Medicinal cannabis is becoming more accepted around the world and various countries are moving towards a health approach instead of a criminal approach. Good news for patients, you would say. But as we’re approaching the point of (semi) legalization of (medicinal) cannabis, the fight isn’t over yet as shown in our latest report It’s Darkest Before Dawn.
CBD
The name, use and benefits of CBD is making headlines and for good reason: CBD oil is scientifically proven to be beneficial for mankind.
Even in countries where the use of cannabis is strictly forbidden, CBD oil can be obtained legally. Sadly enough, that’s not the case everywhere. One of those countries is Ireland, where Vera Twomey (featured in our report on medicinal cannabis in the European Union) has been fighting for CBD oil access for her daughter with Dravet Syndrome.
Licensed Producers
Meanwhile, countries like Canada, Colombia and Germany are moving towards controlled medicinal cannabis programs, handing out licenses to big companies like Tilray in Canada. Or Pharmacielo in Colombia, whose board of directors include former executives from Philip Morris and Bayer. In Germany, their medicinal cannabis program is now up and running. But prices have already doubled since. Because of that, well-known MD Franjo Grotenhermen went on a hunger strike to confront the government with a broken promise. They promised to keep the price of medicinal cannabis affordable.
Raids
But as countries move forward on a national level, raids continue on patients and renowned activists like Jodie and Marc Emery, who are being harassed by law enforcement, seeing their dispensaries closed and having to distance themselves from the Cannabis Culture brand.
In Belgium, hundreds of patients relied on the first Cannabis Social Club of the country Trekt Uw Plant. But after winning in court twice before, they’ve had to endure being tailed, their homes bugged, phones tapped and being GPS-traced for more than one year. This lead to a raid with excessive force by the Belgium Police, raiding 18 homes and making 3 arrests. Two members were finally released after 2 weeks imprisonment. The third was recently released during production of this video. A petition is now making rounds on the internet, demanding a public debate about drug policy in Belgium.
In The Netherlands, famous for it’s liberal drug laws, a successful business man and philanthropist without criminal record, is prosecuted for having 5 cannabis plants in his garden. No longer being able to run his business, Hans Kamperman is losing millions, his faith in society and thus destroying his life.
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