Category: NEWS

« This bill is not so much about medicine as about the industrial cultivation of cannabis and corruption schemes by the government regarding permits and the development of huge financial flows. »*

People’s deputy Iryna Herashchenko

Before the bill can become law, it must pass a second reading following any amendments and necessary finalization before being sent to the president for his signature, reports Kyiv Post.*

Ukraine’s parliament has given its initial approval to a bill aiming to legalize medical cannabis in the country. People’s deputies Iryna Herashchenko and Yaroslav Zheleznyak confirmed the successful vote, with 268 deputies supporting the legislation. *

“The long-awaited bill on medical cannabis has passed the first reading. But this bill is not so much about medicine as about the industrial cultivation of cannabis and corruption schemes by the government regarding permits and the development of huge financial flows,” Iryna Herashchenko wrote.*

However, before the bill can become law, it must pass a second reading following any necessary finalization and subsequently be sent to the president for his signature.*

President Volodymyr Zelensky has already expressed his support for the bill, urging parliamentarians to vote in favor of it at the end of June.*

The draft law put forward by the Ministry of Health outlines several key provisions. First and foremost, it proposes establishing a licensing system for the cultivation of cannabis strains intended for medical purposes.*

Entities seeking to engage in the cultivation of cannabis for medical, industrial, or scientific and technical activities will be required to obtain the appropriate permit.*

Furthermore, the bill advocates to strict monitoring of the production and distribution of medical cannabis and related products. Each batch of medication will be labelled with a unique barcode, ensuring comprehensive tracking throughout the supply chain.*

Additionally, the proposal calls for the implementing of an electronic register to record the movement of medical cannabis. Patients will only be able to access cannabis-based medications with a valid prescription from a qualified medical professional based on a relevant medical diagnosis.*

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« For minors, consumption remains prohibited and for young adults (up to 21 years old), it is limited. »

Health Minister Karl Lauterbach

Germany took a further step towards the legalization of cannabis for recreational purposes on Wednesday with the adoption by the Council of Ministers of the bill, which will be accompanied by a prevention campaign aimed at young people, reports RTS.*

According to the text, which has yet to be debated and voted on by parliament, it will be possible from the age of 18 to buy and possess up to 25 grams of cannabis. Germany will thus have one of the most liberal legislations in Europe, following in the footsteps of Malta and Luxembourg, which legalized recreational cannabis in 2021 and 2023 respectively.*

The coalition of the social democrat of Olaf Scholz with the Greens and the Liberals made this legalization one of the flagship projects of his mandate even if the initial plan went much further. Faced with the reservations of the European Union, Berlin had to review its copy. *

The reform also arouses criticism from the opposition, police unions or judges who believe that it will not put an end to trafficking, when it is one of the objectives.*

According to this bill, it will also be possible to cultivate up to three cannabis plants for one’s own use.*

Cannabis clubs*

The new legislation provides for the creation of non-profit associations whose adult members – their number is limited to 500 – will be able to cultivate the plant for their own consumption, under the supervision of the public authorities.*

These “Cannabis Social Clubs” – as they call themselves – will have a regulated activity: they will only be able to supply their members and at the rate of 25 grams per day with a maximum of 50 grams per month. For young people aged 18-21, it will be a little less: 30 grams per month. These clubs will be subject to controls by the public authorities.*

The consumption of cannabis must be outside these clubs and will be prohibited within 200 meters of these clubs, schools, playgrounds, sports fields and associations for young people.*

Youth awareness*

Health Minister Karl Lauterbach also plans to launch a major awareness campaign aimed at young people on the dangers of cannabis for the brain “particularly harmful when it is still in a period of growth”.*

“For minors, consumption remains prohibited and for young adults (up to 21 years old), it is limited,” he said in a statement.*

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« Up until now, those eligible for medical marijuana had to get a special license. »

Israeli health ministry

Approval of the plan would be the first step to legalising possession of limited amounts of the drug and allow ‘cannabis club’ members to buy it for recreational purposes, reports The Times of Israel.*

The Health Ministry says that from December, doctors will be able to prescribe marijuana to patients.*

The ministry publishes its reforms into the medical marijuana system, saying that it will review the system again after a year.*

The reform is intended to make it easier for patients to access the drug and remove bureaucratic hurdles. Up until now, those eligible for medical marijuana had to get a special license.*

The reform also removes CBD products that do not have psychoactive properties, from drug restrictions.*

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« …adults allowed to possess up to 25 grams of the drug and grow a maximum of three plants for personal use. »

german government

Approval of the plan would be the first step to legalising possession of limited amounts of the drug and allow ‘cannabis club’ members to buy it for recreational purposes, reports Euronews.*

Germany is set to approve a plan to liberalise the country’s rules on cannabis, which could see adults allowed to possess up to 25 grams of the drug and grow a maximum of three plants for personal use.*

Cabinet approval, expected on Wednesday, has been billed as the first step in a two-part plan and will still need to be ratified by Parliament.*

If finalised, it would also allow the drug to be cultivated and sold by “cannabis clubs” to its members for recreational purposes.*

The proposed plan is a stride forward for a prominent reform project of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s socially liberal coalition, though significantly short of the government’s original ambitions.*

Officials hope legalisation will help push back the black market, protect consumers against contaminated products, and reduce drug-related crime.*

But the plan faces opposition from several quarters.*

The centre-right opposition believes the government is pressing ahead with legalising a risky drug despite European legal obstacles and expert opinion.*

And an organisation representing German judges says the proposed law is likely to increase rather than decrease the burden on the judicial system.*

The government said it plans to follow the new legislation with a second step which would see five-year tests of regulated commercial supply chains in select regions.*

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« The pilot trial and the follow-up study aim to assess the health and social effects of selling cannabis in pharmacies. »

Reto Auer, project manager at the University of Bern

The Bernese pilot trial for the regulated sale of cannabis in pharmacies will be able to start. The Federal Office of Public Health (OFSP), the Cantonal Ethics Commission and the Ethics Commission of North-West and Central Switzerland have issued the necessary authorisations, reports the RTS.*

The pilot trial and the follow-up study aim to assess the health and social effects of selling cannabis in “strictly regulated and non-profit” pharmacies, recalls Reto Auer, project manager at the University of Bern, quoted Wednesday in a press release from the university.*

The study will be conducted in the cities of Bern, Biel and Lucerne. It should start “probably in the fall”. It is planned to recruit 1091 participants, including about 600 in the federal city, specifies the latter.*

People who regularly use cannabis for recreational purposes and who are at least 18 years old can participate in the study.*

Similar studies have already been authorized in Basel, Zurich, Lausanne and Geneva.*

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« The effects of regulated non-profit cannabis sales on consumer behavior and its impact on the illegal market. »

Emilie Moeschler, municipal in social cohesion

The Lausanne project for the regulated sale of cannabis is taking shape. Entitled Cann-L, the pilot trial has received authorization from the Federal Office of Public Health, thus joining the projects already validated in Basel and Zurich, reports the RTS.*

People wishing to participate in this study – 2000 have already expressed their interest on the project’s website – will be able to register in June. The place of sale, which is not yet known, should open in September, the City of Lausanne indicated on Tuesday.* The Vaudois capital and its partner Addiction Suisse, which is leading the scientific part of the project, hope to bring together a panel of around 1,200 people who use cannabis and live in Lausanne.*

The products will be available in a single point of sale and without medical connotation. Several premises are currently being evaluated.* The sales team is being formed. This will provide advice on consumption and risk reduction, as well as reminders on the legislation in force. It will also be able to “evaluate and guide people with problematic consumption in the support network”, specifies the City of Lausanne.*

On sale by September*

“After the Cantonal Ethics Commission, the authorization of the OFSP marks a major step for our project”, commented Emilie Moeschler, the municipal councilor for social cohesion, quoted in the press release. She added that the concrete phase could now start with, as a first step, the launch of registrations.*

Necessary for the study, the “local and organic” cultivation of the plants can also begin. The first harvest will take place during the summer. This will be followed by a period of preparation of the products before they go on sale by September.*

These products will be intended “for personal consumption and in the private sphere”, underlines the Vaud capital. And to recall that it seeks to study, via this pilot project, “the effects of the regulated sale of non-profit cannabis on the behavior of consumers as well as its impact on the illegal market.”*

The project should thus make it possible to better understand consumption, but also strengthen prevention. In terms of security, it is a question of limiting the nuisance caused by the illegal market.*

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« His research group discovered the first endocannabinoid in 1992, which he named anandamide. »

International Alliance for Cannabinoid Medicines (IACM)

On 9 March 2023, Raphael Mechoulam, professor emeritus of medicinal chemistry at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, passed away at his home in Jerusalem at the age of 92. He is often referred to as the father or grandfather of cannabinoid research because of his ground-breaking discoveries. He had first determined the exact chemical structure of the cannabis active ingredient delta-9-THC in 1964, together with Yehiel Gaoni, and his research group discovered the first endocannabinoid in 1992, which he named anandamide.*

Raphi, as he was called by his friends, enjoyed high international recognition not only because of his great scientific achievements, but also because of his impressive personality, which made him a role model and inspiration for many scientists. He contributed significantly to improving the lives of thousands and thousands of people with severe diseases through cannabis treatment. We were fortunate and honoured to have him as a member of the IACM Board of Directors for many years and as Chairman of the IACM from 2003-2005. Among many other awards given to him during his life, he received the IACM Special Award in 2014 for his contributions to the re-introduction of cannabis and cannabinoids into medicine.*

We will miss him. He will live on in our hearts.*

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« The canton does not intend to launch a trial of this type itself, but it supports the principle. »

The Vaud government

The Vaud Council of State wants to supervise pilot trials for the sale of cannabis for non-medical purposes. The Lausanne Cann-L project will be the first to see the light of day in the canton, after the final authorization from the Federal Office of Public Health (OFSP), reports RTS.*

The Vaudois government submits to the Grand Council a draft decree which specifies the role of the cantonal authorities in monitoring and supervising the pilot projects. This is particularly the case in terms of safety and public health.*

Support for the principle of such trials*

The canton does not intend to launch a trial of this type itself, but it supports the principle, he explains in a press release on Thursday.*

In particular, it is planned to set up a monitoring and control commission. It will be responsible, in association with the FOPH, for monitoring the implementation of the trials, their coordination and the processing of any reports and complaints. This commission will be chaired by the cantonal doctor and will bring together experts, representatives of the municipalities and of justice and police circles.*

The canton will contribute to the financing of the scientific part of the trial. For this purpose, he is requesting an amount of 525,000 francs for three years.*

Dedicated store in the center of Lausanne*

On May 20, Lausanne presented its cannabis sales pilot project. The objective is to measure the effects of a regulated sales model on consumers and drug trafficking. Cannabis should be sold in a dedicated store downtown.*

A first study on the regulated sale of cannabis began at the end of January in pharmacies in Basel. Other projects are awaiting final authorization from the FOPH, notably in Zurich, Lausanne and Geneva.*

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« 374 people who all regularly consume cannabis will benefit from this study. »

RTS

The city of Basel has been offering cannabis for sale in nine pharmacies since Monday. This pilot project, the first in Switzerland, offers a “regulated” sale reserved for around 370 participants. The goal: to study the health effects of a legal distribution of this type of product, reports RTS.*

The legal basis at the federal level to launch this pilot project, called “Weed care”, came into force in 2021. The Basel project is carried out jointly by the cantonal Department of Health, university psychiatric clinics, as well as psychiatric services in Aargau and the University of Basel.*

In French-speaking Switzerland, the cities of Lausanne and Geneva are on edge with a similar pilot project. All that is missing is the green light from the Federal Office of Public Health to be able to launch the production of cannabis and the recruitment of participants in the study.*

More than 370 people concerned*

In Basel, 374 people who all regularly consume cannabis will benefit from this study. It is a little over 300 men, about sixty women and six non-binary people. The youngest is 18, the oldest 76. The average age is 36.*

From today, a first group of around 180 people can buy cannabis products. The second group will start in six months. They will all receive questionnaires on their consumption habits and their health at two-month intervals. An interim report for the attention of the Federal Office of Public Health will be drawn up within a year.*

How to get cannabis*

In addition to their identity card, the participants will have to present a kind of student card which allows them to stock up in nine pharmacies located in different districts of the city of Basel.*

Two products based on hashish and four products based on cannabis flowers, all made in Switzerland, are offered to them with more or less THC, the main active molecule of cannabis intended to provide the feeling of relaxation.*

Prices will align with the local black market, i.e. between 8 and 12 francs per gram, depending on the product and the THC content.*

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« In the European Union, one must respect one microgram per kilo of body weight, against seven in Switzerland. This tolerance does not however have an intoxicating effect. Nobody in Switzerland has ever suffered because of ‘a bread produced with hemp flour. This is a very safe bet that Europe should follow. »

Lorenza Romanese, director of the European Industrial Hemp Association

What if hemp was the plant of the future? The UN Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD) brought together industry players and representatives of States interested in this plant with multiple virtues on Wednesday in Geneva, reports RTS.*

The United Nations is convinced that legal cannabis is one of the keys to sustainable development. Largely under-exploited, its virtues are nevertheless numerous. This superfood grows easily, enriches the soil and is a super ecological textile fiber. Its cultivation requires, for example, 70% less water than cotton and almost no pesticides.*

Hemp can also be used for the manufacture of ecological building material. In this respect, France is a pioneer. “Thirty years ago, France was the first to develop a construction system based on the use of lime mixed with a part of hemp”, explains in La Matinale Pascal Mortoire, member of the French umbrella organization of hemps. *

He develops: “The shiv, the woody part of hemp which contains lignin, has several interesting properties. It is in particular a perfect insulator. It makes an absolutely incredible construction and insulation material, which resists fire, which allows use in all rooms. This allows the use of far fewer petroleum-based products.*

Exploited massively in the past*

Despite all these qualities, hemp is hardly cultivated. “The area at the global level dedicated to the cultivation of legal hemp corresponds to less than 0.02% of cultivated areas. There is therefore potential”, explains Marco Fugazza, economist at UNCTAD.*

However, hemp has not always been shunned so much. For centuries, until the 1940s, it was exploited massively in Europe, before being abandoned.*

“We substituted natural fibers with synthetic fibers – a synthetic derivative of petroleum – which came mostly from the United States,” explains Lorenza Romanese, director of the European Industrial Hemp Association.*

She explains that the plant has also fallen victim to its bad reputation: “Hemp ended up in the same basket as high-THC cannabis, and it was demonized. It all came from the United States, with a decision of Congress in 1937 to banish the entire botanical category of Cannabis sativa L.”*

The climatic argument should, however, favor its return to grace. “A hectare of classic hemp succeeds in trapping more carbon in five or six months than a hectare of primary forest. It’s absolutely incredible, it sequesters between ten and fourteen tons of carbon per year, and that without the use of pesticides and with very little fertiliser”, enthuses Pascal Mortoire.*

Legislative barriers*

Now, the ball is more than ever in the legislators’ court. Hemp cultivation suffers from numerous legal barriers, particularly in the European Union. Switzerland is a model student for some of its applications.*

“In terms of food, Switzerland is very advanced. It allows a much higher content of THC in foods, such as flour, products derived from the seed and hemp oil”, lists Lorenza Romanese.*

And to conclude: “In the European Union, one must respect one microgram per kilo of body weight, against seven in Switzerland. This tolerance does not however have an intoxicating effect. Nobody in Switzerland has ever suffered because of ‘a bread produced with hemp flour. This is a very safe bet that Europe should follow”.*

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