ICBC Berlin Updates and Legalization of Cannabis in Germany

We are especially ecstatic about Chris's role as moderator for the panel discussion 'High Tech - High Times' on June 30th. This panel will discuss the intersection of technology and the cannabis industry, an important topic as innovation continues to reshape the landscape. We encourage your attendance and participation in this stimulating discussion. At Isolocity, we take great pride in serving the cannabis industry. With our proven track record and cannabis installations in 15 countries worldwide, we are dedicated to delivering the highest quality EQMS solutions to businesses operating in this sector. Our presence at ICBC Berlin reflects our commitment and expertise. We eagerly anticipate networking with industry professionals, exchanging insights, and exploring collaborative opportunities during the event. If you are in Berlin, we earnestly hope you will stop by our booth #506. We appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with individuals who share our enthusiasm for advancing the cannabis industry and fostering excellence through quality management solutions. See you shortly in Berlin!

ICBC Berlin Update - 2022

Post Event Discussions

Legalization of cannabis in Germany

If you follow the Cannabis industry, you probably would know that lately, Germany has started moving towards legalizing adult-use of cannabis. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has scheduled a draft law to be ready by the end of 2022 for the legalization of cannabis in Germany. As per the Health Minister, Germany has over 4 million adult-use Cannabis users which is about 5% of the population. To put that number in perspective, according to cdc.gov, about 48.2 million adults in the USA, which accounts for approximately 18% of the population, used cannabis at least once in 2019. This number in Canada is 17% as per canada.ca. The legalization of adult-use cannabis in Germany will lead to a growth in adult-use cannabis users in the country. In recent times Berlin has also experienced a pro-cannabis rally demand where around 500 Cannabis supporters gathered in Berlin and demanded faster action from the Government for the legalization of cannabis in Germany.

ICBC in Berlin, Germany

Given this context, this year International Cannabis Business Conference was held in Berlin which was an intelligent move. We were fortunate to be a part of the biggest Cannabis trade show in entire Europe. Just like us, attendees flew from 85 different countries and gathered for a 2 day B2B conference in Berlin. We were at booth 143 and it was a pleasure meeting with some old clients and friends. These photos below probably will give some indication about the fun we had. We met GlassHouse Botanics, NOC Pharma, RQC Pharma, Elevated Signals, and many other friends at the conference. We had some great discussions (some over drinks too) about the cannabis industry and the prospect of the same in Germany. It was a pleasure to watch Mr. Burkhard Blienert, The Federal Government’s Drug and Addiction Commissioner. He talked about the current complexities of the adult-use cannabis law in Germany and the entire Europe.

Discussion Points at ICBC

The 2-day conference was also packed with many other speakers and panels and we thoroughly enjoyed them. The discussions revolved around

• Cannabis policy in Germany and how that can make an impact in Europe and the rest of the world
• Emerging markets for Cannabis besides Germany
• Complexities of the Cannabis industry concerning logistics, standardization, regulations, etc.

Takeaways from ICBC

After the 2 days event, we feel a little wiser. Some of the takeaways from the conference would be

1. Berlin Subway system is way more advanced than Toronto (on a lighter note )
2. The German medical cannabis market is driven a lot by distributors importing products from Canada and African nations.
3. Recreational legalization is still a little ways away but the movement seems very positive.
4. Portugal and Spain are hot markets.
5. Having a fully validated GMP EQMS that is compliant with Annex 11 is a must to operate in the EU. So if you are planning for an adult-use cannabis business in Germany, we can help as we have 20 years of experience in GMP.