1st Cannabis Capital Convention in Amsterdam

Conferences on the topic of cannabis are popping up all over Europe and signal the sector’s rapid growth. They typically bring together market leaders, professionals, and cannabis experts, demonstrating that the industry is taking shape across the Old Continent.

Cannabis Capital Convention

Yesterday was the premiere Cannabis Capital Convention was held in Amsterdam; it brought together key players in the cannabis industry, including the CEOs and spokespersons of the following companies: C21 Investments, Canaccord, Bedrocan, The Green Organic Dutchman, Prohibition Partners, Cannabis Industry Europe, Grön Chocolate and Phytonext. European companies may receive less media attention than their North American counterparts, but they are every bit as good. C21, for example, has a projected annual revenue of $70 million, which is nearly that of Canopy Growth ($30.9), Tilray ($20M) and’Aurora ($31.9M) combined.

According to the conference website, the goal is to inform stakeholders about investment opportunities in the cannabis industry and there are many of them in Europe. Among the speakers were cannabis product specialists, market leaders, and stock market analysts, who took the stage to discuss investment opportunities, networks, and key influencers in the cannabis industry. Participation in the conference is rooted in a commitment to advancing and developing the European cannabis market.

Other conferences

Similar conferences are popping up all over the world. Today marks the launch of the fourth edition of the International Cannabis Business Conference in Portland. Previous editions were held in Barcelona, San Francisco, and Berlin. The events bring together cannabis companies, investors, and political figures to discuss cannabis-related issues, with a focus on the development of the global market.

Last May, a conference was held in London Cannabis Europa focused on medical cannabis in Europe: «Cannabis Europa is the main forum for sharing knowledge and shaping the future of medical cannabis in Europe,» according to the conference website. «The conference is your opportunity to connect with the most influential leaders in science, politics, and business and to gain exclusive access to the industry’s most inspiring and forward-thinking figures.».

The future of the European market

Cannabis Europa also points out that the business community must collaborate with policymakers to establish a viable market model while highlighting Europe’s potential leadership on this issue: «There is no universal regulatory model for cannabis, and Europe has a clear opportunity to take a global leadership position.» The development of these European initiatives, which bring together high-level stakeholders, may help ease political tensions surrounding the issue.

It seems that the momentum from legalization in North America is shaking up the European market, and more and more voices are speaking out to prevent Europe from missing out on this economic and scientific opportunity. Especially since the European market has the potential to become the world's leading market. While the industry has taken the lead over policymakers on this issue, the latter may be forced to revise their position or risk missing out on’a market worth several billion euros. In the long run, it is conceivable that we might see the emergence of European legislation on the matter.

Nevertheless, as speaker Stephen Murphy of Prohibition Partners, interviewed by The Stoned Society: «Europe will first and foremost be a medical market, and it is important to distinguish between the two [recreational and medical] because they have different—though equally valid—objectives.».