By Melissa Pereira
With more and more European countries easing laws on cannabis for medicinal and recreational use, the European cannabis market is set to be worth €123billion (£106billion) by 2028, according to London based analysis firm Prohibition Partners.
Medicinal cannabis was legalised in the UK in November 2018, but the number of people that can get access to it is extremely restricted.
Only a handful of people have been able to get access to medicinal cannabis since its legalisation. Although some people think this is still a major step forward in the cannabis fight, others believe there is much more to be done, especially for those that have been self-medicating with the drug for years.
Some countries in Europe are more lenient on cannabis consumption, with people allowed to obtain the drug as long as it is in small quantities.
In Belgium, for example, if you are aged 18 and older you can enjoy decriminalised cannabis, provided it is no more than 3g and it is smoked in private, closed spaces. In the Netherlands it is legal to smoke cannabis in coffee shops, as it has been for decades. In Portugal you can legally carry up to 25g of the drug at a time but cannot be seen selling or cultivating it.
Since the beginning of the year, six festivals and educational talks have taken place in Europe to educate people on the healthiest, most innovative ways to consume cannabis.
One of these events happened in Birmingham on the March 2, called Hemp & CBD Expo.
These events not only educate people who are thinking about resorting to cannabis, either for medicinal or recreational use, but can also help boost the cannabis market.