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Cannabis Innovate

Cannabis Innovate aims to provide research and analysis across the three pillars of policy, legislation and technological innovation.

The initiative constitutes a partnership between the Global Drug Policy Observatory (GDPO) at Swansea University and Equinox International; with some activities undertaken in collaboration with the Transnational Institute (TNI).

Amidst the rapid expansion of medical cannabis markets around the world, it seeks to operate as a knowledge hub offering clarity and solution-oriented outputs and activities to a range of end-users operating within an increasingly complex commercial and policy environment.

The work of Cannabis Innovate is underpinned by the promotion of ethically sourced and environmentally sustainable medical cannabis from traditional producer countries and the belief that improved access to cannabis for medical use predominantly within the Global North need not lead to the exclusion and continued marginalization of small-scale cannabis farmers within the Global South.

Policy, legislation and technological innovation Promotion of ethically sourced and environmentally sustainable medical cannabis from traditional producer countries

Policy

In-depth research and analysis of the policy landscape at sub-national, national, regional and international levels to enhance understanding of an increasingly complex and dynamic environment.

Legislation

Monitoring, cataloguing and examination of cannabis related legislation, highlighting best practice from around the world and assessing options for transnational trade.

Technology

Developing technological and environmentally focused innovation of equipment and processes deployed across the entire cannabis production-consumption cycle.

Policy Report: Fair(er) Trade Options for the Cannabis Market

Policy changes over the past five years or so have dramatically reshaped the global cannabis market. Not only has there been an unprecedented boom in medical markets, but following policy shifts in several jurisdictions a growing number of countries are also preparing for legal regulation of non-medical use. Such moves look set to bring a clear range of benefits in terms of health and human rights. As this groundbreaking Report, highlights, however, there are also serious concerns about the unfolding market dynamics.

Many for-profit cannabis companies from the Global North are aggressively competing to capture the licit spaces now rapidly opening in the multi-billion-dollar global cannabis market. This threatens to push small-scale and marginalized traditional farmers from many countries in the Global South out of the emerging legal market. It is argued here by Martin Jelsma,Sylvia Kay and David Bewley-Taylor that there should be no reason why, using carefully designed regulatory frameworks, small-scale farmers cannot work in mutually beneficial partnership with or alongside large companies. This might be achieved through a fair(er) trade cannabis model built around a rights-based, inclusive and environmentally sustainable approach to market engagement.

Mindful of the intricate, cross-cutting and complex nature of the commercial and legal environment, Fair(er) Trade Options for the Cannabis Market proposes a set of interconnecting frameworks through which to better understand the issue and concludes with a set of guiding principles upon which a fair(er) trade cannabis model might be built.

Cannabis Innovate

Policy

Legislation

Technology

Policy Report: Fair(er) Trade Options for the Cannabis Market

Who we are
and where we come from

Global Drug Policy Observatory

Transnational Institute - Drugs and Democracy Programme

Equinox International

Cannabis Innovate

Policy

Legislation

Technology

Policy Report: Fair(er) Trade Options for the Cannabis Market

Before download...

Before download...

Who we areand where we come from

Global Drug Policy Observatory

Transnational Institute - Drugs and Democracy Programme

Equinox International

Who we are
and where we come from