Hello friends of CannaVigilance,
It’s November and 2022 is drawing to a close. Mariah Carey is getting played in every shop and even the ever-present trade shows are coming to a close. So, last chance to catch us this year on the floor in Thailand, South Africa and Colombia is this month. If you want to meet up, scroll down and there is a click through to make an appointment. CannaVigilance this week also brings you an easy-to-use guide to the GACP and GMP rules and stories from places as exotic as Thailand, Czechia and The Netherlands (amongst others). Happy reading.
Stick to the GACP and GMP rules
We have often talked about why standards and third party verification are essential (for example in this article) and we will keep harping on the subject. If you grow in the EU or want to import into the EU there are two rulebooks that cannot be ignored, the EU-GACP and the EU-GMP. If you don’t adhere to them, you won’t be doing any business inside the walls of the EU. So we have put together a quick read for you to explain how it works.
Read the article here.
Learn about the regulations and licenses in Thailand
If you want to export to Europe, no matter where you’re growing, you will still have to comply with GACP and EU-GMP regulations and that includes Thailand. You will also have to pay attention to local regulations and licenses. How that works at the moment, in a country where many things are not clear, can be found in the second part of our cannabis country report on Thailand.
Read the second part here.
And if you haven’t read the first part, check it out here.
Visit us at trade shows in November
Our Business Development Managers in South America, Africa and Asia have a busy month ahead of them. In November, they will all represent Cannavigia at trade fairs in their respective continents. Would you like to meet them at one of the trade shows? Arrange a meeting via these links:
- 10-11 Nov: Andres Nitola at Cumbre Nacional de Cannabis y Cáñamo
- 18-20 Nov: Wesley Petzer at Cannabis Expo Johannesburg
- 30 Nov – 3 Dec: Micheline Widler at Asia International Hemp Expo
A vigilant eye on cannabis news
- The Czech coalition government is drafting a bill to regulate the cannabis industry, which is expected to be presented in March 2023, while full legalisation may be entered into effect by January 2024. This is happening against the background of a 63% increase in year-on-year sales of medical cannabis in Czechia . But, as Deutcshe Welle rightfully remarks “although still against the law, the consumption of substances containing THC is widespread in the Czech Republic”. Around 30% of the adult population has tried marijuana, and 8% to 9% use it regularly.
- Nine out of the ten Dutch marijuana growers who have been selected to take part in the government’s controlled cultivation trials have told the cabinet that they will not be ready to start early next year as the government intends. The Dutch government’s way of choosing the ten pioneering producers via a lottery has received a lot of criticism from the industry and has led to repeated hold-ups. Both the European test-drives, in The Netherlands and Switzerland, have been plagued by teething problems and are running months late.
- During our interview with Thai grower Nadon Note Chaichareon (interview here) he expressed the hope that Thailand will relook certain import restrictions on cannabis and hemp seeds. A few weeks later and it looks like his wish has been granted. The new importation rules have made it easier for growers to access strains that were previously unavailable or illegal.
- As with most developing economies that are legalising the grow of medical marijuana to stimulate the economy, the South African government has been under fierce criticism from grass roots activist about the exclusion of traditional small growers from the process. The municipality of Bergville, one of the biggest areas for traditional illegal grow in the country, has gotten their ducks in a row to make their growers legal and keep the money in the community. There will be a few problems to sort out in the future, but the first step has been taken.
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