'Cannabis as an Alternative for Prescription Drugs: Leading prescription
types replaced by medical cannabis include anticonvulsants (72%),
glaucoma medication (71%), anti-migraine medication (65%), nausea
suppressants (65%), and ADD/ADHD (62%).' - New Frontier Data
'As availability of cannabis products increases, and consumers settle
into consistent modes of use, there is an increasing divergence between
patterns seen among medical consumers and adult-use consumers. Medical
consumers report using cannabis at higher rates than do adult consumers:
Two-fifths (41%) of medical consumers are daily consumers (a rate 11% higher than for adult-use consumers), while another 26% are weekly consumers. Given those higher use rates, medical consumers also tend to spend at higher rates than do adult-use consumers, with 30% of the former (vs. 22% of the latter) spending an average above $100+ per purchase.' - New Frontier Data
Two-fifths (41%) of medical consumers are daily consumers (a rate 11% higher than for adult-use consumers), while another 26% are weekly consumers. Given those higher use rates, medical consumers also tend to spend at higher rates than do adult-use consumers, with 30% of the former (vs. 22% of the latter) spending an average above $100+ per purchase.' - New Frontier Data
The medical cannabis industry is very much functional in many parts of the world where legal recreational cannabis is nonexistent, such as Germany, France, Italy, Israel, Australia, Brazil, Thailand, etc. There are 38 US states where medical cannabis is legal, at the time of writing. The medical cannabis industry involves sale of cannabis through dispensaries, to patients who receive medical identification cards from their physicians stating that the patient suffers from one or more conditions that can be treated with cannabis. Based on these cards, the patient is eligible for a certain quantity of cannabis that can be picked up from a dispensary or even delivered home in some places. In many cases, caregivers can grow the cannabis for the patient. Germany is Europe's largest importer of medical cannabis, as is Brazil in South America. Australia is one of the largest emerging importers of medical cannabis.
Individual states in the US list more than two dozen medical conditions including cancer, chronic pain, epilepsy, autism, PTSD, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, glaucoma, opioid addiction, sleep disorders and anxiety for which cannabis can be used. The number of medical cannabis patients grows rapidly worldwide, as patients who are tired of decades of consumption of cocktails of synthetic pharmaceutical drugs switch to cannabis which they see as natural medicine with universal healing properties and very little adverse side effects. Europe has a huge medical cannabis market that is expected to grow rapidly to nearly $55 billion+ in this decade. In many cases, governments are more receptive to medical cannabis than recreational cannabis. This has led to the medical cannabis industry first gaining ground followed subsequently by recreational cannabis. It is interesting to note that once recreational cannabis is in place, the medical cannabis industry appears to get absorbed in it. There are patients, however, who still believe that medical cannabis is of better quality and more suited to their individual needs. In some places, medical cannabis is covered by insurance which makes it much more appealing to older patients and army veterans. Regulations in the medical cannabis industry vary from place to place.
The medical cannabis industry is, however, still a medical industry that aims at revenues and profit making. This is why, once established, it starts to function like the pharmaceutical industry and other industries opposed to cannabis, actively opposing the legalization of recreational cannabis, viewing it as a threat to its existence. The fears are not unwarranted, because as I said earlier, once recreational cannabis legalization is in place, the medical cannabis industry gets dwarfed and consumed by the legal recreational cannabis industry. For this reason, many US states like New York and New Jersey have struggled to get their recreational cannabis legalization in place. Both New Jersey and New York have overcome these hurdles recently, after much opposition, to finally legalize adult recreational cannabis use.. For governments, the pharmaceutical industries and medical industries, keeping cannabis legal only for medical use is a way to retain control over cannabis and the revenues that come from it, which is why most European countries have gone the medical cannabis route and kept recreational cannabis illegal. In the event of legalization for adult recreational use, as well as home growing of cannabis, this source of revenue for these entities will be badly hit. So in a predictable fashion, the medical cannabis industry touts the medical benefits of cannabis but opposes its legalization for recreational use refusing the universal wisdom that prevention is better than cure.
The medical cannabis industry is, however, still a medical industry that aims at revenues and profit making. This is why, once established, it starts to function like the pharmaceutical industry and other industries opposed to cannabis, actively opposing the legalization of recreational cannabis, viewing it as a threat to its existence. The fears are not unwarranted, because as I said earlier, once recreational cannabis legalization is in place, the medical cannabis industry gets dwarfed and consumed by the legal recreational cannabis industry. For this reason, many US states like New York and New Jersey have struggled to get their recreational cannabis legalization in place. Both New Jersey and New York have overcome these hurdles recently, after much opposition, to finally legalize adult recreational cannabis use.. For governments, the pharmaceutical industries and medical industries, keeping cannabis legal only for medical use is a way to retain control over cannabis and the revenues that come from it, which is why most European countries have gone the medical cannabis route and kept recreational cannabis illegal. In the event of legalization for adult recreational use, as well as home growing of cannabis, this source of revenue for these entities will be badly hit. So in a predictable fashion, the medical cannabis industry touts the medical benefits of cannabis but opposes its legalization for recreational use refusing the universal wisdom that prevention is better than cure.
The persons who promote the medical cannabis industry and oppose recreational legalization of cannabis have the flawed thinking that cannabis is a drug. Having spent their entire lives dependent on pharmaceutical synthetic pills and injections, they have built a mountain of misplaced trust on the abilities of the synthetic pharmaceutical industry. Most of these persons are alien to the concept of natural medicine and view it with complete distrust. Only when whetted by a multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical company, and a physician who prescribes synthetic medicine, will they even consider consuming it. Cannabis however is natural medicine, being one of the foremost medicines in India, the land of ganja, until the 19th century. It is a plant that grows in nature and is best consumed in its natural form without the need for processing, synthesizing and packaging. It is like any other herb in the garden. It has been used in its natural form by hundreds of millions of persons world wide, for thousands of years. So it has been tested unlike any other pharma drug in existence. For those concerned about adulteration and contamination, the same concerns that apply to every vegetable, fruit or herb one consumes should apply to cannabis, that is all.
Cannabis was always the drug and medicine of the poorest people in the world. The rich shunned it for centuries, considering it a drug of the lower castes and classes, and discriminating against the people who used it. This is very much the case in the world, even today. Promoting medical cannabis and opposing recreational cannabis, continues this discrimination and severely hampers access to it for the majority of the world's people, who are the most vulnerable and who need it the most. It only serves it up to the very people who have been most responsible for its global prohibition, the world's elites, while the poorest populations of the world continue to face legal action, or cannot access it, or afford it. Multinational cannabis companies from Canada, Netherlands, Israel and Denmark, to name just a few, are actually growing cannabis in poor countries, in South America and Africa, in agreement with local governments, and then packaging and exporting them elsewhere to developed countries, while the people in the source countries remain without access and continue to be punished for cannabis. Even in the countries where medical cannabis is legal, the cost of it is so high that only the affluent can afford it, while the majority have tremendous difficulty accessing it and paying for it. All this is nothing but a cruel joke by the entities that have always opposed cannabis, showing their double standards, preventing cannabis access for the majority, while enjoying its benefits themselves. The elites convince themselves that what they are consuming is pharmaceutical medicine and not a drug, in an attempt to live with their double standards. What they forget is that cannabis is neither pharmaceutical medicine nor a drug, it is a herb that once grew everywhere, and was consumed by all, which they have denied billions by calling it names that suit them and their policies.
Every person having the freedom to manage his or her health, without the intervention of government or industry, is one of the biggest fears of every government and industry. For cannabis to be truly effective, as universal and wide reaching medicine, that reaches every single person who requires it, it has to be legalized for recreational use world wide, and including home growing without any restrictions by individuals is mandatory. All curbs on the plant must be removed, and the plant must once again be as free as before for this to happen. Only then cannabis as medicine can reach all the persons in the world and not be confined to a few wealthy people.
Related articles
The following set of articles related to the subject are taken from various media. Words in italics are the thoughts of yours truly at the time of reading the article.Canadian exports of medical cannabis hit an all-time high last year as the county’s licensed producers continue to diversify from the competitive local market in favor of pursuing top-line opportunities overseas.
In the 2023-24 fiscal year, Canada exported roughly 218 million Canadian dollars ($189 million) worth of medical marijuana products for commercial and scientific use, MJBizDaily has learned.
That’s an increase of more than 36% from the previous year’s exports of CA$160 million.
https://mjbizdaily.com/canada-medical-cannabis-exports-jump-to-ca220-million-domestic-sales-decline/
Constantin von der Groeben, managing director of the German company Demecan, told MJBizDaily that, as of April 1, companies can apply for a cultivation license.
“We foresee a huge growth potential for our own cultivation,” he said, indicating Demecan can apply to increase cultivation beyond the previous maximum production quota.
However, Germany is still expected to need significant cannabis imports in the near- to midterm.
“It depends strongly on the ramp-up of domestic cultivation,” Von der Groeben said of how long Germany would rely on imports.
The Demecan executive cited Article 21 of the United Nations' Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, which he said implies that if and when the demand for cannabis can be filled domestically, no imports would be required or allowed.
“But this is probably still a few years out,” he said.
https://mjbizdaily.com/german-cannabis-imports-rise-to-34-tons/
Colombia’s medical cannabis exports continued to grow last year, although sales still haven’t reached the level that the country’s operators envisioned.
In 2023, the value of medical cannabis exports from Colombia was $10.8 million, according to figures provided to MJBizDaily by ProColombia, a government agency in charge of promoting nontraditional Colombian trade.
The figure represents an 11.3% increase over 2022, when Colombia’s medical cannabis exports amounted to $9.7 million, a 96% jump from 2021.
The top destinations for Colombia’s exports have been changing as rules evolve in other countries.
Brazil was the top destination for Colombia’s medical cannabis products in 2023, overtaking Argentina, according to the ProColombia data shared with MJBizDaily.
Brazil accounted for 32%, or $3.4 million, of Colombia’s total cannabis exports last year.
Australia accounted for one-quarter of the exports, or $2.68 million, a 99% increase over 2022.
Germany was the third-largest importer of Colombian cannabis, with $1.53 million, or 14% of the total
https://mjbizdaily.com/growing-colombia-cannabis-exports-reach-11-million/
That early foothold in cannabis research and development was solidified when Israel became one of the first countries to legalize medical marijuana and one of three countries, alongside Canada and the Netherlands, with a government-sponsored national medical cannabis program. Because of its less stringent policies over cannabis, Israel continues to be a central hub for research and development for other countries as well.
Despite becoming one of the largest exporters of medical marijuana in the world, many of the more than 100,000 medical license holders faced rising costs, "more bureaucracy" and difficulties obtaining their medicinal cannabis, the Jerusalem Post reported. In the face of complaints, Israel's Ministry of Health announced sweeping reforms in August aimed at significantly reducing regulation, improving production supervision, and giving more responsibility to cannabis farmers,
The regulators also eased restrictions on how patients gain access to medicinal cannabis products. The Ministry of Health additionally approved reforms that would allow physicians to prescribe patients cannabis as a "first-line treatment rather than as an option of last resort," NORML reported. Patients with licenses to consume medicinal cannabis have qualifying illnesses such as cancer, Crohn's, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's, dementia, epilepsy, autism and post-trauma stress disorder. Previously, doctors had to prove the patient had failed to respond to other conventional treatments, including opioids, before prescribing cannabis products.
The regulations were reportedly meant to go into effect last December.
In the months after the Israel-Hamas conflict began, the Ministry of Health published data showing a "sharp expansion in the reach of the medical marijuana program in that country," Marijuana Moment reported. There was a spike in patient enrollment in the medical cannabis registry, "especially those tied to PTSD and pain," with doctors prescribing "more cannabis by weight than ever before." Enrollments rose by 2,202 people in October, which was "roughly twice the recent monthly average," the outlet noted.
https://theweek.com/science/israel-medical-marijuana
Amid declining medical cannabis sales in Canada’s domestic market and cutthroat competition in the adult-use industry, some licensed producers are increasingly looking to overseas markets for a financial lifeline.
Exports continued to surge in the 2022-23 fiscal year, with Canada shipping medical cannabis products worth 160 million Canadian dollars ($118 million) overseas, a 50% increase over 2021-22’s CA$107 million, according to figures shared by Health Canada with MJBizDaily.
David Hyde, CEO of Hyde Advisory & Investments in Toronto, believes Canada will have a leg up over competing export countries for a few more years.
“For the next two or three years, at least, we’re going to see continually increasing medical numbers (exports),” he said in a phone interview.
The brisk export growth comes as domestic sales of medical cannabis continue to contract.
https://mjbizdaily.com/canadian-cannabis-exports-surge-50-percent-to-ca160-million-in-2022-23/
In the 2023-24 fiscal year, Canada exported roughly 218 million Canadian dollars ($189 million) worth of medical marijuana products for commercial and scientific use, MJBizDaily has learned.
That’s an increase of more than 36% from the previous year’s exports of CA$160 million.
https://mjbizdaily.com/canada-medical-cannabis-exports-jump-to-ca220-million-domestic-sales-decline/
Constantin von der Groeben, managing director of the German company Demecan, told MJBizDaily that, as of April 1, companies can apply for a cultivation license.
“We foresee a huge growth potential for our own cultivation,” he said, indicating Demecan can apply to increase cultivation beyond the previous maximum production quota.
However, Germany is still expected to need significant cannabis imports in the near- to midterm.
“It depends strongly on the ramp-up of domestic cultivation,” Von der Groeben said of how long Germany would rely on imports.
The Demecan executive cited Article 21 of the United Nations' Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, which he said implies that if and when the demand for cannabis can be filled domestically, no imports would be required or allowed.
“But this is probably still a few years out,” he said.
https://mjbizdaily.com/german-cannabis-imports-rise-to-34-tons/
Colombia’s medical cannabis exports continued to grow last year, although sales still haven’t reached the level that the country’s operators envisioned.
In 2023, the value of medical cannabis exports from Colombia was $10.8 million, according to figures provided to MJBizDaily by ProColombia, a government agency in charge of promoting nontraditional Colombian trade.
The figure represents an 11.3% increase over 2022, when Colombia’s medical cannabis exports amounted to $9.7 million, a 96% jump from 2021.
The top destinations for Colombia’s exports have been changing as rules evolve in other countries.
Brazil was the top destination for Colombia’s medical cannabis products in 2023, overtaking Argentina, according to the ProColombia data shared with MJBizDaily.
Brazil accounted for 32%, or $3.4 million, of Colombia’s total cannabis exports last year.
Australia accounted for one-quarter of the exports, or $2.68 million, a 99% increase over 2022.
Germany was the third-largest importer of Colombian cannabis, with $1.53 million, or 14% of the total
https://mjbizdaily.com/growing-colombia-cannabis-exports-reach-11-million/
That early foothold in cannabis research and development was solidified when Israel became one of the first countries to legalize medical marijuana and one of three countries, alongside Canada and the Netherlands, with a government-sponsored national medical cannabis program. Because of its less stringent policies over cannabis, Israel continues to be a central hub for research and development for other countries as well.
Despite becoming one of the largest exporters of medical marijuana in the world, many of the more than 100,000 medical license holders faced rising costs, "more bureaucracy" and difficulties obtaining their medicinal cannabis, the Jerusalem Post reported. In the face of complaints, Israel's Ministry of Health announced sweeping reforms in August aimed at significantly reducing regulation, improving production supervision, and giving more responsibility to cannabis farmers,
The regulators also eased restrictions on how patients gain access to medicinal cannabis products. The Ministry of Health additionally approved reforms that would allow physicians to prescribe patients cannabis as a "first-line treatment rather than as an option of last resort," NORML reported. Patients with licenses to consume medicinal cannabis have qualifying illnesses such as cancer, Crohn's, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's, dementia, epilepsy, autism and post-trauma stress disorder. Previously, doctors had to prove the patient had failed to respond to other conventional treatments, including opioids, before prescribing cannabis products.
The regulations were reportedly meant to go into effect last December.
In the months after the Israel-Hamas conflict began, the Ministry of Health published data showing a "sharp expansion in the reach of the medical marijuana program in that country," Marijuana Moment reported. There was a spike in patient enrollment in the medical cannabis registry, "especially those tied to PTSD and pain," with doctors prescribing "more cannabis by weight than ever before." Enrollments rose by 2,202 people in October, which was "roughly twice the recent monthly average," the outlet noted.
https://theweek.com/science/israel-medical-marijuana
Amid declining medical cannabis sales in Canada’s domestic market and cutthroat competition in the adult-use industry, some licensed producers are increasingly looking to overseas markets for a financial lifeline.
Exports continued to surge in the 2022-23 fiscal year, with Canada shipping medical cannabis products worth 160 million Canadian dollars ($118 million) overseas, a 50% increase over 2021-22’s CA$107 million, according to figures shared by Health Canada with MJBizDaily.
David Hyde, CEO of Hyde Advisory & Investments in Toronto, believes Canada will have a leg up over competing export countries for a few more years.
“For the next two or three years, at least, we’re going to see continually increasing medical numbers (exports),” he said in a phone interview.
The brisk export growth comes as domestic sales of medical cannabis continue to contract.
https://mjbizdaily.com/canadian-cannabis-exports-surge-50-percent-to-ca160-million-in-2022-23/
'Some Key Report Findings:
- Growth of Medical Cannabis: The medical cannabis market is projected to almost double to over $16 billion by 2025.
- Medical Market Intelligence: Nearly half of medical consumers (45%) identify smokable cannabis as their preferred product form while 24% prefer edibles and beverages, key insight for retailers and operators.
- Cannabis as an Alternative for Prescription Drugs: Leading prescription types replaced by medical cannabis include anticonvulsants (72%), glaucoma medication (71%), anti-migraine medication (65%), nausea suppressants (65%), and ADD/ADHD (62%).'
https://info.newfrontierdata.com/medical-cannabis-pharmaceuticals
- Growth of Medical Cannabis: The medical cannabis market is projected to almost double to over $16 billion by 2025.
- Medical Market Intelligence: Nearly half of medical consumers (45%) identify smokable cannabis as their preferred product form while 24% prefer edibles and beverages, key insight for retailers and operators.
- Cannabis as an Alternative for Prescription Drugs: Leading prescription types replaced by medical cannabis include anticonvulsants (72%), glaucoma medication (71%), anti-migraine medication (65%), nausea suppressants (65%), and ADD/ADHD (62%).'
https://info.newfrontierdata.com/medical-cannabis-pharmaceuticals
'Overall U.S. spending on medical cannabis is expected to grow from $8.5 billion in 2020 to $16 billion in 2025, for a cumulative $78.5 billion in revenue across the next five years for medical cannabis alone.
States with established medical cannabis programs can expect to benefit from the growth over the same period: Between 2020-2025, Florida (among the largest state medical cannabis markets) is expected to generate a cumulative $14.5 billion in revenue. Similarly, states with smaller but still substantial markets — such as Oklahoma ($8.7 billion) and Pennsylvania ($7.8 billion) — can expect to see significant revenue from their medical cannabis segments.'
https://newfrontierdata.com/cannabis-insights/the-economic-impact-of-medical-cannabis-consumers/
States with established medical cannabis programs can expect to benefit from the growth over the same period: Between 2020-2025, Florida (among the largest state medical cannabis markets) is expected to generate a cumulative $14.5 billion in revenue. Similarly, states with smaller but still substantial markets — such as Oklahoma ($8.7 billion) and Pennsylvania ($7.8 billion) — can expect to see significant revenue from their medical cannabis segments.'
https://newfrontierdata.com/cannabis-insights/the-economic-impact-of-medical-cannabis-consumers/
'As availability of cannabis products increases, and consumers settle into consistent modes of use, there is an increasing divergence between patterns seen among medical consumers and adult-use consumers. Medical consumers report using cannabis at higher rates than do adult consumers:
Two-fifths (41%) of medical consumers are daily consumers (a rate 11% higher than for adult-use consumers), while another 26% are weekly consumers. Given those higher use rates, medical consumers also tend to spend at higher rates than do adult-use consumers, with 30% of the former (vs. 22% of the latter) spending an average above $100+ per purchase.'
https://newfrontierdata.com/cannabis-insights/the-medical-cannabis-consumer-in-2021/
Two-fifths (41%) of medical consumers are daily consumers (a rate 11% higher than for adult-use consumers), while another 26% are weekly consumers. Given those higher use rates, medical consumers also tend to spend at higher rates than do adult-use consumers, with 30% of the former (vs. 22% of the latter) spending an average above $100+ per purchase.'
https://newfrontierdata.com/cannabis-insights/the-medical-cannabis-consumer-in-2021/
'For the past twelve months, Pennsylvania's medical cannabis sales have escalated, and between April 2020 and March 2021, Pennsylvania's medical markets brought in $909.4M. Pennsylvania stands out among other U.S. markets with the largest average basket sizes so far this year, at $123.88 per basket; Pennsylvania's average basket size was 2x as high as Michigan's and 1.5x as high as Oregon's. In addition, concentrates had the highest average item price at $61, and tinctures, flower and vapor pens followed closely behind with an average item price of more than $50.'
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/headset-introduces-the-first-full-market-read-for-pennsylvanias-909-4m-medical-cannabis-market-301277634.html
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/headset-introduces-the-first-full-market-read-for-pennsylvanias-909-4m-medical-cannabis-market-301277634.html
'Here’s a summary of five key states to watch:
- Lawmakers in Minnesota, New York and Virginia are expected to consider allowing smokable flower – which could double medical marijuana revenues over time. Those three states are projected to generate a cumulative $330 million in medical cannabis sales this year. (See graphic above).
- Texas lawmakers are being pushed to relax an onerous 0.5% THC cap and expand qualifying conditions for MMJ treatment in what is one of the most restrictive markets in the country. That would significantly boost sales in what is now a tiny market in the country’s second-most-populated state.
- In Florida’s fast-growing MMJ market, legislation has been introduced to expand licensing opportunities, including for small businesses. Or regulators could be ordered to do so by the state Supreme Court, which is expected to rule soon on the constitutionality of the state’s MMJ licensing structure.'
https://mjbizdaily.com/five-state-medical-marijuana-markets-that-could-get-a-boost-through-reforms-in-2021/
'Medical cannabis products in Canada should be dispensed to patients inside pharmacies – a natural progression for the sector that would lead to improved practitioner oversight, according to the point person for medical marijuana at Shoppers Drug Mart, the largest pharmacy chain in the country.
Ken Weisbrod, the outgoing vice president of business development/cannabis strategy, noted that Canada stands alone by excluding pharmacies from medical cannabis distribution.'
https://mjbizdaily.com/shoppers-drug-mart-exec-ken-weisbrod-discusses-medical-marijuana-in-canada/
- Lawmakers in Minnesota, New York and Virginia are expected to consider allowing smokable flower – which could double medical marijuana revenues over time. Those three states are projected to generate a cumulative $330 million in medical cannabis sales this year. (See graphic above).
- Texas lawmakers are being pushed to relax an onerous 0.5% THC cap and expand qualifying conditions for MMJ treatment in what is one of the most restrictive markets in the country. That would significantly boost sales in what is now a tiny market in the country’s second-most-populated state.
- In Florida’s fast-growing MMJ market, legislation has been introduced to expand licensing opportunities, including for small businesses. Or regulators could be ordered to do so by the state Supreme Court, which is expected to rule soon on the constitutionality of the state’s MMJ licensing structure.'
https://mjbizdaily.com/five-state-medical-marijuana-markets-that-could-get-a-boost-through-reforms-in-2021/
'Medical cannabis products in Canada should be dispensed to patients inside pharmacies – a natural progression for the sector that would lead to improved practitioner oversight, according to the point person for medical marijuana at Shoppers Drug Mart, the largest pharmacy chain in the country.
Ken Weisbrod, the outgoing vice president of business development/cannabis strategy, noted that Canada stands alone by excluding pharmacies from medical cannabis distribution.'
https://mjbizdaily.com/shoppers-drug-mart-exec-ken-weisbrod-discusses-medical-marijuana-in-canada/
' - With 34 legalized state (and D.C.) medical markets, total patients in the U.S. eligible for treatments with cannabis have passed 3 million.
- Given the increasing number of legalized states and their generally expanding lists of qualifying medical conditions, that total is projected to exceed 5 million by 2025.
- States with the highest patient saturation rates (i.e., registered patients per total populations) are Oklahoma (8%), New Mexico (5%), Montana (4%), and Arizona (4%), respectively.
- The two states voting on medical-use initiatives next month – Mississippi and South Dakota – could together add 30,000 patients by 2025.'
https://newfrontierdata.com/cannabis-insights/u-s-medical-cannabis-program-growth/
- Given the increasing number of legalized states and their generally expanding lists of qualifying medical conditions, that total is projected to exceed 5 million by 2025.
- States with the highest patient saturation rates (i.e., registered patients per total populations) are Oklahoma (8%), New Mexico (5%), Montana (4%), and Arizona (4%), respectively.
- The two states voting on medical-use initiatives next month – Mississippi and South Dakota – could together add 30,000 patients by 2025.'
https://newfrontierdata.com/cannabis-insights/u-s-medical-cannabis-program-growth/
'While the United States has three times as many state medical marijuana markets than adult-use programs, recreational sales are expected to be roughly 30% or more above MMJ in 2020.
Legal adult-use sales in the U.S. likely will top $10 billion this year, while medical sales are expected to bring in $5.8 billion-$7.1 billion, according to estimates from the eighth edition of the Marijuana Business Factbook,'
https://mjbizdaily.com/chart-nationwide-sales-of-adult-use-cannabis-further-eclipse-those-of-medical-marijuana/
'Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) added more than 5,500 patient approvals in July for unapproved medicinal cannabis products – the biggest one-month gain on record.
July’s figure is 20% higher than June’s 4,630 approvals.
Australia has one of the biggest federally regulated medical marijuana markets outside North America, but it’s still considered nascent.'
https://mjbizdaily.com/australia-sees-record-month-for-cannabis-approvals/
'National Sanitary Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) approvals to import the products have been growing rapidly in the past year, and although this route is intended to be a special access scheme for exceptional cases, Brazil has become the largest market in Latin America.
Nonregistered medical cannabis products, regardless of THC content, can be imported only by individual patients after a doctor and ANVISA have signed off.
The health agency does not restrict the products to only CBD, but in practice CBD represents the majority of imports.
During the first quarter of 2020, almost 3,000 patients received authorization to import nonregistered products, an increase of 25% over the previous quarter and 123% higher compared to the same period in 2019.'
https://mjbizdaily.com/individual-imports-of-cannabis-continue-to-grow-in-brazil/
'To date, 34 states and the District of Columbia have adopted medical cannabis laws, or MCLs, which legalize either home cultivation or dispensary-based sales of cannabis for qualifying medical conditions.
The researchers want to determine if MCLs alter the health behaviors of people living with chronic pain and whether they substitute or reduce traditional pain treatments while using medical cannabis.
The research project is funded by a $3.5 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a branch of the National Institutes of Health.'
https://news.uga.edu/researchers-to-study-medical-cannabis-and-chronic-pain/
'May was the top month for medical coverage for cannabis since the current regulatory framework was implemented in early 2017.
During that month, statutory health insurers covered 10.6 million euros of medical cannabis, surpassing the 10 million euro mark for the first time. The number fell to 9.5 million euros in June.'
https://mjbizdaily.com/analysis-german-sales-of-insured-medical-cannabis-soar-in-second-quarter/
'Colorado and Washington were the first two states in the United States to legalize the production of cannabis for non-medical use, in 2012. However, prior to legalization, those states and others, such as California, had various regimes in place that permitted or tolerated the production and sale of cannabis for medical use, which allowed people with a range of conditions that were not well-defined to gain access to cannabis. The states of Colorado and Washington, for which more long-term trend data are available, are interesting case studies for examining the public health and public safety outcomes that have emerged in the years since the production of cannabis for non-medical use was legalized.' - United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, World Drug Report 2020, https://wdr.unodc.org/wdr2020/field/WDR20_BOOKLET_4.pdf
'In the United States, a total of 33 states, as well as the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, had approved or had in place a comprehensive programme for medical cannabis by the end of 2019. As at December 2019, 11 state-level jurisdictions in the United States, plus the District of Columbia, allowed the nonmedical use of cannabis, and most also allowed commercial production by for-profit industry. It is worth noting that all the states that have legalized the non-medical use of cannabis previously had measures in place permitting the medical use of cannabis.' - United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, World Drug Report 2020,
https://wdr.unodc.org/wdr2020/field/WDR20_BOOKLET_4.pdf
'Current users and PU [past users] took MC [Medical Cannabis] to address pain (65.30%), spasms (63.30%), sleeplessness (32.70%), and anxiety (24.00%), and 63.30% reported it offered “great relief” from symptoms. Participants reported that MC is more effective and carries fewer side effects than prescription medications.
Conclusions
Medicinal cannabis is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for a number of SCI[Spinal Cord injury]-related symptoms.'
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41394-019-0208-6
'Overall, this study finds that the adoption and diffusion of MMLs[Medical Marijuana Laws] is mainly determined by the opinions of citizens rather than the political ideology of elected officials or the government’s fiscal health conditions.'
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01442872.2019.1656805
Legal adult-use sales in the U.S. likely will top $10 billion this year, while medical sales are expected to bring in $5.8 billion-$7.1 billion, according to estimates from the eighth edition of the Marijuana Business Factbook,'
https://mjbizdaily.com/chart-nationwide-sales-of-adult-use-cannabis-further-eclipse-those-of-medical-marijuana/
'Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) added more than 5,500 patient approvals in July for unapproved medicinal cannabis products – the biggest one-month gain on record.
July’s figure is 20% higher than June’s 4,630 approvals.
Australia has one of the biggest federally regulated medical marijuana markets outside North America, but it’s still considered nascent.'
https://mjbizdaily.com/australia-sees-record-month-for-cannabis-approvals/
'National Sanitary Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) approvals to import the products have been growing rapidly in the past year, and although this route is intended to be a special access scheme for exceptional cases, Brazil has become the largest market in Latin America.
Nonregistered medical cannabis products, regardless of THC content, can be imported only by individual patients after a doctor and ANVISA have signed off.
The health agency does not restrict the products to only CBD, but in practice CBD represents the majority of imports.
During the first quarter of 2020, almost 3,000 patients received authorization to import nonregistered products, an increase of 25% over the previous quarter and 123% higher compared to the same period in 2019.'
https://mjbizdaily.com/individual-imports-of-cannabis-continue-to-grow-in-brazil/
'To date, 34 states and the District of Columbia have adopted medical cannabis laws, or MCLs, which legalize either home cultivation or dispensary-based sales of cannabis for qualifying medical conditions.
The researchers want to determine if MCLs alter the health behaviors of people living with chronic pain and whether they substitute or reduce traditional pain treatments while using medical cannabis.
The research project is funded by a $3.5 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a branch of the National Institutes of Health.'
https://news.uga.edu/researchers-to-study-medical-cannabis-and-chronic-pain/
'May was the top month for medical coverage for cannabis since the current regulatory framework was implemented in early 2017.
During that month, statutory health insurers covered 10.6 million euros of medical cannabis, surpassing the 10 million euro mark for the first time. The number fell to 9.5 million euros in June.'
https://mjbizdaily.com/analysis-german-sales-of-insured-medical-cannabis-soar-in-second-quarter/
'Colorado and Washington were the first two states in the United States to legalize the production of cannabis for non-medical use, in 2012. However, prior to legalization, those states and others, such as California, had various regimes in place that permitted or tolerated the production and sale of cannabis for medical use, which allowed people with a range of conditions that were not well-defined to gain access to cannabis. The states of Colorado and Washington, for which more long-term trend data are available, are interesting case studies for examining the public health and public safety outcomes that have emerged in the years since the production of cannabis for non-medical use was legalized.' - United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, World Drug Report 2020, https://wdr.unodc.org/wdr2020/field/WDR20_BOOKLET_4.pdf
'In the United States, a total of 33 states, as well as the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, had approved or had in place a comprehensive programme for medical cannabis by the end of 2019. As at December 2019, 11 state-level jurisdictions in the United States, plus the District of Columbia, allowed the nonmedical use of cannabis, and most also allowed commercial production by for-profit industry. It is worth noting that all the states that have legalized the non-medical use of cannabis previously had measures in place permitting the medical use of cannabis.' - United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, World Drug Report 2020,
https://wdr.unodc.org/wdr2020/field/WDR20_BOOKLET_4.pdf
'Current users and PU [past users] took MC [Medical Cannabis] to address pain (65.30%), spasms (63.30%), sleeplessness (32.70%), and anxiety (24.00%), and 63.30% reported it offered “great relief” from symptoms. Participants reported that MC is more effective and carries fewer side effects than prescription medications.
Conclusions
Medicinal cannabis is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for a number of SCI[Spinal Cord injury]-related symptoms.'
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41394-019-0208-6
'Overall, this study finds that the adoption and diffusion of MMLs[Medical Marijuana Laws] is mainly determined by the opinions of citizens rather than the political ideology of elected officials or the government’s fiscal health conditions.'
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01442872.2019.1656805
Unlike all those countries relying on China for the bulk of their active pharmaceutical ingredients...
'International medical marijuana supply chains appear stable for the time being despite the coronavirus pandemic, with shipments to Europe’s largest market, Germany, remaining uninterrupted.
Despite more European countries going into full lockdown mode or closing borders because of the pandemic, disruption in the shipments of medical cannabis to Germany aren’t likely in the short term, according to industry experts.'
https://mjbizdaily.com/despite-coronavirus-global-supply-chain-for-medical-cannabis-stable/
'International medical marijuana supply chains appear stable for the time being despite the coronavirus pandemic, with shipments to Europe’s largest market, Germany, remaining uninterrupted.
Despite more European countries going into full lockdown mode or closing borders because of the pandemic, disruption in the shipments of medical cannabis to Germany aren’t likely in the short term, according to industry experts.'
https://mjbizdaily.com/despite-coronavirus-global-supply-chain-for-medical-cannabis-stable/
Oklahoma seems to be getting the medical marijuana bit right.
'Nine months after Oklahoma voters approved one of the most business-friendly medical marijuana initiatives in the country, the number of licenses and patient approvals continue to rise at a feverish pace.
Low barriers to entry for both are driving the growth, namely:
- Businesses have no license caps and a low application/license fee of $2,500. The fee is nonrefundable, however.
- Patients have no qualifying medical conditions to meet, just a recommendation from a physician. Patients also are allowed to grow their own marijuana.
Efforts to constrain the program, such as by banning smokable marijuana or requiring a licensed pharmacist in each dispensary, were foiled by legal challenges and the state’s attorney general.'
https://mjbizdaily.com/chart-medical-cannabis-license-growth-sizzling-oklahoma/
Ohio’s licensed medical marijuana dispensaries have had to face the reality that only 28% of Ohioans who signed up for the state’s medical marijuana registry in the first three months made a purchase during that time.
The Enquirer of Cincinnati cited a number of factors as culprits – including high prices, high licensing fees, the remote locations of some dispensaries and restrictive patient purchasing limits.'
https://mjbizdaily.com/ohio-medical-cannabis-participation-low/
'Year-over-year sales doubled in Europe from 2017 to 2018, underpinned by strong demand in Germany and Italy, though the number of MMJ prescriptions decreased in the Netherlands in that time.
Other countries in the European Union took steps in the right direction, either advancing legislation or introducing (or improving) regulations.
Tracking the regulatory progress of these markets is important because it takes years to develop a functional medical cannabis industry – and some markets get snagged over poor, or slow-moving, regulations.'
https://mjbizdaily.com/new-report-realistic-snapshot-europe-cannabis-market-opportunities/
'Kelly Ogilvie expounds upon the medical applications of a non-psychoactive compound from the cannabis plant. He further investigates the unique grassroots movement pushing the cannabis industry forward.'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w86rrPAyvYc
https://norml.org/marijuana/fact-sheets/item/core-attributes-of-a-patient-centric-medical-cannabis-regulatory-program
'Even after the rollout of Canada’s pending nationwide adult-use market, “there will remain a strong need for cannabis clinics for years to come,” said Paul Methot, president of Knalysis Technologies. “Some licensed producers will focus on the rec market, but those with the best medicine will keep their loyal patients coming, and the margins on medical cannabis is predicted to remain higher than [adult-use] strains.”'
https://newfrontierdata.com/marijuana-insights/diagnosing-canadas-medical-market-thrive/
'As patients push for access to these treatments, pharmaceutical companies and cannabis producers are hoping to claim a piece of a market that could be worth €55 billion by 2028, according to an industry report. The concern for many patients, however, is that legislators can't (or won't) keep up with demand, leaving medical cannabis to inch its way onto the market, product by product, country by country.
The European market is fragmented. Each country sets its own standards and regulations for cannabis products, meaning Germans can get a prescription for medical cannabis from a doctor, while the French have no legal medical cannabis options at all.'
https://www.politico.eu/article/growing-pains-europes-push-for-medical-cannabis/
'The Department of Health says the state's medical marijuana program will pay for itself.'
https://www.kxnet.com/news/bismarck-news/state-says-medical-marijuana-program-is-self-sustainable/1687403090
'The European cannabis market’s value skyrocketed last year, with 500 million euros ($560 million) already invested in the market, which was mostly funneled into distribution and cultivation licenses.
That could just be the tip of the iceberg, according to the report, as European countries combine to become the world’s largest federally regulated medical cannabis market over the next five years.
In the near term, Europe’s three largest medical cannabis markets – Italy, Netherlands and Germany – will see patient counts more than double to a combined 225,000 this year. Over the next decade, “The European Cannabis Report” predicts the total market for medical cannabis could surpass 58 billion euros.'
https://mjbizdaily.com/davos-report-europe-worlds-largest-medical-cannabis-market-5-years/
'Ohio’s medical cannabis sales are off to a healthy start, garnering $1.85 million in under two months, but high prices and limited access to dispensaries have restricted patient participation.'
https://mjbizdaily.com/ohio-medical-marijuana-sales-strong-not-all-patients-buying/
'Given the importance of patients knowing the laws regarding medical
cannabis in the jurisdictions they visit, Americans for Safe Access
(ASA), the largest national member-based organization promoting safe and
legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research, has created
The Medical Cannabis Patient’s Guide for U.S. Travel. This guide will
help patients understand the laws in the states and territories in which
they are eligible to obtain medical cannabis so that they may do so
safely and legally'
https://www.safeaccessnow.org/travel
'A district judge in New Mexico made a final ruling ordering regulators to issue medical cannabis patient cards to qualifying out-of-state residents, but the governor’s office said it will appeal.'
https://mjbizdaily.com/judge-new-mexico-must-issue-medical-marijuana-cards-to-non-residents/
“Colombia’s natural assets as the global leader in medical cannabis production are being rapidly recognized, and we are receiving a steady stream of calls from the international market asking about production, supply and partnership."
https://www.safeaccessnow.org/travel
'A district judge in New Mexico made a final ruling ordering regulators to issue medical cannabis patient cards to qualifying out-of-state residents, but the governor’s office said it will appeal.'
https://mjbizdaily.com/judge-new-mexico-must-issue-medical-marijuana-cards-to-non-residents/
“Colombia’s natural assets as the global leader in medical cannabis production are being rapidly recognized, and we are receiving a steady stream of calls from the international market asking about production, supply and partnership."
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