Europe Cannabis News Roundup

Europe Cannabis News Roundup

The European Marijuana Business News Update from CannabisNet on Vimeo.

Estonia Town Votes To Use Cannabis Leaf In Flag

Kanepi, a small town on the southeastern region of Estonia, used an online poll to vote for its new flag.

The poll received a lot of controversy because despite having a population of less than 5,000, the poll generated 15,000 votes. Around 12,000 of those votes were for the cannabis symbol. Kanepi, whose name in Estonian, translates to marijuana. Many of the town’s residents traditionally cultivated cannabis and hemp, which were then used to manufacture oil, rope, and clothes.

Kaido Koiv, the chairman of Kanepi’s town council, said that the decision to change the town flag was the result of a “very democratic” process, according to Reuters.

Last Thursday, the town council held a meeting wherein the local government approved the verdict which was to adopt a flag with the cannabis leaf.

In Estonia, possessing small quantities of cannabis for personal consumption is still punishable but only with a fine.

UK Doctors Appeal For Decriminalization Of All Drugs

Researchers and doctors in the United Kingdom are calling to decriminalize drugs, which they say is critical for protecting the public’s health – no matter how harmful or healthy they are.

The British Medical Journal, one of the most respected research publications in both the US and England, has just officially asked to end criminal charges on non-violent drug use, as well as to legalize and regulate all drugs for medical or recreational use.

“The BMJ is firmly behind efforts to legalize, regulate, and tax the sale of drugs for recreational and medicinal use,” says a statement signed by Dr. Fiona Godlee, the journal’s editor in chief. “This is an issue on which doctors can and should make their voices heard.”

The piece released by Godlee discussed how authorities have failed to put a stop to drug abuse, even though millions have already been spent on prosecuting drug users, which is a similar situation to what’s happening in the United States.

“This is not about whether you think drugs are good or bad,” Godlee wrote. “It is an evidence based position entirely in line with the public health approach to violent crime.” She also discussed the tax revenue that some states in the US have been able to generate as a result of legalizing cannabis, saying that this could be an important benefit.

BMJ’s formal request to decriminalize all drugs mirrors a policy position that the Royal College of Physicians of London just released. The organization represents around 34,000 doctors globally. Last month, they said that the war on drugs has prevented people who require medical help from asking for it.

Canadian Cannabis Industry Looks To Europe For Growth

Spain and Italy are just among the international countries Canada is eyeing for growth opportunities for the legal cannabis market.

Canada is poised to become a world leader in the international cannabis market, and will soon become the first country in the Group of Seven to ever legalize cannabis for recreational use this coming summer. On the other hand, the US is stuck, preventing cannabis companies from big exchanges due to the drug still considered illegal at the federal level. In Canada there are now 90 publicly listed companies, all of whom have a combined market value of $31 billion.

MGC Pharma To Start Cannabis Production In Malta

MGC Pharmaceuticals is one of the 5 companies who were granted contracts to legally build and operate cannabis facilities in Malta. Last week, the Maltese Parliament passed the final legislation to legalize cannabis production for medical use.

MGC Pharma will now work on creating its own 4,000 square meter facility after the tender process was completed. MGC has announced that they are expecting to see the final agreements from the Malta Medicine Authority signed in the next few weeks.

“I am pleased to inform you that the production cannabis for medical use has now become legal and regulated under Maltese legislation and a plot of land within one of the Maltese industrial zones has been designated to us for our project. Once the license by the Malta Medicines Authority is issued we will be able to commence work on the project in Malta,” said MCG Pharmaceuticals cofounder and managing director Roby Zomer.