Serious Cannabis Legalization Efforts Kick Off in the United Kingdom
The British press has picked up coverage of the cannabis industry lately, noticing that two special interest groups, with funding including from Canadian cannabis companies, could start making serious political noise at the Parliamentary level. This serious lobbying effort is coinciding with the emergence of Crispin Blunt, a conservative MP who also is currently leading a legitimate attempt to reform Britain’s drug policy, and who also helped launch a private company that intends to lobby for reform and is owned by investors.
That connection in a world fuelled by Brexit politics, was enough to make the British Red Tops (the Tabloids) start running front-page news stories on the issue. Cannabis is certainly making its turn in highly fraught political affairs in both the United Kingdom and Britain right now. That said, for all the hoopla, Blunt said last week that he does not expect recreational reform to hit the UK ahead of Europe (a five year gap), even though public polls and opinion seem to be shifting towards supporting legalization in England.
As in other places, support is growing for access to medical cannabis. However, like in Spain and Switzerland (most notably), the CBD market is flowing – even if it is less than legit. Novel food regulations appear, like much in Britain, to be applied on the basis of family connections and location rather than any consistent standard – a fact both Canadian and American firms see and know well at this point.
The UK is also caught up in a discussion about identity, economy and the future right now, baking under a baking summer sun – weather that Americans might be used to, but has never been seen in Europe before.
There is a sense of urgency that something is very rotten in the land of Shakespeare – and the lack of reform on cannabis is just one of them. It is clear that serious cannabis law reform efforts have landed in the UK. And there is no turning back.
If you want to stay up-to-date on the cannabis industry and network with top investors, entrepreneurs, and advocates, the International Cannabis Business Conference is THE event for you. Next up: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, this September 15-16. Purchase discounted, early bird tickets by August 21st to save.
