Will Guernsey go next? |

For those watching the development of the European cannabis debate, the island of Guernsey is one of the most interesting places right now. The island, located between France and Great Britain, has been on the line on medical reform for several years.

Now there is a call to the island to turn the reform discussion for the leisure sector on its head – and what is even more interesting is that the petition is championed by a political leader who, not by chance, resigned from the island’s interior committee because of his cannabis is laws. Apparently, Marc Leadbeater’s role as the director of a local hemp company prompted other committee members to question his perspective on drug reform.

Leadbeater is now proposing a specific political process – namely a motion – to discuss full legalization. If brought up by seven members of the States, the matter must be brought to the Government of Guernsey.

That keen interest from government officials followed within days of a statement from the island’s former chief minister, Gavin St. Pier. St. Pier said he believed cannabis should be legalized in order to better regulate, license and tax the industry for the benefit of the island’s economy.

Licensing options for growing cannabis have been available since July of this year. The island is also home to mining companies.

The concept of cannabis as an economic redevelopment tool for the hectares of empty greenhouses on the island has been in great demand here for some time.

Why is the furore important?

There are several reasons why the timing of these opposites is so interesting.

The first, of course, is that both Luxembourg and Switzerland will move forward with leisure markets, even the trial variant, within the next two years. As a small island, Guernsey could well follow this trend and have a huge impact on the debate at this point, no matter how big its home market ultimately is.

Here’s why – aside from the fact that it may be the third (or fourth if Portugal continues to advance) country in Europe fully dedicated to recovery. The island is on the British side of Brexit. As a result, Guernsey would also be the first part of the UK to implement adult consumption reform when all this pro-cannabis zeal develops.

That would be a really big step.

The state of cannabis reform in Guernsey UK

Unfortunately, despite a lot of noise, the UK government has not interfered in the cannabis debate in the same way as Germany. While it is technically possible to obtain medical cannabis (in very limited form) through the National Health Service (or NHS), reform is making very slow progress. Even patients who are approved for use (including those with MS) are not given their cannabis.

In addition, the main disease with which cannabis is treated in Germany, chronic pain, has not yet been discussed by the British medical authorities.

The only disease (and patient population) that has managed to capture the public, and therefore political, imagination is children with epilepsy. And while this has been very good at inching and very reluctant political will in favor of further medical reform, it has so far at least not created a public health patient base.

In Germany, on the other hand, four and a half years after the government ordered that cannabis should be included in statutory health insurance as a last resort, an estimated 130,000 patients and a domestic cultivation offer are now supported.

The cannabis discussion in Germany is still far from settled – even from a medical point of view. Unlike the UK, however, the country is light years ahead.

The only surefire way to get access to medical cannabis in the UK right now is to see a doctor in a private medical clinic. Of course, for cost reasons, this option is taboo for most. Likewise, the practice of obtaining a personal import license.

As a result, UK reform has stalled, but not due to a lack of enthusiasm from emerging industries. Cannabis conferences in the UK are selling out this fall. The CBD business acted like a gangster. There are private specialized cannabis clinics for those who can afford it. And despite all the hustle and bustle, the British cannabis press is certainly making noise.

Regardless, it is unlikely that any real reform will take place on the mainland first.

That is why this step is now so politically important in Guernsey – not just on the island itself – but against the background of regional reforms on both sides of Brexit.

No matter what, in other words, the horse has certainly left the stable – and it probably won’t be the last.