5 Upcoming Cannabis Events Outside of the US and Canada

With the global cannabis market set to exceed $130 billion US in the next decade, there is no shortage of people and companies looking to capitalize on what is likely to be the next big thing in international business. With the cannabis skills shortage being addressed by a number of top recruiting firms, INTERNAL LINK there are more top minds than ever trying to crack the nut of the global cannabis industry. All those minds need places to meet and to share ideas, and there’s nothing any industry likes more than a big, fancy expo. While the vast majority of cannabis events are in the US, and there are even many in Canada due to that country’s pioneering pro-cannabis legislation, we thought it would be valuable to highlight a few big-ticket upcoming cannabis events that are outside the US and Canada.

Latin America – ExpoCannabiz May 9th-11th, 2019 

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ExpoCannabiz is being held in Cartagena, Colombia this year, appropriate since Colombia is set to be a major player in the world of international cannabis. ExpoCannabis focuses on three pillars of the modern cannabis industry: growing cannabis, transforming the raw cannabis into various products, and marketing for cannabis businesses. The growth portion of the show will focus on information vital to growing the crop itself, from greenhouses the irrigation systems. The transformation will be all about securing partnerships with distributors and marketing will focus on the legality of selling cannabis internationally as well as coming up with great graphics and copy.

The biggest draw of ExpoCannabiz is undoubtedly the speaking engagement of Vincente Fox, the outspoken former President of Mexico, who has risen as a strong pro-cannabis voice since leaving office.

You can buy tickets to ExpoCannabiz here 

Europe – International Cannabis Business Conference May 15-16th

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There are a few ICBCs each year, with the next one coming up in Zurich in mid-May. We’ve written before about Switzerland’s powerful place in the European cannabis business sphere, with their looser regulations and business-friendly legislation. Zurich is a no-brainer for a meeting of the cannabis minds, and the ICBC seems to agree. Tickets to the Swiss edition of the International Cannabis Business Conference include admission to CannaTrade, the annual showcase for the Swiss industrial hemp community, which occurs in the days immediately following the ICBC event.

Advanced registration for the Zurich ICBC event is open here 

Europe – Europe CBD Expo July 12-13th, 2019

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“The cannabis knowledge event of the year”, according to their website, will be held in London at Excel London on the Royal Docks. Focusing specifically on CBD, Cannabinoids, and Medicinal Cannabis, the Expo is the first of its kind in the UK to focus on the science of medical cannabis, open to consumers and enterprise attendees alike. The focus on medical cannabis includes panels with patients’ organizations, advocates, and policy-makers discussing barriers of access to medical cannabis in the UK.

One day tickets cost £40 in advance and are available here 

Europe – North Grow Expo September 8-9th, 2019 

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The second annual North Grow Expo will be held in Denmark, which has been a leader in medical cannabis in Europe and Scandinavia. North Grow touts its efforts to “normalize” the use of cannabis in Scandinavia, and encourages Danish and other Northern European cannabis businesses to exhibit at the Expo as a way to increase their brand awareness in the nascent, but growing, Scandanavian cannabis business space. Last year, the inaugural North Grow Expo attracted 4000 visitors and 75 exhibitors- proof the scene in Northern Europe is just as vibrant as anywhere else in the world.

Ticket information is not yet available, but interested parties can sign up for the North Grow newsletter to be informed when they go on sale. 

Africa  – CannaTech December 2019

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CannaTech has events year-round, all over the world. Already in 2019, they have held expositions in Davos, Panama, and Tel Aviv, and at the end of the year, they will have a fourth in Africa. CannaTech is interested in the global exchange of knowledge of cannabis, rather than supporting the industry in one particular jurisdiction. They have a medical and scientific focus and pride themselves on providing a “sophisticated” experience to cannabis industry insiders and enterprise clients.

Their most recent event in Israel highlighted advances in medical cannabis plant science and research, as well as business and finance, so there’s something for everyone at the CannaTech events. The event in Africa is too far away for there to be any ticket information yet, but CannaTech maintains a regular blog to keep guests up-to-date on what they missed at previous events. 

Stay Informed, Stay Ready

These are only a handful of the many cannabis events already set for 2019, and there are sure to many more in the coming years. While registration for some of these may be a bit too far out, that means there is plenty of time to get ready to mix, mingle, and match science, medicine, and cannabis.

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