Spannabis 2023, Europe’s largest cannabis fair took place in Barcelona last weekend and was a huge success with more than 25,000 visitors from 50 countries attending the three-day event.

The fair attracted more than 500 companies including seed banks, grow shops, laboratories and CBD products, resulting in an estimated economic impact of over 8 million euros for the city of Cornellá.

This year, two main themes dominated the discussions: the growing popularity of cannabidiol (CBD) and the growing interest in medicinal cannabis. The increasing demand for these products is likely due to recent news of Spain’s plans to quadruple production of medicinal cannabis and the UN’s recognition of the value of the hemp industry.

The lectures and conferences at Spannabis 2023 were also heavily focused on these two topics. One of the most popular talks was that of José Carlos Bouso, who spoke about “pharmacological, therapeutic, cultural and legal issues” surrounding cannabis and psychedelics. There was also much excitement around a conference entitled ‘After the regulatory proposals, what’s the next step?: Achieving full regulation’, which was attended by representatives from Unidas Podemos, Más País and ERC political parties.

The hope is that medicinal cannabis will be fully regulated in Spain before the end of 2023, which would mark a significant turning point in the often complicated relationship between Spanish institutions and the plant.

The cannabis industry is booming worldwide and the short, medium and long-term positive trends are reflected in the success of the show. The organizers of Spannabis 2024, the 20th edition of the show, have already confirmed that they plan to expand the exhibition space to accommodate the expected growth of the industry.

Next up: Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference

The most successful cannabis business event in the world, the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conferencereturns to Miami for its 16th edition.

This is the place…