THE EMERGING LEGAL CANNABIS INDUSTRY · THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY •Size •Different activities...

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THE EMERGING LEGAL CANNABIS INDUSTRY: CORPORATE MISCONDUCT ON THE HORIZON? Marthe Ongenaert Global Alcohol Policy Conference - 10/03/2020 DEPARTMENT OF PENAL LAW, CRIMINOLOGY AND SOCIAL LAW INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL DRUG RESEARCH

Transcript of THE EMERGING LEGAL CANNABIS INDUSTRY · THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY •Size •Different activities...

Page 1: THE EMERGING LEGAL CANNABIS INDUSTRY · THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY •Size •Different activities •Production & sale of medical and recreational cannabis •CBD- products •Cannabis

THE EMERGING LEGAL CANNABIS INDUSTRY:

CORPORATE MISCONDUCT ON THE HORIZON?

Marthe Ongenaert Global Alcohol Policy Conference - 10/03/2020

DEPARTMENT OF PENAL LAW, CRIMINOLOGY AND SOCIAL LAW

INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL DRUG RESEARCH

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THE PROHIBITION OF CANNABIS

& SHIFT TO ALTERNATIVE

REGULATORY MODELS

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THE PROHIBITION OF CANNABIS

• Historically there was only the repressive approach towards

cannabis

• Restrcitive measures on psycholactive drugs were introduced in the 19th

century due to the growing concern over certain dangerous social groups

(Bewley-taylor, et al., 2014)

• Shortcomings of this approach

• Because of the illegal nature of cannabis, there is no control over the quality

and composition

• Very profitable for the criminal organisations that are involved

• The use of cannabis increases, despite the cannabis prohibition

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ALTERNATIVE REGULATORY MODELS

• Uruguay• Domestic cultivation and Cannabis Social Clubs

• Non-profit organisations

• Pharmacies

• The United States• Legalisation on state level

• Commercialisation

• Canada • Legalisation on federal level

• Hybrid model

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WIDE RANGE OF REGULATORY OPTIONS

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Uruguay

The United States

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THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY

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THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY

• Size

• Different activities• Production & sale of medical and recreational cannabis

• CBD- products

• Cannabis seeds

• Innovation in the industry

• The stock market • Green gold rush

• Industry associations

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COMMERCIALISATION VERSUS

PUBLIC HEALTH

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BALANCE BETWEEN PUBLIC HEALTH AND COMMERCIALISATION

• Public health perspective

• Reducing substance use and harm reduction

Public interests

• Commercial models

• Opening the market to promote the global distribution of harmful products

• Normalising use: increasing demand

• Minimising damage associated with the use

private interests

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HISTORICAL LESSONS

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COMMERCIALISATION OF OTHER HARMFUL SUBSTANCES

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Alcohol

Medicines Tobacco

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SEVERAL HARMFUL CORPORATE STRATEGIES

• Influencing and financing scientific research (Subritzky, et al., 2017)

• Financial support to scientists

• Financial support to scientific journals and conferences

• Influence the public perception of research results

• Trying to be part of the policy process (Brownell & Warner, 2009)

• Underlining their economic necessity

• Inviting politicians to meetings

• Distributing their own reports, research, legalislative documents, etc.

• Putting pressure on the government

• Intense, agressive marketing (Scheuer, 2015)

These activities can have a negative impact on public health

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HARMFUL PRACTICES OF THE ALCOHOL INDUSTRY

• Influencing and financing scientific research

• The group of Belgian Brewers sponsered academic research that analysed the social costs

and benefits of alcohol use and abuse in Belgium

• Trying to be part of the policy process

• Social corporate responsibility: ABInbev positioned itself as a partner, together with the

academic hospital and the university of Leuven, in a campaign which aims to reduce

irresponsible alcohol consumption

• Lobbying

• Raising the age limit to 18 years in Belgium

• Minister of health & Belgian Brewers say: "banning beer would only make it more attractive

to young people. A ban is not a magic solution to combat excessive beer consumption by

young people“

• Intense and aggressive marketing

• Breezer commercial is targeted at young people

• Belgian football competition is called “The Jupiler Pro League”13

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LINKS BETWEEN BIG MARIJUANA

AND BIG ALCOHOL

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BIG ALCOHOL

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• The cannabis regulation system in Colorado and

Washington has some similarities with the alcohol

regulation system after the alcohol ban that ended in

1933 (Kleiman, 2014)

• Various partnerships and links

• Constellation brands paid 4 billion dollars for an investment in

Canopy Growth Corporation

• AB Inbev collaborates with cannabis producer Tilray and invested

50 million dollars

• Molson Coors Brewing Company formed a joint venture with

cannabis companies

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CONCLUSION

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CORPORATE MISCONDUCT ON THE HORIZON?

• There is a shift towards legalising cannabis

• Several countries opted for a commercial model

• Big Tobacco, Big Alcohol and Big Pharma have in the past been

engaging in harmful business practices

• These industries are clearly interested in the emerging cannabis

industry

Are the same harmful practices that can be observed from Big

Tobacco, Big Alcohol and Big Pharma occurring in the cannabis

industry and why are they occurring?

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Marthe OngenaertPhD- researcher

Ghent University

INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL DRUG RESEARCH

E [email protected]

T +329 264 84 63

M +324 72 01 06 52

THANK !