Global Ganja Report

An international network of non-governmental organizations has submitted a "shadow report" to the United Nations, calling the war on drugs a "spectacular failure"—and calling on the world's governments to reconsider it. The report takes heart from the growing official tolerance of cannabis in several countries around the world, but warns of escalating and horrific repression in the name of drug enforcement in several others. Will the UN take heed when it revisits the question of drug policy in 2019?

Amid the seemingly endless hype about CBD, its once better-known sibling cannabinoid THC seems to increasingly languish in the shadows—both in terms of media attention and industry investment.

Canada's course to cannabis prohibition closely followed that in its southern neighbor. As in the United States, cannabis a century ago was widely available in tincture form as a medication before being banned in a campaign that blatantly harnessed racism and xenophobia. Yet now Canada is legalizing coast to coast, while the US federal government remains intransigent.

An early harbinger of Canada's enlightenment was the 1969 Le Dain Commission, which studied illegal drugs at the order of Ottawa, in response to then exploding use—especially of cannabis. The Le Dain Commission cut through the propaganda to recommend a common-sense policy—which Canada's government is actually now going beyond.

On the first day of legal cannabis in Canada, many suppliers ran out of stock—pointing to challenges in meeting demand. Several provincial governments and private outlets turned to e-commerce company Shopify to help negotiate the initial tsunami of online sales.

Canada's postal unions are contemplating a nationwide walk-out—exactly as legal mail-order cannabis deliveries are set to begin. Talks are ongoing, but if the strike is not averted, cannabis consumers could be left high and dry—especially in those provinces that are relying mostly or entirely on home deliveries.

A major player in Canada's legal cannabis sector is seeking to acquire a troubled US-based company—the latest example of the trend toward consolidation in the industry now crossing international borders.

Justin Cooper is co-founder and CEO of British Columbia-based Green Planet, which supplies equipment to all of Canada's Licensed Producers of cannabis as well as producing its own line of fertilizers. He speaks with Cannabis Now about the fast-growing legal industry in his country, and what it means for the world.

As legal cannabis finally becomes a reality in Canada, a policy patchwork across the country's provinces and ongoing political tussles have left many confused as to what the new system will actually look like. We break down some of the frequently asked questions.