Cannabis

In Washington, D.C. lawmakers passed legislation to expand medical marijuana sales. This now paves the way for the city’s unlicensed weed gifting shops to the regulated market.

A group of police chiefs in the United Kingdom are developing a plan to decriminalize the possession of drugs including cannabis and cocaine. If accepted by the government, the use and possession of small amounts of recreational drugs would be treated as a public health issue for first-time offenders, rather than a criminal offense subject to prosecution and jail time or other punishment.

Over the past few weeks many Senators in Colombia have gathered to discuss a cannabis legalization amendment to the constitution and On the 6th of December, that amendment was passed in a 56-3 vote.

Senator John Hickenlooper of Colorado has introduced a bill that would lay the foundation for regulations to govern the eventual legalization of cannabis at the federal level.

New York has taken a big step recently, by initiating a legal marketplace for adult-use cannabis. The city issued its first 36 cannabis dispensary licenses.

On Monday, the Governor of Oregon announced she will be giving a mass pardon for state-level cannabis possession offences. This will relieve an estimated 45,000 people.

Germany’s coalition government has agreed on a plan to legalise recreational cannabis use among adults.

Evidence has been released supporting the theory that medical cannabis can replace or reduce opioids. Most patients in a study—79% or nearly four out of five—reported “cessation or reduction in pain medication use” after beginning a regimen of medical cannabis.

In Japan, their laws against the use of marijuana are very strict however, the health ministry panel expressed how the country should consider approving the import, manufacture and use of medicines derived from cannabis, subject to the same approval process as pharmaceuticals.

The Journal of Cannabis Research published a study that claims that cannabis can help lessen COVID-19 symptoms.