Cannabis News

Allegations of price dumping cast shadow on Portugal’s medical cannabis

Published

1 month ago

November 8, 2025

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Portugal has spent the last few years cultivating a reputation as Europe’s gateway to medical cannabis. Exports are booming, the government and local media portray a very vibrant sector with fertile land, progressive laws and a soft regulatory environment.

But behind the glowing export figures, there is growing concern that the country’s success story is due to what some describe as “greenwashing” of the industry.

According to a person familiar with the matter, most of the cannabis that Portugal “exports” is not grown in Portugal. Instead, large companies import low-quality flowers from abroad, process them locally, and then ship them with a Portuguese flag on the label. “Portugal has exported about 35 tons of medicinal cannabis flowers so far,” says the source. “Only about 2 tons were processed here. The rest came from elsewhere.”

The concern is not the import and processing model itself, but the lack of transparency and its impact on the local growers who actually cultivate the plants in Portugal. “They grow cheap overseas for recreational markets,” the person says. “It is then processed in Portugal and sold in pharmacies across Europe at prices that are impossible for real growers. This is clear price dumping.”

Portugal grew on the cheap
According to the source, some European pharmacies are offering Portugal-labeled medical flower for as little as 1.60 euros per gram. Insiders say even the lowest-cost foreign producers can’t get that price and still meet European pharmaceutical standards. “The cheapest production cost I have seen abroad was around 1.40 euros per gram,” explained the source. “Processing in Portugal alone can cost about sixty cents. So how do they sell it for 1.60 euros?” According to them, the reason is simple. On the one hand, these big companies have to show their shareholders that they are moving money and product. On the other hand, they use the availability of capital to drive down the price, gain more market share, and crowd out smaller companies, which are ultimately bought by the same big companies. At the same time, the issue is not only related to the economy. Local producers say quality is also at stake.

Some sources say that many pharmacies turn away from the product with the Portuguese flag, knowing that it is not the real product produced in Portugal. “They think that Portugal is the equivalent of low-quality flower. This hurts the companies that really work here with strict European pharmaceutical practices,” says the person familiar with the matter.

Small farmers struggling to survive
Portugal has a large number of licensed cannabis operators, but few are growing at scale. According to the source, of all the cultivation licenses issued, only a few are actually operational. “Some growers produce one to three kilos per harvest,” says the person. “They have no strategy, no supply chain. It’s just a facade to show that they are somewhat operational, while in fact most of the products are imported and processed locally. These people entered the space without knowing how to run a medical cultivation project.” According to the insider, companies rushing to import, rebrand and dump products on the market are not building a sustainable sector in Portugal.

“I expect six to eight companies to fail next year,” they say. “Everybody smiles at conferences, everybody talks about innovation. Nobody talks about cooperation.”

Pressure on regulators and call for research
The person says that regulators are to blame for the situation, but insists that the responsibility lies with companies that lack due diligence and compliance. “Regulators apply the rules. They are not there to do due diligence on behalf of companies,” they say. “Some companies had problems because they had false import documents from foreign suppliers. They blame the regulators for that, and the responsibility should lie with the operators in question, not having the right people doing the right compliance work.”

The source said there are plans to file a complaint with the European Commission under Regulation 2017/1036, which covers dumping of imports from the European Union when it causes injury to a domestic industry. “We are gathering evidence,” they say. “We want regulators to suspend import licenses where dumping is taking place.”

Meanwhile, international monitoring systems are being tightened. According to the source, the EU and the United Nations are implementing new digital tracking and tracing requirements. “Everything will have to be registered. All legal documents, all import and export certificates,” says the insider. “This should be ready in six months.”

Crossroads
Portugal’s promise as the gateway to European cannabis is not dead, but the road ahead is becoming increasingly complex. The sector needs scale, collaboration and transparency if it hopes to avoid the boom and bust cycle seen in North America. “I have nothing against importing and processing,” says the source. “What I find unacceptable is selling a flower with the Portuguese flag when they don’t grow here.”

Related Topics:Allegations Cannabis cast dumping Medical Portugals price shadow

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Maine Officials Approve 2026 Ballot Initiative To Largely Repeal Marijuana Legalization Law For Signature Collection

Published

19 hours ago

December 9, 2025

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Maine officials have given permission to prohibition activists to begin gathering signatures for a proposal A ballot initiative that would roll back the state’s voter-approved marijuana legalization law. The measure, if passed, would also overhaul the regulatory structure of the medical cannabis program by establishing product testing requirements.

The proposal — called the “Cannabis Legalization Act and Maine Medical Use of Cannabis Act” — is a revamped version of a marijuana initiative introduced in September, sponsored by a Republican state senator and a former top staffer for then-Gov. Paul LePage (R), staunch prohibitionist.

The latest proposal, a petition approved by the Secretary of State on Monday, would remove and amend multiple sections of the current state statute, which voters approved in 2016 to effectively repeal the legalization of recreational marijuana sales.

Adults over the age of 21 would remain legal to possess 2.5 ounces of cannabis under the proposal, but a section of the law allowing home cultivation would be repealed. The sale and home cultivation of medical marijuana would be legal.

Madison Carey, who was listed as a lead petitioner in the original version of the repeal initiative and remains involved in the current campaign, told Marihuana Momenti on Tuesday that “there needs to be regulation of marijuana,” arguing that her own experience recovering from opioid misuse disorder speaks to the inadequacy of the current law.

“My hope is to raise awareness of the reality of the potential dangers of not having regulation,” he said. “I think people are fed up with the constant use — the constant (retail businesses) coming up where people can legally buy marijuana.”

Of course, repealing the voter-approved law that established the adult-licensed sales system would eliminate the current regulatory infrastructure in place, which reform advocates say helps mitigate public health and safety risks associated with the illegal market.

Rep. David Boyer (R), who led the fight to get a cannabis legalization initiative on Maine’s ballot in 2016 when he was a staff member at the Marihuana Policy Project, said voters should refuse to sign petitions for the new initiative.

“Don’t stop Maine’s progress, don’t stop signing this unfair repeal initiative,” he told Marijuana Moment on Tuesday. “Repealing the legalization of cannabis would shut down an industry larger than lobsters, potatoes and blueberries combined, costing our state jobs, revenue and economic growth.”

According to the new measure, the director of the Office of Cannabis Policy will “advance policies that promote the health and welfare of the people of the state and protect their health and safety, emphasizing the health and welfare of minors as a priority consideration in the performance of all duties.”

They should also “ensure that eligible patients maintain access to high-quality, effective, and affordable medical cannabis under this Act.”

Under the proposal, the Department of Administrative and Financial Services would create a testing program for cannabis products that would require dispensaries and dispensaries to send those products to a licensed facility for safety evaluation before dispensing them to qualified patients.

The testing facility “should ensure that cannabis or cannabis products do not exceed acceptable levels of contamination for any contaminants that are harmful to health and require testing and ensure proper labeling.”

“The department shall adopt rules establishing a testing program under this section, rules identifying the types of pollutants harmful to health, which must be tested for cannabis and cannabis products under this chapter, and rules regarding the maximum level of contamination for each pollutant,” the vote said. the initiative the text says

Additionally, regulators should administer a system to track cannabis plants from seed to the point of retail sale or disposal. That system “should be able to track cannabis plants in groups during the cultivation phase and when passing from the cultivation phase to another registrar”.

Entrepreneurs must submit at least 67,682 valid voter signatures by February 2, 2026 to be eligible for next year’s ballot. If approved by voters, the initiative would take effect on January 1, 2028.

—
It’s Marijuana Moment tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelic and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters by pledging at least $25/month, you’ll get access to our interactive maps, charts, and audio calendars so you never miss a development.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracking and become a Patreon supporter to gain access
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Maine lawmakers passed a bill in June legalize possession of an ounce of psilocybin Adults over 21 years of age.

After a different effort in the state last year legalize psilocybin and allow adults to access the psychedelic in state-licensed facilities. But lawmakers watered down that bill—instead, they changed it to create a committee to study further reforms—and in the end it was not approved.

Meanwhile, Maine legislators in February A top marijuana official voted to investigate possible conflicts of interest.

And last year, the law that allowed people came into force now apply for legal marijuana crime records to be sealed.

Marijuana Moment is made possible with the help of readers. If you rely on our pro-cannabis journalism to stay informed, consider a monthly Patreon pledge.

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By concentrating our portfolio, we create room for innovation and growth

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2 days ago

December 8, 2025

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Viscon transfers the range fork product portfolio to Flier

Viscon Plant Technology will transfer its spacer fork product portfolio (including spacer forks and fixed forks) to Flier Systems effective January 1, 2026.

“The furrows are a proven solution for spacing within the sector. By transferring this portfolio to Flier Systems, the technology will remain available to both existing and new customers, with continued quality and support. Flier Systems will take over development, sales and technical service, while Viscon Plant Technology focuses on its core activities,” the team says.

“The transfer of the fields is a deliberate strategic step to strengthen our focus on automation solutions for plant growers and young breeders. In addition to concentrating our portfolio on technologies such as tissue culture automation, phenotypic sorting and somatic embryogenesis automation, we create room for further innovation and growth. We are pleased to have found a reliable and dedicated partner in Flier Systems,” said Nigela, who will continue the same product portfolio. Viscon Plant Technology.

“Acquiring spacer forks fits perfectly into our strategy to automate the entire production process for professional plant growers. Having just introduced the upgraded SPH transplanter/sorter, we have already taken an important step in the automation of potted plants. Acquiring spacer forks is a logical addition as it allows us to offer a complete and integrated package. Viscon,” said Ad Kranendonk, Flier Systems.