Words 'Cola,' 'Ginger Ale' Banned On Canadian Pot Labels, France's On-Spot Weed Fines & More Reg. Updates

France: Macron Announces On-The-Spot Payment For Marijuana Fines

French President Emmanuel Macron recently announced that people caught with even small amounts of marijuana will be obliged to pay fines on the stop in the range €150 ($164) to €450. Some sources claim that the fines can go up to €2,500. 

Macron said that police and gendarmerie would be required to equip officers with enough payment terminals, writes Le Parisien.

“People who can afford to take drugs for recreational purposes must understand that they are fuelling and complicit in drug trafficking networks", Macros said, as reported by Euronews.

The French Observatory of Drugs and Addiction commented, saying that "the rise in financial penalties comes at the detriment of individually-tailored healthcare measures, which have become increasingly rare."

Europe: Pot Still Most Consumed Illegal Drug, Cocaine Seizures Historically High

Meanwhile, Europe’s Agency Monitoring Drug and Addiction confirmed that new dangerous illegal drugs are flooding markets across Europe, writes WHIO TV 7.

The agency’s new annual European Drug Report revealed that drug trafficking and use rates have returned to pre-pandemic levels, marijuana is still the most-used illegal substance on the continent with some 22.6 million Europeans older than 15 having consumed it in 2022.

The report also highlighted that there were 41 new drugs identified by the agency and that cocaine seizures are at historic rates.

“I summarize this with the phrase: ‘everywhere, everything, everyone,’” said European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction director Alexis Goosdeel.

Greece: Increasing Number Of Drug Users Are Turning To Weed, Cocaine 

A report from the Greek Therapy Center for Dependent Individuals (KETHEA) for 2022 confirms that a rising number of drug users in Greece are turning to cannabis and cocaine, writes Ekathimerini. 

“In the early 2000s, nine out of 10 reported heroin and opioids as their main substances of use, but today the ratio is only one in three,” said Christos Liapis, a psychiatrist and chairman of the KETHEA board.

The report also revealed that last year, as much as 37.5% of drug users confirmed using marijuana and synthetic cannabinoids, which was followed by heroin and opioids (31%), cocaine and amphetamine drugs (27%), hypnotics and sedatives (2.9%), other drugs (0.9%) and hallucinogens (0.2%).

Germany: Berlin Discusses On-Site Cannabis Consumption

During a town council meeting held on Monday in Berlin, council members talked about the idea of on-site marijuana consumption, reported WBOC. Even though recreational marijuana use is supposed to become legal soon, regulators believe the decision should be taken slowly.

The purpose of the meeting was to talk about it, and it seems that the council members are divided on the issue, some argued if drinking in the streets is allowed why not smoking? Others raised concerns about odor.

Canada: ‘Cola,’ ‘Ginger Ale,’ Or ‘Soda’ Can’t Be Written On Cannabis Products 

Health Canada is urging licensed cannabis companies to make marijuana products less appealing to youth. The agency recently asked companies to stop using words like “soda,” “cola,” “root beer” or “ginger ale” on the products as these don’t comply with Canada’s strict labeling and advertising requirements reported MJBizDaily. 

The restriction is expected to largely impact the carbonated marijuana beverage industry which accounts for nearly 60% of all marijuana beverage sales. 

Tanzania: Scientists Trying To Develop Biological Agent That Only Kills Cannabis

The scientists are trying to develop a special biological agent that can fully destroy cannabis weeds right from the roots, as a way of dealing with the problem of illegal drugs in this East African country, writes The Citizen.

Commissioner General of Drug Control and Enforcement Authority (DCEA), Aretas Lyimo highlighted that they are “working to come up with a much safer biological agent that can only kill the cannabis weeds without causing adverse effects to other vegetation and the soil.”

St. Kitts And Nevis: Premier Supports Smoking Bill, Raises Some Concerns 

The Premier of Nevis, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and former Minister of Foreign Affairs for St Kitts and Nevis, Mark Brantley expressed support for the Smoking (Designated Areas) Bill, 2023 under which smoking marijuana in public places designated for the purpose is allowed.

Brantle, however, also shared concerns that the Federation’s cannabis-related legislation should be more comprehensive and include parts about proper public education. 

“It seems to me that as a country we need to take a decision; we’re either going to do it or we’re not going to do it. Instead, we keep coming and we keep tinkering- touch a piece here, touch a little piece next year, or the year after…I really feel we need to be bold in what it is we are going to do,” Brantley said.

Photo: Benzinga edit with images from Buzzed Buds, Anthony DELANOIX on Unsplash and Everton Nobrega on Pexels