Edition 13: Businessman of month - Carlos Vives Jr. by cannabisworldjournals

Editorial and journalistic team Cannabis World Journals

Cannabis World Journals is a bi-weekly publication that discusses the latest trends in the cannabis industry.

Content editors: Anne Graham Escobar. Daniel Santos V Graphic design and conceptualization: Katerin Osuna Robles Jannina Mejía Diaz Research, journalistic and conceptualization: CannaGrow: Daniela Montaña CannaGraphics: Daniel Santos V In the expert’s room: Sandra Loaiza CannaCountry: Sandra Loaiza CannaLaw: Anne Marie Graham, Alibert Flores, Hamid Tagadirte and Daniela Araujo CannaTrade: Jennifer Simbaña, Rosangel Andrades and Lorena Díaz CannaMed: Yumaira Rojas, Rosangel Andrades and Jennifer Salguero Medical Team: Nazareth Becerra y Marian Jorge

Translation: English: Sandra Loaiza, Rosangel Andrades y Maria José López Arabic: Hamid Tagadirte Portuguese: Lorena Diaz Contributors edition 13: Danielle Ceruti de Espinel Dra. María Fernanda Arboleda Suscribe at cannabisworldjournals.com Info@cannabisworldjournals.com

Editorial: The nuances of medical cannabis and its path to legality Page 4 Opinion article: Dra. Maria Fernanda Arboleda. Page 5

CANNAGRAPHICS SECTION: - Cannabis moms. Page 7 - Business Summit in Cancun, Mexico Page 7 - Amsterdam Cannabis Expo. Page 7

Our magazines CannaMed and CannaLaw, dedicated to the therapeutic and legal regulation areas of cannabis respectively, have decided to join forces to offer you a new biweekly magazine about cannabis: Cannabis World Journals. CannaMed magazine and CannaLaw magazine are now sections of Cannabis World Journals, and along with these you can find another two brand new sections in order to provide a global look about the plant: we are talking about CannaTrade, with the goal of revealing the rhythm of the business established around cannabis; and CannaGrow, dedicated to the botany and cultivation of the cannabis plant. Cannabis World Journals is the most complete magazine about cannabis for demanding readers like you. Without further ado, receive the warmest welcome to Cannabis World Journals. Enjoy!

CANNAGROW - The importance of light in cannabis plants Page 8

IN THE EXPERT’S ROOM:

CANNACOUNTRY:

- Interview with Paloma Snhet from Latinoamericanna Page 10

- Uruguay, a country at the forefront of medical cannabis use. Page 14

CANNALAW

BUSINESS MAN OF THE MONTH

- Africa, the Continent where Medical Cannabis is the Talk of the Town. Page 17 - Minorities and cannabis licensing: privilege and the marketplace. Page 20 - Medicinal Cannabis in Peru. Page 2 - At a Triumphant Pace: Spain Moves Forward with Cannabis Legalization. Page 24

-Carlos Vives Jr., the singer-songwriter's son, tells us about his passion for cannabis genetics and his vision of the industry. Page 25

CANNATRADE - Exportation Policies Drive the Growth of the Cannabis Industry Page 34 - Federal Legalization in the U.S.: Advantage or Disadvantage for Cannabis Businesses? Page 36 - Crowd-growing, an Innovative Business. Page 37

CANNAMED - The Significance of Cannabinoids in Neurodegenerative Diseases Page 38 - Cannabis Psychology Scenarios Page 41 - Cannabis “Close Up”: "Kush" Strains for Parkinson's Disease Treatment Page 43

EDITORIAL

The nuances of medical cannabis and its path to legality

Since he was 4 years old, my son Juan has been suffering from acute dermatitis. For his treatment, I went to different conventional and alternative medicines; the doctor who treats him has been very emphatic that this is a pathology that increases and decreases, and that there is no definitive treatment, but that after a certain age it tends to heal. In my eagerness to provide my son with a normality within his situation; that he would not be ashamed to put on a pair of shorts or get into a swimming pool since most of the wounds are on his legs, I began to investigate the possibilities that would allow me to have greater control over his disease.

I thought about medical cannabis as a treatment, and yes, without much walking and research, I bought in a medical cannabis store that I found by chance a "moisturizing ointment" based on CBD and cannabis. I have been applying it to him for a few weeks now; his legs already look better, and he has stopped scratching. For many this situation may go unnoticed or be

just another story, however, from Cannabis World Journals we will continue to share the benefits offered by the cannabis plant. Beyond this fact that I dare to narrate; it is to continue portraying the connotation that this plant and its derivatives offer, clarifying the nuances with which it has been marginalized; and to continue informing the path towards its legality. Many countries have already taken this great step, one of the last ones was Costa Rica, which through its National Assembly gave the "YES" to deal with the use of cannabis and its derivatives for medicinal and scientific purposes. Canada already has its complete regulation, in Holland there are places called "Coffee Shops", Italy is making notable progress in its policies, in the United States there are already 33 states that have regulated its medicinal use, as well as in Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Uruguay where it can be used for recreational purposes. In this edition, we will explore these nuances, we will give an overview of the legalization and through an expert on the subject we will delve into the progress of this debate that every day brings new stories, experiences, but most importantly: opportunities. 4 CANNABIS WORLD JOURNALS | EDITION NO. 13 |

OPINIÓN ARTICLE

What is the regulatory status of cannabis in America?

or decades, the prescription of cannabinoids for therapeutic purposes has been restricted and controlled in each jurisdiction by specific regulatory frameworks. This has limited the development of clinical research and the commercialization of cannabinoids for medicinal use. On December 3, 2020, the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) recognized the medicinal properties of cannabis and removed it from Schedule IV of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs; undoubtedly a historical fact, although its legal status varies in each country.

In the case of Peru, Law 30681 and the supreme Act that approves the regulations of this law have allowed access to cannabinoid-based products through strict manufacturing practices since 2020. Other countries such as Argentina, Ecuador, Chile, Panama, Brazil, and Puerto Rico continue to work on regulatory matters with the aim of guaranteeing the right to health and allowing access for medicinal and therapeutic use of cannabis.

Globally, the only two countries that have legalized cannabis (for both medicinal and recreational use) are Uruguay, since 2013, and Canada, on October 17, 2018. In the United States, its status remains illegal at the federal level and each state has made independent decisions; some have legalized its use for both medicinal and adult-use purposes. In Latin America, one of the most advanced and with a regulatory framework that has been a model for other nations is Colombia, where the commercialization of cannabinoidbased products through a legal and safe route has been possible since 2020, through Law 1787 of 2016 and Act 613 of 2017. In addition, the recent issuance of Act 811 of 2021 seeks to incentivize and create new opportunities for the cannabis industry in Colombia. 5 CANNABIS WORLD JOURNALS | EDITION NO. 13 |

OPINION ARTICLE

On the other hand, in Mexico in June 2017, the General Health Law was amended, and cannabis was granted therapeutic value. To make this reform effective, a regulation was required, which was finally published after more than three years of waiting, on January 12, 2021. Despite this great advance, in order to provide medical treatment based on cannabinoids in Mexico, it is necessary for these products to obtain the corresponding sanitary registration granted by COFEPRIS.

Nowadays, there are no real treatments based on medical cannabis that have received this sanitary registration, for which clinical studies are required to show their efficacy and safety. It is expected that in 2022 Mexico will make progress in regulatory matters so that Mexican patients can finally have access to these treatments.

Dr. María Fernanda Arboleda PhD Anesthesiologist specializing in chronic pain and palliative care, and expert in medical cannabis. She did her postdoctoral research studies in medical cannabis and cancer supportive care at McGill University and Santé Cannabis in Canada. Currently, she is conducting a seminar on Responsible and Safe Prescription of Cannabinoids with the academic approval of the School of Medicine of the TEC de Monterrey and the Algia Center for Health Education.

CannaGraphics Cannabis moms Danielle Ceruti de Espinel is the founder of @Cannamadres, a community created to establish a safe, science-based conversation with all Spanish-speaking cannabis moms to research and learn more about the medical use of cannabis. Its mission is to educate mothers about everything related to medical cannabis and the benefits it has on them and their children. Follow this account on Instagram as @cannamadres.

Business Summit in Cancun, Mexico From November 18 to 20, the first Business & Investment Summit was held in Cancun, Mexico, with the objective of focusing on business and investment opportunities in the cannabis industry. This event is a space for discussion and partnerships to expand business related to the world of medical cannabis. Several international speakers and exhibitors addressed business, finance, cultivation and entrepreneurship topics.

Amsterdam Cannabis Expo From November 25 to 27, the Amsterdam Cannabis Expo will be held in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, bringing together more than 10,000 professionals from the cannabis industry to discuss current issues and development, in addition to the projection and generation of business. It is expected the participation of more than 100 countries with which they will address issues such as the challenge and best practices in the sector. For more information, please visit www.feriasinfo.es/Amsterdam-Cannabis-Expo-M13637/msterdam.html CANNABIS WORLD JOURNALS | EDITION NO. 13 |

CannaGrow

he greatest source of light on earth is the great star: the sun. A celestial body that is fundamental for life since it is the major source of energy. Providing heat and light that are indispensable for the metabolic processes of most living organisms, this is called photobiology.

process of photosynthesis, that is a complex set of reactions by which plant cells collect, transfer, and store light energy in the carbon bonds of carbohydrates.

To get an idea, what the plant does is to take the raw sap -which is the transformation of the absorption of water and mineral salts that In people, this process is essential because it settles in the soil and is distributed throughout the plant-, then with sunlight and carbon provides vitamin D, which is related to the absorption of calcium in the bones, and allows dioxide this wonderful process that helps plants to manufacture their food and energy is the generation of serotonin, a substance related to the control of emotions, mood, and carried out. After this process, oxygen is released, which allows aerobic organisms to well-being. survive. Like us, it is crucial for the survival of plants For the cannabis plant we must consider that because it allows them to carry out the the photoperiod that requires, due to its origin

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CannaGrow and vegetative state, is 18 hours of light and 6 hours of darkness. This plant does not sleep and needs a lot of energy for its growth, which is the state in where it produces biomass (organic matter) that is used as a source of energy, in combination with CO2 (carbon dioxide) and water that favors the generation of vigorous buds. Light also contributes to the development of the plant, which is nothing more than the formation of new organs, such as the number of new leaves, stems, flowers, roots, among other characteristics. But how does all this happen? The technical explanation is that light is the perturbation of the wavelength in an electromagnetic field in the form of radiation propagating at a defined speed, these lengths are captured differently by all organisms on earth. They generate visible spectra that are of various colors such as violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red; these are absorbed by plants, in general cannabis takes the violet and blue wavelengths and in red at about 700 to 780 µm (micrometers) in length; since it reflects green light, and it is just that shade that we can perceive in plant matter. They arrive in the form of particles that are once again used by the plants to boost the photosynthesis metabolism with which proteins are formed, among which is the phytochrome pigment, which is activated in the presence of light and sends the signals that it is not time to flower, this then translates into obtaining larger and thicker flowers, as well as cannabinoids in the harvest. In the flowering phase the plant only needs 12 hours of light to continue the photosynthesis process, but to a lesser extent, and 12 hours of darkness to deactivate the phytochrome and transmit information to the plant indicating

that it is time to bloom, it means that it begins to work to form floral organs and complex organic compounds such as carbohydrates, lipids and proteins are fixed, which will serve as food for such production. However, another question arises: what light does the plant need? The most recommended is sunlight because it emits the greatest amount of wavelength and spectrum that can be absorbed by the plant. Many have the doubt of what type of light to use in the culture, if complementary or supplementary light; well, the complementary light is the one that is used to lengthen the photoperiod, it means, if we have as main source the sun, and if for example we are in an equatorial zone where there is only photoperiod of 12/12, we must supply the other 6 hours, for them it is complemented with artificial light and this way it is guaranteed that the plant develops adequately. One of the characteristics of this light is that it does not generate growth in biomass, it only gives the necessary signal so that the plant does not flower. On the other hand, the supplementary light, will be the one that provides all the time by means of artificial light, which in turn provides the number of photons sufficient for the plant to grow and perform adequate photosynthesis to obtain a good crop; generally used in indoor crops, where the sun does not enter, one of the most important characteristics of this light is that it produces biomass. The artificial lights that are usually used are: sodium vapor, horticultural led, full spectrum white light, bulb led (it is the most optimal thanks to its spectra that activates the phytochrome).

References Casallas, D. (2021, octubre). Clase de producción de cannabis - Diplomado de cannabis medicinal UJTL [Clase del diplomado de cannabis medicinal]. Clase de producción de cannabis, Bogotá, Colombia. CANNABIS WORLD JOURNALS | EDITION NO. 13 |

A look into medicinal cannabis “Cannabis is a plant that has more than four hundred active principles, one hundred of which are medicinal”. “The role of cannabis activism and protagonism is fundamental, there is a lot of work to be done”. The Argentine Paloma Sneh created the association Latinoamericanna with which she advises and accompanies businessmen, entrepreneurs and anyone who wants to start a project in the medical use of cannabis. Her experience and knowledge on the subject is extensive. In an interview with Cannabis World Journals, she gave her point of view on how the sector is doing, the countries that are more advanced in the subject and made an analysis of why some governments of different countries have not launched the issue of legalization of medical cannabis.

Cannabis World Journals (CWJ): How do you analyze the issue of cannabis legalization for medicinal use?

In the expert’s room: Interview with Paloma Sneh Cannabic consultant, Argentina

Paloma Sneth (PS): After Law 27350, which is the law of medical cannabis in Argentina, was regulated, a path of openness and thought around the subject began. The legalization of the medical use of cannabis is imminent. Empirical evidence implies that this has to happen soon, in fact, there is a lot of movement around it. This is necessary because there is no doubt about the effectiveness of cannabis as medicine in a countless number of pathologies, at a symptomatic level, not at the level of eradication of pathologies or cures. I see it as possible if we can exercise this right we have as citizens to request public health policies, which in fact is what we are doing. CWJ: What do you think is the biggest fear of governments to legalize the medical use of cannabis? There are vested interests, and it is not fear. Einstein said that it is easier to disintegrate an atom than to disintegrate a prejudice. . Cannabis is still referred as

CANNABIS WORLD JOURNALS | EDITION NO. 13 |

a substance, as a drug, as something from the underworld, from the ''falopa'' as we call it in Argentina. Cannabis is a plant that has more than four hundred active ingredients, one hundred of which are medicinal. All this is difficult to go through for both governments and users. I believe that the difficulty is due to the lack of clarity in the bureaucratic processes and the economic interests that are related to the regularization, in addition to the ignorance on the subject that does not allow the effective use of their expertise in the pursuit of regulations that suit the needs of each country in Latin America, just to mention an example: Uruguay. CWJ: How to further promote the use of medical cannabis? How can the education process be continued? PS: Training and informing. Training is very important, the more medical professionals we have trained in the possibilities of guiding through the uses of cannabis, the better oriented we are going to be. Medical professionals and everything related to the cultivation and production of the plant because not everyone wants to grow at home, as the regulation here in Argentina proposes, at least that allows self-cultivation for certain users who register in a program called here in Argentina Registro Reprocan. Not everyone wants to cultivate. There are people who want to have access to their cannabis in a way other than cultivation, and that is also valid, from that point of view, doctors, growers or people who are suitable to be able to carry out a cannabis cultivation project should be trained. At this moment in Argentina the need is very great, it has been seen the last Expocannabis event which was attended by more than seventy thousand people in Buenos Aires.

Latinoamericanna, the Expocannabis consulting firm that I lead will travel to Mendoza to be in another of these events and continue promoting training and production spaces around cannabis. CWJ: Which country do you think is the model to follow in terms of implementing the use of medical cannabis and its recreational use? PS: From the medicinal point of view, the most advanced in terms of research are the Israelis. In Israel we find everything that has to do with the discovery around the uses of the plant, they manage state-of-the-art applied technology, subsidies, and funds allocated by the Government to investigate medicinal uses. On the other side, in its recreational use, there is Canada, and the Netherlands, which I think are good examples, and of course Uruguay, which has also endorsed its model of licensing and recreational use of responsible consumption in pharmacies, what this country has is a good licensing system, very well done and very copiable. There is also California, which is a great example of the uses of cannabis. There is no doubt that the next industrial revolution is going to be green or will have to do with cannabis and hemp. CWJ: How do you see the role of cannabis activists from social media? PS: We have several ways of doing activism. Thanks also to the activists, things are advancing as they are advancing, by asking for rights, by trying to equalize the rights for the people who grow, who want their own cultivation as well as those who do not want it. We try to put in situation the fact that vested interests often do not let us move forward with the relevant regulations to be able to use the plant and its derivatives, and the leading role of cannabis activism is fundamental.

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Cannabis, an alternative for entrepreneurship CWJ: What has been Latinoamericanna's role in the promotion and use of medical cannabis? PN: Latinamericanna offers advice to entrepreneurs, investors or people who want to carry out a project that has to do with cannabis. We provide training and advice to civil associations that are looking to register or enter the world of cultivation and what has to do with the regulation of the plant up to this point. We also provide consultancy on the issue of hemp, which is another crop that we protect very much because it can give a great possibility from the commercial and economic point of view to a country as decimated as Argentina and, well, as many Latin American countries. CWJ: Does Latinoamericanna receive many interested parties in this business? Is it seen as a profitable opportunity for the future? PN: Absolutely, many entrepreneurs and creatives need guidance in terms of registration, how to generate their projects, how to start or where to go. There are entrepreneurs who have gastronomic projects, beverages, products, in other words... We provide consultancy services to resorts that are involved in the use of cannabis. The next big fight, which is already being talked about in Argentina, and which we have to take into account in several countries around the world, is the therapy with mushrooms such as Sinosive and Buscali, which are two mushrooms that are currently in the research stage to be used as a treatment for depression. CWJ: How do you think the use of medical cannabis will be perceived in a couple of years? By 2022, are we going to have more

pro-industry laws? PN: In Argentina we will inevitably have to raise the law that includes the possibility of cultivating and producing medical cannabis for domestic use and export as well. To train more professionals and more experts in everything concerning cultivation. I see it with a more exponential movement and, something very important, to also train the security forces of each region. We must think about implementing a security protocol around the next crop systems, there is a lot of work to be done. I see it possible, and Latin America is a very suitable land for cannabis cultivation. CWJ: How is the educational process and how are you approaching governments to become more flexible on the issue of medical use of cannabis? PN: We do online and in-person trainings all the time, we have our web page: www.latinoamericanna.com or social media; we also participate in the different exhibitions that take place in Argentina or in some South American countries. Regarding governments, we are very attentive to regulations, here there are many agencies involved in the relevant registrations for each government.Lately INASE, which is the National Seed Institute in Argentina, has downloaded a protocol to register genetics that has a lot of holes and flaws, at least it is a protocol to start with.1

CWJ: And finally, what would be the message you would send to anyone who is or wants to get involved in this sector? PS: We are grateful to the female pioneers here (Argentina), I say female pioneers because they were women, the mothers of CANNABIS WORLD JOURNALS | EDITION NO. 13 |

Mamá Cultiva who were the ones who started this fight. Currently, we are with many fronts that fortunately can account for this struggle on the legalization and regulatory framework around the cannabis plant, more than words of thanks to our predecessors, we have invested our work and our capital to continue betting that this is possible in Argentina in a viable way, and we do not need to be afraid of it. Nowadays, when people ask, they no longer do so with distrust, but because they do not know the subject and want someone who has studied or trained to explain the benefits that cannabis and hemp can bring them.

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CannaCountry

Uruguay, a country at the forefront of medical cannabis use Uruguay is known for being a pioneer and the first country to regulate and legalize cannabis both for medicinal and recreational purposes. Since the debate began, it has presented a great diversity in its regulatory frameworks with the welfare and progress of its inhabitants in mind. We provide an overview of the nuances that make up the legal cannabis framework in the "Charrúa" country.

Regulations

- Law N° 19172 of 2013: Regulation and control of the marijuana market.

working day, either in workplaces or on occasion thereof.

- Act N° 372/014: Regulates the export of nonpsychoactive cannabis for non-medical use.

- Act 214/020: Authorizes the export of flowering tops of psychoactive cannabis for medicinal purposes and its parts.

- Act No. 120/014 of 06/05/2014: In which the possession of Cannabis with psychoactive effect for personal use is authorized.

- Act 215/020: Authorizes the commercialization within the national territory and the export of non-psychoactive cannabis (hemp).

- Act No. 46/015 Repealed 04/02/2015: Permits the planting, cultivation, harvesting, collection, and commercialization of Cannabis (psychoactive and non-psychoactive) to be destined, exclusively, to scientific research, or to the elaboration of Plant Specialties or Pharmaceutical Specialties for medicinal use. - Act No. 128/016 of 02/05/2016: which prohibits the consumption and possession of alcohol, cannabis, and any other type of drug during the

- Act Nº 282/020 of 05/10/2020: Regulation and control of logistic operations with therapeutic medicinal cannabis products in customs warehouses. - Act Nº 246/021 of 07/28/2021: Regulation and control of cannabis. Repeal of Act 46/015 and arts. 16 and 17 of Act 454/976.

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Accessibility

Uruguayan citizens over 18 years of age will be able to acquire cannabis through a previous registration and under the following conditions: - Through authorized pharmacies (up to 10 grams per week), with a maximum possession of 40 grams. - Up to six plants and a maximum of 480 grams per harvest per year are allowed for personal consumption. - Membership clubs (with a minimum of 15 members and a maximum of 45) may grow up to 99 Cannabis plants for psychoactive use. It must be kept in mind that the annual production and collection may not exceed 480 grams per member.

Companies Since it is a pioneer country in reference to the regulation and legalization of cannabis for both pharmaceutical and recreational use, there are different companies dedicated to the cultivation, extraction, and transformation of the plant for domestic and international use. Below, we name some of them:

- FOTMER LIFE SCIENCES: First level company dedicated to the cultivation and extraction of medical cannabis based in Uruguay, whose operations meet and exceed the strictest international health standards.

- CANNBIO: Company dedicated to the production, industrialization and commercialization of cannabis. - UCAN: Uruguayan company producing high quality medical Cannabis for the pharmaceutical industry, nutraceuticals, and other productions with certification of good agricultural practices. - ASTROLUX S.A: Company dedicated to produce, develop, and commercialize medical cannabis. - NETCANN: Company dedicated to the transformation of cannabis focused on agropharmaceutical products. It is worth to highlight the efforts of the Chamber of Medical Cannabis Companies (CECAM), which is a civil association that watches over the rights and interests of medical cannabis companies in Uruguay, by creating communication channels among its members, for the growth of the industry in the country.

Investment

According to National Drug Board (JND) data, 20 investment projects are being evaluated in

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CannaCountry

the cannabis sector for an amount between US$ 80 and 100 million, depending on the source consulted, and the creation of more than 2,500 jobs.

Business projections According to the Uruguay XXI report for 2021, the market is expected to grow by US $94 billion by 2024 and US $35 billion for the medicinal sector.

Actuality So far, Uruguayan legislation allows only adult citizens and foreign residents to register in an official registry to buy up to 40 grams of cannabis per month in authorized pharmacies, to grow their own plants or to have access to cannabis clubs. The purpose of this is to maintain control over consumption at the local level. In relation to the reopening of frontiers that took place on Monday, November 1st after the closure caused by the Pandemic, the Government is considering extending the access permission to buy and consume cannabis to those who decide to visit the country, not with the aim of promoting Uruguay as a destination for cannabis tourism, but in order to keep visitors away from the black market and direct them towards the regulated one. CANNABIS WORLD JOURNALS | EDITION NO. 13 |

CannaLaw

Africa, the continent

where Medical Cannabis is the talk of the town The African continent is one of the continents with the greatest development potential for medicinal cannabis. Foreign investment is turning its eyes on it because of its climate and fertile lands.

The cannabis industry in South Africa is worth an estimated $28 billion, and it could create between 10,000 and 25,000 jobs in this sector.

Prohibition Partners, a London-based industry group. It is possible with plenty of land, a large labor force, and an ideal climate for cannabis cultivation.

Africa is a continent that stands out for its cannabis production. Morocco, in particular, is considered to be the largest exporter of the plant. Meanwhile, in South Africa, it has been legalized for medicinal purposes.

Africa offers farmers clean, less polluted soil and high-quality CBD strains found in hemp. South Africa leads production with neighboring Lesotho and Zimbabwe, which recently received licenses to grow and export medical cannabis. Other countries, including Swaziland, Uganda, and Malawi, are considering regulating the use of medical cannabis.

The market for African hemp and related products is expected to reach $7.1 billion by 2023, according to a report issued by

CANNABIS WORLD JOURNALS | EDITION NO. 13 |

CannaLaw A $28 Billion Industry The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development estimates that the South African cannabis industry has a value of about 28 billion dollars. It could create between 10,000 and 25,000 jobs in the area.

Strawberry growers and vineyards now use their fertile soil for cannabis cultivation which is increasingly accepted worldwide. However, it is not easy to start such a business in Africa because permits have expensive and strict requirements for companies..

Medical use:

In South Africa, prescribing medical cannabis products is allowed for any health problem once a doctor considers it. Patients must apply for medical cannabis through certified healthcare professionals licensed by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA). The specialist will submit an online application on behalf of the patient to issue the prescription, which then the pharmacists registered with the South African Pharmacy Council claim.

Africa and Its New Cannabis Gold Mine In a billion-dollar and fast-growing industry, hemp in Africa is considered green gold. It is a relevant source of income for the continent, although an unfinished revenue model. However, South Africa wants to be the continent's number one contender in growing Mediwit.

From Africa to Europe

The first shipment of medical cannabis from Africa to Europe, specifically Switzerland, was made at the end of June 2021. Then, in September 2021, Cantourage and South African agricultural company FarmaGrowers signed an agreement for access to supply South African medical cannabis flower products to German pharmacies. As of June 2021, Cantourage is using its Quick Access platform to deliver medical cannabis strains to Jamaica, Uruguay, and various pharmacies in Germany. The platform uses extensive proprietary processes to reduce the microbial load of imported cannabis without radiation exposure, ensuring a continuous supply of CANNABIS WORLD JOURNALS | EDITION NO. 13 |

CannaLaw

products while maintaining the natural appearance of medical cannabis products.

Africa's first medical cannabis center is now open

Philip Schetter, CEO of Cantourage, said, "Our partnership with FarmaGrowers is a real milestone, and we are proud of our ability to bring African medical cannabis to Germany. We have worked hard, since launching our new platform in June, to ensure the European market opens rapidly to our new products. It can offer newer and broader benefits to patients in Germany and the European Union."

The Holistic Relief Wellness and Pain Management Center in Durban is the first in Africa, and it offers medical cannabis oil. Some people see it favorably, while others criticize it because they still consider it an illegal drug.

Mario Maris, CEO, and founder of FarmaGrowers added: "FarmaGrowers has worked exceptionally hard over the past few years to develop high-quality medical cannabis using sustainable cultivation tools. We are very excited to be able to bring these products to patients and pharmacies in Europe. Through collaboration with Cantourage, we look forward to strengthening the relationship and assistance to ensure that the growing number of patients in Germany receive their product needs from South Africa."

Sources https://drugsinc.eu/ar/afrika https://www.shorouknews.com worldtourismgroup.com Zim to legalise mbanje . . . Govt considers drug use for medical purposes. Sunday News, 9 July 2017 Archived April 26, 2019, Wayback Mission.

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CannaLaw

Minorities and cannabis licensing: privilege and the marketplace. The medical cannabis industry has emerged as an investment opportunity for many groups over the past five years. More and more people and states are benefiting from the medicinal properties of this plant and the profits generated by the market. Nonetheless, the field of opportunity does not present itself equally for all…

Minorities and Their Struggle In an industry that becomes more and more attractive, it is surprising that there are marginalized segments in a free market economy. It is even more surprising that it is the cannabis industry that shows this marginalization.

In the United States, a group that is especially preoccupied is African Americans. Although 36 states have already legalized using medical cannabis and an estimated 55 million Americans use cannabis continuously, the African American community states that their inclusion in this market has not been easy.

The Main Reasons: Access to capital: the process to access a license is costly (USD 60,000 approximately). Accessing credit or capital is particularly complicated in a country where the same communities have denounced "systematic economic racism."

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CannaLaw

One of the major concerns of the NGO Cannabis Cultural Association in New York is that only one-fifth of the owners or shareholders in the industry are racial minorities.

Profit Distribution: According to a 2017 survey, 81% of U.S. cannabis business owners were Caucasian, with the remainder distributed as 5.7% Hispanic, 4.3% African descent, and 2.4% Asian. The figures do not vary much by 2021, where the legal industry continues to be dominated by white people.

History:

Reasons like those described above have brought Edgar Cruz, a California cannabis entrepreneur, to work and make room for social equity in the industry. At the age of 15, he was arrested and charged with illegal possession of cannabis. It has been his greatest inspiration to fight for all those hindered from accessing a billion-dollar industry. When Long Beach (where Cruz resides) launched its 2018 Cannabis Equity Program, Edgar Cruz was one of its first participants. Applicants had to prove they had a household income less than 80% of the area median income and had to meet one of three criteria to be able to participate: 1. be a Long Beach resident of at least three years duration 2. have been arrested or convicted of a crime related to the possession, sale or use of cannabis before its legalization or 3. be a resident receiving benefits for being unemployed. With these initiatives, other states are taking new steps, but sometimes they are not enough.

Image: Google

Considering that minorities have been the primary victims of the so-called "war on drugs," it is distressing that when it is time to turn the page and legalize, criminal records for crimes that no longer exist are not expunged. On the contrary, having a criminal record impedes access to a license, even if it is an already decriminalized misdemeanor for cannabis possession in certain states. Even today, an African American is 3.6 times more likely than a white person to be arrested for a cannabis-related offense, even if they have the same degree of use.

In the struggle

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CannaLaw

Solutions that Still Need Development In New Jersey, a proposed bill establishes that at least 25% of all cannabis licenses must go to people of color. In New York, African American legislators have confirmed that they do not intend to vote for any regulation concerning cannabis unless it redirects some of its legalization proceeds to communities of color. Massachusetts included new social inclusion programs in its legislative efforts.4des

An NGO called the Minority Business Cannabis Association of Oregon seeks to advance the cannabis industry by increasing the diversity of owners, employees, and consumers, creating equal access to discriminated minorities within the industry.

Not just licenses… In conclusion, while access to licenses cannot be a privilege reserved for a select few, inclusion within the industry should not be limited to this aspect alone. It is not just about ownership but seeking equity throughout the supply chain and ancillary businesses. There is enough space, profit, and opportunities within the industry for all communities to have access, as long as the legislators in charge of changing history consider the past so that they do not repeat it.

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Peru took a big step towards the legalization of medical cannabis. The greatest beneficiaries will be people who suffer from any disease and see this initiative as a treatment.

In July of this year, Peru definitively approved cannabis for medical use. After several patients began to demand it as part of their treatment, the Peruvian government relaxed its regulations, also thinking about economic development, foreign investment, and job creation. The law established the patients as responsible for growing the plants and producing their medicinal derivatives. Regarding associations, their members must register in the National Registry of Cannabis Users Patients, and the Ministry of Health will grant the licenses. According to the Peruvian Center for Cannabis Studies, the General Directorate of Medicines, Supplies, and Drugs has registered approximately 10,000 patients who use medicinal cannabis. One of the reasons is the limited supply, compared to its high cost, which limits its free access.

On the other hand, Cannahope Health and QF Farmacia Magistral agreed to provide at least ten free consultations each month, especially to low-income patients. The people who attend will be given medicine free of charge, taking into account that these organizations are committed to protecting, improve and prolonging the continuity of the quality of life of the person who needs cannabis for medicinal use. The Ministry of Health published law 30681 regulating the medicinal and therapeutic use of cannabis, to guarantee the right to health and allow access to cannabis only for medicinal use. 2021 has been a year of great advances for medical cannabis in Peru. It is evident in the changes brought about by people, mostly patients, who spoke to improve through the benefits of the plant the wellbeing and quality of life of so many others.

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At a triumphant Pace: Spain moves forward with cannabis legalization Spain has been the talk of the town in recent weeks. The demonstrations demanding cannabis legalization show a sign that the Iberian country must restructure its laws, even more so when people suffering from some diseases see it as an alternative treatment. Despite the therapeutic properties of medical cannabis, and the fact that in other countries such as Portugal, Great Britain, Italy, or Germany, there are already rules that regulate the medical use of cannabis, Spain remained in the debate. The Spanish Pain Society (Sociedad Española del Dolor), one of the many organizations supporting cannabis legalization, considers it necessary for society given its contributions and benefits, as evidenced in the studies and analyses completed. That is why several members of Congress have recently debated the possibility of regularization for medical and adult-use of cannabis. Those who support it not only agree on the medicinal contribution but also the employment opportunities.

However, Spain reopened the debate on a possible regulation studying several points such as the number of plants that can be kept in a house, tax rate, or prices. One of the great advantages of the legalization of cannabis would be the boost it would give to the country's economy, since the trade would no longer be clandestine, but a legal market that could be accessed without any problem. On the other hand, the criminal image in the eyes of the authorities for the possession, distribution, sale and production of all forms of cannabis consumption would disappear. Considering the divergent points of different political parties, still agree on key issues such as its therapeutic use. Likewise, associations and groups support it, giving it confidence that it will be approved at any moment, so it could be said it is only a matter of time before Spain gives the YES to medical cannabis.

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Businessman of the month

in an interview

Carlos Vives Jr The son of the singer-songwriter tells us about his passion for cannabis genetics and his vision of the industry.

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Businessman of the month

“

This is an industry that, like all industries, must be supported by legal tools, such as promotion, marketing, and clinical studies: Carlos Vives Jr.

any times children follow in their parents' footsteps. This happens often in sports, music, the arts, and other fields. However, this is not the case with Carlos Vives Jr., son of one of the most popular and beloved singer-songwriters in several countries: Carlos Vives.

At 29 years old, Vives Jr. works for a Canadian multinational company dedicated to medical cannabis. In an interview with Cannabis World Journals, he reveals how he got into cannabis, especially medical cannabis, what his father thought of his "passion" and shared his insight on how he sees the industry in the future.

Cannabis World Journals (CWJ): How did you get into medical cannabis? Carlos Vives Jr (CV jr): I am 29 years old, and I first encountered this plant when I was about 15 years old. We are talking about when I was in ninth grade at Miami High School. I did not come to the plant most appropriately. I got into it recreationally, but I would have liked to have had more information. Cannabis has always been a big taboo, considered as destructive as heroin and other drugs, all originated in nature but mostly misused and abused. When people talk about cannabis, they do not always do it from a medicinal point of view. On the contrary, they keep talking about its recreational use. We can say that the only thing that changes between the

Genetics is very important. Because if you do not have genetics best-fitted to your needs, the treatment will not be functional and effective.

A person who uses cannabis through genetics can treat everything related to muscle pain, insomnia, stress attacks, glaucoma problems, and several things that have to do with the nervous system.

two aspects is its psychiatric use. Medical cannabis has a genetic, so its uses vary depending on the profile of each person. Let's say, when used recreationally, obviously it is no longer for medicinal and professional purposes, and it becomes your own, and it is up to each person to decide. I have always been a flower lover. But I was fascinated by the diversity of cannabis. Because it is a plant that has, according to its genetics, varied and different effects for each moment. I fell in love with its palate and the fact that it has different scents, flavors, and smells based on its genetics. My friends (chuckling) tell me that it is impressive that I work in a company dedicated to medical cannabis because of my

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Empresario del mes inclination for the plant since I was young. I became aware of the plant's medicinal use when my sister, who suffered from asthma and, because of age and experimenting, smoked some from a pipe I had left in my room. She used the inhaler a lot, and after she tried cannabis, in a way she wasn't supposed to, she never had to buy or use a bronchodilator again because she never had another asthma attack. CWJ: How can you describe what you call your "passion" for medical cannabis? CV Jr: As I have been saying, it was always from an early age. I was struck by the variety of flowers and their medical, physical, and organoleptic diversity; I think that's what made me fall in love with it. Life opened the doors for me in this subject. I never thought I would be working for a multinational company present in the U.S. Stock Exchange. It was always a hobby for me, something that would never be allowed, at least in the countries where I lived. I lived in Miami for a while, then in Puerto Rico, and now I am in Colombia. I never, as much as I loved it, thought about legally making a living from cannabis. I was planning to do something in Colorado or California, but life itself brought me to Colombia. CWJ: How long have you been working with medical cannabis? CV Jr: I studied Marketing, International Business, and Music Production to help my father in his career. However, life happens and in 2017, I started to work for a multinational company dedicated to the medical use of cannabis. CWJ: How do you see the issue of medical cannabis in the future? CV Jr: Those of us who have been in this

industry, and we have taken great care searching and preserving its genetics, have been truly in charge of sustaining this. Today this is a big market; however, the pharmaceutical sector is waiting for this to be more recreational and for its industrial use to be much more interesting to enter. There are rumors out there that all of Amazon's will make its packaging from cannabis components. It is not just talking about its use; it is already becoming truly industrial. It is getting the attention of players who did not want to participate as they were doing it then. They have not acquired the patents and ownership over what is leading the market, such as fashion and medicine. CANNABIS WORLD JOURNALS | EDITION NO. 13 |

Businessman of the month

CWJ: Why did you lean towards the genetic side of cannabis? CV Jr: Let's say, to understand its importance and I can explain it, that genetics is more scientific. Unless it comes from a clone, no cannabis is the same in its cannabinoid content nor does it generate the same effect -unless it comes from 100 percent clones. This means that if you don't know and don't have a wide spectrum of genetics, you will not have a wide spectrum to tackle different situations and ailments. For example, if a patient who suffers from insomnia is given medicine or a flower that comes from a gene that has an effect, let's say energetic, creative, if it is a completely different effect than what the patient is looking for, then it is doing him a great disservice. Cannabis is always linked to effects that are not proper to its good use. A person who uses cannabis through genetics can treat everything that has to do with muscle pain, insomnia, stress attacks, glaucoma problems, and any number of things that have to do with the nervous system. However, they are treated with genetic descendants known as Indica or Sativa, usually, people use them for insomnia, anxiety, pain, among other things. True medicine comes from a full spectrum, so you can get medicine that has CVG, THC, CBD, CBT. Genetics is important because if you don't use genetics according to your needs, treatment will not function or be effective.

I focus on genetics because, from an early age, I realized that genetics truly existed for each of us. For example, I met patients on opioids but when they use cannabis with certain genetics, it replaces the opioids' effects. CWJ: Is it safe to say that cultivation is the starting point for innovation in the cannabis industry? CV Jr: Yes, and more so when integrating industry, scientific, legal, and medicinal roles. The growers in the field are the ones developing the industry, along with agronomists and doctors; they are the ones who bring the information. All the information gathered at the genetic, industrial, and medicinal levels is very important. CWJ: Why is education so important in medical cannabis? CV Jr: Many times, I get invited to debates with politicians and universities for seminars and congresses. In Colombia, this is a very political matter, black and white, but nobody wants to analyze the whole issue. I always tell politicians they need to learn more to give their opinion or know what to support. Because the information that their secretary gives them in 30 minutes before entering a debate or a meeting is not enough. For example, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, medical cannabis has been a debate for over 50 years. The Christian party is not saying they are against it or how they are doing things there with cannabis, and

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Businessman of the month

neither are the traditional parties completely happy with the economics. This has always been kind of a headache. Ultimately, we depend a lot on the politics of each country, but nobody has put themselves in the role of understanding what the uses and regulation of medical cannabis are.

Santa Marta, it is not the same to cultivate in the region of Bonda than doing it in the Sierra Nevada because it is grown under a humidity of 95 or 99 with constant rains and sunrises; it is a completely humid climate.

We always talk about cannabis. I ask politicians why alcohol, and many other substances, are regulated with age-limit controls, but why not with cannabis. It certainly is a double-edged issue. There is a market, but it will not exist forever because people will always demand the channel and offer cannabis. In Colombia, the benefits of medical cannabis are not well understood, that is why genetics is so important. Five years ago, Colombia started to regulate medical cannabis by registering different genetics, but some banks started to bring any genetics, just go to the internet and we can check it. But I wonder, are those genetic templates going to be medicines? I think that on the contrary, there will be celebrations with the people who do not see the results. When that happens, they will say that medical cannabis does not work, and if that happens, they are not going to approve medicines; that is why the educational issue is very important. CWJ: Your experience with medical cannabis is known for its contribution to other countries. Do you think there are differences when cultivating in different areas? CV Jr: One hundred percent. Geography is everything, especially when you're going to scale in this stuff. When we talk about recreational cannabis, it's done indoors. For example, Colorado, Oregon are places where they only have one crop a year. But in terms of climate and geography, it is very different. Santa Marta is completely different from Barranquilla. Not only Santa Marta, let's say the microclimates are extremely different. If we are talking about

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Businessman of the month

Some cannabis flowers generate a fruit that ties, but it does not have a shell. That is to say, the fruit with shells can afford to receive downpours because the inner fruit does not get wet and does not cause fungus. Cannabis flowers, especially the medicinal ones, must have extreme care. They cannot receive any water because it can cause a change in their composition. Santa Marta is famous for growing medical cannabis because it is dry, and where 80% of the year it is sunny, and we have zero rainfall so we can afford to grow large-scale flower crops. Nowadays, the difference between a successful crop and a lost crop is genetics. For example, if we follow the equator from Colombia to the other side of the world, we find Africa. But from there, when you come across Africa, you find the same climatic conditions that we have here in Colombia. So, all the genetics that come from the African continent were the ones that adapted here in the American continent. For thousands of years, the other genetics that do not adapt easily continued to prevail, and that is why they rot, do not generate seeds, and end their reproduction.

in Santa Marta and spends his time on the farm. I am calm and I think they are very proud of what I can do legally. CWJ: We understand that you have successfully generated some strains in your role as a medical cannabis grower, which ones have you created? And have you participated in strain competitions? CV Jr: In terms of genetics, there is always a wide portfolio. The good thing about my team is that we have many people dedicated to breeding, we have been doing this for many years, and experience is combined with passion, and this is what really leads us to have very good results. Today we work with PhDs, who never had access and are plant geneticists. One of them is from India and together we have been able to get spectacular work done and it is a connection to reach what we want to do.

CWJ: You are the son of Carlos Vives, a great and beloved Colombian artist. How did your family, especially your father, take the news that you are so closely linked to cannabis?

When we talk about genetics, I always ask myself, what are we going to use it for? If we talk about industrial genetics, we refer to nonpsychoactive genetics, which are for a certain type of use, for example, CBG, which right now has a beautiful variant that smells like tangerine, it is completely industrial, you can plant as many hectares as you want, and it resists all natural pests.

CV Jr: My family, and especially my father, did not always see it as a reality for me. There are people who never had any contact with medical cannabis, and only know it recreationally. At first, they obviously didn't accept it, but the moment they called me to participate in a completely legal market, the issue became very serious, and there was more support and acceptance.

I have a project called Black Tuna, which is a genetic seed bank, and we are always looking for everything, looking for the genetics, the one that tastes like this or that and that has sustenance, that gives a certain profile, the one that gives energy, the one that people like the most with the ideal flavor, the one that nobody has found.

They accepted me when the cannabis was already paying the bills in a legal and honest way. Today we talk about it with a lot of pride. his new friend (laughs) works for a Canadian company

Let's say that we have found profiles that lead us to the mango lemonade that, for example, has participated in the edition of the cups, we just came from a cup in which we were in third place with the best Sativa with mango lemonade.

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said today we are going to study the uses of THC and CBD in the gastric system, or we are going to see it in the neuronal system. The regulation of production is important because it considers how it is produced and cared for, how post-harvesting is done, what genetics we need to grow for transformation to medicines, what genetics we are going to use depending on the medicine that people require, why that medicine has that formulation, the tests in animals, in vitro, in humans, and to have enough information to say that it works. That is why the government needs to completely regulate cannabis. It is to have control over who consumes it, produces it, sells it; how it is sold, how much it is charged, who has access, what are the protocols to have it; as well as its limits, rules and norms.

CWJ: In your opinion, what is the ingredient that should be included in regulations, laws or standards in order to have better industrial processes that benefit businessmen, patients and people? CV Jr: We should talk about complete regulation. If cannabis were fully regulated, from production to sale, not only trained, skilled and experienced people would have access to production and distribution. Today we are seeing the ramifications of physicians specializing in the use of medicinal plants. We used to find doctors in California who formulated cannabis for lucrative purposes, and it was all a business because the doctor knew that if he gave those formulas to people, he would get a lot of customers. My conclusion is that no doctor had the preparation to formulate the plant, they never sat at a desk, in a room in front of a professor who

CWJ: What genetics are you currently working on and how long does it take to stabilize and conserve them? CV Jr: We have an industrial market of a very famous CBD genetics that comes from two very distant specimens in the family tree. Then you make hybrid vigor and hybridize true F1. That is only done when you cross distant parents, and you can only know that if you do DNA sequencing with the varieties you use. Those genetics we have been working on since 2016 and we already have it in its most stable form in terms of taking the parents to conservation, that is done with backcrosses. To be able to do backcrosses you need to reverse the genetics through formulations to be able to express and convert a plant that is female since it comes from a batch of regular seeds and transform it into male to generate pollen and self-fertilize to create embryos. CWJ: Have you worked with hemp genetics?

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Businessman of the month

CV Jr: As for CBD, we have an F2 which comes from a French genetics called Santita which is used in France to make hemp, this variety has very little THC.Another plant that we have been working on for three years is a descendant of the famous Amnesia, which is a very famous plant in Europe for both production and recreational use; it is still in process because it is the most unstable. We are working with one of the most classic European genetics that gave us a lot of resin production. Here we stabilize it with another genetics that we have of very high production that is very resistant to plagues and bad climates. CWJ: How did you get the parents for your current genetics? CV Jr: Currently I have more than 16 crosses, some come from genetics that we have kept since 1996, which I later inherited in 2006 2007. Other genetics that have been around for many years. We really work with people who have been more or less 30 years in this and have been able to keep the genetics for a long time. I think the importance of genetics is based on the conservation of specimens because they are the basis of the great amount of variety that is in the market and they are the most difficult to find and therefore, the most expensive. A few good years ago, when I was in Miami, I had the opportunity to visit a crop of old surfers, they sold cannabis in South Florida. In one of the houses there was a hermaphrodite due to stress, it was not given much light because it was so dense and with time it produced one "little egg" per day (pollen sacs). Well, they had not imagined that they created the basis of the Kuch family. So, the person who has old seeds will have more strength than a person who has seeds with a lot of crossed genetic material. My bank has focused on searching and keeping,

those jewels alive, even if they are not in force and fashionable. Nowadays cannabis stopped being practical and started to be commercial. It's like a vineyard, everyone has their strains, and no strain has to be better than the other, because they are all for a different time, place and person. CWJ: Interesting... And do you have any strains declared as your own? CV Jr: We have registered genetics for the company, but I do not have them in my name, the only way I could do it is, as I said at the beginning, to make a record or characterization of the variety (field diary), this is a methodology that began in 1900 to be able to patent a plant, that is why the big companies can no longer steal from small farmers, from the small botanist who is working on some genetics. One day I would like to have my own genetics, at the moment I don't have them registered, but cannabis is still something that is not controlled by the big companies and monopolies, so if I have it today, like watermelon, the big ones would have to come to my crop to physically steal it from me. In other words, they would not be able to replicate it, even if they made wheat seeds, because the seeds are sisters, they are cousins, they are similar, the result will not be the same. I believe that people are not very concerned about the patent issue, but when strong companies start to play, it will become more a matter of necessity. CWJ: Do you know how native varieties can be found in certain regions? CV Jr: That is a very broad issue because cannabis was never protected, because of the lack of regulation. Some genetics have been preserved in a certain way by people who were in power, in the illegal world, with the amount not allowed. So, the big grain silos, for example, that exist in Switzerland. Cannabis was never

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protected, it was always the hybrid used, especially when some characters came to improve them, at the time of the great crops of the United Fruit Company. That is how they arrived here, they left a lot of infrastructure and adapted regions to export, they banned fruits to the United States and those people were not really interested in the genetics they found here because they did not see it as productive. From the beginning the plants were used to generate more resin, to reduce the days of flowering, to have more productions per year. So, the human being has always been or has never been conscious. The organizations were not able to participate because we were never legal until now. I don't want to say it's impossible, but it's extremely difficult and you would have to have access to people who had the plants in the 70s or the 60s and the only way they would exist is in seed form.

CWJ: Do you see the medical cannabis industry as something that will continue to grow rapidly? CV Jr: Undoubtedly because we are just seeing at a macro level. Israel has a very advanced medical cannabis project and they have been integrating it for many years, on the other hand, Hispanic countries are just starting to work on this area. This is an industry that, like all industries, must be supported by legal tools, such as promotion, marketing and clinical studies.

There are plants that have been cloned for 30 or 40 years. But these clones are already offspring of those original plants. Cannabis used to have no name; it had a Canadian appellation of origin. It used to be called Thai, Mexican, Colombian, African, Cambodian. When we look at the family trees of the first phyto-improved plants, the genetics are Mexican, crossed with Colombian, crossed with Thai. If we go further back, we see African to African, to Thai and that gives us equis genetics. From the beginning, genetics has always been a gift of denomination of origin. The genetics is that today and in Colombia they were domesticated genetics.

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CannaTrade

Exportation policies drive the growth of the cannabis industry

Canada is consolidating its position as one of the countries that export the cannabis plant for medicinal purposes, while the United States is considering extending its regulation. As the world is legalizing the use of cannabis or its derivatives, more and more countries are opening their doors to a global market intending to export products or raw materials. However, one of the most

important considerations for anyone wishing to get started in this sector is to keep in mind that it is a bi-directional field. Anyone interested must consider the country of origin’s exportation policies and the destination country's import policies. Below, we will review some examples of export policies worldwide and how they have been shaping the cannabis market. .

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Canada While the U.S. has dominated in product innovation and large-scale growing operations, it still has many hurdles in the export arena due to state-level regulations.

United States of America In this country, each state has its regulations, and their trading laws change as they see fit. Regulations are governed according to the cannabinoid levels of the products; state laws must be reviewed regarding THC and CBD percentage. The FDA, in addition, is quite strict about false claims made when marketing products. Low THC products are making inroads in the export market as more countries include them under their import laws. Switzerland is one destination targeted by the U.S. to export such products because its regulations allow low-THC cannabis importation as an alternative to smoking tobacco cigarettes.

Canada, on the other hand, has positioned itself as the dominant exporter in North America. ArcView Market Research and BDS Analytics collected an estimated $14.9 billion in exports during 2019. Canadian companies are accumulating capital and establishing business relationships internationally thanks to their flexible export policies.

Colombia On July 23, President Iván Duque signed a decree authorizing the export of dried cannabis flowers to boost the growth of the cannabis industry in Colombia. This South American country expects medical cannabis exports to reach US$1.7 billion by 2030, a figure higher than that contributed by flower exports in Colombia. Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Peru, Ecuador, and Brazil are the destinations expected to have the greatest potential to export the plant's flower and

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cannabis-derived products from Colombia.

Federal Legalization in the U.S.: Advantage or Disadvantage for Cannabis Businesses? The federal legalization of cannabis in the United States seems to be getting closer and closer. Many entrepreneurs question the benefits that this legal process would bring to their cannabis businesses if approved.

Australia In 2020, Australia changed its medical cannabis export laws to revive the industry after the crisis caused by COVID-19. The Export Control Legislation Amendment Bill was passed in the House of Representatives on June 10 and the Senate on June 17 last year. Unnecessary regulatory barriers imposed on exports were removed, allowing for easier trade and market growth for those who admit low THC cannabis. To compete with dominant exporting countries like Canada; Australia sends its exports to places Canada has not. While the North American country exported 5,372.3 liters of cannabis oil products in 2019, along with 3,740 kilograms of dried cannabis, they only reached only a few markets, one of which was Australia. Other countries that are well-positioned in the cannabis export market include the Netherlands, Denmark, Israel, and in the developing stage are Jamaica, Greece, Portugal, and New Zealand.

Removing cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act list would solve several problems or drawbacks affecting cannabis entrepreneurs. Such as access to traditional financing sources, like banks. Because despite the various advances at the state level, with no federal legalization there is no flow of capital investment into the industry. In addition, cultivation areas would not be so limited, the supply of raw materials would increase, reducing dependence on plant imports. Thus, improving opportunities in the agricultural sector. The difference in prices is another reality that affects both the seller and the buyer in the cannabis industry. Legalization could establish a federal steering committee to promote price regulation and industry growth. It could be the beginning of a new era for cannabis in the country, with more business opportunities and greater participation.

CannaTrade

What to consider Besides becoming a more regulated sector, in terms of pricing and processes, it could alter the pace that some businesses, under state regulations, have established. In turn, it would increase competition since state markets would now be competing with national markets, and state-by-state regulations that have allowed small businesses to thrive could be modified.

It is not uncommon for some businesses to question whether this legal step will positively or negatively affect their processes. However, generally speaking, the legal cannabis market could point to expansion, growth, funding from federal legalization. The illegal market is still a major factor in many states, even where legal advances have already been made. The situation in this sector would be a different scenario.

Just as technology implementation has occurred in different fields and sectors for industrial development, in the same manner, medical cannabis sees in its alternatives for connectivity and business emergence. Entrepreneurs, investors, or any person will now have the opportunity to get started in medical cannabis thanks to crowd-growing or e-growing. This method was born as a solution to regulatory and economic obstacles since cannabis can be grown virtually. In essence, a person can buy a cannabis plant clone for medicinal purposes from a cannabis producer from anywhere in the world through a digital platform. This system based on crowdfunding is innovative for the cannabis industry, as it allows connecting producers with investors and people interested in being part of it, enjoying the income and without infringing the laws of each country. Currently, there are companies such as Juicy Fields that have become famous due to the profitability they offer; however, there are still people who are very skeptical about this innovation that involves technology, entrepreneurship, and cannabis. That is why it is recommended to make several analyses and studies before being part of this business model.

CannaMed

The significance of cannabinoids in neurodegenerative diseases Analysis of the following articles: Cannabinoids Involvement in Neurodegenerative Diseases.Walter Milano, Mario F. Tecce y Anna Capasso. Current Neurobiology Journal. Cannabidiol for neurodegenerative disorders: important new clinical applications for this phytocannabinoid? Javier Fernández-Ruiz, Onintza Sagredo, M. Ruth Pazos, Concepción García, Roger Pertwee, Raphael Mechoulam & José Martínez-Orgado. BJCP.

Cannabinoids have been found to play an important role as neuroprotectants against mental and motor dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases. The neuroprotective properties of cannabinoids indicate their therapeutic use to limit neurological damage.

cannabinoid system is impaired in different neurological disorders that directly or indirectly affect the basal ganglia, which supports the idea of developing innovative pharmacotherapies with compounds that selectively target specific elements of the cannabinoid system.

Treatments with cannabinoids should not only aim to alleviate specific symptoms, but also attempt to slow or halt disease progression and repair damaged structures. Studies report that the cannabinoid signaling system is a key modulator of basal ganglia activity.

Cannabinoids in Mental and Motor Dysfunction in Neurodegenerative Diseases

This idea is supported by different anatomical, electrophysiological, pharmacological and biochemical data. Furthermore, these studies indicate that the

Neurodegenerative diseases include a group of diseases associated with progressive neuronal loss leading to various clinical manifestations. Histomorphological changes may include gliosis and microglia proliferation along with misfolded or aberrant protein aggregates. The most common neurodegenerative diseases are

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Parkinson's disease (PD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Huntington's disease (HD), and dementia with Lewy bodies.

There may be two key processes highlighting the neuroprotective effects of CBD. The first is CBD's classical ability to restore normal balance between oxidative events and endogenous antioxidant mechanisms frequently disrupted in neurodegenerative disorders, thus improving neuronal survival. The second key CBD mechanism as a neuroprotective compound involves its antiinflammatory activity exerted by mechanisms other than CB2 receptor activation, the canonical pathway for the anti-inflammatory effects of most cannabinoid agonists.

Neuroprotection for Alzheimer's Disease.

Phytocannabinoids Neuroprotective Benefits CBD research in humans and animal models showed the numerous therapeutic properties through its effect on the endocannabinoid system (ECS) directly and through its influence on endogenous cannabinoids benefitting brain function and protection. Overall, CBD has demonstrated anxiolytic, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and immunomodulatory benefits. CBD decreases inflammatory cytokine production, influences microglial cells to return to a branched state, preserves cerebral circulation during ischemic events, and reduces vascular changes and neuroinflammation.

AD is the increased deposition of a betaamyloid peptide with glial activation in senile plaques, selective neuronal loss, and cognitive deficits. Cannabinoids are neuroprotective against excitotoxicity in vitro and patients with acute brain damage.

Neuroprotection for Parkinson's Disease PD is also a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. Its etiology is associated with environmental factors, genetic susceptibility, or interactions between the two causes. CBD has been very effective as a neuroprotective compound in experimental models of parkinsonism, i.e. 6-hydroxydopamine

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CannaMed

injured mice. It acts through antioxidant mechanisms that appear to be independent of CB1 or CB2 receptors.

Neuroprotection in Multiple Sclerosis

MS is a chronic disease in which the immune system attacks axonal myelin sheaths. Cannabinoids have shown promise in MS treatment in humans. One possible underlying mechanism suggested by a recent study in which the endocannabinoid system was found to be highly activated during CNS inflammation in MS patients and protects neurons from inflammatory damage by activating a negative feedback loop in microglial cells through CB1/2-mediated epigenetic regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase 1 expression.

Neuroprotection for Huntington's Disease

HD is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by a mutation in the gene encoding the huntingtin protein. The mutation consists of a CAG triplet repeat expansion translated into an abnormal polyglutamine tract in the amino-terminal portion of huntingtin. The combination of CBD and THC reduces the decreased metabolic activity in the basal ganglia and even reverses some of the neurodegenerative effects of Huntington's disease.

Perspectives

There is a strong link between cannabinoids and neurodegenerative diseases. The endocannabinoids neuroprotective activities appear to be mediated by CB1. Which makes them promising therapeutic avenues to treat different aspects of these diseases by stimulating an endogenous self-protective system of the brain and counteracting oxidative stress. Increasing research into cannabinoid medicine and modulation of the endocannabinoid system, concerning neurodegeneration, could lead to novel therapies that might prevent their progression and potentially their initiation. In recent years, Phytocannabinoids have emerged as a promising natural option to treat those illnesses, such as neurodegenerative diseases, which current pharmacotherapeutic methods only treat symptomatically. Phytocannabinoids are chemically and biologically diverse and possess interesting bioactive properties well suited for developing novel treatments for such illnesses. Phytocannabinoids have general antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and neuroprotective properties mediated through several distinct biochemical pathways.

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Cannabis

psychology scenarios

Letícia Laranjeira - clinical psychologist, idealizer of PsicoCannabis and member of SBEC (Brazilian Society of Cannabis sativa Studies)

"The psychologist shall base his/her work on the respect and search for freedom, dignity, equality, and integrity of the human being, supported by the values that sustain the Universal Declaration of Human Rights" (Code of Ethics in force by Resolution 010 of the Federal Council of Psychology of Brazil). Faced with the lack of prospects in treating certain diseases considered refractory, i.e., diseases that do not respond to any medication and existing intervention, many families seek access to the medicinal use of cannabis as the last possible alternative. And they often find a better quality of life than they expected.

Brazil's story of authorized cannabis use is the story of mothers and families who mobilized society searching for medicines for their children with epilepsy and rare diseases. They pressured public authorities to import medicines by creating partnerships to reduce the costs of such treatments, facilitating access to those who need it. And what does psychology, as a science and a profession, have to do with this? We defend psychology which is not indifferent and supposedly "neutral" in the face of people's suffering, that is not detached from the world in its social, cultural, and political context, that acts with practical interventions on life. So, how not participate in the debate on the therapeutic use of cannabis? Perhaps, a way to do this is by thinking about how psychology professionals can contribute CANNABIS WORLD JOURNALS | EDITION NO. 13 |

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to a world with less prejudice and better quality of life? A world committed to ending the war on drugs and supports access for those people without economic means to undergo treatment. A world that moves towards a historic reparation for those persecuted for cultivating this medicinal plant. It is from this perspective of respecting freedom and human dignity that we seek a way to build a Cannabis Psychology. A Psychology that is: anti-racist, anti-asylum, anti-prohibitionist, and decolonized. To study the Endocannabinoid System in the human body, the specificities of cannabis patients, and, above all, to abandon their prejudices and dedicate themselves more and more to defend everyone's rights. Cannabis Psychology works to support social movements and patient associations, defending self-cultivation, actively contributing to the strengthening of these spaces and these people's lives. Another important insight is the need to understand the nature of prohibition. Today, it is clear, that prohibitionist practices were historically political and not medicinal. It was a tool that excluded, segregated, and even ended the lives of some, and today these types of situations continue to occur in Brazilian cities with the excuse of the 'War on Drugs.'.

dosage in cannabis treatments. Unlike other drugs, it requires careful, daily monitoring. When done in partnership with cannabis prescribers who understand the importance of psychology in these interdisciplinary groups, it achieves the expected outcome rapidly. We know that each person has a unique endocannabinoid system and, therefore, different reactions to treatments. Dosage is personalized, doctors say, and who better than psychology professionals to understand this type of phenomenon? It is urgent and necessary to continue fighting for the legalization of responsible cannabis use, against drug prohibition, and in favor of life. It is a macro-political and micro-political issue. And I understand that Psychology must urgently join this fight. Therefore, I have dedicated myself to building a network for those who wish to actively encourage the existing projects and struggles in the therapeutic use of cannabis. Thus, PsicoCannabis was born. The first network of Brazilian psychology professionals dedicated to studying the medicinal use of the plant today.

Another scenario of this Psychology of Cannabis may be the importance of qualified psychological listening to monitor the

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Cannabis “Close Up”

"Kush" strains for Parkinson's Disease treatment Older adults have also benefited from the medicinal properties of cannabis, an example of this is the different applications of the plant for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease, which affects around 10 million people, starting at the age of 50 or 60. The efficacy and relief that medical cannabis has demonstrated in this pathology are of the utmost importance when considering the therapeutic alternatives availableEspecially when considering that this disease presents motor and non-motor symptoms that progressively worse, making it

difficult to perform daily tasks and that there is no definitive cure for this disease. Which cannabis strain is best suited for treatment? According to patient testimonials, Indica strains alleviate certain symptoms, especially those with high THC content. They tend to cause a relaxing effect, ease pain, improve sleep, improve mood and increase appetite. "Kush" strains are Indica-dominant and have been used in treating Parkinson's. These include Kobain Kush (decreases muscle spasms and tremors), Bubba Kush (relaxes, reduces pain and stress, also increases levels of dopamine, the neurotransmitter affected by the disease), and Pure Kush (acts as an analgesic, relieves stress and anxiety). However, there are also other strains with lower THC concentration and higher CBD content that aid in decreasing Parkinson's symptoms, such as Harlequin, Critical Cheese, and Blue Diesel..

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Administration Method

If a Parkinson's patient, under the recommendation and guidance of a health professional, decides to opt for cannabis as a therapeutic alternative, the plant offers several options not only in chemical profiles (such as cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids concentrations) but also in administration methods. One method that may be more convenient for a patient is vaporizer inhalation. It offers greater bioavailability while avoiding combustion and toxic by-products, thus taking advantage of the benefits offered by each flower compound.

What effect does cannabis have on Parkinson's Disease?

In addition to improving non-motor symptoms (anxiety, stress, depression, sleep disorder), several preclinical investigations have shown that cannabis can exert a neuroprotective effect on the neurons involved in the pathology. Nevertheless, more extensive research is still needed, to study and understand how Parkinson's patients can find relief and hope in the cannabis plant after their diagnosis and thus improve their quality of life..

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Disclaimer: Cannabis World Journals in its position as a purely educational journal, is not responsible for the issuance of personal opinions for informational purposes. For proper, responsible, and safe use and handling of cannabis consult the laws of your country and/or your family doctor or specialist.