The Global Case for Cannabis: Uniting Health, Sustainability, and Economic Progress
By Jamie L. Pearson
You can almost hear the hum: a global chorus, building volume, calling for smarter cannabis policy. In Germany, pharmacies are dispensing medical cannabis with insurance reimbursements. In Switzerland, data-driven pilot programs are mapping the future of regulated retail. In New Zealand and Portugal, farmers and regulators alike are weighing export options. Even in traditionally conservative countries like Japan, the legalization conversation has started. Slowly. Cautiously. But make no mistake … it’s happening.
We are watching a global paradigm shift, and cannabis is at the center of it.
As someone who’s spent decades building businesses across borders, I don’t just see cannabis as an industry. I see it as a global bridge. At the International Cannabis Business Conference in Barcelona, I framed this opportunity in one sentence: Cannabis can do what geopolitics often fails to do. It unifies. But only if we reject the tired silos we live in: “hemp vs cannabis,” “med vs adult use,” “America vs the world,” and treat this plant like the global health solution, climate tool, and inclusive economic engine it actually is.
A More Rational Market
Forget the stereotypes. Cannabis is no longer a punchline. It is a public health tool with real evidence behind it. The data is compelling and includes reduced on-the-job absenteeism, improved quality of life, and a powerful alternative to harmful and addictive pharmaceuticals, among other benefits. In the U.S., the New Jersey teachers' union now offers cannabis insurance coverage through Blue Cross Blue Shield and Aetna. That’s not a fringe decision, that’s institutional buy-in.
In Europe, we’re seeing even stronger integration. Countries like Germany allow medical patients to fill prescriptions at standard pharmacies, covered by insurance. This is what healthcare-centered cannabis looks like. And it changes everything about how we frame access, compliance and brand strategy. And shoot, if insurance companies are embracing it, we know we’re onto something BIG!
If you’re a North American operator looking at global expansion, it is critical to understand that in Europe, health care is a right, not a privilege for those who can afford it. And a cannabis strategy that embraces that distinction is already three steps ahead.
Cannabis as a Climate-Supporting Infrastructure
Let’s talk hemp. For real this time.
Hemp absorbs up to 4 times more CO₂ per hectare than trees, capturing an estimated 8–22 tons annually compared to the 2–6 tons typically absorbed by forests. It revitalizes soil. It requires less water than cotton, can replace petroleum-based plastics, textiles, and even concrete. Hemp is not just another crop. It’s a climate solution. And in a world waking up to the cost of environmental inaction, industrial hemp MUST be front and center in the conversations around solutions. The good news is these solutions are not aspirational. They’re here and available now.
The “green” in green economy starts with regenerative, high-impact crops. Hemp has the potential to anchor an entire segment of sustainable manufacturing, without sacrificing profit.
Cannabis, in its many forms (high-THC flower to zero-THC hempcrete and everything in between) is perfectly positioned to lead both wellness and sustainability initiatives. But only if we think holistically on purpose.
Like frogs sitting in a pot of water over an open flame, our industry sits in silos happy for the chance to work in a “legal“ industry. We are way too comfortable operating in our echo chamber. It is time to be bold. It’s time to think about ways to bring these products to the mainstream, to stop allowing others (read: government, media, banking), to hold their collective noses and act like they don’t see what’s right in front of their faces because they’re beholden to special interests.
Inclusive Economics, Not Just a Pipe Dream
Let’s be blunt: Cannabis has built pathways to wealth that aren’t gated by MBAs or VC (venture capital) intros. It creates local jobs, unlocks new markets and keeps more money in community ecosystems. And the benefits go beyond tax revenue. The cost savings from reduced opiate addiction, releasing non-violent prisoners, etc…, the savings from harm reduction and better public health outcomes? Staggering.
In my work with New Holland Group, I meet clients from every corner of the cannabis ecosystem, from seed breeders and IP lawyers to single dispensary owners, MSOs, and brands looking at global expansion. And the one thing they all need? Access to normal business tools: banking, marketing, ad words, listing on US exchanges, and on and on; but despite the headwinds, it is inspiring to watch them remain steadfast, find workarounds, and continue to push our industry forward step by step, brick by brick, creating a new narrative, and helping people.
The Vision: Global Cannabis as Global Cooperation
We get how the siloed systems evolved and why the conflicting standards exist. I also believe we fundamentally agree these are functioning against us collectively. The question is: What are the incrementally small steps we can take as an industry that chip away at what impedes our progress? What are the things we agree upon to build an infrastructure that benefits us collectively? There are a lot of organizations committed to this work but it seems like their internal disagreements prevent our progress. We see what happened in global ag with genetics and the ongoing loss of heirlooms. How do we learn from that and take steps to stay out of the fray? We see what happened with GS1 in global trade frameworks. How do we replicate that for our industry?
These are the real opportunities in global cannabis.
Final Thought: Plan Boldly. Act Intelligently.
Global cannabis expansion isn’t a PR stunt. It’s not a roadshow. It’s a responsibility.
Cannabis can be part of the global solution. It can function like connective tissue, if we intentionally move in that direction. If you’re ready to explore what that work could look like, let’s talk.
