Vying to become Europe’s “Cannabis Superpower,” marijuana entrepreneurs in the recently rebranded country are waiting for the government to act.
— Read on www.nytimes.com/2020/03/25/business/north-macedonia-marijuana.html
Category: Cannabis Abroad
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North Macedonia Awaits Marijuana Laws to Become a ‘Cannabis Superpower’ – The New York Times
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Could Cannabis Help Cure Lung Cancer?
Cannabis could be a cure for lung cancer, according to a research laboratory in Cardiff.
MediPen research facility in Cardiff have been experimenting with cannabinoids and its effectiveness in slowing down the growth of cancer cells, something their managing director says is the first of its kind in the world, according to Metro.
MediPen’s managing director Jordan Owen said: “The process which we’re currently going through now is looking at the cells. We want to slow down the process of metastasis. If we can slow down that process by doing different experiments with cannabinoids, then we can effectively slow down the growth of cancer.”
Such a breakthrough would no doubt change the lives of millions, but would also support the claims many pro-cannabis individuals have long believed: that this plant carries significant medicinal qualities.
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High-strength Skunk ‘Now Dominates’ UK Cannabis Market
"Almost all cannabis seized by police now comprises high-strength varieties, with outdoor-grown herbal strains and hashish barely found," The Guardian reports.
The news is based on researchers analyzing samples of cannabis seized by 5 police forces in 2015 and 2016.
They found almost all the cannabis (93.6%) was sinsemilla, also known as skunk. This is a potent form of herbal cannabis often grown in the UK in indoor "cannabis farms" which has been specifically bred to have high levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Analysis of samples of the drugs showed a wide variation in the levels of THC, with an average level of 14.2% in sinsemilla, compared to 6.3% in resin, according to NHS.
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Switzerland Considers Making Cannabis Legal
Cannabis could soon be legal in Switzerland.
The Swiss Council of States, Switzerland’s smaller chamber of parliament, unanimously approved a bill allowing studies and pilot programs in the landlocked Alpine nation, according to Herb.
The Council called for an experimental article in the Swiss Federation’s Narcotics Act that would allow for scientific research projects including trials of a “coffee shop” system of cannabis distribution similar to that of Amsterdam.
Five Swiss cities have already called for such coffeeshop pilot programs.
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5 Words That Could Mean Billions of Dollars for Marijuana Stocks
You've heard the old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. But what's a word worth? In the case of five words spoken by Canada's public safety minister, Ralph Goodale, the answer just might be at least $1 billion each, according to the Motley Fool.
Goodale stated this past week that Canada is "on track and on time" for legalization of recreational marijuana in July.
There had been some concerns that the country wouldn't be able to pull off legalization on such a quick time table, but Goodale's message could alleviate some of those concerns. And, assuming he's right, those five words could mean billions of dollars for marijuana stocks.
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Canadian Brewer Files Patent for Cannabis Beer
A Canadian company has filed a technology patent for the production of beer brewed from cannabis, using a method that sees the grains traditionally used to make beer completely replaced with marijuana, according to The Drinks Business.
Province Brands filed the provisional patent for the “world’s first beers brewed from the cannabis plant” in July 2017, further stoking interest from the drinks industry in the burgeoning cannabis industry since Constellation bought a 10% stake in Canadian marijuana company Canopy Growth Corp for £141 million with plans to make cannabis-infused drinks.
Chief executive Rob Sands believes cannabis will eventually be made legal for recreational use in all American states, with the company, like Province Brands, looking to get a head start on the competition.
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Ontario Proposal to Allow Cannabis in Hotel Rooms Could Jump-Start Pot Tourism
Ontario’s proposal to allow people to consume marijuana in hotel rooms opens the door to a boom in cannabis tourism, says lawyer Matt Maurer.
Maurer heads the cannabis law group at Minden Gross in Toronto, and says he knows businesspeople who are interested in opening cannabis-friendly hotels and resorts, according to the Ottawa Citizen.
Maurer says he was surprised by the province’s proposal to loosen up the ban on consuming cannabis anywhere other than private homes. The government has also asked for public comments on whether to allow cannabis lounges.
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Woman Claims She Beat Cervical Cancer with Cannabis
A woman claims she has cured her stage two cervical cancer with cannabis, according to the New Zealand Herald.
Queensland woman Shona Leigh was advised by her doctors to undergo chemotherapy, the most common treatment for cancer.
However, she dismissed her doctors' advice and took to the internet for alternative treatments.
She discovered cannabis oil and was soon approached by someone who supplied her with the drug.
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Can Landlords Ban Legal Cannabis? Here’s What the Law Says
Adult-use recreational cannabis is scheduled to be made legal across Canada this summer. But not everyone’s celebrating.
As legalization looms nearer, some apartment-dwellers are prepping for legal battles over tenant rights to follow. Not all tenants are looking forward to legalization and are not welcoming to the idea of legalized cannabis being smoked indoors, according to Leafly.
Steven Lebow is one such tenant. A renter in Toronto, he’s tangled with cannabis-smoking neighbours in his building, who used heavily enough for Lebow to be able to smell the smoke from inside his apartment.
“It got to point that the cleaning help refused to clean the hallway as the smell was so strong,” Lebow told Leafly, noting that his complaints didn’t bring the results he hoped for.
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Canadian Cannabis Companies Search for Workers Ahead of Legalization
Canadian marijuana companies are on a hiring spree, looking to fill an array of roles as they gear up for the legalization of recreational cannabis later this year.
The workforce is booming, said Alison McMahon, who runs Cannabis At Work, a staffing agency focused on the burgeoning industry. Right now, she's recruiting for positions in everything from growing and production to sales and marketing, all across the country, according to CBC.
Stigma may once have kept people from applying for work with a cannabis company, but those perceptions have shifted and people are now excited about the opportunities, McMahon said.
"I think that the people, at this point, who are looking at the industry and are excited really see the upside and the growth potential," she said. "More and more people are open to this topic, so it doesn't end up being that big of a deal."