The ongoing situation in Ukraine has been described as the largest ground war within Europe since the Second World War ended. Many industries are being affected, including the budding cannabis industry. This article originally appeared on Cannabis.net and has been reposted with permission. Amid this ongoing fracas between Ukraine and Russia, it is high time one considers its impact on the European weed industry. The progress made by European nations concerning cannabis legalization could be overturned or delayed in the next few months. Less than a month ago, one could hardly hear words like sanctions, bombs, missiles, war crimes, etc., within the European space. Since Russia officially declared war on Ukraine, it’s all anyone hears on media platforms. This article is not in any way undermining the severity of what’s happening in Ukraine at the moment; it only seeks to explain how these hostilities between most European countries and Russia would affect cannabis reforms and the legal industry across the continent. The reality setting in on cannabis operators in Europe is that reforms and vital policies that would have aided the growth of the space post-COVID will take a backseat to the current security issues. Although Ukraine is not the leading center for cannabis advocacy in Europe, its security issues could backfire on other countries in the region. A quick search on google will reveal that Germany is less than a day’s drive from Ukraine, while Poland and Hungary share borders. Many operators are worried that the production and supply chain of the region’s cannabis industry will be impacted
Terry Hacienda, The Fresh Toast, 03/19/2022 10:00:00