Johnny Green, Author at International Cannabis Chronicle

Activists Planning Legal Action To Fully Legalize South Africa’s Cannabis Industry

Written by Johnny Green on September 26, 2022. Posted in Archives, Policy.

Cannabis activism and advocacy can come in many forms. I have worked to reform cannabis laws for many years now and have helped promote cannabis activism efforts all over the globe, and I have seen countless strategies and efforts be effective.

The most logical form of cannabis advocacy is via the political process. Some areas have citizen initiative and/or referendum processes in which ordinary citizens can gather enough signatures from registered voters to put an issue on the ballot. For instance, that is what activists in Italy did recently, although the effort was eventually kiboshed by the nation’s top court on a technicality.

Another form of political cannabis activism is lobbying lawmakers. In areas where there is no signature gathering mechanism to change laws, educating and convincing lawmakers to reform cannabis laws is a worthwhile effort. Although, there are obviously times when the lobbying route proves to be a dead end, as some lawmakers cannot be reasoned with. When that happens, litigation is about the only other viable option.

Legal challenges to prohibition can work, as evidenced by landmark rulings in Mexico, Italy, and South Africa in recent years. In the case of South Africa, prohibition as it pertained to personal use was overturned and quickly implemented, however, the creation of an adult-use industry has lagged.

Activists in South Africa are now planning yet another legal challenge, this time focusing solely on individuals being able to participate in the adult-use cannabis industry. Below is more information about it via a news release from the organization behind the new effort, Fields of Green for All:

In 2017, three plaintiffs (Julian Stobbs, Myrtle Clarke, and Clifford Thorp) met seven government departments (“the state parties”) and the intervening Doctors for Life (“DFL”) in the Pretoria High Court for the commencement of the Trial of the Plant (the “TOTP”). After days of evidence, the TOTP was rendered part-heard because of the state parties and DFL ambushing us with many thousands of pages of evidence, which, upon later analysis, supported far more than it hurt us.

We went on to intervene at the level of the Constitutional Court in the consolidated cases brought by Ras Gareth Prince, Jeremy Acton, and others, which culminated in the 2018 Judgment that saw the effective decriminalisation of the personal and private use, possession and cultivation of Cannabis in South Africa and which afforded our Parliament two-years to replace the legislation struck-out as being unconstitutional. Then, we waited.

In the background, since 2014, Fields of Green for ALL NPC has been assisting Cannabis users, cultivators and traders to get stays in prosecution pending the outcome of the TOTP. There are now over 100 cases waiting in the queue with Myrtle.

Four years have now passed since the 2018 Judgement (as have, tragically, the lives of both Stobbs and Thorp) but we feel no closer to a reasonably regulated trade in South African Cannabis than we were back in 2017, when fighting the TOTP. There are now calls for an ‘evidence-based’ policy and, despite it being the constitutional responsibility of the state parties to evidence the harms that they allege that they want to protect us from, it seems obvious to us that we need to drag the prohibitionists amongst us back to Court if we are to get us over the line anytime soon.

So, today, off the back of last week’s mass action, we announce the launch of the Trial of the Plant 2.0 (the “TOTP2”) – being the re-opening and continuation of the original TOTP. We will be meeting with our lawyers from Cullinan and Associates and narrowing our challenge so as to not fight over territory already gained. Our focus, fundamentally, will be to ensure that anyone who wishes to is allowed to earn a living through Cannabis, as so many are hypocritically permitted to do through the cultivation of and trade in everything related to alcohol and tobacco. In addition, we plan to eliminate some of the rats and mice left behind by the 2018 Judgment – which seemingly provide quarter to the state parties and their agents to trample on our hard-won human rights.

We cannot do this alone. Only through generous donations (both of money and expertise) were we able to get as far as we did in 2017 and 2018. Back then, many didn’t take us seriously, but now they know what’s possible and that we’re their best bet. It’s time to treat the funding of this final push as a strategic investment. Spending a little now will help us to unlock the full potential of a sunrise industry, in which there will be space for you, your business and the businesses of your compatriots. Help us to help you – we are stronger together.

More information will follow by way of updates as this all unfolds. #TOTP2. Watch this space.

A personal note from Myrtle Clarke:

“Since the devastating events of the early hours of 03 July 2020, there has been no investigation into Julian’s murder. There remain 2 pieces of paper in his file at the Diepsloot Police Station and those pages are my statement. Yet, the South African Police Service continues to harass, profile, arrest, incarcerate and extort members of our peaceful Cannabis Community. Enough is enough.”

south africa

University Of Sydney To Offer Free Cannabis Testing

Written by Johnny Green on September 22, 2022. Posted in Archives, Policy, Science.

The University of Sydney is launching a fairly robust study in an attempt to, as the university describes it, “investigate cannabis consumption, behaviours and attitudes among users.” Part of the study involves offering free, anonymous cannabis testing for people that cultivate their own cannabis in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).

Cannabis was decriminalized in 2020 in the ACT and the university is researching any societal issues that may have arisen from the public policy change, as well as gain insight into the potency and varieties of cannabis that patients and consumers are using.

Free cannabis testing is available to both medical patients and non-medical patients, although only people that are current residents of the ACT can participate.

“The cannabis collected from growers’ homes will be analysed for cannabis content, including its main psychoactive components – tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and non-intoxicating cannabidiol (CBD) – as well as a range of other cannabinoids and biologically active molecules, free of charge. Participants will be able to view, anonymously, the analysis results from their cannabis samples online.” the university stated in a news release.

Initial results from the University of Sydney study are expected to be released in early 2023 and will presumably be used by lawmakers and regulators to craft regional and national cannabis policies and industry regulations. International cannabis observers will likely also benefit from reviewing the results.

Studies like this one can be very insightful because it involves cannabis that is actually being cultivated and consumed by people in real life versus cannabis that is cultivated by the government that often does not resemble the cannabis that people are actually consuming. Results from the latter types of studies always have to be taken with a grain of salt.

australia

Prohibiting International Athletes From Consuming Cannabis Is Ridiculous

Written by Johnny Green on September 16, 2022. Posted in Archives, Entertainment, Policy.

Earlier this week news surfaced that the World Anti-Doping Agency will be likely be keeping cannabis on its list of banned substances. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was established in 1999, initiated by the International Olympic Committee and based in Canada, as an ‘international independent agency composed and funded by the sport movement and governments of the world.’ The goal of the agency is to ‘promote, coordinate, and monitor the fight against drugs in sports.’

Cannabis advocates inside and outside of the professional sports world were hopeful that WADA would remove cannabis from the list of banned substances after controversy erupted regarding U.S. sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson’s suspension last year due to a failed drug test for cannabis. Unfortunately, it’s being reported that the agency plans to maintain the status quo and that the decision to do so will be finalized by the end of this month.

Why Is Cannabis Prohibited?

For the last five years of former NBA All-Star Clifford Robinson‘s amazing life I was lucky enough to be his media and communications director. Clifford, who was suspended several times for cannabis during his playing career and had multiple run ins with law enforcement due to cannabis off the court, was a very popular target for anti-cannabis sports rhetoric. Needless to say, I have come across more anti-cannabis sports talking points than most.

The most popular arguments regarding cannabis prohibition in sports seem to hinge on two things. The first is that cannabis is ‘bad for athletes’ and therefore cannabis should be prohibited. Historically, that was the argument offered up as ‘justification’ for cannabis prohibition as it pertains to athletic competitions. In frustrating irony that talking point is now evolving into a new argument that hinges on the exact opposite premise – that cannabis is too beneficial for athletes, and so therefore it should be prohibited.

The premise of both of those arguments are flawed. For the first argument, that cannabis is ‘harmful for athletes,’ all anyone has to do is look at the ever-increasing body of research that clearly demonstrates the wellness benefits that cannabis provides. The second argument, that cannabis is performance enhancing, requires context. Does cannabis provide wellness benefits? Sure. Does it provide so many benefits to athletes that its on par with anabolic steroids? Clearly that is not the case, and policies need to reflect it.

Evolving World

Arguably the most effective, common sense demand in support of cannabis reform outside of sports is ‘regulate cannabis like alcohol.’ It’s a phrase that has helped reform cannabis laws all over the world, and it’s a concept that should be incorporated in professional sports at all levels too, including competitions overseen by the World Anti-Doping Agency such as the Olympics. ‘On the clock’ intoxication should be the primary concern, and as long as an athlete doesn’t show up to trainings, competitions, and other official matters drunk or stoned then it shouldn’t matter.

Cannabis policies around the world are evolving, and the rules surrounding cannabis use by professional athletes needs to evolve as well. We are seeing some of that in professional sports, with leagues like the National Basketball Association suspending testing and the National Football League revamping its policy. Still, there is a long way to go to get sensible cannabis policies implemented in all areas of society, including athletic competitions, with the recent reported decision by WADA serving as a reminder of that fact.

world anti doping agency

Prohibition Treaties Will Not Stop Cannabis Legalization In Germany

Written by Johnny Green on September 14, 2022. Posted in Archives, Policy.

I have helped work on cannabis reform efforts since the late 1990s when medical cannabis reform initiatives were being heavily pursued on the West Coast of the United States. Those efforts culminated in election victories in California in 1996, and Oregon and Washington in 1998. Since that time I have seen cannabis prohibitionists across the U.S. basically recycle their failed talking points and tactics from that era over and over again, and the same thing appears to be happing in Germany right now.

Unless you have been living under a rock then you know that Germany is trending towards launching an adult-use cannabis market, and also that once the launch occurs, Germany’s market is going to be considerably more massive than that of Uruguay and Canada combined. Unfortunately, there are futile attempts ramping up that are geared towards halting the process, with the latest one involving cannabis opponents hurling the idea that cannabis cannot be legalized in Germany ‘due to European treaties.’

Theory Versus Reality

Is Germany bound by European and international treaties, including ones that prohibit cannabis? Yes, obviously. Are Canada and Uruguay also bound by international treaties that prohibit adult-use cannabis commerce, including ones that Germany is also a part of? Also yes. With all of that being said, laws are only as good as the enforcement behind them, and just as the sky did not fall and the international community didn’t perform whatever the global community version of a SWAT raid is on Canada and Uruguay when they launched adult-use cannabis sales, the same will prove to be true in Germany when they inevitably launch adult-use sales within their own borders.

Leading up to legalization in Canada in 2018, Russia tried the ‘what about international treaties’ argument in an attempt to derail Canada’s efforts, to no avail. The same thing happened in Uruguay in 2013 when the United Nations tried the same tactic (and failed). It’s a similar concept that I personally witnessed in the United States when opponents tried and failed with their ‘but cannabis is federally illegal!’ arguments. Bad laws are meant to be broken, and cannabis prohibition is one of the worst public policies in human history.

Even within Europe there are examples of jurisdictions disregarding continental and international treaties when it comes to adult-use cannabis commerce. Late last year Malta passed an adult-use legalization measure, although they have yet to issue any licenses and access there is going to be different compared to what will eventually be implemented in Germany. Regardless, there has been no crackdown in Malta as a result of passing a measure that is in direct defiance of certain treaties. Adult-use cannabis pilot programs area already in place in Denmark, with Switzerland getting ready to launch its own pilot program, and eventually, the Netherlands. Again, international treaties have yet to derail any of those efforts in those European countries.

An Obvious Need For A New Approach

Earlier this month European anti-drug coordinators met in Prague, and Czech National Anti-drug Coordinator Jindřich Vobořil called for a new approach to cannabis policy and regulation in Europe at the continental level.

“We hope it will be a coordinated effort (to regulate the cannabis market). It is impossible not to talk about it on an EU-wide basis. Prohibition has not proved to be effective enough; we need to look for other models of control. A controlled market may be the only possible solution,” Vobořil said according to Euractiv.

Cannabis reform is on the move in Europe and in every other corner of the earth, and with it, the spread of the emerging cannabis industry. Lawmakers and regulators can try all of the delay tactics that they can think of, and it’s likely a safe bet that they certainly will, however, those efforts will always prove to be futile. At best, all it will do is delay the inevitable. The cannabis industry toothpaste is out of the tube and it is not going back in, and it’s beyond time that treaties reflect that undeniable fact and catch up with reality.

Europe, Germany

German Poll: More Than 60 Percent Support Cannabis Legalization

Written by Johnny Green on September 9, 2022. Posted in Archives, Policy.

Germany is in the midst of a cannabis legalization effort that is more complicated and robust than anything that has ever occurred since the dawn of cannabis prohibition so many decades ago. After the dust settled on Germany’s last federal election in 2021, the incoming coalition government announced plans to move Germany toward launching a regulated adult-use cannabis industry. The current governing German coalition, commonly referred to as the ‘Traffic Light Coalition,’ has worked since late 2021 to explore various public policy components of legalization. According to the results of a new poll from Ipsos, a strong majority of Germans support the effort.

Per Ipsos‘ news release announcing the results of the poll, “61 percent of those surveyed say they would support the controlled sale of cannabis in licensed stores. Only 39 percent consider the plans to legalize cannabis to be irresponsible and fundamentally reject legal sale and consumption.” The survey was conducted online between September 2 and 4, 2022, and involved 1,000 eligible voters between the ages of 18 and 75 in Germany.

Diving Into The Results

Fortunately, there’s majority support for legalization among all age categories (18-75), however, there are statistical differences between age groups. While 61% of the poll’s participants support adult-use cannabis legalization, roughly 55% of people aged 60-75 were supportive. That is quite a bit less than the level of support among poll participants that were aged 18-39 (65%). Sixty two percent of poll participants aged 40-59 years old expressed support for legalization.

The level of support for cannabis legalization does not extend to the legalization of other banned substances in Germany. When poll participants were asked if other substances should be legalized in addition to cannabis, 95% of people expressed opposition to such a public policy change. The overwhelming level of opposition was found across age groups, although younger poll participants were more likely to express support for further legalization compared to older poll participants.

Not An Easy Lift

The current general consensus for when regulated adult-use products will actually be available for legal purchase in Germany seems to be by the year 2025. After the results of the 2021 federal election in Germany became final there was hope for legalization to become a reality in 2022. However, time has proven that hope to be a bit too ambitious.

The fact of the matter is that what German lawmakers and regulators are trying to do is something that has never been done before, at least not at the same scale. Sure, Canada and Uruguay have implemented legal adult-use sales, yet those markets pale in comparison to the size and complexity of Germany’s market. Germany has a much larger population compared to Canada and Uruguay combined, and Germany’s geographical location makes things that much more complex to navigate.

I am personally hopeful that there will be multiple steps to implementing legalization in Germany. After all, there is no need to wait for sales regulations to be formulated before implementing personal possession, consumption, and cultivation provisions. Clearly, cannabis prohibition is a failed public policy in Germany and it would be wise for lawmakers to implement as many legalization provisions as possible that pertain to individual consumers prior to finalizing provisions geared towards regulated sales.

Germany

Attend CanEx Jamaica Business Conference And Expo September 15-17th, 2022

Written by Johnny Green on September 8, 2022. Posted in Archives, Business, Entertainment, Policy, Science.

The fifth installment of CanEx Business Conference and Expo is taking place in Montego Bay, Jamaica from September 15-17, 2022. The CanEx Jamaica Business Conference and Expo is an annual business-to-business (B2B) event that brings together global cannabis industry experts.

The conference will provide insight into the global direction of the industry and will feature a mix of high-level discourse and practical opportunities led by global experts with real-life applications in the cannabis industry. Presenters will discuss opportunities for investment, medical advances and uses, and the current legal landscape of the emerging global cannabis industry.

Event attendees can look forward to numerous networking events that will host robust panel discussions on such topics as:

Cannabis for All: Ensuring Equitable Cannabis Regulation
Psychedelics: Transforming Mental Health Options
Developing A Dynamic Cannabis Industry in Jamaica
Understanding Today’s Cannabis Investment Climate
Reggae Music, Cannabis Culture, and Embracing the NFT Opportunity

Leading up to the event, organizers interviewed the conference’s four keynote speakers – Founder and CEO of Simply Pure Wanda James, President and CEO of the Marijuana Policy Project Toi Hutchinson, renowned cell biologist Dr. Annabelle Manalo-Morgan, and President and CEO of Bhang Inc. Jamie L Pearson. Below is what the speakers had to say about CanEx Jamaica:

“I’ve always wanted to contribute to cannabis research in the Caribbean. My husband Gramps Morgan and the Morgan Heritage family are from the beautiful hills of St. Thomas Jamaica which has the ability to grow incredible organic cannabis, so Jamaica is very dear to me. I have always heard about Canex bringing experts in from all over the world to share their knowledge. That collaborative effort that Canex works hard to portray is what helps drive this industry forward. Cannabis is global and we need to come together and talk. Canex provides us with that platform!” stated Dr. Annabelle Manalo-Morgan.

“CanEx offers an unparalleled opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and advocates to shape the future of cannabis legalization in the Caribbean and beyond. Anyone looking to advance the growing cannabis movement in the region and worldwide should attend to learn, connect, and grow.” stated President and CEO of the Marijuana Policy Project Toi Hutchinson.

“The incredible quality of both education and experience. You’ll have outstanding content, fun downtime events where the networking magic happens, The Who’s Who of the industry to network with, and all set in a beautiful location that has a burgeoning cannabis market which makes the intensive work of participating wholeheartedly in a conference both more enjoyable and also incredibly productive. When you invest precious resources (ie time and money) to attend an event like CanEx, getting so much out of these four days is awesome!” stated President and CEO of Bhang Inc. Jamie L Pearson.

“It gives me great pleasure to bring the world to Jamaica to hear about the cannabis industry, the potential for wealth, and the potential Job creation. It gives me great pleasure to invite the mostly white legal industry to a Black country. I believe Canex Jamaica is an amazing intersection of how large the industry can become, and the exploration and education of the
culture of ganja.” stated Founder and CEO of Simply Pure Wanda James.

A limited number of tickets to CanEx Jamaica are still available. Find out more at: canexjamaica.com

canex

Liz Truss Makes It Clear Where She Stands On Cannabis Policy

Written by Johnny Green on September 8, 2022. Posted in Archives, Policy.

Cannabis reform is one of the most popular political issues on earth right now, particularly in North America and Europe. At a time when it seems like people rarely agree on anything, cannabis is one area of public policy where support is strong and cuts across party lines. Unfortunately, that support does not appear to extend to the office of the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister, with the UK announcing this week that it is officially blocking a cannabis reform measure that was previously passed by lawmakers in Bermuda earlier this year.

Liz Truss took over as Prime Minister in the United Kingdom this week, and shortly after taking office her government announced the official blockage of the cannabis reform measure in Bermuda. Cannabis policy observers around the globe were hopeful that upon taking office that Truss would pursue a new era for cannabis policy in the UK, however, being that she is blocking cannabis reform elsewhere it’s very clear where she stands when it comes to cannabis policy.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Truss, like many politicians, has a checkered past when it comes to cannabis policy. Leading up to the Prime Minister transition in the UK, Truss was criticized by opponents for her previously expressed support for cannabis reform. Apparently, a leaflet edited by Liz Truss when she was a leading Lib Dem at Oxford University surfaced in which it was asked if cannabis should be legalized, a position that Truss reportedly supported back then.

The newly installed Prime Minister has been criticized by both cannabis supporters and opponents for ‘flip flopping’ on the issue, with many asking the logical question, ‘where does Liz Truss really stand when it comes to cannabis reform?’ Unfortunately, we found out the answer to that question this week, and it wasn’t a favorable answer.

Politicians of all backgrounds and at all levels will often tell voters what they think they want to hear. It is no secret that many people who seek public office will say whatever it takes to get elected, even if what they are saying to one audience completely contradicts what they are telling a different audience. That is politics as usual, and the real measure of a politician on any given issue is what actions they take (or do not take) once they get into a position to actually do something regarding the particular issue.

Colonization on Full Display

In order for cannabis reform to move forward in Bermuda, the measure has to receive blessing from the United Kingdom in the form of ‘royal assent.’ It’s a concept that is born out of the United Kingdom’s (Britain) colonization of Bermuda centuries ago. Bermuda remains the oldest British colony in existence, which in itself needs to be addressed.

Lawmakers in Bermuda deserve to set their own laws. No one in the United Kingdom should be able to prevent a law from taking effect in Bermuda, whether it’s related to cannabis or anything else. Citizens in Bermuda elect their own representatives, and those representatives should be able to carry out ‘the people’s work’ without interference from countries across the Atlantic Ocean.

Fortunately, it sounds like lawmakers in Bermuda are going to proceed forward with their plans despite the opposition by Liz Truss’ government. It sets up a constitutional showdown between the UK and Bermuda, and in the first week of Truss’ tenure as Prime Minister no less. With all of the problems out there in the world, it’s a shame that any time and effort is being spent on preventing the will of Bermuda’s citizens. The only ‘benefit’ to the saga is that it makes clear where Liz Truss stands on cannabis policy, for better or worse.

bermuda, liz truss, United Kingdom

Medical Cannabis Patients Deserve To Cultivate Their Own Medicine

Written by Johnny Green on September 3, 2022. Posted in Archives, Policy.

Having safe access to effective medications is something that should be a fundamental right. Unfortunately, as many medical cannabis patients around the world will attest, obtaining safe access to medical cannabis is not always easy. Even when cannabis is legal it can be expensive for many patients, which is why legal home cultivation is so vital. Sadly, many patients are denied the right to home cultivation, including in Israel where the nation’s top court recently rejected a case that sought to establish the right for patients to cultivate cannabis.

Prior to a change in 2016 patients in Israel were allowed to cultivate cannabis in their homes for medical use, which was noted by those seeking to legalize home cultivation in their filing. The petition to Israel’s top court involved eight medical cannabis patients who stated in their petition, among other things, that home cultivation should be legalized to help mitigate the costs of medical cannabis products which the patients claimed were too high. Unfortunately, Israel’s top court was not swayed.

Legal Reasoning

Another argument made by the petitioners was that they sought to “receive organic cannabis without pesticides and which does not undergo irradiation,” and that being able to cultivate cannabis at home would achieve that objective. Unfortunately, the judges that decided to reject the case pointed out various reasons for doing so, including the lack of timeliness of the petition. The judges pointed out that the decision to remove ‘cultivation, production’ from Israel’s medical cannabis law as it pertains to patients happened in 2016.

The judges argued that the petitioners ‘failed to exhaust procedures as required’ and also included a dose of reefer madness fearmongering by stating in their opinion that home cultivation generates ‘overuse, a high potential for theft and leakage, and there is no real medical advantage in self-cultivation of cannabis.’

“The feelings of the petitioners and their plight can be understood,” the judges wrote in the ruling (translated from Hebrew to English), “however, the petition must be rejected outright. This is, first and foremost, since the petitioners seek to obtain a government decision that was made about 6 years ago, so their petition was submitted with considerable delay. The petitioners, too now, they have not exhausted procedures against the relevant party and their early requests (to the Ministry of Health) did not contain the multitude of claims in the petition.”

The Fight For Safe Access Continues

Despite the opinions of Israel’s top court, the need for home cultivation in Israel will continue. It doesn’t matter how long ago Israel changed its policies regarding home cultivation. The fact of the matter is that not all patients can afford to only acquire their cannabis from regulated outlets. For many patients, it’s far more cost effective to cultivate their own cannabis, and in some cases, being prohibited from cultivating cannabis at home basically means that some patients will have to go without medicine entirely since they can’t afford it.

As the petitioners in this latest case in Israel highlighted, it is a huge benefit to some patients to be able to completely control what cannabis genetics they cultivate and what they use to feed their cannabis plants. The cannabis plant is dynamic, and human biology is complex, so there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ cannabis product. What works for one patient may not work for the next patient, and public policy needs to account for that via legalized home cultivation.

The judges’ assertion that ‘there is no real medical advantage in self-cultivation’ is completely ridiculous and flies in the face of logic and compassion. Every patient deserves to cultivate their own medicine, and that is true in Israel as well as everywhere else on the planet.

israel

Olympic Gold Medalist Joseph Schooling Has Nothing To Apologize For

Written by Johnny Green on September 1, 2022. Posted in Archives, Entertainment, Policy.

No adult should ever have to apologize for the act of simply consuming cannabis. Unfortunately, it is something that elite athletes have to do all of the time, and in a very public way. The latest example of that can be found in the saga involving Olympic gold medalist Joseph Schooling, who was recently ‘caught’ admitting to cannabis use that allegedly occurred months prior outside of his home country. As a result, Schooling is facing competition-based penalties in addition to enormous, and completely unwarranted, public shaming.

The elite swimmer, who is 27 years old, did not even test positive for cannabis use. Rather, it was reported that he simply admitted to consuming cannabis as part of an investigation by authorities in Singapore, with a fellow national swimmer also reportedly being a target of the investigation. Professional athletes around the world are consistently subjected to cannabis stigma, including the opponent that Schooling defeated on his way to becoming a national hero in Singapore.

Passing The Stigma Torch

Swimmer Joseph Schooling became an international sensation in 2016 when he defeated arguably the most famous swimmer of all time, the United States’ Michael Phelps, in the 100-meter butterfly. After winning the gold medal in 2016, Schooling was hailed by virtually everyone in Singapore as a national hero, and rightfully so. After all, Schooling wasn’t just the first swimmer from Singapore to become an Olympic champion – he was the country’s first Olympic champion ever for any category. It’s a distinction that he holds to this day.

Yet, despite all of the sacrifice and hard work and glory, Schooling is being torn to shreds by people inside and outside of Singapore due to the revelation that he consumed cannabis in May 2022 while traveling. As if somehow he should only be measured by admitting to consuming a plant that is 114 times safer than alcohol. For cannabis consuming sports fans in the United States such as myself, the public shaming that Schooling is going through is all too familiar.

Michael Phelps, who Schooling famously defeated in 2016, was also subjected to a horrific level of stigma when a picture surfaced of him hitting a bong in 2009. Much like Schooling, Phelps was endlessly ridiculed and presumably forced to issue a public apology for ‘letting everyone down’ at the time. This, despite Phelps winning 23 gold medals in the name of the very country that largely turned on him for being labeled in the mainstream media as a ‘pothead.’

No Apologies Needed

Make no mistake about it – when professional athletes are forced to issue public apologies after a cannabis-consumption ‘offense’ occurs, it is 100% public relations in nature and it only serves to further the objectives of cannabis prohibitionists in society. Schooling’s cannabis use in May of 2022, assuming it actually occurred, obviously did not harm anyone. Had authorities in Singapore not forced a confession out of him, no one would have even known or cared about it.

However, they did find out about it, and in a country where people can still receive the death penalty for cannabis only offenses, Schooling went from national hero to ‘a national disgrace’ and that is pathetic to say the least. It’s obvious that the government is using Schooling to push its reefer madness agenda, which is presumably why there was a public apology in the first place, and there was also likely a concerted effort to drum up media coverage of the public apology. If that is all true, and authorities in Singapore are willing to do it to someone of Schooling’s fame and status, clearly it’s something that can happen to anyone in Singapore, and that’s a scary thought.

Whether Schooling’s confession was forced or not is ultimately moot because as far as I am concerned there was nothing for him to apologize for in the first place. People consume cannabis all over the world every single day, and that has been the case for thousands of years. Cannabis use on its own is not wrong. Cannabis prohibition is wrong, and that is true when it comes to sports just as much as it is true when it comes to the rest of society.

joseph schooling, olympics, singapore

Queensland’s Cannabis Driving Laws Are Inhumane

Written by Johnny Green on August 31, 2022. Posted in Archives, Policy.

It is no secret that people that consume cannabis are often subjected to an enormous amount of stigma, including and especially from a public policy standpoint. After all, a vast majority of public policies directed towards cannabis consumers initially arose out of anti-cannabis fearmongering. Cannabis consumers, even patients, are often labeled as ‘dangers to themselves and others’ and a prime example of that is on display in Queensland where any amount of THC in a person’s system is a punishable offense, even if the person is a registered medical cannabis patient.

To be clear, I am not advocating for anyone to be driving on a public roadway while under the influence of cannabis or anything else for that matter. No one should ever operate a motor vehicle while impaired from any substance at all, including cannabis. Every responsible cannabis consumer on the planet feels the same way. With that being said, just because someone has THC in their system does not automatically mean that they are impaired at the time of the detection of THC. Detecting actual cannabis impairment is far more complicated than that.

Public Policy Built On Junk Science

Queensland is an Australian state located in the continent’s northeast region. It’s the third most-populated state in Australia, and currently has the highest population growth rate. Queensland is also home to a growing population of registered medical cannabis patients. According to Queensland law, “A patient living in Queensland must access medicinal cannabis through a doctor who is authorised under the Special Access or Authorised Prescriber Scheme administered by the Commonwealth Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).”

Unfortunately, any person that consumes any amount of cannabis, even when consumption is in line with TGA guidelines, essentially gives up their right to drive in Queensland due to how their current law is written and how long cannabis stays in a person’s system. Whereas many substances only stay in a person’s system for hours or days, THC can stay in a person’s system for much longer. In fact, one study found that THC could be detected in a person’s system for as long as 100 days after the person quit consuming cannabis.

Obviously, if a person consumed cannabis over three months ago they are not going to still be impaired today. Furthermore, it’s quite possible that they were not even impaired when they last consumed cannabis. Cannabis impairment depends on a number of factors including potency, tolerance level, form of consumption, and the amount of consumption. Someone that has consumed cannabis for a long time will build up a considerable amount of THC in their system while simultaneously having a tolerance that is so great that true impairment rarely occurs. That creates a situation in which the cannabis consumers that are least impaired are the ones most likely to have THC in their systems for longer durations of time, and public policy needs to account for that scientific fact.

Increase in ‘Drug-Driving’ Offenses

While more people are consuming medical cannabis in Queensland, completely legal consumption I will add, more people are also being charged with driving under the influence for cannabis in Queensland. Given the readily available science that clearly demonstrates how fast ‘active THC’ is metabolized by the human body (1-4 hours) and how long ‘metabolized THC’ can stay in the human body (up to 100 days), there’s almost always a viable defense for a cannabis DUI charge. However, that defense can only be successfully deployed after the person is subjected to inhumane treatment, including but not limited to: arrest, incarceration, fines, lost wages, lost employment, and public shaming.

Fortunately, lawmakers in Queensland are reviewing the state’s cannabis impairment laws and hopefully they will arrive at the logical conclusion that a zero tolerance policy towards metabolized THC is inhumane and ineffective. The only purpose it serves is to subject cannabis users to selective enforcement and the criminal justice system, and no suffering patient should ever have to endure such things. Again, I am not advocating for medical cannabis patients to be able to operate a motor vehicle on a public roadway while under the influence of cannabis, however, that needs to be balanced with implementing public policy that is based on science and not reefer madness fear mongering.

australia, queensland

Cannabis Industry Leaders And International Policymakers To Attend Croatia Retreat

Written by Johnny Green on August 22, 2022. Posted in Archives, Business, Entertainment, Policy, Science.

After a historic Global Investment Forum and B2B conference in Berlin in July, the International Cannabis Business Conference is hosting a Mediterranean retreat in Rovinj, Croatia at the stunning 5-star Grand Park Hotel on September 22-23, 2022.

“It’s a critical time for the international cannabis industry, including for the Balkan region. The emerging legal cannabis industry is expanding at an ever-increasing pace in virtually every corner of the planet right now. It’s extremely important for industry leaders and policymakers from around the world collaborate.” stated Alex Rogers, founder of the International Cannabis Business Conference.

“The cannabis industry is going global, and in order for the industry to reach its full potential and provide numerous benefits to society it is vital for leaders to meet, network, brainstorm, and compare ideas. That is why we created the retreat in Croatia. The retreat will certainly contain some of the elements that our events are famous for, however, it will be in a more intimate setting so that leaders from dozens of countries can dive deeper into the more granular aspects of creating the next great global industry.” Rogers went on to say.

Cannabis reform is spreading across the European continent. With Germany expected to launch a regulated adult-use industry in the near future, every European nation is trending closer to reforming its own cannabis laws, including Balkan nations. The Balkan region is already home to a number of ancillary industries that would greatly benefit from cannabis reform, including and especially the scientific research industry.

The International Cannabis Business Conference’s Mediterranean retreat in Croatia will be unlike any other cannabis event to-date. The retreat will feature a blend of education and networking, with topics for the retreat’s curriculum to include:

Current legalization efforts in Europe
Economic benefits of regulating cannabis
Embracing cannabis research
Product development for an international market
Sustainable industry strategies
Educating medical professionals
Reforming Balkan region cannabis policies
Raising capital for Balkan cannabis markets

Individual speakers and panelists have already been announced, with more expected to be announced in the near future. Of course, it would not be an International Cannabis Business Conference event without an after-party, and this particular event’s after-party will be unmatched. The one and only DJ Muggs will provide the music for the poolside after-party at the 5-star Grand Park Hotel to cap off a productive and historic retreat.

The International Cannabis Business Conference is the leading B2B cannabis event series on earth. Events have been held in the United States, Canada, Spain, Germany, and Switzerland. Additional locations in other countries are being identified and will be announced in the future.

International Cannabis Business Conference events are attended by leading policymakers, executives, and entrepreneurs from all over the world, with over 85 countries being represented at previous events.

You can secure your spot now and take advantage of the early bird pricing discount.

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About the International Cannabis Business Conference

The International Cannabis Business Conference is Europe’s longest-running and largest industry B2B tradeshow and conference series. For more information, including how to register for upcoming ICBC events, please visit: Internationalcbc.com. Find out more on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

For more information or media inquiries, please email noelle@internationalcbc.com or call 541.864.0090.

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Malaysia To Learn About Thailand’s Cannabis Policies In Upcoming Meeting

Written by Johnny Green on August 21, 2022. Posted in Archives, Policy.

Malaysia is home to some of the worst cannabis policies on the entire planet. To hammer home that point, consider the fact that people can still receive the death penalty for cannabis-only offenses in Malaysia.

Someone getting caught in possession of more than 200 grams of cannabis in Malaysia automatically yields the death penalty, even in cases which the person caught with the cannabis is using it for medical purposes.

Two hundred grams may seem like a lot of cannabis for one person to possess, however, that’s not an uncommon amount for someone that is using cannabis for medical purposes. In order to make strong edibles, which is a common consumption method for patients, recipes can call for well over 200 grams of raw cannabis.

Fortunately for medical cannabis patients, Malaysia seems to at least be exploring the idea of reforming its cannabis laws to allow some form of medical use. Medical cannabis efforts will get a boost next week when officials from Malaysia and Thailand meet. Per Reuters:

Malaysia plans to learn from the cannabis policy of neighbouring Thailand in its effort to legalise use of the drug for medical purposes, a health ministry official said on Wednesday, in a country where possession can bring the death penalty now.

The comments came after the Thai health minister said he would meet his Malaysian counterpart during a meeting of APEC health ministers next week where Thailand will showcase its work in legalising medicinal marijuana.

Suffering patients exist in every country on the planet, including in Malaysia. Patients everywhere deserve to have safe access to effective medicines in Malaysia and everywhere else, and that includes medical cannabis.

Hopefully the upcoming meeting involving health officials from Malaysia and Thailand will be constructive and yield results throughout the region. After all, Malaysia is not the only country in the region with horrific cannabis laws.

malaysia, Thailand

Author: Johnny Green