55% of European adults now support full legalization of cannabis

A recent poll found that 55% of Europeans support the broad legitimacy of adult-use marijuana, with most supporters also supporting home-growing and regulated retail sales.

A poll licensed by Curaleaf International and conducted by Hanway Associates found that fifty-five percent of adults in Europe support the legitimacy of adult-use marijuana, another twenty-five percent oppose it, and twenty percent are indifferent. Of the advocates, eighty-one percent supported regulated retail, sixty-two percent supported home growing, and fifty-six percent supported social causes.

Of the 9,043 survey respondents, 48 ​​percent supported regulated retail, 35 percent supported home growing, and 32 percent favored social causes. Overall, home growing had the greatest resistance among respondents (41 percent).

Antonio Costanzo, CEO of Curaleaf International, said in a statement that the report makes clear that most Europeans have a desire to see recreational marijuana available in a way that gives adults access to high-quality regulated products.

Curaleaf CEO Joe Bayern mentioned that the next step is for the legislation to meet consumer demand, noting that the new German government is committed to legalizing adult-use cannabis and that as soon as Germany is going, the others on the continent are probably doing the same.

He added that the report proves what Curaleaf has been saying for some time: that people in Europe want access to cheap, high-quality, and safe, legal marijuana.

The survey covers adults aged 18+ across Portugal, Spain, UK, Germany, Switzerland, France and the Netherlands between February 24 and March 14.

While Luxembourg approved the cultivation of adult-use cannabis in October, Malta became the first country in the European Union to legalize adult-use cannabis in December.

MORE THAN HALF OF EUROPEANS WANT CANNABIS TO BE LEGALIZED

More than half of the total population of the European Union supports the legalization of cannabis. The study shows a positive sign for entrepreneurs and investors who want to take advantage of the growth in the industry.

According to Alastair Moore, founder of Hanway Associates, a research organization focused on cannabis, the gradual growth of Europe’s medical cannabis market and the explosion of wellness-focused CBD products have caused a change of heart after years of resistance.

He also said opinions surrounding cannabis are now less about scaremongering. The transition from rejection to acceptance is a positive indicator for new entrepreneurs and investors.

Of all the countries supporting cannabis legalization, Portugal and Italy stand out, although they still have to pass important reforms, according to survey data from Hanway Associates.

Surprisingly, despite its popular coffeeshops selling cannabis, the Netherlands has the most negative views on cannabis legalization, with just 47 percent of respondents in favor of legalization. The lowest recorded number among the eight countries surveyed.

Approximately eighty percent of the fifty-five percent of respondents who support cannabis legalization prefer it to be sold in state-regulated establishments. According to Antonio Costanzo, the international chief executive officer of Curaleaf Holdings Inc., this would help starve out the illicit market, which thrives without a legal sector.

The shift in public opinion is being seen in the industry as an opportunity for governments to initiate regulatory reforms that go beyond allowing the use of medicinal cannabis to include recreational use. Such a decision would bring billions of dollars in new revenue to companies.

Antonio Costanzo also mentioned that the legalization of cannabis is not only perceived as an economic opportunity, but also as an opportunity for policy makers and politicians to talk about legalization as it is inevitable as there is both public and political support.

GERMANY IN FOCUS

For the time being, everyone is talking about Germany. That’s because the coalition government that recently took office has promised to legalize marijuana, but when that will happen is still unknown. Additionally, experimental medical and recreational cannabis projects in Switzerland, the Netherlands and Denmark are improving sentiment. According to the Prohibition Partners report published on the subject, the first sales of fully legal cannabis for adult use in Europe are expected to take place in Switzerland by the end of 2022.

Tilray Brands Inc. and Curaleaf are two of the most prominent international players preparing to enter the European market.

Curaleaf CEO Joe Bayern said it remains optimistic about the capacity for expansion into European countries and will expand into cannabis-accessible markets as soon as possible.

Tilray, which owns cannabis cultivation facilities in Germany and Portugal, says it is a leader in sales of medical cannabis in Germany and is well-positioned to do the same in the recreational space if it’s approved.

Companies refer to the North American market, where legalization in one state created a snowball effect while the European market struggles to push through regulatory reform. Although only a few years behind the US, progress in Europe is remarkably similar to that of the US. Within a few years, according to Joe Bayern, small changes that are currently underway will gain momentum and cause major regulatory changes.

Still, barely a third of the 9,043 respondents polled by Hanway Associates said they would try legal marijuana. About half of those surveyed now agree that there is a cannabis store in their neighborhood. Also, there is very little support for native plants, with most people supporting the restrictions on cultivation.

FINAL EFFECT

Europeans are becoming more open to legalizing cannabis, according to new survey data from Hanway Associates.

The European Union’s acceptance of cannabis shouldn’t come as a shock as Europeans see the economic gains in the United States, especially during the CoronaVirus pandemic when marijuana use increased sharply and supply and sale during this time increased quite a lot of money was made from the curfew.

Additionally, many European countries have legalized marijuana for certain medical uses, while others have decriminalized general use, and some, like France, are now experimenting with both of these possibilities through experimental programs.

EUROPEAN LEGALIZATION, READ THIS…

GERMANY LEGALIZES RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA, REST OF EUROPE IS catching up!