The Danish government has permanently authorized licensed companies to produce and export medical cannabis independent of an existing pilot program.

“This is an important milestone recognizing this young industry, which utilizes the local expertise in greenhouse agriculture mass production,” Aurora Europe said in a statement. “Being able to tap into resources of the established international pharmaceutical industry is also a valuable location advantage.”

There are several locations across Europe where cannabis use is as much part of the culture as French wine and Italian coffee.

In recent years, we’ve seen a huge increase in weed - otherwise known as cannabis or marijuana - becoming legalised for medical use across the board. CBD oil and hemp especially have seen a rise in popularity across markets from skincare to wellness.

While elements of cannabis have their advantages, the science doesn’t work in recreational joint-smokers’ favour. The drug is heavily associated with mental and physical health conditions including psychosis and schizophrenia.

Back in the days when “skunk” was mainly associated with Pepé Le Pew and hydroponics was a way of improving cucumbers, most of the UK’s cannabis supply was imported from places such as Morocco and Lebanon. This changed in the past two or three decades in the UK and many other countries as organised criminal gangs set up growing operations closer to home.

While there are countries where the use of cannabis is a way of life, it is a big crime to be found with a cannabis product in many other countries.

What was once an illegal substance is now considered in many countries around the world as being acceptable. As you could guess, I’m talking about cannabis or marijuana. Thanks to its many benefits, cannabis has infiltrated many markets globally, with more and more people joining the bandwagon of users, sellers, transporters, and producers. So, what is its legal status in the Scandinavian world? Well, just a little patience will pay off, as the answer is just around the corner. But first things first: what is cannabis?.

In 2018, Denmark started a four-year programme to assess cannabis-based medicines and build a base of what could become a domestic medical cannabis supply framework.

According to the new FW European Medical Cannabis Ecosystem report by First Wednesdays, Denmark’s programme is two trials running parallel: one for domestic medical use and another for domestic cultivation.

In Denmark, cultivation has an open-ended system. This means there is no cap on production volumes or limits on licensed businesses.

The aim is to achieve a certain high standard in cannabis cultivation, with the help of a clear framework that would see producers being engaged with plant scientists, breeders, AgTech, and pharma engineering firms.

The coronavirus pandemic led to a decrease in the use of party drugs like MDMA and cocaine, but also to an increase in pot use, according to Global Drug Survey.

Forty thousand people from 12 countries participated in the online survey that looked at changes in alcohol and drug-related habits during the global health crisis. The 12 countries included in the study were Germany, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Ireland, Australia, the United Kingdom, Austria, Denmark, Greece, Brazil, and Switzerland. 

Based on the data, nearly a fifth of people reported that they used less cocaine during lockdown, while 29% said they used less MDMA, popularly known as ecstasy or molly. 

Denmark is quickly becoming one of the largest cannabis growers in Europe. As of the 2nd of March, 2020, the Danish government has authorised more than 40 cannabis companies to cultivate and handle marijuana in order to produce medicinal-grade products.

But what’s the legal situation of cannabis in Denmark? Can residents or tourists use marijuana without getting into legal trouble? Let’s find out.

Christian Carlsen, Business Director of NNE, showcases the diverse Danish ecosystem and explains how NNE is striving to accomplish its mission of adding value to the medical cannabis industry.

Denmark proudly supports its healthcare services, showcasing a long history of life science, further coupled with valuable experience in agriculture and horticulture. Now, with a rapidly evolving medical cannabis industry, Denmark has the opportunity to cohesively align its progressing ecosystem to work together with diverse companies emerging in the medical cannabis marketplace. NNE, the international company specialising in pharma engineering, is at the forefront of this movement.

Along with Invest in Denmark and Invest in Odense, Danish pharma specialist NNE is launching the first public-private partnership in Denmark.

A strong horticultural heritage, a strong pharma sector, combined with progressive and clear legislation for production of medical cannabis made Denmark a first mover in Europe.

Now, the first medical cannabis investor summit in Denmark is already attracting attention, reinforced by political support for an extension of the trial program aired by Minister of Health.