The European Parliament Passes Medical Cannabis Resolution

Step by step, nation by nation, the cannabis community is making great progress around the world. Some milestones, such as Canada becoming the first G7 nation to end prohibition, are obviously huge landmarks. Other achievements might fly under the radar to most, but will be revealed as greatly influential when we look back upon them. This week, one under-the-radar success occurred as the European Parliament passed a resolution urging member states to move forward with sensible medical cannabis programs, as Forbes covered:

Following reports about the World Health Organization (WHO) recommending a rescheduling of cannabis and several of its key components under international drug treaties, the European Parliament voted on Wednesday on a resolution that would help advance medical cannabis in the countries that form the European Union.

While non-binding, the resolution seeks to incentivize European nations to increase access to medical marijuana, prioritizing scientific research and clinical studies. Same as the WHO’s recommendation, the European Parliament’s resolution shows how wide support for cannabis legalization is, but does not change any actual laws on the international or local levels.

“The EU Parliament is just the latest voice to recognize the medical value of cannabis and the benefits of regulation over prohibition,” Tom Angell, Forbes contributor and publisher of Marijuana Moment, told me. ”I’m hopeful that the growing chorus in favor of reform will spur action by nations to change their policies and improve access for patients who need this medicine.”

To a lot of people, especially those of us in the United States, a nonbinding resolution may not seem like a big deal, but this parliamentary action will very likely have big consequences in the coming years. Europe is clearly moving towards embracing more progressive cannabis reforms, and the words from this resolution, such as calling “on Member States to ensure sufficient availability of cannabis-based medicines that cater for actual needs, either by means of production in accordance with their national medical standards or perhaps through imports that comply with their national requirements for cannabis-based medicines,” will reverberate in debates across the continent. Additionally, this resolution increases the odds that the European Parliament will take a similar approach on adult-use cannabis in the future.

The International Cannabis Business Conference is the best place to learn the latest about the global industry and to network with top investors and entrepreneurs from around the world. Upcoming ICBC events include stops in Barcelona, Spain, with Spannabis, on March 14th; Berlin, Germany, from March 31st to April 2nd; and Zurich, Switzerland, with CannaTrade, on May 15th-16th. Early-bird discounted tickets are still available. 

Featured photo info: by Paasikivi – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49087826