Global CannaVigilance Cannabis Newsletter 2022 / 14

Hello friends of CannaVigilance,  

While everybody is getting their breath back after Cannabis Europa in London, the business keeps on rolling forward. In Morocco the first steps towards a regulated industry were taken last month with the launch of an agency that will act as administrative point to the industry, furthermore, there are changes to the Swiss law and moves toward legalisation in Albania and even in Lithuania.  

But let’s kick the week off by having a look at the latest success story, Morocco. 

How to get a cannabis license in Morocco 

Morocco is the latest African country to legalise the cultivation of medical marijuana, but is it possible to grow cannabis in all Moroccan territories? What do new cultivators need to know about growing there and about getting a license? In our country report, you will not only get the answers to these questions, but also details about the cannabis history in Morocco and what reasons there are for a cannabis license application to be approved or denied.

Read the report here. 
Do you have any questions about the cannabis market in Morocco? Don’t hesitate to contact us.   

Using a seed to sale software to sail ahead 

Kevin Nafte of YVY Life Sciences is one of our clients in Uruguay. For him, clear transparency and traceability of his products is very important. This is where Cannavigia comes in: he uses the seed to sale software to track and trace his cultivation. He captures and records all the necessary information he needs to present to authorities or potential buyers. We spoke with Kevin about how he ended up in Uruguay, what his business is all about, and how the Cannavigia software helps him with his products. 

Read the interview here.  

The future of the supply chain 

https://youtu.be/_w8tC7A-Hf8?t=21421

Covid has showed us that an unexpected disruption can have a long-term effect on supply chains. Is there a way to make supply chains resilient to disruptions? In the post-Covid era, will the cannabis industry stand out for not having a long-term established supply chain, or will it face similar issues as other industries because it is learning from them? At Cannabis Europa last week, the impact of Covid on supply chains was only one of many topics, Luc Richner discussed with several industry leaders on the panel '‘The Future of the Supply Chain – an Industry on the Move’. They talked about a harmonized globalised cannabis market, how countries can learn from each other and the biggest risks going forward. 

If you missed the panel, watch the recording here.  

A vigilant eye on cannabis news 

• Switzerland is easing its medical cannabis restrictions, allowing doctors to prescribe medical cannabis to their patients without federal authorization starting August 1. The current system where medical marijuana patients are required to seek exceptional authorization is causing huge delays in the treatment of patients. For a complete look at what the changes entails and the future of legislation in Switzerland have a look at Cannavigia’s legal eagle, Daniel Hayman’s report here.  
  
• With the cannabis business in Australia growing quicker than expected, and rules and regulations getting more defined, the Australian government has made it easier to know what’s going on if you want to grow there. If you want to know what’s going on down under, this is a good place to start. Read more here. 

• The Lithuanian parliament voted in favour to proceed with amendments to decriminalise the possession of small amounts of cannabis. Though it joined the European Union in 2004, Lithuania for several years remained the only country in the EU that criminalized even the cultivation of hemp. The vote to move forward was supported by 70 votes against 46 with 10 abstentions. 

• Shortly after being mentioned as the seventh biggest cannabis grower in the world by the UN’s 2022 World Drug Report, the Albanian government has processed its draft law for legalising the production of cannabis for medical and industrial purposes. This proposal will now be subject to public consultation. The Albanian opposition in turn accused the prime minister of a “symbiotic relationship” with crime because it is “making the easy legalisation of drug production and trafficking a fact” (more info here).