Rise in cannabis based drugs in recent decades. And a top exec at one of americas biggest cannabis retailers, which Sells Everything from recreational we to medical marijuana and rakes in half A Billion Dollars a year. Also on the show, i scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. It has to be one of the coolest jobs on the planet. The head of haagen dazs ice cream joins me to talk through the indulgence of her frozen flavors. Wherever yourejoining me from Around The World. Once again, a big hello and a warm welcome to the show. You know, the cannabis industry, its a market on a high as more and more countries look to legalize the possession and use of the drug for Recreational Use or to regulate how its used as a medicinal product. Just last month, germany became the latest european country to legislate for personal use or indeed to grow Marijuana Plants at home. So on that note, lets hear from europe in a moment from The Netherlands, where cannabis has been decriminalized for many years. But first, lets jump over to germany. Here in berlin, its pretty common to see people smoking cannabis, particularly in the citys parks, on a sunny day like this. Now, in theory, its illegal to possess the drug or carry it. In reality, police tend to turn a blind eye in many parts of germany, particularly here in berlin, and they go after the dealers instead. So to a certain extent, the law is simply catching up with reality. So that means that people will be allowed to to possess and carry and consume for personal use a certain amount of the drug, a limited amount, but it would be very difficult to actually buy the drug. Now, the government says this will eliminate the risk of people consuming contaminated products and that it will mean that people will be able to be educated about the risks of smoking. Critics say itll simply exacerbate the black market and that in other countries with more liberal drug policies, that simply hasnt worked. For more over to my colleague anna in The Netherlands. Well, as some countries are relaxing their rules around cannabis here in The Netherlands, theyre refining theirs. Im going to take you inside this coffee shop here. Cannabis cafes or coffee shops are popular tourist attractions, but they also play a key role in the pragmatic dutch approach to drug use. The bud tenders can sell small amounts to customers over the age of 18, balancing the need for social order and Public Health with fundamental values like tolerance and freedom. There is a legal paradox at the heart of this system. Its illegal to grow and supply large amounts of cannabis. The coffee shops have to get it from somewhere, and so police are obliged to simply look the other way. However, the government has started an experiment in which they grant Cultivation Licences to a small group of growers. Heres one i visited earlier, and the idea is that if this is successful, it will be rolled out across the country. And these initiatives reflect The Netherlands ongoing effort to refine and evolve its cannabis policy, drawing on decades worth of experience. So there you go. Its a complex situation and of course, its a Balancing Act for governments all Around The World. If you go back to 2012, nowhere in the world had legalized and regulated cannabis for adult Recreational Use. And today you can see countries and jurisdictions on every continent have made that move. So were seeing multiple jurisdictions in north america, in europe, in asia, australia, africa and and Latin America are moving towards these reforms. And nothing was happening ten years ago. 0k. In a moment, well take a look at that huge us Cannabis Market. But first, heres the european numbers. To date, five eu states have introduced or are planning to bring in new laws to regulate the supply of cannabis for Recreational Use. Here they are czechia, germany, luxembourg, malta and The Netherlands and the european Cannabis Market. Its estimated to be worth almost 11 and a half billion euros every year. But that said, the Environmental Impact of growing cannabis, its considerable. For example, growing 250 Marijuana Plants in a greenhouse could consume up to one million litres of water a year. And while governments are striving to regulate the end use of cannabis, there are still big problems with the supply chain, which often relies heavily on criminal networks. Now much of that information has come from the European Monitoring Centre for drugs and Drug Addiction. So i decided to catch up with its big boss, alexi goodale. A real pleasure having you on the show. And alexi, let me start with this. What are the Current Trends of Cannabis Usage across europe . Lets first talk about illicit cannabis use and then we will come to to the medical use of cannabinoids. So among the general population, we consider that we have 22 million of adults who made use of cannabis last year. And if we look among the young adults between the age range, 15, 30 and 3a years old, we have more or less 15 point. Million of people who have been using. So that group is representing 15. That declares use of cannabis last year. So, we have a huge evolution and the availability of the market in 2022 and the seizures of Residue Cannabis reached incredible amounts of 816 tonnes while the other cannabis seizures mostly produced on the territory of 260 tonnes. What the territory of 260 tonnes. What are the biggest the territory of 260 tonnes. What are the biggest pressures facing National Governments were trying to chart a path between Consumer Demand but offer the risk to Public Health . There is a pressure in all of the Member States more or less with the initiatives proposals to regulate the Cannabis Consumption and to allow for Recreational Use but we need to put this imbalance is the huge increase drug related violence in europe and today, we speak a lot about cocaine in the drug related violence that we observe in the last 15 or 20 years driven first by the Cannabis Market in europe. Any decision will serve to be taken will need to consider those different elements and certainly, the strong impairment in the eu policy for Public Health. find impairment in the eu policy for Public Health. Impairment in the eu policy for Public Health. And looking at the recreational Public Health. And looking at the recreational side, Public Health. And looking at the recreational side, looking Public Health. And looking at the recreational side, looking other. Recreational side, looking other jurisdictions which are becoming much more widespread and open, why is that happening Around The World because am wondering . To control the drug dealers in doing Drug Trafficking or is about money . Those in Colorado State trafficking or is about money . Those in Colorado State have trafficking or is about money . Those in Colorado State have more trafficking or is about money . Those in Colorado State have more than in Colorado State have more than tens of billions of dollars under the table and they are making, they are not interested in losing money and theres a financial driver. fine and theres a financial driver. One ofthe and theres a financial driver. One of the problems and theres a financial driver. One of the problems with the eu as we are talking about a really diverse mix of countries with big Policy Differences and how do different seeing Cannabis Laws affect cross border trade and affect enforcement . Crossborder trade and affect enforcement . Enforcement . Thats a very interesting enforcement . Thats a very interesting question. Enforcement . Thats a very interesting question. For. Enforcement . Thats a very. Interesting question. For many years, there was a total exclusion of any possibility of discussion of the potential of medical use for some of those substances. A very interesting change of five to ten years. Including in the European Union. You can see when we talk about cannabis use and medical purposes we need robust research, not on the prohibition. The point is, using the support tomorrow for the research to understand better what are the medical possible medical uses and despicable drugs, we need to keep in mind that it is not one person deciding on everything. The recent decision of germany to regulate or to start regulating the Cannabis Market and i think if we manage to help disassociate what is the potential medical use from the Recreational Use, i think my guess is a scientist is that it may be through facilitating the debate because of confusion that is maintained between medical use legalisation or regulation means that for those who are more afraid that they would not even consider the medical uses of cannabis when we know the evidence, it is not a magical substance. We talk about facts. We talk about science, we talk about evaluation, there is a room for that also in europe. There is a room for that also in euro e. ~. There is a room for that also in euro e, ~. ,. ,. , there is a room for that also in euroe,. ,. ,. , europe. What about the criminal sector . Europe. What about the criminal seetor . How europe. What about the criminal sector . How big europe. What about the criminal sector . How big of europe. What about the criminal sector . How big of an europe. What about the criminal sector . How big of an industry l europe. What about the criminal sector . How big of an industry aside and how do european governments deal with threat . The and how do european governments deal with threat . ,. , with threat . The criminal sector is 35 and 5096 with threat . The criminal sector is 35 and 5096 of with threat . The criminal sector is 35 and 5094. Of the with threat . The criminal sector is 35 and 5096 of the income with threat . The criminal sector is 35 and 5096 of the income of with threat . The criminal sector is| 35 and 5096 of the income of these 35 and 50 of the income of these organisations is provided by Drug Production and Drug Trafficking and when i say that, not only about cannabis but also cocaine and heroin. The ten to 15 years, because of 9 11, because of the situation in syria and so on, the fight begins the criminal organisation is not receive the same priority and resources are limited. find receive the same priority and resources are limited. And let me end on this. Resources are limited. And let me end on this, today, resources are limited. And let me end on this, today, you resources are limited. And let me end on this, today, you are resources are limited. And let me end on this, today, you are the i end on this, today, you are the European Monitoring Centre for drugs and Drug Addiction but comejuly youre going to be rebranded to the European Union drugs agency that is going to bring an additional power and will they be the powers that you need to tackle all of these challenges . Need to tackle all of these challenues . ,. , ,. , need to tackle all of these challenues . , ,. , challenges . The power to support for the main ages challenges . The power to support for the main ages of challenges . The power to support for the main ages of anticipated challenges . The power to support for the main ages of anticipated Sin Challenges . The power to support for the main ages of anticipated sin and l the main ages of anticipated sin and new problems and building stronger systems anticipation. Working for systems anticipation. Working for system on all drugs and as we talked about, 20 years ago, it is not the same today or tomorrow. Capacity is to help push support the states to make a new analysis of the risks and to build a new response. Aha, make a new analysis of the risks and to build a new response. To build a new response. A real leasure to build a new response. A real pleasure having to build a new response. A real pleasure having on to build a new response. A real pleasure having on the to build a new response. A real pleasure having on the show i to build a new response. A real. Pleasure having on the show and thank you for your time and will talk to you again soon. Thank you for your time and will talk to you again soon. Thank you, aaron stepped talk to you again soon. Thank you, aaron stepped by talk to you again soon. Thank you, aaron stopped by the talk to you again soon. Thank you, aaron stopped by the situation talk to you again soon. Thank you, aaron stopped by the situation is l aaron stopped by the situation is much more advanced in north america. It is a huge lucrative market in canada, the first leading economy to legalise or regulate the entire industry. However, is a mixed picture in the United States. It is still illegal for Recreational Use most states. Most states. Legal cannabis is estimated most states. Legal cannabis is estimated to most states. Legal cannabis is estimated to rake most states. Legal cannabis is estimated to rake in most states. Legal cannabis is estimated to rake in over most states. Legal cannabis is estimated to rake in over 38| estimated to rake in over 38 billion of sales and that is three times the entire European Market. So, i caught up with a Top Executive in one of americas biggest players and its a Cannabis Company that grows, manufactures and Retells Cannabis Products in 16 states and claims the biggest us footprint outside of florida. Really great to have you and let us start with this. Because the Cannabis Landscape in the United States changed in recent years because im asking how that is affected your marketplace . It has been incredibly affected your marketplace . It has been incredibly dynamic affected your marketplace . It has been incredibly dynamic last affected your marketplace . It 1 3 been incredibly dynamic last three orfour been incredibly dynamic last three or four years and we have seen a number of states not only emerge entering the medical programme but ultimately convert to use recreational sales and that means an incredible change in the accessibility to the marketplace for consumers across the country and also means a tonne in regards to products, forms, formulations and continued focus on outcome based products from medical patients but also a lot of great high quality products to continue to convert legacy consumers in this product across the country. Haifa legacy consumers in this product across the country. Across the country. How do you reassure your across the country. How do you reassure your customers across the country. How do you reassure your customers and i across the country. How do you | reassure your customers and the wider public that you can be trusted on the safety of your products . We abide on the safety of your products . Abide by a pretty stringent Regulatory Environment that all of the Operating Organisations in the us to do and they have implemented a number of technology and frameworks that have an enormous amount of Transparency Compliance as an industry, we are still developing and still investing in more ways, not only to ensure the safety of those products but to provide transparency and education to consumers and patients that show that supply chain. Haifa consumers and patients that show that supply chain. That supply chain. How do you convince initial that supply chain. How do you convince initial your that supply chain. How do you | convince initial your customers that supply chain. How do you convince initial your customers that you will not prioritise profits over Public Health . Taste you will not prioritise profits over Public Health . Public health . We work and incredibly Public Health . We work and incredibly monitored Public Health . We work and incredibly monitored and i Public Health . We work and incredibly monitored and stringent framework and consumers can take a lot of confidence in the systems that are in place to protect them and for ourselves, it is part of our values that this industry and we joke all the time the people ask us, is cannabis can be 100 billion plus industry and the truth is it already is. Just 30 some odd billion that is being sold weekly and the rest is making its way through these black markets and elicit infrastructures until we can see continued expansion which we are sitting across the country and access to more canopy and make manufacturing and that is when you will see the safe and tested products come down to if not below where the illicit market is and i think youre looking at something very similar to what we saw the end of prohibition of alcohol in this country were at some point, people are not buying bathtub gin, just going to the liquor store and buying a bottle of whisky or wine or whatever it may be. And wondering again, how do you do that . , ,. And wondering again, how do you do that . , . , that . It is very difficult and we have a team that . It is very difficult and we have a team of incredibly have a team of incredibly bright people who work on that across the country now is joke around with being a Multistate Operator in the us is really almost like operating multinational organisations inside of the country because every state has nuance and some differences to the frameworks and Regulatory Compliance in the system they leverage and even the infrastructure that we have to use when it comes to retail cultivate Manufacturing Separating out Medicinal Cannabis with regulatory cannabis. Iligiliidi with regulatory cannabis. Which market makes with regulatory cannabis. Which market makes you with regulatory cannabis. Which market makes you the with regulatory cannabis. Which market makes you the most with regulatory cannabis. Which market makes you the most money . Which is the most profitable . We dont release any state by State Numbers or individual profitability at this time. I think its no secret when you look at those markets, that early medical markets where you have a limited number of compliant partners in that regulatory framework. So limited number of operators are usually highly profitable. Theres a large demand immediately and a small number of people to serve that demand. So for us, if you look at the us right now, a market like Virginia Probablyjumps to the top of the list. Thats a very sort of buzzy market that everyones talking about right now. Were obviously the largest participant in that market, so thats a great market for us. We also operate in one of the most mature states in the country in colorado, totally different market dynamics, very large market, over a billion and a half to approaching two billion in sales in any given year, but a much more mature framework, which means lower prices for products, more total transactions and consumers. Well, jesse, youre now a public company, so who are your top investors . Its a great question. Thats a great question. So were probably, as an industry, disproportionately high in what we would refer to as retail, but really individual investors that are just incredibly excited about the industry placing bets. They know that a rising tide, all boats, there are better days ahead. I think institutional investors, the things that would look more akin to what a company of our size would look like if listed on nasdaq or the new york stock exchange, those days are coming. So we, of course, have investors that look and feel like that today. I think the complexion of that change is significantly when you see up listing into the domestic markets. I want to talk to you about big tobacco, even big alcohol conglomerates, because some campaigners have noted that theyre now investing into the cannabis industry. And look, lets be frank, because we are talking about huge influential corporates with huge lobbying expertise, big networks and long established political influences. So, jesse, what do you make of this . Im wondering if this is a help or a hindrance to a company like yours. I think that if youre an investor in the space and operator in this space or someone who isjust cheering from the sidelines for additional and continued expansion of a Legal Cannabis framework. Thats a very healthy sign. Those are very large, very sophisticated organizations that are looking at our. Industries that exist today and are seeing the same thing that i am, which is undeniable and inevitable growth and normalization across the country. So i think from that side, thats very healthy. Its a very good sign. I think when you start getting into trouble, though, is when you start having these other organizations, these other industries trying to shape our industry in a way that is either similar to theirs or in a way that they potentially see an opportunity for strategic control or even a way that they see for trying to stifle our growth. And jesse, just a few minutes ago on the show, i was talking to the director of the European Union body that looks into drugs and Drug Addiction. And we are now seeing a possible more open and regulated Cannabis Market in the eu. So, let me end on this. Could we see the Cannabis Company making a move into the European Market . Well, thats a good question. So we were actually there very early. So we rebranded this last year. Prior, we were columbia care. Columbia care had a presence in both the uk as well as germany. We were primarily focused on the cbd side of the business. Obviously in the uk we were doing very early work in germany with that. With that market, could you see a Cannabis Company participation in the eu in the future . Absolutely. Theres no reason to say that you wouldnt. But right now and for the foreseeable future, we need to be laser focused on doing the best that we can to put good plants in the ground and get them into the people who are in the hands of people who need them in the communities that we serve today and those communities are here in the us. Well, on that point, jesse shannon, the president of the Cannabis Company, great to have you on the show. Thanks for your time and well check in with you soon. Thanks so much, aaron. Well talk soon. 0k. Up next, she runs one of the worlds top ice cream brands with dozens of flavors in 90 countries Around The World. But its not cheap. But my producer says hes going to buy me some if we get enough of you to watch this show. She is the big boss of haagen dazs ice cream. 0reilly laurie, a real pleasure having you on the show. And oh, really, let me start with this and it may be a bit of a curveball, but on this weeks show, weve been looking at the fast growing global Regulated Market for cannabis. So ive got well, ive got you ive got to ask you, so ive got, well, ive got you ive got to ask you, would haagen dazs ever consider making a cannabis Ice Cream Product . Ok, its a curveball, i think. You know, we we consider everything at haagen dazs because we are led by innovation and thats very much the way we work, we listen to consumers. So im not saying, you know, it hasnt touched our our mind. We have a pastry chef, actually. I think he explored it once in a very, very small series saying that it would have the global, you know, potential and lens to really make it like a big global flavor. A big global flavour. Maybe trite today, but we never say no. Right. The spirit of being a pioneer and really test things. Why not . Right. So im not im not shutting the door entirely, but my r d team may think differently, orally. Whats your biggest market on the planet . So today our biggest market is in china. We have over 400 shops in in that country, a very premium positioning and yes, a strong presence. So china would be first. And then if im closer to home in europe, typically i would say that france and uk are our biggest markets. France is more nerdy profile with a flavor ranked with a flavour ranked with macadamia nut. Brazil and uk is tim salted caramel. Youre not exactly the cheapest ice cream out there, so how do you justify your price point . We were founded by a couple rose and ribbon matters and its a great story. And what happened is that we were created in 1960 in brooklyn, us and the couple, they really had very, very high standard. Their mission was simply, lets do the best ice cream in the world. So we still live by their ethos. Youve tasted haagen dazs, you know, thats the overrun. Its a dense ice cream. And so it gives that really creamy texture, which explains why you need to wait a little bit to to eat haagen dazs and orally. To to eat haagen dazs. 0reilly, look, im no expert. Ive done a Little Research but can you explain to certainly to the uninitiated, just what is overrun and how important is the amount of fat in ice cream. Over end, it is the amount ofairthat you would put in an ice cream. Right. Which is why as a consumer, when you can buy one brand or the other, you may find that you have the same liter, but not the same grams. Right. So thats simply put, thats thats it. The if the ice cream weights more, it means the the overrun is lower. It means you have more product. You can do a simple test. You just put your spoon in the ice cream and you see how fast the spoon enters the ice cream. Thats as easy as it gets. It simply puts i do that with my kids all the time. Do you produce your ice cream in every one of those Global Markets . No, we are made in france. Im actually sitting today and im talking to you out of our plants. So we are made in arras in the north of france. And the the location has been selected because its very close. We work with 450 farmers and we know that the milk, the quality of the milk and the cream that you get in that part of the world first is very qualitative, but also its constant across the year. So thats the primary decision to to base haagen dazs core factory out there in the north of france. And let me end on this International Womens day, 8th of march, haagen dazs, youve set up this rose project to celebrate unsung, inspirational women all Around The World. So i want to ask you, was rose one of the founders, was she unsung . We like to say that ruben made the ice cream and rose made haagen. And rose made haagen dazs. And although, of course, in her time she was the Marketing Wizard and really built the brand the way we know it today, we realize that her story was untold, and thats why we started the rose project, which is a Platform Global with over 2500 nominations. So her story resonates with women today, and its a tribute to her legacy. And were disclosing the five winners just this year and opening nominations for 2024. Wow. On that point 0reilly lori, the global Managing Director at haagen dazs, fabulous to have you on the show. Good luck with everything. Well talk to you soon. Thank you. Well, thats it for this weeks show. I hope you enjoyed it. Dont forget, you can keep up with the latest on our Global Economy on the bbc website or the smartphone app. Of course, you can also follow me on. Excuse me, ill see you back. X me, ill x you back. Aaron, thanks for watching. Ill see you soon. Hello there. Cloudy skies will remain a dominant feature with the weather story as we continue through the weekend. So mothering sunday, a rather grey start for many of us and there will be more in the way of rain around at times. Now it really is quite a messy story, but were still under this influence of low pressure, despite itjust sinking a little bit further south towards northern spain, the isobars open up, lighter winds across central and southern england. But this trailing Weather Front will introduce cloud and showery bits and pieces of rain, a relatively bright start across wales and south west england. But the rain will tend to drift its way westwards as we go through the afternoon. So sunny spells and a few scattered showers, potentially, across cornwall, devon and parts of south wales. A line of more persistent rain moving its way slowly eastwards, Cloudier Skies remaining behind quite a lot of clouds. The east of the pennines, some showery outbreaks of rain moving into Northern Ireland and always along that east coast. It will stay cloudy, cool, breezy and wet at times. So that could have an impact once again on the feel of the weather. Six to eight degrees here. But further west where we may well see the best of the brightness, 11 or 12 celsius. Now, as we move out of sunday into monday, that low pressure is going to drift its way over into central europe. The trailing Weather Front Still Producing quite a lot of cloud and a few bits and pieces of Showery Rain Across Parts of london and towards Kent First Thing on monday morning. So monday, again, a grey start. Weve got this easterly feed continuing to push in cloud and maybe some outbreaks of Light Drizzle along exposed east coasts. So sheltered Western Areas potentially seeing the best of any brighter weather. And thats where well see the best of the warmth. Ten or 11 degrees, always cooler on those exposed coasts where the cloud and the drizzle may remain all day. Now, as we move through the middle part of the week, there is another Weather Front. But on the whole, a quieter story until we get to the end of the week where we could see Weather Fronts starting to push in from the west, but the Wind Direction will change to a more of a southwesterly and we will tend to see it turning a little milder. So it is going to stay pretty messy throughout the week, a greater chance of seeing more persistent rain by the end of the working week, butjust that little bit milder. Live from washington. This is bbc news. Final preparations are under way for the first aid shipment by sea from cyprus carrying vital supplies for gaza civilians, on the brink of famine. Another Mass Kidnapping in nigeria the third injust over a week. As the hunt for hundreds of missing students continues. And the gloves are off in the us president ial race asjoe biden and donald trump Hold Duelling rallies in georgia. Hello, im carl nasman. A Ship Carrying much needed food and medical supplies is preparing to set sailto gaza, from cyprus, is preparing to set sailto gaza, from cyprus, sail to gaza, from cyprus, the closest eu nation to gaza
vimarsana.com © 2020. All Rights Reserved.