“The construction of Europe is an art. It is the art of the possible” – Jacques Chirac
The European Union is looked at as a magical creation, highlighting the beauty of diplomacy. It’s a shared idea that the majority of European countries all unite behind. This unity can materialise in the form of laws, civil rights, taxations and job prospects. However, whilst the world is beginning to turn their attention to cannabis and see it in a different way, one would assume that the EU would be the first to take over this market. But, it hasn’t really happened. The USA and other nations or continents have proved to be far more progressive towards cannabis than Europe has. So why has this happened? What is truly wrong with the EU cannabis market? And is it all really so doom and gloom? Let’s take a look.
The EU catches up slowly, just barely having increased the legal level of THC allowed in hemp. If you want leniency and products, you’ll have to look across the pond. Make sure to subscribe to The THC Weekly Newsletter for deals on legal cannabis products, as well as all the latest news and industry stories. Also save big on Delta 8, Delta 9 THC, Delta-10 THC, THCO, THCV, THCP & HHC products by checking out our “Best-of” lists!
What is the European Union?
In 1951, many major European countries came together to try and find a peaceful pact after two bloody wars, which had killed millions. What was then referred to as the Schuman Declaration, later became the European Economic Community in 1957 and then the European Union in 1992. Now, the EU contains 27 European countries – which the UK is now longer part of. However, for the basis of this article, we will include the UK because their exit is too recent to show any separation from the rest of Europe when it comes to the cannabis market.
“Today, hundreds of millions dwell in freedom, from the Baltic to the Adriatic, from the Western Approaches to the Aegean. And while we must never take this for granted, the first purpose of the European Union – to secure peace – has been achieved and we should pay tribute to all those in the EU, alongside Nato, who made that happen.” – David Cameron, Former prime minister of the UK
Not only was the European Union made to end any potential future world wars, but also to create a single market. The EU allows selling and buying between European countries to be easy, with few limitations and embargos. In addition, travelling and working in neighbouring nations is made easier – which promotes the idea of sharing workforces and expertise across borders. The ideas and concepts behind the EU are magical, but the way in which they’ve been handled in reality have left many smaller nations to feel hard done by.
EU and Cannabis Market
The EU cannabis market is a tricky one to analyse. You might be thinking: ‘why are we analysing it at all? Surely each country is different with its own laws on cannabis?’. Well, you’d be right in a sense. Each nation in Europe does have its own cannabis laws and regulations – some more progressive, some more strict. However, whenever a country shifts the window of expectation in Europe, the other neighbouring nations react. This is of course because no action goes unnoticed, especially with the many EU meetings and conversations that take place. The ideal is that the continent moves forward as one in almost all decisions. The pact of the EU lays deep, and therefore there are trends that begin to occur when it comes to legalization and policy. That means that if enough major European countries decided to legalize recreational cannabis, it would be likely that the rest would follow.
However, the year is 2022, and that has not happened. Whilst the majority of countries in Europe may have legalized medical cannabis, recreational cannabis is majorly illegal throughout the continent. CBD products containing no more than 0.3% THC are legal, but any products with THC content above this is mostly illegal. The Netherlands, though it seems like a drug-utopia, has never officially legalized cannabis. It is simply decriminalised for personal use. Rather than the Netherlands becoming an example for the rest of Europe, it’s simply become a drug-related theme park where hungry Europeans can flood to smoke themselves to oblivion.
Another minor cannabis highlight of Europe is Luxembourg, which in 2021 became the first European nation to legalize the cultivation of cannabis. However, again, the impact of this is still yet to be seen. In fact, the only nation in Europe that has officially legalized cannabis in Europe is Malta, which is the smallest nation in the EU. As you can imagine, the smaller nations have less impact and influence over the proceedings of the larger countries. These powerful nations are: Germany, France, Italy, Spain and – for the basis of this article – the UK. None of these 5 pivotal countries have fully legalized cannabis.