-
Saint Lucia Cabinet authorizes the drafting of a legislative and regulatory framework for cannabis
There are several countries in the Caribbean who have passed their own legislative framework so it’s not a matter of reinventing the wheel
The Star (St Lucia)
Tuesday, July 28, 2020
The Saint Lucia government’s point man on cannabis, Commerce Minister Bradley Felix, has announced that authorization has been given to draft a legislative and regulatory framework for cannabis. However, Saint Lucia is still “quite some ways away from having anything on the books.” The framework will include looking at personal, religious and medicinal use, as well as scientific research and also to setting up a sort of a licensed regime to govern the industry. Authorization was also given to look into the expungement of records of people who had been incarcerated, charged with amounts less than 30 grams, without having a violent attachment to it. Full legalization has not been agreed upon. It remains unclear when the draft framework will be completed. -
Poor IT skills mean investigations into money laundering rarely bear fruit
The FIU reports need too much further investigation and even then it is not clear if a case will stand up in court
Dutch News (Netherlands)
Monday, July 27, 2020
Only a handful of the tens of thousands of annual reports of suspected money laundering end up in court case because watchdog staff lack IT expertise. Some 155,000 cases of possible fraud were brought to the attention of the government’s Financial Intelligence Unit (Fiu) last year by banks, accountants and payroll offices, of which 39,000 were followed up by the prosecution office and the FIOD financial fraud unit. However, only a very small number actually went to court because the reports were not thorough enough to form the basis of a prosecution, money laundering expert professor Brigitte Unger told Trouw. -
France extends police powers in crackdown on drugs trade
The nationwide shift to on-the-spot penalties, following local pilots, will target low-level dealers and users of cannabis and other drugs
Reuters (UK)
Saturday, July 25, 2020
France’s new prime minister Jean Castex announced plans to introduce on-the-spot fines for some drug offences amid mounting concern about over-stretched policing after a series of violent episodes in urban areas. The new penalties will allow police to “apply a sanction without delay” and help in the struggle against drug dealing, said Castex. The nationwide shift to on-the-spot penalties, following local pilots, will target low-level dealers and users of cannabis and other drugs as part of a broader law enforcement struggle against urban gangs and petty crime. (See also: France to fight cannabis use with €200 on-the-spot fines) -
La légalisation du cannabis, un levier de développement ?
Face à l’échec de la répression, la solution pourrait passer par une légalisation de sa culture et de sa consommation
Tel Quel (Maroc)
Jeudi, 23 juillet 2020
Et si le nouveau modèle de développement intégrait la légalisation du cannabis ? Ce jeudi 23 juillet, la CSMD a organisé un atelier de travail avec des chercheurs et des experts sur la question. Conscient que l’approche répressive envers les cultivateurs de cannabis n’aboutit à rien, le panel a axé sa réflexion sur les moyens de mieux exploiter les vertus thérapeutiques et récréatives de la plante. “Face à cette problématique, tout a été essayé et rien n’a marché. On ne peut pas aller à contre-courant. Il faut désormais faire un choix”, résume Camelia Benaskour, consultante en stratégie d’entreprise. (Lire aussi: Adapter la culture du kif à l’environnement, défi pour un nouveau modèle de développement) -
Cannabis can both help and hinder memory
How it affects you might come down to inequality
The Independent (UK)
Wednesday, July 22, 2020
Even the word “dope”, describing people that use cannabis, suggests they have less than optimal brain functioning. The idea that cannabis impairs memory has been around so long it’s almost accepted as fact. The science exploring the relationship between cannabis and memory is now revealing a far more interesting understanding of the connection. There is evidence of disruption to short-term memory and concentration during intoxication with cannabis. Both are responsible for the poorer educational outcomes in adolescents who were observed in research. But this isn’t the whole story. Recent research has found that compounds found in cannabis can delay the onset of problems like dementia and Alzheimer’s. -
'The risk is zero': Legalising cannabis in Lebanon could help solve its economic crisis
The cannabis production industry exists in Lebanon through a combination of blind eyes, backhanders, and sometimes, guns
Sky News (UK)
Wednesday, July 22, 2020
Last month Lebanese President Michel Aoun signed an order paving the way for a change in the country's legislation. If the bill passes through parliament then the production of cannabis could be allowed. But for the moment, the whole plan is confused and far from concluded. To start with, the type of plant the government is proposing to be legalised is not the same variety the farmers currently sow. Perhaps more problematic though, is that it's being suggested that the law will not allow anyone who currently grows cannabis illegally to be involved in future legal production. So instead of benefiting from a change in the law, the farmers who rely on the plant for their livelihood would be out of a job. (See also: In Lebanon's Beqaa Valley, locals divided over legalisation of medical marijuana) -
Uzbekistan returns to its roots with cannabis cultivation
Hemp uses less water than cotton, a fact that should excite farmers in the rapidly desiccating region
Eurasianet (US)
Tuesday, July 21, 2020
Central Asia has a great climate for growing cannabis. The plant, which is indigenous to the region, blankets hillsides and reveals itself stubbornly in urban parks. Archeological evidence suggests cannabis was used in Central Asia 6,000 or more years ago and spread along early trade routes with Europe and East Asia. Now Uzbekistan, which promotes itself as the tourist-friendly heart of the Silk Road, is experimenting with the plant anew. This is not good-time ganja, however. A French-Uzbek joint venture will begin growing industrial hemp, which contains low amounts of mind-altering tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, in Khorezm region, Uzbekistan’s Foreign Ministry said this month. In neighboring Kazakhstan, an outfit called KazHemp has been harvesting the plant since 2017. -
‘Does anyone care?’: B.C. overdose deaths hit record high for second consecutive month
The government must invest in a public-health approach to substance use that not only includes decriminalization, but also pharmaceutical alternatives to the toxic drug supply
The Globe and Mail (Canada)
Thursday, July 16, 2020
This time, at least 175 people died. The victims include a soccer goalie who had just celebrated his 26th birthday, a cheerful young volunteer at an overdose prevention site, and a college graduate who aspired to become an addictions worker to help others through their struggles. June’s illicit drug overdose death toll set yet another B.C. record, surpassing May’s tally by four. “Extreme” fentanyl concentrations were detected in 15 per cent of deaths from April to June, compared with 8 per cent from January, 2019, to March, 2020, according to data released by the BC Coroners Service. At least 5,731 people have died since 2016, the year British Columbia declared a public-health emergency because of overdose deaths. -
Amount of cocaine intercepted by Dutch customs doubled in first half of 2020
Dutch News (Netherlands)
Thursday, July 16, 2020
Customs officers seized twice as much cocaine in the first six months of 2020 than in the same period last year. More than 25,000 kilograms of the drug were intercepted in the Netherlands between January and June, compared to 12,000 in the first half of 2019. The customs service said better co-operation with police and other domestic agencies, as well as border control agencies in countries such as Belgium and Brazil, had contributed to the increased haul. It is not known how much of the increase is the result of more cocaine being smuggled worldwide. In April, 4,500 kilos of cocaine were found in a container of bananas from Costa Rica. Rotterdam and Antwerp are known to be two of Europe’s main hubs for the international illegal drugs trade. -
Netherlands clarifies application process to grow adult-use cannabis
The government estimates a minimum production of 65,000 kilograms per year will be needed
Marijuana Business Daily (US)
Thursday July 16, 2020
The Dutch government wants to clear up several issues regarding the application process to grow legal recreational marijuana. The process is part of an experiment in the Netherlands to legalize – though it’s limited in scope and time – the production of marijuana destined to be sold in coffee shops. (Basic information about the application process.) Only applicants that demonstrate the capability to cultivate at a large scale – a minimum of 6,500 kilograms per year – will be considered. But a newly released FAQ specifies that the winners won’t necessarily have to grow that amount. Up to 10 growers will be selected to supply roughly 80 coffee shops in 10 municipalities during a period of at least four years. (See also: Netherlands receives 149 grower applications for recreational cannabis experiment)
Page 73 of 471
