Is German Marijuana Legalization On Shaky Ground? Plus: Ukraine Divided Over Cannabis & Latest Pot Regulations Around The Globe

Barbados' cannabis regulator has tapped GrowerIQ, a marijuana cannabis technology company, to oversee and document production activities taking place on the island.
Barbados Medicinal Cannabis Licensing Authority (BMCLA) told Business of Cannabis they plan to "continue to craft policies and guidelines that should create an environment that allows the industry to create targeted, high-quality medicinal cannabis products made with a distinctive Bajan flavor with excellent value-added and that can stand on the international market as a reflection of a creative vision of, and high value for, Barbados."
The Barbadian government approved the Medical Cannabis Industry Act in 2019. The regulatory framework for the new program was set up in 2020. Senator Shanika Roberts-Odle, BMCLA's CEO, recently confirmed that people convicted of minor drug offenses will be allowed to participate in the medical marijuana industry.

Meanwhile, the Isle Of Man, well known for the TT Motorcycle Races, and the Manx cat, has reportedly grown into a small medical cannabis hub ever since the pilot launched in December 2022. Since then, there have been 1,329 prescriptions dispensed to 395 people.
Karson's pharmacy was named the sole provider of medical marijuana on the island, a self-governing British Crown dependency in the Irish Sea between England and Ireland.

In the southern Quebec area in Canada, health officials are raising concerns around a rise in pre-school-aged children who have accidentally ingested marijuana, reported CTV News Montreal.
The Eastern Townships regional health board pointed to 10 separate incidents since January in which children under five ended up in a hospital.
"Many of these youngsters have been fooled by attractive packaging suggesting they contain treats. Others simply took advantage of the lack of supervision to dip into their parents' stash," health officials said.

The long-awaited cannabis legalization plan in Germany was unveiled in April, prompting the German government to publish a draft law for the first phase of marijuana legalization recently. The legislation will be presented to the federal Cabinet for approval in mid-August.
However, in a new study conducted at the request of conservative opposition MP Stephan Pilsinger (CSU/EPP), some bill provisions may be frowned upon at the EU level. Pilsinger called Social Democrat health minister Karl Lauterbach's (SPD/S&D) push to legalize the plan "an illusory project."
To avoid EU law that forbids the for-profit sale of cannabis, the German government opted for "'cannabis clubs' - organizations that would cultivate cannabis without seeking profit and distribute a restricted quantity per month exclusively to registered members.
However, the researchers pointed out that under EU law, it would be a complex issue to have club members consuming cannabis for recreational purposes if they did not cultivate it themselves, reported EURACTIV.

According to a recent survey, over one-third of the Ukrainian population, specifically 35%, are in favor of the legalization of cannabis. Thirty-seven percent of those surveyed said the opposite.
Ukraine's parliament has taken a significant step toward amending the policy on cannabis countrywide earlier this month. A draft cannabis law received a majority support from lawmakers after the first reading. The bill needs to get a second vote to end up before President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has been pushing for the marijuana policy change earlier.
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