Newsweed 2022: the best cannabis news of the year

The year 2022 will be remembered as the year Europe committed itself to the legalization of cannabis. In the final days of 2021, Malta became the first country to end cannabis prohibition. The first Cannabis Clubs should have opened this year but, due to a lack of resources or a lack of will, the first Clubs to be distributed in 2023.

Germany has struck a blow with confirming its intention to legalize cannabis. At the end of the year, the country's Minister of Health finally presented the main points of the legalization project which may change as national or European discussions progress. Indeed, the country wants to seek the European Union's «agreement» (or rather lack of objections) before launching their project.

The idea infused Czech Republic on the same path. Under the leadership of Jindřich Vobořil, its national coordinator for anti-drug policy, the countries has prompted the EU to set new rules which emphasize the promotion of human rights in anti-drug policies.

For their part, Switzerland and the Netherlands are setting up their own cannabis trials for adult use. Switzerland, after a few difficulties, should begin its distribution trial in the city of Basel. The Netherlands began distributing licenses to legally produce cannabis for coffeshops. Visit numerous delays have postponed the start of the experiment at an unspecified date.

In Luxembourg, the legalization of self-cultivation has been adopted by the Luxembourg government.

In France, lump-sum fines for simple use are only settled for 34% according to the latest figures released, and have removed minors from the prevention of cannabis use. French patients will not have access to medical cannabis this year.’experiment extended for a further year for «to »prepare the French industry" for cannabis production. The report on the therapeutic cannabis experiment noted, however, that the medical cannabis distribution circuit was «Achievable and operational».

France has also caught in the CBD craze, who tried to ban the retail sale of hemp flowers and leaves. In awaiting Conseil d'Etat decision, As a result, CBD stores have been able to continue selling freely, with no regulations other than THC limits.

Before we look at what 2023 has in store, let's take a look back at the most-read articles on Newsweed in 2022.

Cultivation and production of medical cannabis authorized in France

The cultivation of cannabis for medical use is now authorized in France. A decree published in the Journal Officiel on February 18 and effective from March 1, 2022 authorizes the cultivation of cannabis «for the purpose of manufacturing medicines».

However, the rules for obtaining a production license or for any operation relating to the production of medical cannabis are not yet known.

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Study: CBDa and CBGa prevent Covid infection

A much-publicized and often misunderstood study. Two acidic cannabis compounds, CBDa and CBGa, prevented the virus that causes Covid-19 from entering healthy human cells, by binding to spike proteins (the so-called spike) present on the virus and blocking a step the pathogen uses to infect people.

This is no reason to consume more cannabis, as CBDa and CBGa disappear as soon as they are heated.

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A new device to detect driving under the influence of cannabis?

Boston researchers claim to have developed a new, non-invasive technique for detecting cannabis-induced euphoria, which can distinguish between people who are truly impaired by cannabis and those who have simply used it recently.

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have discarded older methods that attempt to infer functional impairment from the amount of THC in blood or a person's saliva, in favor of a more direct approach: light imaging, which allows us to observe the brain itself.

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CBD flowers banned, maximum THC level rises to 0.3 %

After eight months of consultation, the French government has published a decree in the Journal Officiel to put an end to the retail sale of CBD flowers. The decree, which has generated a great deal of misunderstanding, has was partially overturned by the Conseil d'Etat which is due to give its final decision on this point in the next few days.

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Brigitte Macron grows hemp at the Elysée Palace

This year's April Fool's Day!

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The Senate publishes a report on the decriminalization and legalization of cannabis

Every 10 years since 2002, the Senate has updated its comparative legislation study on the decriminalization and legalization of cannabis. The third edition has been updated and published on the Senate website.

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Is HHC legal in France?

The arrival of products containing HHC, a semi-synthetic molecule obtained from CBD, led us to question the legality of this neocannabinoid. As is often the case, the answer is complex.

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CBD cannabis washed with pentane to lower THC levels

CannabisIndustrie.nl reports that light cannabis is being washed down with pentane by some European producers to get below the permitted THC percentage. In addition to the health risks involved, the gas is highly flammable and has already caused deaths in Italy.

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Canada: The cannabis industry has generated 15 billion $CA in taxes and 151,000 jobs since legalization

The Canadian cannabis sector has generated more than 15 billion $CA in direct and indirect tax revenues for Canadian and provincial governments, while creating more than 151,000 jobs since Canada legalized cannabis for adults in October 2018.

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Canada's leading cannabis retailer prepares to open cannabis stores in Germany

North American cannabis retail leader High Tide has unveiled plans to establish its footprint in Germany's future adult cannabis market.

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