The German government’s adult use bill draft is out.
In April, the government announced a two-phase approach to legalizing cannabis for adults, as Cannabis Wire reported at the time.
Now, the bill for the first phase, which will include home cultivation and clubs, is out. So, too, is an FAQ about the draft bill.
The government’s goal is to get this bill into law by the end of 2023, and, also by the end of the year, to submit a draft bill for the second phase, which would include a regulated supply chain, to the European Commission for feedback.
Scotland‘s government calls for drug decrim, points to cannabis reform.
A new paper, issued by the office of the Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy, calls for “immediate legislative changes to support harm reduction measures” by “arguing for decriminalisation of possession for personal supply” and “examining the opportunities for a future debate on strict regulated markets.”
It points to the need to “consider the evidence from various sources,” which includes “decriminalisation of all drugs for personal supply, like Portugal” and “regulated markets for cannabis, like Canada’s.”
The bold proposal, however, needs buy-in from the UK government, which has taken a more conservative stance on drug policy.
“We stand ready to work with the UK Government to put into practice the progressive policy set out here,” the report notes.
Cannabis regulators lay out their agenda in research commentary.
A group of cannabis regulators, including the head of the Cannabis Regulators Association, published a commentary about their research agenda, which is the culmination of formal conversations at CANNRA-wide meetings, and informal discussions between cannabis regulators at committee meetings.
The commentary puts forward an agenda that, if put into action, would “address critical gaps in the science” that various cannabis regulators have pinpointed, including:
• medical cannabis
• cannabis product safety
• consumer patterns and behaviors
• policies that address equity and reduce various disparities
• policies preventing youth consumption
• policies that address the illicit cannabis market
“Although many organizations weigh in on research needs related to cannabis, cannabis regulators (ie, the individuals implementing policies legalizing cannabis in states and territories) have generally not had a voice at the table advocating for specific research to be conducted,” the commentary authors conclude.
“Their perspective representing the government agencies closest to the ground in terms of experiencing the impacts of current cannabis policy is essential to furthering quality, practical research that can advance informed and effective policy.”
This research was published in the peer-reviewed journal Clinical Therapeutics.