MedCann Vision 2022
The MedCann Economy: 2022 Vision project aims to secure the required changes to the UK's legislative and regulatory environment to allow the UK medical cannabis sector to achieve its full potential for the mutual benefit of the industry, the economy, and patients.
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Background
Funding
Approach
The areas to be addressed are set out in Maple Tree's Ten Recommendations for Government White Paper, first published in spring 2021.
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At the heart of this plan is the belief that we will only see a change in approach from the Government regarding the UK cannabis industry if the industry itself steps forward and makes the case for change at Government level.
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Making this case will require the explicit identification and communication of the opportunities that the UK will miss out on if urgent action is not taken to address the often outdated and illogical policies and regulations in place that currently hamper and restrict the industry.
"At the heart of this plan is the belief that we will only see a change in approach from the Government regarding the UK cannabis industry if the industry itself steps forward and makes the case for change at Government level."
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Maple Tree Consultants
Recommendations for Government
​The first task in terms of Parliamentary engagement will be to develop a comprehensive stakeholder map of members of the House of Commons and of the House of Lords. This will contain key information such as party, perceived position, perceived knowledge of the issue, links to the industry, and constituency interest in the industry.
Based on this work and our existing knowledge, we will aim to identify Parliamentary champions whom we can then work closely with to orchestrate activity in Parliament as appropriate.
Ten Recommendations for Government, produced by Maple Tree, calls on the Government to review its restrictive approach to the cannabis industry - which could create tens of thousands of jobs, and bring much needed capital to the country.
The market is currently hindered by outdated laws and regulations, which isn’t helped by a declining economy and unemployment levels at an all time high.
Recommendations for Government
The recognition that cannabis has medicinal properties has resulted in an increasing number of jurisdictions legalising access to it to varying degrees. Currently, this comprises over 50 countries, including Canada, Australia, Germany and over half of the US states.
This increased recognition and legalised access has resulted in a global medicinal cannabis industry currently estimated to be worth £16.5 billion now and reaching to over £55 billion by 2027.
For this reason, Maple Tree set out ten recommendations that should be implemented if the UK is to avoid missing out on commercial, industrial and patient benefits of a medicinal cannabis industry.
01
Reform the high-THC cultivation license application to make the process quicker and simpler
02
Allow GPs to prescribe medical cannabis in addition to hospital consultants
03
Revisit the NICE guidelines and assess the safety and efficacy of cannabis as a plant and not as a pharmaceutical product
04
Reform the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to ensure it is fit for the legal medicinal cannabis market
05
Ask the Government to undertake a thorough health economic analysis of the true cost of introduction of medicinal cannabis into the market
06
Ensure that the FCAs recommendations on allowing cannabis-related companies to float on the LSE remains unencumbered
Achieved 2021
07
Allow the cultivation of hemp flowers under the current industrial hemp license system
08
Increase the THC limit for hemp from 0.3% to 1% to align with international competition
09
Review the Medicines Act 2012 to allow CBD suppliers to make justifiable wellness and medical claims
10
Ensure the Novel Foods recommendations do not negatively impact on smaller CBD producers