July 31, 2023 by Business of Cannabis
Albania has become the latest European country to officially legalise the ‘cultivation and processing of the cannabis plant and the production of its by-products for medical and industrial purposes’.
The vote, which took place on Friday July 21, has already been met with fierce criticism from both within the ruling Socialist Party and from opposition voices who claim the bill will ‘licence criminal groups’ and make Albania ‘a republic of cannabis’.
While the debate continues over whether the development will help or hinder the proliferation of the country’s criminal organisations, which continue to be a major force in drug trafficking across Europe, others have suggested it could have significant implications for the wider European industry.
SOMAÍ Pharmaceuticals CEO Michael Sassano tells Business of Cannabis that the bill will ‘put pressure’ on cultivation operations in neighbouring countries.
