World Law Group Releases 2020 Global Cannabis Policy Report

In the midst of COVID, election turmoil, and the general, worldwide drama that has taken place this year, a global collaboration of law experts released the World Law Group Cannabis Guide 2020, a guide that provides information  

As the guide points out, this kind of information is necessary because cannabis is becoming a contested issue across the country, as more and more countries and regions within countries are legally allowing for recreational and medical cannabis. Hemp is also becoming a worldwide industry. 

“World Law Group’s Cannabis Group consists of member firm lawyers with expertise in the legal issues relevant to industry participants,” the organization behind the study explains on their website regarding their organization. “Our expertise includes much more than compliance-related activities (licensing, product specific taxes, regulatory compliance, etc.). 

“These issues are often complicated by differences between local and federal laws, their overlap with international treaties, and differences in cultural and political acceptance for the industry’s products,” it continues. “The group’s goal is to be able to tap each other’s local knowledge to provide relevant and seamless client advice, especially in cross-border investments (including research arrangements), financing and import/export challenges, in this fast-growing market.”

Global Discrepancies In Cannabis Policy

The guide also points out the global discrepancies when it comes to legal cannabis. Across the U.S., there is no consistency in cannabis law, and many countries that are near each other on the map differ greatly when it comes to cannabis policy. 

The information in the guide was compiled in March of 2020 and provides a general overview of what cannabis looks like across the world in all areas with some form of legalization. The study also goes on to explain in detail that “it does not replace professional and detailed legal advice, as facts and circumstances vary on a case-by-case basis and country-specific regulations may change.”

Additionally, the report goes through legal countries and states in the U.S. to talk about different legal regulations and details. Some of the information included would be common knowledge to most cannabis users in the region, while others are lesser-known. 

For example, when it examines Oregon, the report asks for a look at the current enforcement landscape when it comes to cannabis legislation. 

“The possession and use of cannabis use has been fully legalized, although there are limits on the amounts that may be possessed,” the report explains. “Enforcement of laws related to personal possession and use has been deprioritized. Oversight of licensed businesses is quite strict, although a large number of licensees compared to the number of regulators can lead to spotty enforcement.” 

In the section on Washington, the report states, “Generally, enforcement of personal cannabis use in Washington state is lax but depends widely on local government policies. Personal cannabis use for any purpose has been legalized and possession of up to one ounce is legal.” 

This information, carefully compiled by European and American legal experts, provides insight into the patterns of cannabis use across the world in 2020, and hopefully points towards even more patterns of legalization in the near future.