Massive Marijuana Bust In Ontario And Latest Cannabis Reg Updates In Fiji, Kenya And Australia

Authorities Seize $600k In Illegal Cannabis, Shut Down Seven Shops

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP)-led Provincial Joint Forces Cannabis Enforcement Team (PJFCET) has seized illicit cannabis worth over CA$600,000 and shut down seven illegal storefronts last week.

The police seized over 63 kilograms of dried cannabis flower, 901 packages of cannabis edibles, 536 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) vape pens, 214 grams of butane hash oil (shatter), 436 grams of hashish, 283 packages of psilocybin, one prohibited weapon (brass knuckles), multiple cell phones, and approximately CA$50,000, reported Toronto Sun.

Government-Backed Partnership Brings Medical Marijuana To Fiji

New Zealand-based Medicinal research and nutraceutical wellbeing company Aether Pacific Pharmaceuticals Ltd, trading as Medical Kiwi, has partnered with the Fijian government to develop strategic medicinal cannabis initiatives in the country, reported NZ Herald.

The People's Coalition Cabinet of Fiji has given the green light to the Ministry of Trade to enter into a three-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) with APP. The deal creates a framework for cooperation and collaboration between APP and the government to grow Fiji's medicinal cannabis sector.

The MOU also includes the buildout of a strategic nutraceutical hub which will encompass an advanced extraction and manufacturing facility.

APP's global expansion strategy is backed by a $30 million investment from GEM Global Yield LLC.

See also: Fiji Islands Decriminalize Hemp

Bhang Consumption Hits Kenya, NACADA CEO Concerned

Kenya's National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has warned there's a rise in the use of bhang in the African country.

Bhang is according to Merriam-Webster dictionary " a paste of the ground leaves and flowering tops of cannabis."

NACADA’s CEO Dr. Anthony Omerikwa raised concerns related to the alarming 90% increase in narcotic consumption over the past five years.

"Consumption of bhang in the last five years has gone up by 90%, and based on 2022 research, nearly a million Kenyans are using cannabis sativa; that is, one in every 53 people are using this drug in the country," Dr. Omerikw said during a night operation in Mtwapa, Kilifi County.

Here’s What Australian Surveys Reveal About Cannabis

Two separate surveys have revealed Aussies' stance on cannabis.

The Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey that each year sought insight from 17,000 Australians showed a reduction in smoking rates over the past 13 years, reported SBS Australia.

In 2021, 25% of males and 20% of females aged 15 and over reported being smokers. Ten years later, the figures have decreased to 16% and 12%, respectively.

Interestingly, the same survey showed that marijuana users are less prone to using illicit drugs such as methamphetamine, cocaine or ecstasy.

A separate survey by Alternaleaf, Australia’s largest medical cannabis clinic, showed that 80% of Australian patients want more doctors to prescribe medical cannabis, according to a press release.

The findings suggest that 62% of patients stopped taking other pain medication after starting medical cannabis treatment.

However, only 5% of Australian doctors prescribe medical cannabis currently, while many are prone to recommending opioids for pain relief.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, three people a day die from drug-induced deaths involving opioid use in the country.

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