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 fo