Many people are proud of their drug use. For many it can define who they are in their own mind for a period of their life. This is perhaps more true for cannabis users that for any other drug.

Not only does it have the oldest established media empire of any illicit drug (think High Times) but seeing as it is regarded and one of the safest drugs is common use many people, including the mass media regard it use a less of a mortal sin than the use of cocaine or heroin for example.

Located in the heart of the Palermo neighbourhood, the epicentre of candombe, and a few minutes from the centre of Montevideo, the Museo de Cannabis de Montevideo (Cannabis Museum Montevideo) will open its doors to the public on December 9. This remarkable project is as a way to celebrate the rich history of liberties that Uruguay has enjoyed in the past and continues to develop in the present. 

Global circuit

Managing the museum is the Uruguayan agronomist Eduardo Blasina, who earned one of the two legal growing licenses in the country. He points out that the museum places the country in a global circuit that includes Amsterdam, Barcelona and California. “It’s a way of connecting people who love nature, art and science,” concludes the director.

In a report released Monday, global leaders denounced harsh responses to drug use, such as the mass killing of drug users in the Philippines under President Rodrigo Duterte, and called for worldwide drug decriminalization.

The report, Advancing Drug Policy Reform: A New Approach to Drug Decriminalization, is a product of the Global Commission on Drug Policy, a high-level panel that includes former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan; former presidents of Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Switzerland; and British philanthropist Richard Branson, among others.

Medical marijuana can be defined as the use of cannabis for treatment of certain ailments. It can be utilized for medicinal uses; however, the complete safety and efficacy profiling is till unavailable. Medical marijuana is available in various forms such as flower or concentrates, which is extracted in the form of oils, extracts or edibles. Packaging medical marijuana is a growing business and many companies offer holistic solutions to medical marijuana manufacturers. The key packaging modes available in the market include,

Creso Pharma has signed a deal with two European companies as part of a strategy to target the pet medical marijuana industry, the company announced in a press release. The agreement will see the Australian Stock Exchange-listed company work with A&H, a Dutch veterinary product manufacturer, and Grieving Holdings Netherland, a wholesaler, to develop products for pet owners and veterinarians.

I can recall a time when it was a rarity to hear or read about a news story about cannabis. For almost two decades I kept a database of every cannabis related news story that I came across. I could never keep up with the torrent of pot news coming out now. 

As someone who was a child in the 1960’s and a counter-culture teenager in the 70s, I recall the intense stigma and controversy that the herb had attached to it. 

The first medical cannabis club in Chile, Botánica Orgánica Cannabis Internacional (BOCI), opened in the northern city of Arica in early September.

BOCI provides access to premium quality cannabis for people who are prescribed cannabis-based medicines but unable to self-cultivate. Such patients may be unable to do so because of lack of knowledge about the cultivation process, limited access to growing space, or simply the debilitating nature of their illness. The club currently has around 20 members.

The creation of BOCI is the latest step in Chile’s journey away from strict prohibition of cannabis. The country, once renowned for its conservatism, is now leading the way on medicinal cannabis in Latin America.

Billionaire and tech entrepreneur tells New West summit attendees marijuana should be decriminalized worldwide.

Renowned billionaire and tech entrepreneur Richard Branson told a room full of cannabis advocates he was simply in the mood to "take a spliff or two," and much of the world is ready to legally take some tokes, too.

"Why not?" the Virgin Group founder asked a crowd of about 1,000 people Saturday during the second annual New West Summit conference, "The Future of Cannabis, Now," in downtown San Francisco. 

Whether you are opposed to their presence of not, legalised cannabis markets are here to stay. 

In April, Pennsylvanina become the 24th state to approve cannabis for medical purposes in the US, while it is already legal to all over-21s in four states and Washington DC. 

In the same month, Germany joined a host of European countries in creating medical cannabis legislation. Further afield, Australia, Uruguay and Brazil announced cannabis programmes last year and Canada is transitioning from a medical regime to a full adult-use market. 

Some suggest the legal cannabis market could reach $50bn in raw cannabis sales within ten years, others suggest figures closer to $300bn.