3 Years After Cannabis Reform In Malta, Regulator Says Harm Reduction Approach Is Working & More Pot Updates Across Europe
Over the last several years, Europe has become more open-minded about medical and recreational marijuana. Here are some of the latest cannabis developments from Malta, Poland, The Netherlands, and Norway.
Malta: Head Of Cannabis Regulatory Authority Says Harm Reduction Approach Is Working
About three years after Malta became the first country in Europe to legalize cannabis, Joey Reno Vella, head of its marijuana regulatory authority, is praising the reform.
“The country’s harm reduction approach is working,” Vella toldMalta Today.
Before the reform, cannabis users had to rely on the black market, where their products’ safety was in question. “They now know from where the product came from, what it contains and know that it does not contain harmful substances like bacteria, heavy metals and mold. The product will cause less harm and expose people to less risks,” Vella added.
There are now eight cannabis associations with around 2,000 registered members. Six additional organizations are about to begin operations. Vella says there were no major regulatory breaches and associations were quick to comply with any infringements.
At the moment, Malta regulators are satisfied with the non-profit harm-reduction model and are not considering commercializing the plant.
Poland: As The Number Of Medical Marijuana Prescriptions Skyrockets, Lawmakers Aim To Revise The Law
The government of Poland wants to tighten medical marijuana rules to address concerns of possible misuse, writes Business of Cannabis.
In 2019, only 2,909 cannabis prescriptions were issued, but this number skyrocketed to 276,807 in …