CGC Annual Review : 2016
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35
In recent years, the actions of many governments around the world have signaled a significant change in attitudes towards the legalization of marijuana. At the recent UN General Assembly Special Session on Drugs (UNGASS), the Government of Canada took centre stage by announcing its intention to introduce, by the spring of 2017, legislation legalizing recreational marijuana use. Many countries are pushing for drug consumption to be seen in a different light, one that moves beyond prohibition to one that emphasizes public health and education and defunding criminal organizations around the world. With changing global attitudes towards marijuana, many countries are looking to Canada, and its regulatory framework that is driving the commercialization of medical marijuana, with much respect. As jurisdictions move towards establishing new or improved medical marijuana systems, they are looking to companies acting within the Canadian framework for expertise, knowledge, financial strength and potentially product to share. Having established and now expanding our dominant position in the Canadian medical
marijuana market, third parties in countries around the world want to work with Canopy Growth and its subsidiaries. We believe a significant opportunity exists currently and will develop further in the future, to leverage our expertise, financial strength and business model in developing legal marijuana markets around the world. To date Canopy Growth has established three international partnerships including an ownership position in AusCann Holdings of Australia, a joint venture, Bedrocan Brazil, and an export arrangement in place with a partner in Germany. Other exciting opportunities exist and, in time, we will expand Canopy into other markets. The international business opportunities being pursued by Canopy Growth include providing advisory services to third parties, exporting medical cannabis and, of most interest, the ownership of c annabis cultivation and sales operations in countries outside of Canada.