Journal articles on the topic 'Legalization proce'

Introduction: Recently, the world has seen examples of the legalization of cannabis for recreational purposes. Due to the diversity of experiences in progress, it is urgent to analyze the impacts of this legalization, from a public health perspective. Therefore, this article aims to review the accumulated knowledge in the states and countries where the use of cannabis is legal and to ponder over the relevance of starting a similar path towards legalization in Portugal, thus supporting political decisions to be properly informed and evidence-based.Material and Methods: An extensive literature review was performed using databases and scientific journals, such as PubMed, as well as the search of institutional documentation, including the EMCDDA and SICAD.Results: The gathered information provided insights and enabled assessment of (1) the acute and chronic effects of cannabis use on health, (2) the Portuguese situation related to cannabis and (3) the processes and lessons learned after the legalization of cannabis in other countries or states. Given the above, and according to the data presented, the authors argue for a safe and responsible strategy towards the legalization of cannabis use in Portugal. In accordance, a set of concrete proposals are presented.Discussion: From a public health perspective, it is assumed that the interest of this proposal is to reduce the problematic use of cannabis, to effectively fight against illicit drug trafficking and drug-related crime, as well as health promotion and prevention of addictions and other adverse health impacts. This article reveals that the effects of legalization might, contrary to general beliefs, generate positive results with respect to these aims, given that there will be greater control on the market, price, quality, and information - to name a few - if implementation occurs with proper consideration and definition.Conclusion: The debate on the responsible and safe legalization of cannabis use in Portugal should be open and promoted, based on a public health perspective.

During the late 18th to late 19th centuries, practices of duelling and prize fighting were criminalized in Britain, while boxing remained legal. Through a genealogical method, this article locates discourses, primarily law, medicine, policing and science, to trace these mechanisms of criminalization and legalization. Focusing on the jurisdictions of the United Kingdom and the United States, I argue that the legalization of boxing did not simply emerge as a part of a ‘civilizing process’. Rather, I explain these processes of criminalization and legalization in the context of biopolitical rationalities of governance. In contrast to its contemporaries, boxing was rationalized as a scientific ‘sport’ that fitted with wider biopolitical visions of public health and well-being: allegedly it did not breed violence or threaten the public peace but was instead practised by skilled technicians. However, the biopolitical management of human life within rational and scientific form comes at a price: life’s ontological need for expression, and the drive to experience and witness boxing’s corporeal excesses remains a ghostly presence threatening to undo the sweet ‘science’.

Many are growing increasingly skeptical of the claims by government officials about winning the war against drugs. Should this war be supported because a smaller percentage of teenagers use marijuana, or should it be opposed because a larger percentage of teenagers and young adults use cocaine and crack in the USA? Should people be optimistic when multi-billion dollar shipments of cocaine are confiscated, or pessimistic that seizures continue to increase yet have such little impact on price and consumption? Drug prohibition was doomed to failure from the start, no less so than alcohol prohibition, and the best alternative is an immediate return to complete legalization of such drugs.

In economic analyses of addictive behavior, the consumption of a certain good is termed to be an addiction if an increase in past consumption of the good leads to an increase in current consumption. From policy, legal, and public health perspectives, addictive goods are of interest because the consumption of many of these goods harms the consumer and others. The U.S. government and those of many other countries have chosen to regulate such addictive substances as cigarettes, alcohol, cocaine, and marijuana by means of policies that raise their prices. Consequently, the responsiveness of these substances to price is an important parameter in determining the optimal level of taxation or the impacts of legalization of cocaine or marijuana. The economics of addiction is very relevant to these issues because recent theoretical advances predict that addictive goods should be more sensitive to price than previously believed. Current empirical studies confirm this prediction.

Abstract : ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) has the aims to transform ASEAN into a stable, prosperous, and highly competitive region through equitable economic development, poverty reduction and socio-economic disparities. As a consequence, since 2015, ASEAN becomes region with free trade of goods, services, investment, and skilled labor. The impact of the implementation of MEA is shown by the price and quality of goods and services that become competitive, affecting domestic products and services from Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), as well as farmers. The government has sought to support SMEs and farmers through direct and indirect assistance. Land is the sector that has the most influential effect among other sectors to provoke economic growth of SMEs and farmers, because land has the function as natural resource as well as work location. To optimize this, land policies are needed to regulate land use arrangement, land asset legalization, control of land utilization and community empowerment through access reform. Asset legalization for SMEs and farmers, as well as asset legalization for infrastructures. Land use and land utilization control was implemented to optimize large-scale agricultural area by set up cooperation scheme with local people. Community empowerment was implemented through access reform, prioritized to the regions that have leading commodities or products. Keywords : competition, land use arrangement, assets legalization, land utilization, community empowermentIntisari : Pembentukan Masyarakat Ekonomi ASEAN (MEA) bertujuan untuk mentransformasikan ASEAN menjadi kawasan yang stabil, makmur, dan sangat kompetitif melalui ekonomi pembangunan yang adil, berkurangnya kemiskinan dan kesenjangan sosial-ekonomi. Sebagai konsekuensinya, ASEAN menjadi daerah dengan pergerakan bebas barang, jasa, investasi, tenaga kerja terampil, dan aliran modal sejak tahun 2015.Dampak pemberlakuan MEA adalah terjadinya persaingan harga dan kualitas barang dan jasa yang berpengaruh terhadap produk dan jasa domestik yang umumnya dilakukan oleh pelaku Usaha Kecil dan Menengah (UKM) dan petani. Pemerintah telah berupaya membantu pelaku UKM dan petani melalui bantuan langsung dan tidak langsung. Sektor pertanahan adalah sektor yang paling berpengaruh terhadap tumbuhnya perekonomian pelaku UKM dan petani. Hal tersebut karena tanah merupakan sumberdaya alam sekaligus ruang tempat berusaha. Agar dapat membantu pelaku UKM dan petani diperlukan langkah–langkah kebijakan pertanahan berupa penatagunaan tanah, legalisasi aset, pengendalian pemanfaatan tanah, dan pemberdayaan masyarakat melalui akses reform. Legalisasi aset bagi pelaku UKM dan petani serta legalisasi aset untuk infrastruktur. Pengendalian pemanfaatan tanah adalah untuk mengoptimalkan tanah pertanian berskala besar melalui kerjasama dengan penduduk sekitar. Pemberdayaan masyarakat dilaksanakan dengan menfasilitasi UKM dan petani untuk memperoleh akses permodalan dimana prioritas ditujukan pada lokasi–lokasi yang memiliki produk atau komoditi unggulan. Kata Kunci : kompetisi, penatagunaan tanah, legalisasi aset, pemanfaatan tanah, pemberdayaan masyarakat

The iPhone is a smartphone designed and marketed by Apple Inc. with a distinctive brand image. It has technological advantages that cause the iPhone to have an expensive market price. The iPhone's high price in Indonesia has led to the spread of black-market iPhones that come from black market imports and sold after a reconditioning process. Those black-market iPhones followed by unofficial repairs and without an official warranty. This research aims to discover the cause of the high sales figures of black-market iPhones in Indonesia. This research is analyzed using the theory of black-market prices and the black-market concept: supply and demand effects of legalization. This research is qualitative explanatory, which aims to see the cause and effect of the phenomena. The research showed that the high demand of the black-market iPhones in Indonesia is due to the affordable prices, different tax levels, and the forming regulation of IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) validity to respond to the sales/entry of the black-market iphone in Indonesia and the existence of IMEI registration policy for imported iPhones.

BACKGROUND: Concern about the introduction of young adult smoking is increasing, perhaps because young adults have become a major tobacco marketing target. To solve this issue, both Bali and Taiwan have imposed local regulations on smoke-free areas. Concern about the legalization of young adult smoking is increasing, possibly because young adults have become a major marketing target for tobacco. Both Bali and Taiwan have placed local restrictions on smoke-free areas to solve this issue. AIM: This study will analyze the social marketing strategies used to impact young adults in Indonesia and Taiwan focusing specifically on aspects of the social marketing strategy, including channel analysis, market segmentation and consumer analysis, product, price, location and promotion considerations, as well as the implementation and evaluation. METHODS: This research employed a qualitative approach. Qualitative inquiry is a way of analysis by understanding the meaning of individuals or groups in social problems or human problems. The process comprises questions and procedures. Data collection was conducted by face-to-face interviews. The basic data for this paper came from face-to-face interviews with local government officials, local community leaders and members of the NGO community. RESULTS: The study found that 4P (Product, Price, Place, and Promotions) with the additional +2P (Partnership and Policy) elements of social marketing are employed by social marketing in Bali and Taiwan. The product refers to the principle of a safe life, in which it is easier to avoid than to cure. Price relates to the shift in behavior and the avoidance of early smokers, from smoking to stopping. The distribution networks used in Bali concentrate more on support for families and neighborhoods. CONCLUSION: The social marketing strategy using 4P (Product, Price, Place, and Promotion) and additional +2P (Partnership and Policy) elements is an effective model both in Taiwan and Bali. The commodity on the market is the concept of a safe life, where prevention is better than cure. The price is the shift in action, from smoking to stopping, and the prevention of early smoking. The two countries also include other parties, such as schools and community groups, to collaborate.

The effect of the Internet and e-commerce on industry competition has been widely discussed in economic-managerial literature. Most of the studies focused on the analysis of the impact of Internet technologies on specific industry structural factors – in particular on sectoral price levels –, but no sufficient empirical evidence based on overall industry change is yet available. The aim of this work is to analyze the influence of e-commerce on the transformation of the industrial structure and competition in a regulated market, that of Italian sports betting. This market, because the effect of a process of legalization of on-line sports betting that started in 2006, has been interested by a continuous shift of purchases of sport bets, ranging from the traditional sales channels to digital ones. This has contributed in creating an on-line gambling sector among the most developed and consolidated in the world. From a methodological point of view, firstly the data from a series of secondary sources was processed in order to examine the main changes in the Italian sports betting market induced by the legalization of on-line gambling. Secondly, the data and information collected through specific empirical investigations was used to examine the impact of Internet betting on gambling operators’ business models and on players’ gambling behavior in the Italian market. The results of the analysis has shown that the development of Internet technologies and of e-commerce has had, on the one hand, a positive influence on the growth of the sales in the Italian sports betting market; and on the other hand, has impacted on a series of structural factors in the sector – entry barriers, number of competitors, geographical opening of the market, levels of pricing, average profit margins – in such a way as to determine an increase in industry competition. In particular, use by foreign companies of the electronic distribution channel as a ‘mode of entry’ into different geographical markets is causing the development of competition that goes beyond national borders, reducing the strongly domestic oligopolistic structure that has always characterized the Italian sports betting industry.

In the article the author analyzes the national legislation, scientific research and the results of law enforcement activities of law enforcement agencies in the field of public procurement. It has been established that the opacity and inefficiency of mechanisms for controlling the public procurement process leads to the use of corruption schemes to embezzle budget funds, legalize and misappropriate them by unscrupulous officials and, as a consequence, to «shadow» the national economy. In the current conditions of the country’s development, corruption is perhaps the most negative consequence of criminal acts in the field of public procurement. Corruption in the public procurement system, as in any other area, is associated with the exercise of power, distribution or redistribution of material resources or funds, a phenomenon that is not new or even national. Another clear example of the consequences of public procurement crime is the threat of unfair competition. Among the abuses committed by public procurement participants, the greatest degree of security threat is conspiracy of participants. A conspiracy is an agreement between two or more participants in a procurement procedure aimed at setting the price of a competitive bidding offer or a price offer at artificial or non-competitive levels with or without the knowledge of the customer. The main danger of fictitious entrepreneurship is property damage to legal entities and individuals, the state, which, in turn, is expressed in concealing the facts of prohibited activities, illegal conversion of non-cash into cash, creating preconditions for tax evasion and other illegal goals, promoting legalization ( money laundering) of funds obtained by criminal means, etc.

In 2008, a global financial crisis happened. It led to strong currency price volatility. Because of that, discussions on the need for an alternative, institution-independent currency occurred. Due to this reason the first decentralized cryptocurrency Bitcoin was created. The new and not yet explored concept of cryptocurrency changed the previously strictly defined role of money. Currently, with the growth of the cryptocurrency market, the most important regional institutions (e.g. FED, EBA) provide regulatory guidelines of a recommendatory nature. The regulations of these institutions remain significant, reflecting the dominant approach to digital money. Because of this reason, the aim of the study is to identify the factors that determine the difficulties in the legalization process of cryptocurrencies and to investigate the features of the European Union's cryptocurrency regulatory policy. Methods used: analysis of scientific literature and legal documents, systematization, comparison, interpretation and generalization of information. The results of the study show that the European Union has taken active regulatory action with the growing importance of cryptocurrencies in the world. To date, a document regulating the definition of cryptocurrencies has not yet been adopted at Union level, but the adoption of the cryptocurrency regulation proposal presented in 2020 would mean greater clarity and security for cryptocurrency issuers, intermediaries and users.

Modernization processes cover all aspects of modern Ossetian society. The family, this has led to the transformation of gender roles, traditional gender orders and a radical change in the historically established foundations of the Patriarchal form of the family. This determines the relevance of the study of intra-family relations as an important part of the gender system. In the study of the order of inheritance clearly indicated property relations, social structure and hierarchy of society, as comprehensively fixed economic relations. The article is based on the source, literary material, which allows to reconstruct the intra-family legal culture, position and status of women in the Ossetian family. In scientific circulation introduced new archival materials, mostly court cases on the distribution of property, which clearly show how to resolve intra-family conflicts in inheritance. Ethnographic materials give a description of the property aspects of family and marriage relations: the size of the bride price, the content of the dowry, the property rights of the female part of the family. The author investigates the transformation processes in inheritance, legalization of property rights of women during the introduction of Russian legislation in the region. It is concluded that the issues of family division of property, for the most part, were resolved according to the norms of customary law.

The study aims to describe the plan and solution for economic crisis in the era of Prophet Yusuf and to find out how the economic crisis in Libya was and the implementation of the plan in order to solve Libyan economic crisis. The researcher employed descriptive analysis as the research method. The data were collected using scientific documents and interviews. The study result shows that economic crisis in the era of Prophet Yusuf included fifteen years of food crisis and the budget planning consisted of three stages namely: early warning stage and the preparation for the crisis called as the seven first phase and phase facing the crisis called as the seven second phase and the reactivity phase is called as annual cycle. The Libyan economic crisis was due to the decrease of its macroeconomy and the weak condition of state institutions leading to significant oil production decrease and the shutdown of the harbors, the increase of the unemployed due to drastic decrease of non-oil sector, liquidity in financial sector without state assistance further weakened Libyan economy both in the trade and industrial activities contributing to high inflation. The implementation of resolution for Libyan economic crisis: the use of agricultural cycle strategy, budget planning strategy, production distribution strategy using legalization knowledge, limited speculation, the planning of social relationship and price stabilization

Despite the high level of state control, the sphere of international trade is attractive to malefactors and can be used to with-draw dirty money abroad, or invest it in the legal economy under the guise of honestly earned income. To successfully solve the problem of laundering the proceeds of crime in the course of foreign economic transactions, a systematic approach and scientific understanding of the empirically obtained results are required. The purpose of the article is to study the current trends in the laundering of proceeds from crime in the conduct of foreign economic activity and methods of counteraction.The paper considers the application of typological analysis in economics and other sciences. The author considers and systematizes typologies of legalization of monetary funds by means of price manipulations – by indicating the underestimated or overstated customs value of goods in the accompanying documentation, as well as by performing pseudo-export operations. The study concludes that the money laundering schemes have typical features, and the typological analysis can increase the effectiveness of the efforts of state bodies in the fight against illegal operations. The article defines the specificity of the analysis of financial monitoring objects, which is due to the high latency of deviant subjects and their activities, the large volume and heterogeneous nature of the information requiring analysis and interpretation, high requirements for professional knowledge and practical experience of expert analysts, as well as significant time costs for the analysis of each individual subject.

This article deals with a radical change in the religious politics of the Soviet government between 1987 and 1988. Then, the celebration of the 1000th Anniversary of the Christianization of Rus’ became not only a Church issue but also an event of great political significance. Additionally, the official visit of Mikhail Gorbachev to the Vatican was designed in this period. The author argues that the communication problems which Gorbachev faced during his negotiations with Ronald Reagan in Geneva, Reykjav?k, and Moscow were the reason for this change. Since the anti-religious policy of the Soviet Union was one of the main obstacles to rapprochement between Reagan’s administration and the Soviet government, Gorbachev and his advisers decided to revise their approach to the Church issues. The author also assumes that Pope John Paul II unofficially played an important role in the negotiations between the US diplomats and the Soviet government. According to the article, the “Holy Alliance” between Reagan and Pope John Paul II had a significant impact on this negotiation process. Gorbachev’s visit to the Vatican was, in the author’s view, a link in the chain of events which led to the changes of Soviet religious politics. The legalization of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church was, according to the author, a price to pay for the normalization of the relationships both with the Vatican and with the USA. Based on recently published and unpublished sources, the author describes this process in a broad historical context and analyze the attitude of both the Russian Orthodox Church and the Holy See towards the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, religious freedom, and the role of religion in the public sphere.

The objective necessity of institutional support of the land reform in Ukraine in the aspect of market turnover of agriculturally used areas (AUA) is revealed. It is emphasized that during the reform the institutions that bring negative results have apeared. These institutions form institutional traps, such as: imbalance of normative and market prices for land; growth of speculative operations with land; inequality of the priority right to purchase leased land; inequality of access to credit resources for land purchase; legalization of undeclared assets and «laundering of dirty money»; monopolization of the land market and increase in land prices. It is emphasized that in order to exit from these institutional traps it is necessary that: 1) the market price of land by January 1, 2030 should be not less than the normative monetary value, which, in addition, should be regularly updated by the specialists of the State Geocadastre; 2) the low initial price of land should not become a subject for speculation, and should be faciliated by electronic auctions for sale and simplification of the procedure of state registration of land plots; 3) the transaction on the market of AU should be monitored or even directly conducted by the authorized body; 4) while selling municipal and state lands, particularly through electronic auctions, farms and agricultural holdings should be in equal conditions; 5) equal access to credit resources should be provided to all participants of the land market, conditions for the participation of farmers in the state program «Affordable loans 5–7–9%» should be simplified and they shoul be provided with the access to the Fund for partial guarantee of loans in agriculture, and in the future – to loans of the State Land Bank, which is to be organized; 6) sources of funds origin for AUA purchase, exclusively in cashless form should be documentary approved, and measures and standards of the International Group on Combating Dirty Money Laundering (FATF) should be implemented; 7) regulation of AUA concentration level in the hands of one owner, including at the regional and local level should be introduced, here the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine should play an important role; 8) possible increase in prices for agricultural products should additionally be regulated by institutions in the field of consumption. It is concluded that all these measures should create the necessary basis for the exit from the institutional traps at the lowest cost.

The objective necessity of institutional support of the land reform in Ukraine in the aspect of market turnover of agriculturally used areas (AUA) is revealed. It is emphasized that during the reform the institutions that bring negative results have apeared. These institutions form institutional traps, such as: imbalance of normative and market prices for land; growth of speculative operations with land; inequality of the priority right to purchase leased land; inequality of access to credit resources for land purchase; legalization of undeclared assets and «laundering of dirty money»; monopolization of the land market and increase in land prices. It is emphasized that in order to exit from these institutional traps it is necessary that: 1) the market price of land by January 1, 2030 should be not less than the normative monetary value, which, in addition, should be regularly updated by the specialists of the State Geocadastre; 2) the low initial price of land should not become a subject for speculation, and should be faciliated by electronic auctions for sale and simplification of the procedure of state registration of land plots; 3) the transaction on the market of AU should be monitored or even directly conducted by the authorized body; 4) while selling municipal and state lands, particularly through electronic auctions, farms and agricultural holdings should be in equal conditions; 5) equal access to credit resources should be provided to all participants of the land market, conditions for the participation of farmers in the state program «Affordable loans 5–7–9%» should be simplified and they shoul be provided with the access to the Fund for partial guarantee of loans in agriculture, and in the future – to loans of the State Land Bank, which is to be organized; 6) sources of funds origin for AUA purchase, exclusively in cashless form should be documentary approved, and measures and standards of the International Group on Combating Dirty Money Laundering (FATF) should be implemented; 7) regulation of AUA concentration level in the hands of one owner, including at the regional and local level should be introduced, here the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine should play an important role; 8) possible increase in prices for agricultural products should additionally be regulated by institutions in the field of consumption. It is concluded that all these measures should create the necessary basis for the exit from the institutional traps at the lowest cost.

The accelerated pace of development of the cryptocurrency market and its integration into the system of economic, operational, financial and other processes determines the need for a comprehensive study of this phenomenon. This is particularly relevant because in recent months, at the state level have intensified discussions on the prospects of the legalization of the cryptocurrency market and the possibility of using its tools in the economic activities of economic agents. Despite the sometimes polar views and approaches at the moment among Russian experts regarding the solution to this issue, the development of the crypto-currencies market is extremely high, regardless of its regulation. This determines and actualizes the scientific research in the field of evaluation of the prospects of development of this market, forming the subject of this study in order to predict the possible effects and risks for the national economic system. The purpose of the article is the development of tools of modelling and forecasting the volatility of the cryptocurrency market on the basis of “foreseeing” fluctuations in the value of “digital money” using special models of autoregression (ARMA, ARIMA). The study was based on the application of a class of parametric models. It allowed describing both stationary and non-stationary time series and on this basis to develop a system of prognostic estimates for the prospects of further development of the series under study. With the help of our ARIMA model, which evaluates the parameters of the analyzed time series of the cryptocurrency exchange rate, we developed a system of prognostic assessments for the short term. The authors proved that the application of such models with a high level of reliability predicts future adjustments in the market under study. It leads to a high level of prospects for their use in modelling future parameters of the cryptocurrency market development. This creates a basis for a business to develop adaptive mechanisms for to emerging price index adjustments of “digital money”.

The globalization and the rapid development of multinational companies, and the globalization on the capital market, have significantly expanded investment opportunities on an international scale. In order to promote economical development on global scale, a continuous flow of reliable, relevant and financially significant information are required based on which investors will make economically justified and strategic investment decisions. On an mesoeconomic level, the flow of information is provided through an appropriate information system that provides a realistic picture of the financial position and the successful operation of the business entities, an analysis of investment through comparative advantage in terms of investing in a particularly industry cluster. The information system through which business information is received is one of the functions of the accounting system, and therefore the importance of this system and its harmonization is mandatory in all countries and globally, the pursuit is directed toward the international standardization with emphasis on small and medium-sized entities. The economic globalization have contributed to the need of creating an unified language for international communication, a unique set of international financial reporting standards with the sole purpose to strengthen the transparency for investors, and reduce the capital price. The harmonization of financial reporting provides more efficient utilization of global resources, multinational companies have easier consolidation of foreign subsidiaries, accounting personnel mobility and reduction of the auditing costs. The harmonization helps national governments to realistically establish the total revenue of entities, increased comprehensibility and usefulness of the information by all parties concerned. On macroeconomic level, the significance of the national legalization of the accounting profession with the standardization of financial reporting, increasing of the quality capacities of the reporters, the monitoring and the education would result in a reliable “unified” information that would demonstrate the real economic activity, and also under the macroeconomic methodologies and acceleration of the national economy. The data (as accounting values) in the financial statement represent a basis for creating fiscal, monetary and global solutions, as well as for creating of macroeconomic policy of the state in relation to the condition of the economy, through the prism of the benefit to the business sector and the development of economy.

PurposeOver the past several decades, there has been an increasing trend towards inter-city cooperation, which is an efficient policy option to deal with the challenges from globalization, regionalization and the externalities resulting from urban entrepreneurialism. Specific to China, the city governments, which mainly refer to prefecture-level and county-level governments, have also made many attempts to cooperate with respect to their local economic development and public affairs. Nevertheless, the results of these initiations to cooperate vary to a great extent. Based on a review of regional pollution governance in the Xiaoqing River area, tourism cooperation initiatives at Weishan Lake and transport integration between Jinan and Laiwu. The findings demonstrate that China's idiosyncratic institutional background has a significant impact on the shaping of inter-city cooperation. For the most part, leading small groups (LSGs) and their leadership property tend to determine the effectiveness of inter-city cooperation.Design/methodology/approachTo examine the effect of the LSGs, we categorize them into three types, groups with strong leadership, weak leadership and self-forming leadership. Through reviewing regional pollution governance in the Xiaoqing River area, tourism cooperation initiatives at Weishan Lake and transport integration between Jinan and Laiwu, we try to probe the role of leading groups in the settlement of cross-administrative border issues.FindingsBased on these three cases, the conclusion can be drawn that the leadership type of the LSG can exert an important influence on the efficiency of inter-city cooperation. If there is a leader with a higher administrative rank or authority, the cooperation can be quite efficient. Otherwise, the cooperative ending might be very negative. In terms of the operation principle, we can infer that even though the cities are always self-development oriented, the leader with higher authority or a strong coordinating capacity can convince and persuade the city leaders to overcome their self-centered behavior template and boost the cooperation to March on smoothly. Also, it means that the LSG is constrained by its personalistic characteristic. Key command derives from the person who chairs the LSG other than specific rules and norms. If the lead of the LSG leaves his position, the cooperation might just become paralyzed. From this point of view, the lack of legal basis remains to be the LSGs' significant deficiency and the future reform should attach more importance to the legalization of the LSGs so the operation of LSGs can be more standard and stable.Originality/valueMany scholars have proposed their own theoretical models to explain the reason some cities successfully and effectively form cooperative relations, while the other cities do not. However, their models do not consider the idiosyncratic context of China or, how and to which extent LSGs can promote cooperation. Therefore, this paper seeks to probe which path in the context of China cities usually follows in the formation of joint efforts, and what role LSGs play in enabling cities to cooperate.

The purpose of the research to determine the main features of the use of cryptocurrency and its identification as an object in the account. A comparative description of cryptocurrencies, electronic money and paper money is given. It has been established that there are no grounds to classify various types of cryptocurrencies in the accounting system as ordinary currencies or assets in a given period of time because they: are not regulated by any jurisdictions; it is not possible to identify the issuer or the specific organization responsible for its issuance; cryptocurrency exists only in the virtual Internet environment. Methods. General scientific methods and approaches, systematic approach, general research methods (analysis, synthesis, generalization, comparison), statistical methods. Results. The list of stages for reflection of activity of the business entity with use of cryptocurrency is offered and considered. The mining process is analysed and the list of cost items for the extraction of new digital coins is highlighted. The variant on reflection in the account of operations with cryptocurrency on accounts of accounting is offered. There are options for reflection in the accounting of cryptocurrency depending on its recognition: virtual goods, intangible assets, financial investments, digital money. To calculate the cost of cryptocurrency obtained by self-extraction, it is necessary to consider the main costs that need to be identified and reflected in the account. In addition to cryptocurrency, you can extract altcoins, lightcoins or convert cryptocurrencies into stablecoins, which cannot be extracted, but can only be purchased. The article presents the main aspects of calculating the cost, which include: the cost of electricity for individuals and legal entities in the country; the cost of the necessary equipment, its depreciation and maintenance, depreciation; residual value at which you can sell old mining equipment; hash – the speed of solving mathematical problems with one or another equipment; network load and production complexity; monetary value or exchange rate of a particular cryptocurrency or digital assets. Practical meaning. Despite all the scientific developments, the issue of accounting for cryptocurrency from the point of view of IFRS is quite debatable. On the one hand, most propose to account for it as a specific intangible asset. Virtual currency is a huge amount of computing power and digital assets. At this stage of technological development of mankind, cryptocurrency is gaining a stable position in the international market. Prospects for further research. Rapid development is causing further capacity growth and interest, but may eventually lead to collapse. However, if the price stability of the cryptocurrency is achieved, it can be used in international transactions, not just for speculative gain. However, this issue will be directly related to the legalization of the new currency and its recognition by central banks as a means of exchange or storage of money. There is a need for further research to understand the basic conditions for the use of digital currency in the payments market.

Actuality of the research topiс. Strategic priorities of world labor market development in the first quarter of the 21st century are shaped under the impact of a range of multidirectional actions factors – from globalization and respect for the open economy principle by majority of the world countries to neoprotectionism which is becoming more widespread in foreign economic policy of developed countries of the world. Each country which observes the market-based principles is closely linked to the world labor market via labor force resource and labor migration processes. These ties are constantly strengthening as countries obey international law, consider international labor market regulatory mechanisms in their national governance practice, and introduce the best world examples of institutional support for employment, unemployment reduction, labor migration regulation and counteracting all forms of discrimination at labor market. Respect for strategic priorities of world labor market development is of actual importance for all world countries, including Ukraine which for the last five years has significantly expanded labor migration flows and become the active participant of world labor market. Analysis of recent research and publications. Considerable contribution to the study of current situation and defining the newest world labor market development trends in the 21st century was made by profound Ukrainian scholars like A.Philippenko, O.Hrishnova, O.Malinovs’ka, E.Libanova, A.Dembitska and others. Among the foreign scientists who researched the core and main patterns of world labor market development within globalization we should mention G. Borjas, Y. Jansen, R. Celikates, J. de Bloois, A. Zolberg, E.Meyers, P. Wickramasekara, A. Zogata-Kusz etc. Extraction of unexplored parts of a common problem. Scope of the study into the core and constituencies of world labor market are pretty fully highlighted in the world economic literature. Yet, to define strategic priorities of world labor market development it is especially important to study the impact of institutional and organizational and economic tools of international organizations activity on world labor market regulation and development. This issue is an important component of international economic relations. Statement of the research purpose and tasks. The purpose of the study is to examine commonality and define strategic priorities of world labor market development in the 21st century. To achieve it the following tasks are set and resolved in the article: - to research the factors affecting world labor market reforming and defining the priorities of its development; - to research institutional and legal, organizational and economic mechanisms of international organizations impact on regulation and unification, defining strategic priorities of world labor market development; - to reveal the newest trends of world labor market development which are shaped under structural and innovative changes, countries’ transition to ‘Industry 4.0’, as well as under impact of labor migration processes. Method or methodology of the research. While defining strategic priorities of world labor market development a set of theoretical and empirical scientific research methods are used. Revealing institutional factors affecting world labor market development, historical and logical methods, methods of synthesis and analysis, abstract and specific methods, and cause-effect method are used. To research the impact of institutional and legal, organizational and economic mechanisms on world labor market historical and logical methods, methods of induction and deduction, methods of classification and generalization are employed. Whereas methods of synergy and expert estimates, casual method are used to justify the innovational processes and labor migration impact on shaping strategic priorities of world labor market development. Presentation of the main material (research results). World labor market is a complex economic system modified under dynamics of supply and demand for labor resources at the world market; under the impact of labor force price charges specificity, terms and pay level formation, as well as social security peculiar nature; qualitative and quantitative mobility and placement of labor force in different world countries; differences in national approaches to labor force reproduction, their professional training and qualification improvement. Within globalization national labor markets lose their closeness and remoteness, becoming constituent part of world labor market. Strategic priorities of world labor market development are shaped under the impact of a range of multidirectional actions factors: globalization and national economy openness, neoprotectionism, structural and innovational changes in world economy, countries’ transition to ‘Industry 4.0’. It occurs due to labor migration activization and enhancing the role of international organizations as coordinators of international economic relations development. Strategic priorities of world labor market development are strongly affected by the international organizations which set standard rules of the game for all countries of the world both at local and world labor markets. Among the priorities the following ones are particularly important: protecting the rights of the employed, unification of system of remuneration and taxation, establishing social guarantees and social security, procedures of admission and dismissal, preventing all forms of discrimination and legal employment. Transition to a 4-day working week is of reality for developed countries of the world. Working terms under freelance system are standardized, as well as for those who work from home in services and within the norms of creative economy. The 21st century faces the growth of labor force mobility, unification of labor migrants’ rights security, labor standards and salary conditions, guaranteeing labor migrants’ social protection. Institutional and legal, as well as organizational and economic security of national labor markets of the world countries is gradually harmonized and unified with world standards implemented by international organizations. International organizations shape the newest trends of world labor market reforms. Organizational forms of world labor market in the 21st century include elaboration and adoption of institutional and legal norms of world labor market development provision; indicative planning (forecasting); defining strategic priorities and long-term purposes of world labor market development; administrative regulatory methods (including fines, penalties, licenses and sanctions). The role of international institutional and financial assistance is growing via consultations, forums, technical aid and recommendations, as well as target-projected financing, grants, free humanitarian and other financial assistance. World labor market is a subject to regular international monitoring, system of international control on the development aimed at prevention all forms of discrimination, human rights and freedoms violation (including labor force and employees), child exploitation and human trade at the world labor market. Strategic priorities of world labor market reforms involve measures directed at employment legalization, preventing human trade and illegal labor force exploitation, avoiding child labor exploitation, preventing all forms of discrimination and ‘shadow economy’ features in recruitment and income generation, protection of employees and labor migrants’ rights and freedoms at world labor market. Reforming Ukrainian labor market as a part of world labor market demands for such strategic priorities as implementation of international standards on the employees’ rights security in Ukraine, pay rise in accordance with EU countries standards, prevention of discrimination and ‘shadow economy’ features at labor market, legalization of employers’ and employees’ income, protection of their rights and freedoms, social securing of their guarantees, as well as the ones for employed migrants working at Ukrainian labor market and Ukrainian labor migrants abroad. The field of the results application. International economic relations and world market. Conclusions according to the article. Trends of world labor market development are correlated with general trends and directions of economic cycle stages (recession, depression, growth and peak), whereas depending on demographical situation in the country and the world, character and dimension of countries’ economy structural transformation and integrational world countries grouping. Basic trends of world labor market development in the 2010s include system of remuneration reforming, moving to general growth in pay rise while freezing substantial discrepancies in wages and salaries between developed and developing countries of the world. The essential trend of world labor market is activization of labor migration processes both at the markets of developed and developing countries. Labor migration in the 21st century is mostly of legal official character, though their segments alter towards growth in demand for labor force at the EU and Asian markets. The demand for highly skilled professionals whose activity is close to innovations is rising dynamically at the world labor market.

Background: Marijuana legalization occurred gradually in Colorado through political processes. Objectives: This study aimed to describe the history of marijuana legalization and correlated shifts in product availability, use patterns, and risk perceptions and describe associated emerging concerns with this process for adolescents and young adults. Methods: This review focuses on the history of marijuana legalization and correlated shifts in product availability, use patterns, and risk perceptions. Results: Along with the legalization of marijuana, there has been strong commercialization characterized by the widespread development of dispensaries, new products including edibles and concentrates, and an overall lowering of the “price per serving” of marijuana. While the frequency of marijuana use among adolescents does not appear to have shifted substantially, young adult patterns of use have demonstrated an increase in usage. A substantial shift has occurred in the increasing use of concentrates and high potency products. Emerging concerns related to high potency products include increased acute care visits, prevalence and outcomes of comorbid mental health disorders, cannabis-induced psychosis, driving while high, marijuana-related lung injuries, and increased use during pregnancy. Yet, there are also potential medical uses of marijuana. Conclusion: To date, scientific evidence of the mental or physical effects of high potency products is currently very limited. Clinical issues related to the treatment of marijuana use and comorbid psychiatric disorders in youth are discussed, focusing on how low-risk perceptions influence treatment considerations.

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study is to examine how cannabis legalization and corresponding taxation would affect the supply-side of the cannabis market. Specifically, the study considers various scenarios in which Oklahoma legalizes recreational cannabis for adult use and simulates changes in state-level market sales for other legal states and the average grower profits in Oklahoma. We assume that legalizing recreational cannabis in medical-only states would significantly increase the demand quantity in the legalized states and the local government would levy a significant level of tax on recreational cannabis. These assumptions are based on the post-legalization phenomena in other legalized US states. Method We simulate outcomes in the cannabis industry under the assumption of representative consumers with constant elasticity of substitution demand behavior and profit-maximizing firms with a Cobb-Douglas profit function. All agents are assumed to take exogenous prices as given. We calibrate the model using state-level sales data from 2020 and explore potential policies in Oklahoma and at the federal level. Results We find that, under the scenarios we consider, legalization of recreational cannabis in Oklahoma would lead to a decrease in the quantity of cannabis sold in Oklahoma’s medical cannabis market as well as decreases in the quantity of cannabis sold in other states on average. Furthermore, we find that as the excise tax rate on recreational cannabis in Oklahoma is increased, the demand quantity in recreational cannabis market would decrease while the other markets’ demand quantity would increase on average. As the elasticity of substitution between state-level products increases, the overall demand quantity would increase and the market quantity across states become more sensitive to Oklahoma’s tax policies. This pattern could become starker as the elasticity of substitution between recreational and medical cannabis increases. In terms of profit, heavy taxation and price decrease due to legalization would significantly decrease cannabis producers’ production and profit levels unless the cost reduction strategies complement legalization. Conclusion Based on our results, the legalization of recreational cannabis has the potential to generate tax revenue to fund critical government projects and services. However, such legalization would have to be done carefully because heavy excise taxes would decrease the legal cannabis market demand and growers’ profit, which would incentivize producers and consumers to move to the illicit cannabis market. Policymakers would have to compromise between the levels of interstate transportation and taxation to ensure that cannabis suppliers also realize some profit within the cannabis supply chain.

Abstract Introduction The misuse of psychoactive drugs is an important public health problem. It's estimated that there are between 120-224 million users worldwide. In 2001, Portugal started the legal process to decriminalize the use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. Objectives To analyze the recreational use of cannabis from a Public Health perspective, to summarize the adverse health effects, to describe the situation in countries where it's legal, and to assess the impacts of its legalization. Methods A literature review was carried out using the main databases of scientific articles. Additionally, legal documentation, institutional reports, journalistic pieces, interviews and books were also consulted. Results Individual possible effects of punctual used found were: Temporary feeling of euphoria and relaxation; Distortion of perception; Changes in short-term memory and concentration; Altered motor coordination; Paranoia and psychosis. Effects of regular consumption or products with a high THC content: Dependency; Changes in brain development; Cognitive impairment; Decreased life satisfaction and personal fulfilment; Depression. Population level effects described were: increased number of consumers, increased risk of dangerous driving and accidents; decreased suicide rate and death from opioid overdose, decline in black market and in criminality near trading posts. The legalization of consumption in certain countries has allowed us to realize that the price, the quantity of product and the definition of sales locations are relevant topics for the successful implementation of policies in this area. Conclusions As the cannabis legalization policy is changed, it is expected the consumption will increase. An investment in prevention campaigns and increase in health literacy should begin before this change focusing particularly on younger people and drivers. This way, the negative health and social effect that can arise from this change will be minimized. Key messages Campaigns to prevent cannabis use must begin before legalization. Campaigns to prevent cannabis use should target teenagers and young people and drivers.

AbstractFrom a policy standpoint, the legalization of marijuana may affect other drug markets. The Almost Ideal Demand Model is used to estimate drug substitution between the most common illegal street drugs in the US including cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamines. We control for past marijuana consumption. Results indicate that past marijuana consumption does not contribute to increased current consumption of other drugs. Further, marijuana is a weak complement to methamphetamines but marijuana price changes do not affect heroin or cocaine consumption.

Abstract Background Consumer perceptions of legal cannabis products may drive willingness to purchase from the illegal or legal market; however, little is known on this topic. The current study examined perceptions of legal products among Canadian cannabis consumers over a 3-year period following federal legalization of non-medical cannabis in 2018. Methods Data were analyzed from Canadian respondents in the International Cannabis Policy Study, a repeat cross-sectional survey conducted in 2019–2021. Respondents were 15,311 past 12-month cannabis consumers of legal age to purchase cannabis. Weighted logistic regression models examined the association between perceptions of legal cannabis and province of residence, and frequency of cannabis use over time. Results In 2021, cannabis consumers perceived legal cannabis to be safer to buy (54.0%), more convenient to buy (47.8%), more expensive (47.2%), safer to use (46.8%) and higher quality (29.3%) than illegal cannabis. Except for safety of purchasing, consumers had more favourable perceptions of legal cannabis in 2021 than 2019 across all outcomes. For example, consumers had higher odds of perceiving legal cannabis as more convenient to buy in 2021 than 2019 (AOR = 3.09, 95%CI: 2.65,3.60). More frequent consumers had less favourable perceptions of legal cannabis than less frequent consumers. Conclusions Three years since legalization, Canadian cannabis consumers generally had increasingly favourable perceptions of legal vs. illegal products – except for price – with variation across the provinces and frequency of cannabis use. To achieve public health objectives of legalization, federal and provincial governments must ensure that legal cannabis products are preferred to illegal, without appealing to non-consumers.

Abstract Background Cannabis was legalized in Canada for non-medical use in 2018. The goal of legalization was to improve health and safety by creating access to regulated products, with accurate product labels and warnings and no risk of contamination. However, more than 2 years post-legalization, a large proportion of purchases are still suspected to be through unlicensed retailers. This study sought to identify the factors that influenced the purchase decisions of cannabis consumers in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). Methods Semi-structured focus groups and interviews were conducted in NL with individuals who were > 19 and had purchased cannabis within the last 12 months. All sessions were conducted virtually, audio-recorded, and transcribed. A thematic analysis was conducted, and two members of the research team coded the data using NVivo. A combination of deductive and inductive coding was carried out, themes from the literature were identified, and new themes from the transcripts were discovered. A final coding template of the data was agreed upon by the team through discussion and consensus. Results A total of 23 individuals (30% women) participated, with 83% coming from urban areas. While all cannabis product types were discussed, the conversation naturally focused on dried flower products. Participants discussed a variety of considerations when making purchase decisions categorized around five broad themes: 1) price, 2) quality, 3) packaging and warnings, 4) the source of the cannabis, and 5) social influences. The price difference between licensed and un-licensed sources was commonly discussed as a factor that influenced purchase decisions. Product quality characteristics (e.g. size, color, moisture content) and social influences were also considered in purchase decisions. Participants were generally indifferent to packaging and warning labels but expressed concern about the excessive packaging required for regulated products. Conclusion This study explores the many attributes that influence purchase decisions for dried leaf cannabis. Understanding the drivers of purchase decisions can help inform policy reforms to make regulated cannabis products more appealing to consumers. Further research is needed to measure the effect of each attribute on cannabis purchase decisions.

AbstractColorado and Washington were the first states to legalize the production and sale of cannabis without a medical recommendation; Oregon and Alaska have followed suit, and additional states will likely do so in coming years. The effects of legalization are multi-dimensional, hard to predict, difficult to measure, and dependent on policy details. The primary gains from legal availability (beyond personal liberty and enjoyment) are likely to take the form of reduced illicit activity and reduced need for enforcement, along with relatively modest revenues. The primary losses will likely involve increased problematic drug use, which may include use by minors. The extent of those gains and losses is likely sensitive to price; very high prices (substantially above prices in the illicit markets) will likely frustrate the aim of shrinking illegal production and dealing; very low prices – which are technically possible, given how inexpensive it is to produce cannabis under legal conditions – risk accentuating the increase in problematic use and generating illegal diversion of legally sold product for out-of-state sale and sale to minors. Because the systems of supply for medically recommended use in Colorado and Washington were sufficiently loose to make cannabis easily available to virtually any adult; because regulatory restrictions on commercial supplies have so far kept the commercial prices above illicit and medical-dispensary levels; and because those prices have now begun to fall and are likely to fall rapidly, the results in Colorado and Washington so far cannot be used to evaluate the effects of legalization, especially in states without readily-available quasi-medical supplies. Patience is required.

AbstractThis case study demonstrates the far-reaching impact on product quality when private firms were legally recognized and allowed to operate with their own brand names. Previously, when the private firms were forced to affiliate themselves with a governmental organization to get around the entry barrier, they had little incentive to improve the product quality, because too many enterprises were using a same brand name with no effective supervision on each other. Price competition was the only means to survive. This explains the persistent notorious waves of inferior goods through the 1980s to early 1990s. The legalization of private firms in 1992 brought about dramatic improvement in product quality, when the entry barrier against private firms was abolished and private firms began to operate under their own names, and competition through quality improvement began to prevail.

We examined the effects of California’s 2016 law legalizing cannabis for recreational use among young adult medical cannabis patients (MCP) and non-patient users (NPU). Three groups of young adult cannabis users ( n = 30) were qualitatively interviewed in Los Angeles between 2020-21: current MCP ( n = 3), who always had a medical cannabis recommendation, NPU ( n = 6), who never had a recommendation, and MCP-to-NPU ( n = 21), who had a recommendation in the past. MCP remained MCP due to greater acceptance of cannabis and lower prices afforded to MCP. MCP-to-NPU and NPU remained NPU due to increased acceptance of cannabis use within their community, greater legal security, and no compelling need for a medical cannabis recommendation. Price increases drove many to purchasing cannabis from unregulated black-market dispensaries. The legalization of cannabis for recreational use led to decisions to transition out of MCP status, destigmatization of cannabis use, increased prices of cannabis, and increased sourcing of cannabis from the black-market.

IntroductionCannabis was legalized in Canada in October 2018, regulating the production, distribution, sale, and possession of dried cannabis and cannabis oils. Additional products were legalized 1 year later, including edibles, concentrates, and topicals, with new lines of commercial products coming to market. Ontario is the most populous province in Canada and has the largest cannabis market with the highest number of in-person retail stores and the most cannabis products available online. This study aims to create a profile of products available to consumers three years after legalization by summarizing types of products, THC and CBD potency, plant type, and prices of product sub-categories.MethodsWe extracted data from the website of the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS)—the public agency overseeing the only online store and sole wholesaler to all authorized in-person stores—in the first quarter of 2022 (January 19–March 23). We used descriptive analyses to summarize the data. A total of 1,771 available products were mapped by route of administration into inhalation (smoking, vaping, and concentrates), ingestible (edibles, beverages, oils, and capsules) and topical.ResultsMost inhalation products included ≥20%/g THC (dried flower: 94%; cartridges: 96%; resin: 100%) while ingestible products had similar proportions of THC and CBD content. Indica-dominant products tend to be more prominent in inhalation products while sativa-dominant products tend to be more prominent in ingestible products. The average sale price of cannabis was 9.30 $/g for dried flower, 5.79 $/0.1g for cartridges, 54.82 $/g for resin, 3.21 $/unit for soft chews, 1.37 $/ml for drops, 1.52 $/unit for capsules, and 39.94 $/product for topicals.DiscussionIn summary, a wide variety of cannabis products were available to Ontarians for different routes of administration and provides numerous indica-dominant, sativa-dominant, and hybrid/blend options. The current market for inhalation products however is geared towards the commercialization of high-THC products.

Introduction: despite the progress in smoking reduction achieved over the past 10 years Russia is still among the leaders of the global anti-rating. the progress in reducing smoking achieved over the past 10 years Russia is still among the leaders of the global anti-rating. The effectiveness of the excise policy as the main instrument begins to decline from the illicit trade, which is expanding due to the inconsistency of the tax policy in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) countries. At the same time, the innovative nicotine delivery system market has been expanding, regulation of which is characterized by serious gaps. Objectives: to identify opportunities for improving regulation of traditional tobacco and innovative nicotinecontaining products markets to increase the collection of excises and achieve public health goals. Methods: comparative analysis, retrospective and counterfactual analysis, econometric estimations. Results: for the first time, econometric estimates for the Russian market were obtained on the aggregate regional (panel) data based on the simultaneous equations model using specially generated database “Addictive products in Russian regions”. The estimates show that, ceteris paribus, an increase of 1 p.p. the distance adjusted excise tax difference to the living cost ratio (DATDLC) leads to a reduction in the legal market by an average of 0.16 %. Price elasticity estimate of the legal aggregate demand is (-0.7), income elasticity is 0,8 and price elasticity of supply is 1,5. The analysis of budgetary and market statistics showed a low collection efficiency of excise taxes on ENDS; the problem of fiscal forestalling in this segment has been discovered. Conclusions: the results of the analysis allowed to propose several effective and feasible measures including the creation of an IT-system within the EEU for the exchange of information on excisable goods, the transfer of part of excise revenue to regional budgets, controlled legalization of nicotine pouches, anti-forestalling regulation in ENDS, etc.

Abstract Introduction The Canadian Cannabis Act came into effect on October 17, 2018, which allowed Canadian adults to consume cannabis for non-medical purposes (Government of Canada, Cannabis regulations (SOR/2018-144). Cannabis Act, (2018a); Parliament of Canada, C-45: an Act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts, 2018). With this major policy change, it is unknown how the attitude of the public changed and how information on cannabis changed. Social media platforms, including Twitter, are significant venues for studying emerging patterns in social issues such as cannabis legalization. This study aimed to examine sentiments, themes and contents of cannabis-related tweets by suppliers (both licensed and unlicensed) and general tweets in Canada. To our knowledge, this is the first analysis that mixes sentiment analysis and thematic analysis of Canadians’ cannabis-related Twitter data. Method A sample of Canadian cannabis-related tweets was collected from January 2018 to August 2020 through the Twitter Application Programming Interface (API). Using a standard access token and the Twitter Standard Search API, tweets were extracted based on Twitter handles to capture the content of both licensed and unlicensed cannabis retailers in Canada, as well as relevant cannabis-related keywords to capture public content. We conducted sentiment and positive polarity analyses, and content analysis to identify attitudes and themes around cannabis use in Canada. Results This study gathered and analyzed a total of 44,970 tweets in the sentiment analysis and a total of 1035 tweets in the thematic analysis. Descriptive analysis showed that monthly tweets peaked prior to legalization in October 2018 and again during the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in February and March 2020. The data showed an overall positive sentiment polarity with a high of + 0.24 in April 2019 and a low of + 0.14 in March 2020. Thematic analysis revealed the themes: (i) education/information, (ii) uses of cannabis, (iii) cannabis products including packing, quality, price, types, and sources, (iv) cannabis policies including regulations and public safety, (v) access, (vi) social issues include gender and stigma, and (vii) COVID-19 impact. Conclusion This study combined the power of big data collection and analysis with manual coding and analysis methods to extract rich content from large data using social media communications on issues related to cannabis in Canada. The findings of this study may inform policies on advertising cannabis products and highlighted some patterns related to education, access, and safety that deserve further investigation.

While the first business organizations to reach large size in the late nineteenth century did so through the route of vertical integration—formal ownership of assets and direct employment of workers—mid-twentieth-century franchising firms pioneered a new path to bigness, relying on restrictive contracts rather than formal integration to control their business organizations. Franchised chains replaced formal ownership and employment with contractual mechanisms known as vertical restraints (contractual controls on separate firms, such as price and supplier restrictions) to achieve uniformity and control over their outlets, without directly owning them. While most existing accounts of franchising focus on efficiency reasons for the evolution of the business form, this paper identifies a policy and legal mechanism: the relaxing of antitrust prohibitions on vertical restraints. These policy and legal changes were heavily lobbied for by franchising firms themselves. Whatever the efficiency implications of franchising, the increasing legalization of vertical restraints also had the benefit for franchising firms of allowing them to pull in the legal boundaries of the firm, leaving workers and other stakeholders outside. At the same time that they pursued franchising as a kind of vertical integration by other means, franchisors lobbied to preserve the legal benefits of having franchisees considered separate firms under a variety of laws, such as access to Small Business Administration loans and exclusion of workers at franchised establishments from access to collective bargaining and other rights against them.