CANADA
Title: Nova Scotia cannabis legislation to move ahead without amendments
Author: Canadian Press
Date: 9 April 2018
Extract:
HALIFAX — Legislation governing legalized cannabis in Nova Scotia is moving ahead, despite calls from several health groups for the Liberal government to strengthen provisions governing where the drug can be smoked in public.
The legislature’s law amendments committee was told Monday that rules around the public consumption of pot under the new Cannabis Control Act should be the same as those for open alcohol, meaning smoking would be banned in all outdoor public spaces.
COLUMBIA
Title: Creso Pharma updates market on Colombian medical cannabis acquisition
Author: Fin Feed
Date: 9 April 2018
Extract:
Creso Pharma (ASX:CPH) has informed the market that it has extended the heads of agreement for its proposed acquisition of Colombian medical cannabis group, Kunna S.A.S., and its parent company, Kunna Canada, from 30 April to 31 May.
The extension enables Creso to continue to make steady and satisfactory progress toward completing due diligence in the foreseeable future and satisfying the conditions precedent under the HOA with Kunna S.A.S.
This strategic acquisition will give CPH a considerable foothold in the salient Latin American market. Significantly, it will also make CPH the only ASX-listed medicinal cannabis company with direct exposure to the Colombian market, and with the capacity to commercially cultivate medicinal-grade cannabis in the country.
ISRAEL
Title: Israel Moves Step Closer To Permitting Medical Marijuana Exports
Author: Jerusalem Post
Date: 11 April 2018
Extract:
Israel has moved a step closer to permitting the export of medical marijuana after an agreement was reached between the Finance Ministry, Health Ministry and Interior Ministry regarding securing the product during export.
Interior Minister Gilad Erdan gave the green light to proceed toward a government vote after agreement was reached to permit Israel Police to receive adequate resources to monitor exports and prevent the medical marijuana falling into the hands of criminal groups.
According to the agreement, Israel Police will dedicate 25 officers to monitoring up to 50 cannabis farms. Exports will only include medical-use cannabis products and not raw cannabis to ensure purely medical use.
MALTA
Title: MGC Pharma gets go-ahead to build medical cannabis facility in Malta, tops up cash
Author: Small Caps
Date: 11 April 2018
URL: https://smallcaps.com.au/mgc-pharma-medical-cannabis-facility-malta-tops-up-cash/
Extract:
MGC Pharma (ASX: MXC) has grown its medical cannabis production capabilities after the Maltese Government gave the company the go-ahead to construct and operate a medical cannabis facility in Malta.
The Maltese Government awarded MGC a contract to develop the 4,000 square metre facility after a competitive tender process.
MGC was one of only five companies to be granted a contract to build and operate a licenced medical cannabis facility in the country.
“This contract provides [MGC] with an attractive new cultivation site in the EU, completing the board’s strategy to operate a full vertically-integrated medical cannabis operation in Europe,” MGC co-founder and chief executive officer Roby Zomer said.
Under the contract terms, MGC must spent about A$6.5 million on developing and operating a medical cannabis cultivation and production facility.
MGC must also employ 25 Maltese people within its local workforce.
Once the facility is operational, MGC will produce THC and CBD medical cannabis strains for incorporation into existing and new medical cannabis pharmaceutical products.
MEXICO
Title: Mexico’s Supreme Court considers legalizing marijuana
Author: Herb.co
Date: 8 April 2018
URL: https://herb.co/marijuana/news/mexico-supreme-court-marijuana-legalization
Extract:
Prohibition violates human rights
The first chamber of the court begins on April 11th, 2018, and they will discuss the case of lawyer Ulrich Richter. Richter is arguing that the prohibition of cannabis violates a person’s human right to the “free development of personality.” His argument is supported by Supreme Court Judge, Jorge Mario Pardo, who has embarked on a project that believes the same thing: that absolute marijuana prohibition is excessive and violates human rights.
If Richter wins his case, he will be permitted to grow and consume cannabis legally. However, he won’t be allowed to sell weed and, more importantly, this ruling will not extend to the general Mexican public, yet.
Why is this significant?
Mexican law is different than American law. Unlike in the U.S. where the Supreme Court only needs to rule on something once for it become law, in Mexico, the Supreme Court needs to issue the same ruling five times in order to enact change.
This is exactly how Mexico passed gay marriage just weeks before the U.S. did in 2015; the Mexican Supreme Court ruled against gay marriage bans five times. After the fifth ruling, the court follows up with a general ruling, known as a jurisprudential thesis. In the case of gay marriage, the jurisprudential thesis stated that laws “restricting marriage to heterosexual couples were discriminatory and unconstitutional.” If the Supreme Court makes five similar rulings on the prohibition of cannabis, Mexico could see marijuana legalization as a result.
NEW ZEALAND
Title: Grey Power branch to Govt: Let us grow medicinal cannabis
Author: NZ Herald
Date: 11 April 2018
URL: http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/health/grey-power-branch-to-govt-let-us-grow-weed/
Extract:
A group representing the elderly has appealed to Parliament to be able to grow its own cannabis.
Grey Power’s Otamatea branch, from Northland, said older people with “unbearable” conditions should not have to deal with illegal gangs to get cannabis for medical use.
Denying people alternative means of pain relief when traditional medicines did not work was a form of elder abuse, the group’s representative Beverley Aldridge told MPs today.
She was appearing before a select committee considering a law change which will exempt people with terminal illnesses – but not chronic conditions – from prosecution if they use medical cannabis.
Aldridge said: “A stroke at our age destroys a couple. The injured partner may go into care, leaving the other floundering and having to also go into care.
“For those who were previously independent souls, life is unbearable. As strokes are common in our age-group we must have the human right to prevent or ease the debilitating effect … by growing our own cannabis.”
Family members had died “screaming in pain” from cancer and other conditions because pharmaceutical drugs had given no relief, she said.
“This is barbaric and … uncivilised. We call it elder abuse.
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