By Veronica Morgan
Amsterdam has long been famous for its coffee shops, where adults over 21 can purchase and smoke marijuana openly. With decriminalization efforts active in several states, and Washington D.C. progressing as they are, the International Business Times is reporting a trend to establish clubs, in Denver and beyond, similar to those found in Amsterdam.
Will Amsterdam be the model used in Denver cannabis clubs?
As the push for legalized cannabis sweeps like wildfire across the US, we are not alone. The United Kingdom Petitions Committee has agreed to hear any petition that garners over 10,000 signatures, referring those exceeding 100,000 to Parliament.
A Petition signed by no less than 158,000 citizens, claims, “Legalizing cannabis could bring in £900 million [$1.4 billion] in taxes every year, save £400 million [$623 million] on policing cannabis and create over 10,000 new jobs.”
Currently, U.K. law allows up to five years in prison per offense. The petition calls for “the production, sale and use of [legal] cannabis.”
Voters are pushing for legalized marijuana in the UK and Australia
Down under, the Aussies are working to provide medicinal cannabis, especially to children who suffer from a severe form of epilepsy as well as other diseases proven to be improved or healed by the CBD in cannabis.
Queensland Health Minister Cameron Dick has been working with the New South Wales (NSW) authorities to expedite the trials on medical marijuana.
The minister explained, “Our commitment as a state is to support the use of medical cannabis for children with drug resistant severe epilepsy, we hope that will follow shortly after what is happening in NSW at the moment.”
In a surprising move, Italy seems to have turned 180º from a decade ago. Back then, Italians voted to make no distinction between hard and soft drugs, increasing the penalties for all narcotics.
Today, no less than 250 lawmakers are working to make Italy the largest Europeans country to legalize what many have labeled the “most progressive legislation” in the world.
Individuals will be able to grow five plants at home, coops would be allowed 250 plants for 50 people, and larger production would be highly regulated by the government. Sales licenses will be required for those who wish to sell, similar to the rules applied in the Netherlands.
Italy is proposing the most progressive decriminalization in the world.
A newsagent in India, daijiiwworld.com reported that Mexico is producing “genetically modified” strains of marijuana for cloning. One of these production plants was raided earlier today by Mexican Federal Police from the state of Jalisco.
It seems the operation was overseen by Colombian sources, only three Mexican nationals were among the 25 arrested. All the others requested consular assistance from Columbia. It is unclear what the intended modifications were geared toward.
Globally, it is clear that the planet is “going green.”
Can the US mirror what the Dutch have achieved in Amsterdam?
Concerns over tourism related issues, and liability, because alcohol and cannabis would be served simultaneously, will likely slow the progression of cannabis clubs in Denver, but they are definitely on the way. Is the rest of the world to follow?
