Global Ganja Report

2019 saw advances for cannabis freedom on both the national and global stage—but also some near-misses, from New York state to Mexico, which have left activists frustrated if no less determined. As advocates prepare to carry the fight into 2020, here's a review of what was achieved—or almost achieved—over the past 12 months.

Brazil's limited medical marijuana program takes a step forward with new regulations allowing importation of THC products. Cultivation within the country, however, will be confined to "hemp"—that is, CBD-only strains. And even that is proceeding very slowly. The far-right government of Jair Bolsonaro meanwhile continues its hardline policies in the face of fast-escalating narco-violence.

Legal cannabis sales are officially starting in Michigan on Dec. 1—but with a big emphasis on the "officially." Cannabis shortages and a dearth of licensed dispensaries mean that the Wolverine State's retail recreational program will be off to a less than flying start. Even last-minute abandonment of the planned firewall between the medical and recreational markets may be insufficient to salvage the situation.

This year has seen a disturbing nationwide outbreak of lung injuries, some fatal, which researchers link to vaping—either of tobacco products or cannabis concentrates. A regulatory crack-down on the vaping industry has ensued—but amid serious confusion displayed by politicians and media alike.

Boomers are using cannabis more, with many turning to the herb as medicine to deal with the challenges of advancing years. They are also the generation that began the demographic tilt in favor of legalization. And unlike the "Zoomers" of Generation Z, they are resisting the lure of extracts in favor of old-fashioned dried flowers.

There is a discomforting sense that Mexico is perpetually on the eve of cannabis legalization, as the country's Congress wins a six-month extension from the Supreme Court to pass a law freeing the herb. But foreign capital is already eyeing Mexico's emergent legal cannabis sector—even amid a terrifying escalation in the bloody cartel wars. 

The percentage of military veterans facing challenges from PTSD is staggering, but the Department of Veterans Affairs remains intransigent on allowing access to cannabis—the only treatment that provides relief for many. And there has been little progress on efforts in Congress to remedy the situation.

As a new law lifts restrictions on investment in Colorado's cannabis sector, many fear consolidation by big money—a concern uniting some small operators with cultural conservatives. But others see a growth opportunity for small enterprises.