Cannabis continued to make headlines around the globe in 2018, from the historic legalization of recreational use in Canada to passage of medical marijuana legislation in traditionally conservative countries.
Take a look back at these and other crucial marijuana business stories that broke this year in the following slideshow.
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It was a breakout year for exports of medical cannabis from Canada, and 2018 also saw the first legal trans-Atlantic shipment of medical cannabis with Africa. The Canadian cannabis industry started measuring capital raised in the billions of dollars, an almost unimaginable increase from previous years.
The investments were made with global opportunities in mind – including expansion in the United States when it becomes federally permissible. As of November, 54 U.S.-based cannabis firms listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange.
But more countries are rapidly coming on board. Denmark, Malta, Greece, Portugal and Macedonia all made significant moves during the year. And medical cannabis in the United Kingdom was something almost no one expected a year ago.
Another surprise was the promise of Luxembourg’s incoming government to legalize recreational cannabis, with the country now poised to become the first to do it in Europe.
The WHO already recommended earlier this year that pure CBD should not be included in international drug control conventions. The fact that international bodies are even talking about such a move denotes a significant shift in how cannabis is viewed.
