The good manufacturing practices for cannabis are still not standardized

There has been a significant change in the world of cannabis in the past 24 months. Namely, the entire market, no matter where it exists, is being much more certified and regulated. The days of piracy may not be quite over, but at this point the writing is on the wall. Almost everywhere. How high this level of regulation has to be, however, is anything but homogeneous - even in regions like Europe. There is no national regulatory mandate in the United States because the reforms took place from state to state (so regulations vary widely from state to state). Indeed, after federal reform in the United States, there will also be a period when state markets recognize mutual certification standards. As a result of the Farm Bill 2018, hemp cultivation in the USA will more or less be brought to a national standard and national regulations. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. In Europe, the discussion about harmonizing standards is already very present in two respects. Here's why. While the EU GMP standard is supposed to be uniform and accepted by the states throughout the bloc, it is in fact the importing country whose standards must be met. The German standards are recognized as the highest in Europe. This has already created problems for producers in other countries, even within the EU. Outside this region, the standards must be met by producers in countries that have special agreements with the EU on the recognition of medical standards and processing methods. But here, too, as in countries like Australia or Canada, German inspectors have to go through the floors of a cultivation area before they get the green light. This is one of the reasons for the delay in obtaining further certifications. COVID-19 has affected said inspectors' ability to do this vital job. The bottom line is that EU-GMP is the certification that matters when it comes to regulating the supply chain. And even here there are other factors at play (such as regional contracts and mutual recognition of medical standards). Everything is still difficult in a world where the WHO maintains cannabis as a Schedule I drug around the world. In general, however, producers around the world are keen to meet this standard - except ... and this is where things get interesting. If not extremely complicated.