Cannabis News Around The World: Legalization Efforts In Paraguay, Thailand, Amsterdam, Australia & Ireland

Marijuana Festival In Paraguay Places High Hopes On Legalization

A cannabis harvest festival in Paraguay sparked hope among local farmers looking to legally grow marijuana for medicinal use.

At the moment, local cultivation is not authorized despite the fact that since 2017 cannabis for medicinal use has been legal in the country only for commercial purposes. It must be imported, reported Reuters.

Jorge Rolon, a farmers' legal adviser, affirmed that some laboratories import weed into Paraguay for legal medicinal use, but sell it at exorbitant prices. "Our country has tremendous potential," he said. "It's an opportunity Paraguay can't miss."

Thai Lawmakers Stuck On Cannabis Bill Approval

Thailand became the first country in Southeast Asia to decriminalize marijuana by removing the plant as a narcotic but legalization has divided Thailand's political parties.

On Wednesday, the House of Representatives failed to complete the second reading of the recreational marijuana bill and the bill's fate will depend on the next administration, reported BNN Bloomberg.

“It’s clear that the bill will not be passed in this sitting. We will re-submit the cannabis bill in the next parliament,” said Supachai Jaisamut, a lawmaker from Bhumjaithai Party. “People who don’t want cannabis to be criminalized again should vote for Bhumjaithai.”

Regulated Marijuana Experiment In Amsterdam

In 2024, Amsterdam plans to launch a government-regulated marijuana experiment, and the city hopes it can get involved.

The experiment seeks to test whether cannabis cafes or coffee shops, can legally operate by buying the weed from official growers. Currently, these businesses are licensed by their local authority, but they buy marijuana from the grey market, reported Dutch News.

Health minister Ernst Kuipers said Amsterdam’s desire to take part is "good news for the weed experiment."

Legislation In Australia To Permit MMJ Users To Drive

In Victoria, Parliamentarians from the Legalize Cannabis Party are seeking to get into law a medicinal cannabis proposal that allows users to drive under weed effects.

The measure seeks that medical cannabis users be able to drive with the substance in their system so it would no longer be a crime for unimpaired drivers to have detectable tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in their blood or oral fluid, reported 9 News.

"What we want to try and do is make sure anyone and everyone who would be better off because of medicinal cannabis has no disincentive, in fact, is supported to access the medicines that will alleviate their pain," said Premier Daniel Andrews.

Ireland Seeks To Implement Drug Use Strategy

The head of government Hildegarde Naughton, Minister of State with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy, admitted to having smoked marijuana when she was 20 years old, reported Irish Times.

Now, Naughton wants to establish an upcoming Citizens’ Assembly looking for an "open and honest" conversation about substance use in society and how then that feeds into policy. "That’s what I want as a minister with responsibility for drugs policy,” she said.

According to her, one in four people surveyed by the Board of Health Research said they tried illegal drugs in their life.

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Image Credits: Andrei Minsk and Marti Bug Catcher on Shutterstock Edited By Benzinga