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The Japanese parliament has passed a law authorizing cannabis-based medicines. However, the government took advantage of this legislative reform to toughen penalties against recreational cannabis.

Ohio becomes the 24th U.S. state to legalize cannabis, which means that 53% of the country's population now has access to cannabis. However, it remains illegal at federal level.

In the face of today's challenges, Canadian producers are increasingly looking to exporting their cannabis. In fact, according to Health Canada, cannabis exports are set to increase significantly in 2023-2023, with over a thousand applications already submitted.

The first report of the Expert Panel on the Legalization of Cannabis has been published and is now available.

A monograph on cannabis flower will be included in the European Pharmacopoeia. "This will have no legal impact in Canada, but will be very important for export to Europe (...) It is a list of tests that must be carried out on the product and acceptable limits that must be applied," explains Hubert Marceau of PhytoChemia Laboratories.

The cannabis industry is celebrating current progress as the U.S. Senate Banking Committee voted 14-9 to bring the "SAFE Banking Act" to a full vote. Thus, if this bill passes, "it will bring greater legitimacy, improve employee and customer safety and provide much-needed guidance to commerce."

The Portuguese Socialist Party will present a bill to legalize cannabis in 2024. The party plans to introduce a preliminary resolution to the Health Committee so that a working group can be set up to study the issue.

With the narrow window of opportunity for federal legalization now open, it's clear that American public opinion on cannabis has changed dramatically since the 90s. Here's a look back, in 6 charts, at this spectacular evolution.

It was the many beneficial properties of cannabis that led humans to cultivate it 12,000 years ago. Cannabis was one of the first plants to be cultivated when humans began farming.

According to a study published in the Journal of Cannabis Research, 92% of illegal cannabis contains pesticides. The study concludes that "although this is a small study, our results support the Government of Canada's message that consumption of illegal products could lead to adverse effects and other serious harms. Tests conducted on illegal cannabis revealed the presence of contaminants such as pesticides and unacceptable levels of bacteria, lead and arsenic."

The government of the Bahamas has unveiled several bills aimed at legalizing cannabis for medical, religious and scientific purposes, joining other Caribbean nations that have taken similar steps. The bills should be presented to Parliament by October.

Health Canada launches an online course entitled "Cannabis Act and Regulations - Understanding Compliance and Enforcement". This course will help federal licensees better understand their obligations under the Cannabis Act and Cannabis Regulations.