Portugal Positions Itself As Europe’s Top Medical Cannabis Exporter

With a climate conducive to cannabis cultivation all year round, low production costs and a clear legal code, Portugal is gearing up to become a medical cannabis powerhouse. In fact, the country is on track to surpass the Netherlands as Europe’s largest producer by 2020. Portugal also has one of the world’s lowest production costs, thanks to its temperate climate and good natural light conditions. Portugal’s most recent shipment of medical cannabis was shipped to Germany.

Portugal has recently licensed two companies to produce medical cannabis. The first is Holigen, a Portuguese subsidiary of Canadian firm Flowr. The second is Tilray Portugal, which obtained a license from the national agency Infarmed in July 2019. Holigen has already invested 20 million euros in Portugal and plans to invest a further 100 million euros. It is expected to employ 150 workers by the end of this year. It also owns Canmart, a British company that exports its products throughout Europe.

In June 2018, Portugal’s government approved the use of medicinal cannabis. Patients must have a prescription from a doctor and can only use it to treat conditions such as chronic pain, cancer treatment, or post-traumatic stress disorder. Portugal has also made a commitment to research and development, which could help the country position itself as Europe’s leading exporter of medical cannabis products.

Portugal has also embraced the new industry in Lisbon by holding a two-day international cannabis fair. The event brought together exhibitors from over 50 countries and keynote speakers on cannabis legalisation, hemp legalisation, and business applications. Graca Castanho, the organizer of the event, was instrumental in arranging the event.

Portugal is also working towards legalising cannabis for non-medical purposes. It currently lists it with other drugs under decriminalization laws, and removing cannabis from that list will be the first step towards legalisation. The two main parties in Portugal have submitted draft laws to change the law. The Left Bloc party wants the state to regulate the process, while the Liberal Initiative wants little to no state involvement.

While Europe is unlikely to liberalize its laws, the market for medical marijuana is growing in Europe. Many countries in the region have already legalized the drug, such as Hungary, Croatia, Cyprus, and Ireland. Portugal has also allowed Tilray Inc to start growing and exporting medical marijuana. These countries have a public health care system that allows them to grow the crop legally.

The European Union and Portugal have partnered to support research into cannabis. A consortium led by EXM received a EUREUR320,000 COVID-19 research grant. The group is also working on developing disinfectants that use terpenes from cannabis. These terpenes could also be used in reusable masks.

Portugal has historically been a leader in the world of marijuana. Cannabis was first introduced in Portugal by Portuguese traders in the 16th century, and the Portuguese have long been familiar with the plant. It may have even contributed to the Portuguese’s reputation as great seafarers. Despite this history, attitudes towards cannabis were often negative, especially in the 1980s, when drug abuse was widespread.

Portugal has several licensed cannabis growing facilities and plans to expand its capacity to more than 2 hectares by the end of 2019. This will allow the country to meet the growing demands of key European medical cannabis markets, including Israel. It also plans to significantly expand its cultivation capacity in 2021, and eventually reach more than 10 tons per year. These efforts are critical as Europe looks to expand its access to the drug.

The debates surrounding cannabis have been lively for centuries in the Middle East and Islamic World. The debates about the use of cannabis are fueled by counterintuitive religious interpretation, social issues, and political and economic realities. The debates in these regions are likely to continue as long as the country’s clerical authorities do not understand the substance. In addition, the country is currently a leader in experiments with drug policy.

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