Marijuana Weekly News Updates: February 13th 2023

A lot has happened in the last week in the cannabis scene, we can’t afford to tell you all about it. However, we have curated the juiciest snippets that we thought you should know about.

Cannabis Reform in France: Something’s Cooking

On January 24th, local media outlet in France, Le Parisien, published a proposal by France’s Economic, Social and Environmental Council (Cese) to legalize cannabis. Currently, the personal use of cannabis is illegal in the country, though medical use is permitted to some extent. According to Cese’s proposal, the “supervised legalization” of adult-use cannabis will help to weaken illegal trade and also support public health objectives. Illegal cannabis is widely used in France; Cese found that on average 50% of adults in France have used cannabis compared to a meager 255 in the whole of Europe.

Cese’s proposal is the result of a year-long study that was conducted by an interim commission to investigate the impact of prohibiting the use of cannabis. The proposal has been approved by all members of the Cese council. If adopted, the country will have a regulated market for cannabis and businesses will require license and training on cannabis risk prevention and harm reduction. However, this is an advisory report and the government is not obligated to adopt it. 

Full details can be found here.

Gaize Completes Clinical Trial on Cannabis Impairment: World’s Largest

Gaize, Inc., a company that provides automated solutions for cannabis impairment testing, has just completed a clinical trial testing its new non-invasive and portable device. This trial involved 350 participants and is the largest trial of this kind. Most drug impairment tests usually test for the presence of the drug’s active metabolites in the driver’s system. This new device by Gaize tests for actual impairment by observing changes in eye pupillary reflex and eye movement. 

The eye device by Gaize is a stylish VR headset featuring embedded eye sensors that capture ocular motion and pupillary reflexes. The information is evaluated using machine learning algorithms to provide accurate results on impairment in under 6 minutes. Chief technology officer at Gaize, Rob Lass, has described the results of the clinical trial as “outstanding.” Gaized conducted this trial in partnership with a Contract Research Organization (CRO) based in Toronto, Canada- Dicentra. 

You can access the press release here. 

Green Check Verified Appoints Meaka Brown as Cannabis Banking Regulatory Specialist

Green Check Verified, leading cannabis banking solutions provider, has just announced the appointment of Meaka Brown as the company’s new Cannabis Banking Regulatory Specialist. Brown has been appointed as a member of the recently formed Cannabis Social Equity Fund Advisory Board which is based in Massachusetts. The board’s main goal is to provide guidance to the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development on how to administer the cannabis social equity fund in Massachusetts. In her new role, Brown will uphold the following three tenets:

• Provide necessary financial support to marginalized communities that were disproportionately impacted by the failed war on drugs
• Create equal opportunities for small cannabis businesses that lack funding and resources 
• Offer crucial inclusivity and diversity insights

You can access the full press release here.

Missouri Launches Recreational Market: Metrc On Board

On February 3rd, Missouri launched its recreational market for cannabis by issuing the first set of adult-use licenses. This came three days earlier as the process had earlier been scheduled for Monday the 6th. Recreational sales boomed over the first weekend with sales estimates being placed at close to  $12.7 million in the first three days. This happened in spite of many Missourians not being aware that recreational dispensaries were finally operational; the soft roll-out seems to have been a success. 

Missouri legalized recreational cannabis in November 2022 through a ballot initiative. Adults, over 21 years, with a Missouri can ID can purchase up to three ounces of cannabis legally from licensed dispensaries. 

Metrc, the leading cannabis track-and-trace solution for the cannabis industry has also expanded its contract with the Missouri government; an expansion that will see Metrc not only regulate Missouri’s medical market but the new recreational market as well. Metrc has been regulating Missouri’s medical market since its inception in 2019.

You can find the full press release here.

Now you’re all caught up with the juiciest stories from last week!

See ya next week at the same time and place?