
On the menu this Monday August 22: French senators calling for the legalization of cannabis, a France Inter radio podcast on the same theme, British people who would like to see weed prescribed, Jamaica coming to the rescue of small-scale ganja growers, the Colombian president wanting to put an end to marijuana prohibition, and Hong Kong on the verge of banning the CBD trade.
France: 31 senators of all political persuasions call for the legalization of cannabis.
More than 30 senators from the Socialist, Ecologist and Republican groups have called for a referendum on the legalization of cannabis in France. While the land of human rights continues to apply one of Europe’s most repressive policies, it is also the country with the highest number of weed users on the old continent.
The letter, co-signed by 31 senators and published in Le Monde, explores several legalization options, rejecting that of decriminalization. The 31 progressive senators call for the launch of a wide-ranging consultation (in the form of a referendum) aimed at legalizing the adult use of cannabis in France.
The article in Le Monde is available here.
United Kingdom: According to a recent study, a large majority of Britons would consider using cannabis for medical purposes.
Most Britons would consider using cannabis to treat medical conditions, especially if prescribed by a doctor, reports a new study.
The survey, involving 4,000 people, is believed to be the largest of its kind ever carried out in the UK.
Conducted by private cannabis clinic Mamedica, the survey revealed that most Britons (60%) would consider using medical cannabis instead of traditional medicines.
The study also stated that 89% of Britons would consider or be interested in cannabis treatment if prescribed by a doctor (although 59% are unaware that cannabis is available on prescription). Since 2018, it has been legal to prescribe cannabis in Great Britain.
The Yahoo News Uk article is available here.
Colombia: President Petro lays the foundations for the legalization of recreational cannabis.
In keeping with his campaign promises, President Gustavo Petro is moving towards the legalization of recreational cannabis. The head of state made his intentions clear at the Pacific Mayors’ Congress, where he was joined on this point by several voices from both the majority and the opposition, including Senator Gustavo Bolivar, who was one of the first to defend the project.
In addition to legalizing unlicensed cannabis production, the president proposed that Colombia should become a powerhouse in the industry: “We must not let Canadian multinationals keep the dollars and plant the cannabis plantations“, concluded Gustavo Petro in the same speech.
The Publimetro article is available here.
Jamaica: The Ministry of Trade and Industry recommends that the government provide financial support for small-scale cannabis growers.
The Department of Trade and Industry’s Fair Trading Commission (FTC) recommends that the government create a funding mechanism for small-scale cannabis growers.
The recommendation follows the publication of a market study on the cannabis industry, which revealed that financing is one of the main obstacles faced by producers.
The FTC report, which was published in August, stated that“policymakers should consider establishing [une] funding source to encourage easier entry/expansion of legitimate cannabis commerce.”
The agency stresses the crucial importance of such financing, as entrepreneurs have difficulty accessing loans from financial institutions that are still reluctant to invest in the sector.
The recommendation was also made in view of the fact that access to legally produced cannabis for export is likely to be hampered by numerous treaties aimed at reducing the illegal cannabis trade.
The Jamaica Observer article is available here.
Hong Kong: A ban on the sale and possession of CBD is imminent.
In June, the government of Hong Kong, which is nominally semi-autonomous from mainland China, had unveiled a bill to ban the manufacture, import, export, sale and possession of CBD products.
The bill comes after Beijing announced a ban on CBD-containing cosmetics last year.
Authorities have argued that CBD can break down into THC under “normal storage conditions” and could become a gateway for young people to take illegal drugs.
The same authorities also claim that over a third of the 4,000 CBD samples tested contained traces of THC, a molecule prohibited in the Middle Kingdom.
The My Droll article is available here
France: Should cannabis be legalized?
In a one-hour podcast on the subject of “Should cannabis be legalized?” France Inter radio sets out to provide some answers, in the presence of Dr. Nicolas Authier, who is piloting the therapeutic cannabis experiment, Ludovic Mendès (LREM MP for Moselle), Arnaud Robinet (LR mayor of Reims), researcher Marie Geoffrey and Drôme LR senator Gilbert Bouchet.
The link to the podcast is here.
