Cannabis legalization has been a hot topic during the 2020 election, and many are anecdotally reported to be optimistic towards the industry’s development in the upcoming reign of Biden.
While we are focusing on the process of cannabis legalization in the U.S., there are also many other counties that has made progress in their domestic legalization and begin to embrace the life with cannabis. Below are the latest news of global cannabis legalization happened recently.
Cannabis Reform Bill Is Advancing in the Mexico’s Legislature
On November 22, 2020, the Mexican Senate passed a bill containing a draft federal law for the regulation of cannabis (the “Cannabis Law”). The bill includes amendments to the General Health Law and the Federal Criminal Code and is amended by a helpful Annex. The Cannabis Law is being sent to the Mexican Lower Chamber (Cámara de Diputados) for discussion and hopefully, approval. This is very big news for the Mexican cannabis industry.
After passing the Senate by a vote of 82 to 18, the bill was formally transmitted to the other body of the nation’s Congress, the Chamber of Deputies, this week, and has been referred to several committees there.
The proposal, which was circulated in draft form earlier this month, would establish a regulated cannabis market in Mexico, allowing adults 18 and older to purchase and possess up to 28 grams of marijuana and cultivate up to six plants for personal use.
It “seeks to regulate the use of cannabis and its derivatives, under the approach of public health, human rights and sustainable development, to prevent and combat the consequences of the problematic use of psychoactive cannabis and to contribute to the reduction of the crime incidence linked to drug trafficking,” the Chamber’s Board of Directors said in an announcement about receiving the legislation, according to a translation.
Mexico’s president said on November 27 that the bill to legalize marijuana nationwide that was approved by the Senate last week is “part of carrying out a revolution of consciences, where each of us is responsible for his actions.”
Cannabis Is Allowed to Use in Cosmetic and Food in Thailand
On November 26, 2020, the health permanent secretary said the government plans to allow use of most parts of cannabis and hemp plants in food and cosmetics on Wednesday.
Kiattiphum Wongrajit said the Narcotics Control Committee resolved on Tuesday to exclude the leaves, branches, stems, trunks, bark, fibre and roots of cannabis and hemp from the government’s narcotics list. This would not include shoots, including flowers, which have high drug content.
Thailand has used marijuana as a spice and herbal remedy for centuries. But, it hasn’t been until recently that they’ve made their cannabis laws so lax.
Thailand is the first South-East Asian country to legalize medical marijuana for patients. The government issues certificates for patients who are approved to consume cannabis for medicinal purposes. When Thailand passed this law in 2019, the government started taking an interest in the marijuana industry and moving toward legalization.
Malawi Is Poised to Produce Cannabis for Industrial and Medicinal Use
Malawi is ready to start commercial production and processing of cannabis for medicinal and industrial use, the southern African country’s new Cannabis Regulatory Authority said on November 24, 2020.
Malawi’s parliament passed a bill in February that makes it legal to cultivate and process cannabis for medicines and hemp fibre used in industry, but stops short of decriminalising recreational use.
A growing number of countries around the world are either legalizing or relaxing laws on cannabis as attitudes towards the drug change. They include several in southern Africa, including Zambia, Lesotho and Zimbabwe.
Maltese Company Is about to Produce Medical Cannabis in Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade signed a memorandum with the Maltese company Melabis on the cultivation of cannabis for medical purposes, the state news agency UzA reported On November 26, 2020.
It is initially planned to grow medical cannabis on 500 hectares in the Sardoba district of the Syrdarya region, and the cannabis plantation will increase to 3,000 hectares in the coming three years, said the UzA, citing the regional administration’s press service.
Uzbekistan amended its laws earlier this year, allowing cannabis cultivation for medical and industrial purposes under a government license.
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