Alexandra Curley: More Nations Offer Medical Cannabis

Alexandra Curley, head of insights with Prohibition Partners, is encouraged by the direction of cannabis legalization across the globe.

During the MJBizConINT’L event in Toronto, Curley talked to the Investing News Network (INN) about the work Prohibition Partners does to track the progress of cannabis across the globe. The British researcher also shared her perspective on emerging markets and the role of critical countries such as the UK and Australia.

Prohibition Partners creates market insight research based on data from the global marijuana industry. Most recently, the firm published reports on the entire North American cannabis market.

When asked if the recent souring on the public cannabis markets for North America offers a possibility for the international play to gain prominence in the minds of investors, Curley said recent joint ventures and deals make this achievable.

“I think with legalization (trends) happening across Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania, there’s definitely opportunities for established players to expand their footprint,” she told INN.

When it comes to the Australian cannabis market, Curley lauded the country for having a system in place to facilitate the prescription process for patients.

“What is very interesting with Australia is that the country is basically trying to get some of those stumbling blocks out of the way to ensure a smooth transition to incorporating medicinal cannabis into the pharmacopoeia,” she said.

Curley said companies in Australia are emboldened and believe they can compete with some of the established Canadian giants.

The researcher is encouraged by the legalization efforts across the world, including Luxembourg vying to completely legalize cannabis. Additionally, she expressed interest in the legalization progress for New Zealand and South Africa.

Curley was a speaker during a panel evaluating the sizes of these international markets, markets that so many companies and industry players promise investors will pay off.

The panel — which included Kay Tamillow, director of research with the Brightfield Group — spoke about how, in the US, the shift in legalization has moved from the west to the east as the country prepares to the see the entry of programs from Illinois and Ohio. While New York state failed to introduce its full legalization this year, the state still decriminalized the drug.

Watch the interview above to hear the rest of Curley’s comments from the cannabis event.

Don’t forget to look for the rest of our coverage of MJBizConINT’L, with exclusive interviews and more insights from the show. You can also follow us @INN_Cannabis for real-time news updates!

Securities Disclosure: I, Bryan Mc Govern, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.