The Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products (FAMHP) has received anapplication to allow the establishment of a large R&D facility to perform large-scale research into medicinal cannabis in the town of Kinrooi in the provence of Limburg. If this research facility can be established, it will generate approximately 500 to 800 new jobs.

The suppression of spasticity in MS patients or pain relief to cancer: the impact of medical cannabis in the year 2016 is undisputed. "Still, much more research is absolutely needed," says Joris Vanvinckenroye, founder of Royal Doctors.

Medicinal Cannabis Sativex and Bedrocan are now available in many European countries, and several have infrastructure in place to supply patients with medicinal cannabis. So which countries are moving with the times, and which are dragging their heels? Where are medicinal and recreational users most (and least) free to utilize their drug of choice? Let’s take a look at the facts.

The Belgian cannabis movement, a small but powerful force, is still recovering from the shock caused by the unexpected death of legalization advocate and long-time resident of the country, Joep Oomen, in March. Oomen was a pivotal figure in the broader European drug reform movement and founded Belgium’s first Cannabis Social Club (CSC). Members gathered at the 11th annual Cannabis Liberation Day in Antwerp last month and considered how Oomen’s legacy will inspire the European legalization movement going forward.

As a European, it’s been exhilarating to watch how the cannabis industry is sweeping across the U.S. The new brands, technology, science, culture, and great products are awe-inspiring. As much as I would love things to follow the same path here in Europe, I just can’t help but feel that things are not going to.

A Winding Road

International attention was raised yesterday in the conference held inside the European Parliament in Brussels on hemp and medical cannabis hosted by SYRIZA MEP, Stelios Kouloglou. 

Prominent figures from the world of politics, international organizations and civil society and many participants from all over Europe to the US participated in a rich and constructive debate on the therapeutic value of cannabis and the multiple uses resulting from the cultivation of this plant helping thus to boost the employment and the economy.

The European magazine Politico announced the conference with a special report entitled “is growing hemp the way to save the Greek economy?”

Almost a thousand plants were confiscated from chalets in Benifato and La Nucía

A UK national and a Belgian have been arrested by the Policía Nacional following the confiscation of almost a thousand marijuana plants from two chalets in Benifato and La Nucía, in the Marina Baja area of the province of Alicante, along with sophisticated watering, ventilation and heating systems. 

The British woman, aged 44, and the Belgian man (61) have both been released on bail: neither has a previous record of any similar offences. 

A material made by mixing hemp with lime and water forms a new layer of insulation around this house in Belgium, as part of a renovation by Ghent studio Martens Van Caimere Architecten.

Known as hempcrete, the hemp-based render was applied in thick layers to all four walls of the small house to help it retain heat and make the structure more weather-resistant. The result is a textured surface with a similar appearance to rammed earth.

According to architect Nikolaas Martens, one of the two co-founders of Martens Van Caimere Architecten, the material offers a similar but more sustainable and economical solution than concrete.

Peter Decuypere, the founder of the I Love Techno rave, has written an open letter in which he calls for the legalisation of soft drugs. Mr Decuypere intervenes in the debate after police made massive seizures of drugs at the Dour music festival in Wallonia.

During checks at the Dour festival 1,300 ecstasy pills, 690 lsd trips and nearly 3 kilos of cannabis were seized. Belgian police are planning similar operations at next weekend's Tomorrowland music festival.

The festival organiser says that a repressive attitude encourages risky behaviour with regard to drugs. Mr Decuypere believes that a repressive approach means that people do drugs in secret and that prevents all controls. In this way it's also more difficult to help people when things go pear-shaped.

The public prosecutor requested 4 years in prison for the manager and initiator of several cannabis plantations at criminal court trial in Liege on Monday.

A total of 8 plantations were dismantled after bringing in a profit estimated at 524,000 euros over the course of several months. 20 other defendants are facing prison sentences of between 6 and 30 months. 8 cannabis plantations were dismantled in the Liège and Ghent areas late 2014. The plantations were managed by an organised Turkish-Vietnamese network.

From 2012 to 2014, the number of cannabis possession charges increased from 21,000 to 30,000 in the country, an increase that exceeds 40%. In ten years, the number of established events was doubled.

This is what was indicated Friday the Last Hour.

Meanwhile, the number of cannabis sales made increased from about 4,000 to 5,000, in two years (+ 20%). These figures relate mainly to marijuana and not cannabis resin. These developments are largely due to the activity of the police in Antwerp, Brussels and Liege with cumulative sales and possession made up a strong increase of 45%.

This is a "historic high" according to Michel Bruneau, the Commissioner for Federal police narcotics section.

Note this article was translated from its original in french.