When Germany’s new coalition included the legalization of recreational cannabis in its political agenda in late 2021, there were few details on how to regulate the industry. However, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach announced last week that it would start the legal process for cannabis legalization soon. He told the German newspaper Handelsblatt he changed his mind on legalization over the past two years, and he now believes the dangers of non-legalization outweigh the risks of recreational cannabis legalization. “I’ve always been opposed to cannabis legalization, but I revised my position about a year ago,” he said. In addition, Finance Minister Christian Lindner confirmed that the process of legalizing recreational cannabis has started.“A question that people keep asking me: ‘When will Bubatz [German street slang for cannabis] be legal? I would say: soon,” he wrote in a tweet on April 6. Justice Minister Marco Buschmann announced on the same day that he is planning a comprehensive technical preparation to legalize cannabis through a consultation process together with the Ministry of Health and other departments. The process will also involve the federal states, municipalities, associations, science, and civil society players. According to Lauterbach, the technical talks will likely start this summer, and a draft bill is expected to follow in late 2022.

Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news, 05/09/2022 08:24:00

Open article: https://www.cannabisbusinessexecutive.com/2022/05/germany-speeds-up-the-process-to-legalize-recreational-cannabis/

Benzinga reports The law still needs to be signed by President Alberto Fernandez. Lance Lambert, VP of marketing and business development for Nevada-based brand GreenBroz Inc., said the country’s population of over 45 million is “one to watch and be ready to take advantage of when the time is right.” The law passed the Senate last year, with ample support from state governors who are betting on cannabis to promote economic growth and sustainable development. The legislation does not legalize recreational cannabis, rather, creates the ARICCAME (Regulatory Agency for Hemp and Medicinal Cannabis), the agency that will regulate the production of cannabis for medicinal and industrial purposes. The agency will coordinate with state governments when and if cannabis and hemp licenses are approved, gaining a prominent role in the regulatory process. The law also provides cannabis businesses with access to traditional banking and establishes a streamlined regulatory process for hemp producers. Thursday’s decision in the Chamber of Deputies has been pending since July of last year when, after being proposed by the national government, it was later blocked by the opposition over disagreement on the details.

Cannabis Law Report, 05/07/2022 22:43:00

Open article: https://cannabislaw.report/argentinas-congress-aprroves-law-to-create-reg-framework-for-public-and-private-investments-in-the-production-of-pharma-grade-cannabis-products/

News outlets have reported about the controversy that had arisen when the New Jersey attorney general penned a memo clarifying that, under existing law, police officers aren’t barred from consuming cannabis while off duty. As a result of that memo, several bills have been filed in order to empower employers, including law enforcement agencies, to ban the use of marijuana by people occupying safety-sensitive jobs, including those in law enforcement. One of the three measures that have been filed aims at giving law enforcement agencies the authority to act against the police for consuming marijuana even while off duty. This particular measure was filed by Rep. Louis Greenwald, a Democrat. His bill will also give law enforcement agencies leeway to undertake random testing for drugs and also turn down any applicants who have a history of using cannabis in compliance with the laws of the state. At the moment, people serving in law enforcement agencies cannot be penalized for consuming marijuana as long as they don’t show up for work while impaired. This situation is concerning to the governor and other influential lawmakers who feel that police officers and other law enforcement personnel shouldn’t be allowed to consume cannabis.

CannabisNewsWire, 05/09/2022 04:20:00

Open article: https://www.cannabisnewswire.com/420-with-cnw-nj-legislators-file-bills-seeking-to-prevent-off-duty-cannabis-use-by-police/