Illegal Marijuana Sales Increased 50% in the Last Two Years

Curaleaf International, a global leader in the medical marijuana market was released A report detailing the growth of the country’s illicit marijuana market is calling on the government to introduce stricter regulations to protect consumers.

Curaleaf is “calling on the UK government to take immediate action against the rapidly growing online illicit cannabis market, which allows street cannabis to be sold from unregulated and unpoliced ​​websites and platforms,” according to a press release sent out today.

Curaleaf’s latest report reveals that illicit online marijuana sales across the open and dark web have increased by 50% in the last two years and are up 67% at open web retailers.

This is largely due to consumers (73% of online shoppers) purchasing illicit marijuana seeking relief from health issues such as chronic pain, insomnia, and anxiety; many of these may be eligible to receive legally prescribed medical marijuana.

Curaleaf’s report was developed in partnership with Manchester The Metropolitan University also found that illicit cannabis is often contaminated with dangerous substances such as mould, lead and synthetic cannabinoids, posing serious health risks to the 1.8 million people in the UK who use the product to self-treat medical conditions. This unregulated market not only endangers public health, but also undermines the legal, medical marijuana industry, which adheres to strict quality and safety standards.

Despite dangers such as respiratory problems, neurological damage, and increased risk of infection, nearly one in five cannabis consumers (17%) mistakenly believe illicit cannabis is safer than regulated medical cannabis or do not know the difference; This underscores an urgent need for public education to combat the illegal market and protect consumers.

Curaleaf International advocates for a holistic reform strategy that includes:

• Tightening Regulations on Illegal Channels: Strengthening enforcement against unlicensed online sales and dark web activities to protect consumers from unregulated and potentially dangerous products.
• Public Awareness Initiatives: Launching comprehensive campaigns to educate the public about the risks associated with unregulated marijuana products and the advantages of the current legal medical marijuana market. These campaigns will enable patients to make informed choices based on reliable information about regulated medical marijuana, which, unlike illicit products, meets stringent safety and quality standards.
• Policy Changes to Improve Patient Access to Medicine: Simple regulatory and policy changes can significantly improve patient access to medical marijuana. For example, enabling electronic prescribing of cannabis medications would reduce red tape imposed on doctors and increase the efficiency of drug distribution.
• Expanded Research on Medical Marijuana: Encouraging further clinical research to unlock the full therapeutic potential of cannabis. As a leader in the industry, Curaleaf International is already leading studies to advance the understanding of how medical marijuana affects patients with a range of diagnosed medical conditions for which other treatments have not provided relief.

Juan MartínezChairman of Curaleaf International said: “While the online market for illicit cannabis is growing year on year and remains completely unregulated, there is already a legal medical cannabis market in the UK that complies with stringent safety and quality standards. Our research has shown alarmingly high levels of contamination in illicit cannabis and found it puts consumers’ health at serious risk If the UK government is truly committed to protecting public health and supporting legitimate businesses, it must do more to improve patient access to regulated medical cannabis and impose stricter regulations on illegal sales. “By curbing the illicit market and expanding access to legal, regulated options, we can better protect vulnerable individuals and eliminate illegal operations.”

Boris JordanCuraleaf Inc. The Chairman and CEO added: “The findings in this new report reflect our concerns around the world and highlight the serious risks to patients in the UK. Similar tests previously carried out in the US found contaminated products being found in illicit dispensaries. It is an issue that concerns all of us in the industry. Without controlled, legal access to tested, regulated cannabis, lawmakers around the world are left vulnerable to extreme health risks. must act immediately.”