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description: >-
  The perceived history depends on the perspective from which you observe it and
  the bias of the narrator.
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# A New Perspective

The issues reported in the previous chapter create significant uncertainty in the market, making it challenging for companies to operate safely and hindering the attraction of investors who seek stability and predictability in the sector. Additionally, the high costs associated with regulatory compliance, licensing, security, and marketing pose an obstacle for many small producers.

These elevated costs are often passed on to consumers, making legalized cannabis products less competitive compared to those in the illegal market. This creates a vicious cycle where the legal market struggles to grow, while the illegal market continues to thrive, undermining efforts to establish a safe, sustainable, and widely accepted cannabis industry.

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**Kanna's community aims to change the current perspective on cannabis and drive a regulated market based on sustainable practices.**
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These multifaceted challenges require integrated solutions involving governments, industries, and communities. Overcoming these obstacles is crucial for the development of a cannabis market that is not only economically viable but also socially acceptable and environmentally sustainable.

In this context, Kanna presents itself as an integrated ecosystem that unites key players and creates decentralized technological solutions around the plant's production chain to drive market regulation of cannabis based on sustainable practices.

## Building a New Perspective for the Cannabis Market

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> Cannabis is not just a plant—there is no such thing as "just a plant."
>
> Cannabis is shaping the lives of communities and the economies of countries, and it is impacting the environment...
>
> The perceived history depends on the perspective from which you observe it and the bias of the narrator.
>
> We can view cannabis as a medicine that can save lives and boost a country’s economy, OR as a popular illicit drug.
>
> **Which story do you want to help tell?**
>
> Discover our solutions for the market and help drive sustainable cannabis cultivation.

As an emerging authority in the global sustainable cannabis market, Kanna can guide many on their journeys toward sustainability and the adoption of innovative technologies like blockchain. We are shaping a greener, more inclusive future where everyone can actively participate in this transformation.

As a project, we provide and develop new solutions related to sustainability, regulation, and historical reparation, using Blockchain technology. Through the use of the KNN token, community members can track regenerative cultivation practices, support sustainable initiatives, and actively participate on the Kanna platform.

The cannabis market needs to build more trust and transparency for patients, showcasing a side of the story that has yet to be told—one grounded in sustainability, reparation, quality of life, and culture.\
A regulated market based on good practices and the deconstruction of cannabis’s image can generate numerous benefits for people and the world, such as quality medicines, environmental benefits, reduced crime, destigmatization, job creation, and more.

### The Transformation to a New Perspective

People and institutions need to help raise awareness about the numerous benefits that the species can bring to both individuals and the planet, contributing to the creation of a narrative that reveals the untold side of the story.

Below is a brief comparison of the benefits of building a regulated cannabis market, driven by sustainable best practices:

| **Regulated Market**                                       | **Illegal Market**                                                        |
| ---------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **MEDICINAL**                                              |                                                                           |
| ✅ Access to quality, tested medications.                   | ❌ Unverified products with low medicinal content.                         |
| ✅ Supervision by regulatory agencies.                      | ❌ Lack of quality control.                                                |
| ✅ Ongoing research and development.                        | ❌ Difficulty obtaining reliable information.                              |
| **SOCIAL**                                                 |                                                                           |
| ✅ Reduction in crime associated with trafficking.          | ❌ Contributes to strengthening organized crime.                           |
| ✅ Creation of formal employment opportunities.             | ❌ Informal and often exploitative labor.                                  |
| ✅ Public education and awareness on responsible use.       | ❌ Misinformation and stigmatization, worse for Black communities.         |
| **ENVIRONMENTAL**                                          |                                                                           |
| ✅ Sustainable and regulated agricultural practices.        | ❌ Predatory and unsustainable practices.                                  |
| ✅ Use of technologies to reduce environmental impact.      | ❌ Lack of environmental recovery initiatives.                             |
| ✅ Phytoremediation and efficient use of natural resources. | ❌ Soil degradation and uncontrolled resource use.                         |
| ✅ Greater CO2 retention compared to other crops.           | ❌ Operations with high carbon emissions.                                  |
| **ECONOMIC**                                               |                                                                           |
| ✅ Increased tax revenue.                                   | ❌ Loss of tax revenue.                                                    |
| ✅ Development of a sustainable industry.                   | ❌ Gateway to the consumption of other drugs.                              |
| ✅ Encouragement of entrepreneurship.                       | ❌ Monopoly by large traffickers.                                          |
| **CULTURAL**                                               |                                                                           |
| ✅ Reduction of stigma and prejudice against cannabis use.  | ❌ Stigma and criminalization of users, overcrowding of the prison system. |
| ✅ Promotion of an open, informative debate.                | ❌ Misinformation about cannabis.                                          |
| ✅ Inclusion of cannabis in health and wellness culture.    | ❌ Cannabis use exclusively associated with crime.                         |

### And There's More...

### **Reduction in Crime Associated with Trafficking**

Studies have demonstrated that the legalization of cannabis is associated with a reduction in certain types of crime. For example, in the state of Colorado, following legalization, there was a significant drop in property crimes. From 2003 to 2012, before legalization, the average property crime rate was 2,364 per 100,000 residents, which fell to 2,034 per 100,000 from 2012 to 2016, after legalization. In neighboring states like Kansas and Nebraska, significant reductions were also observed in property crimes, simple assaults, and vehicle thefts (EBP Society & Boise State University).

Furthermore, legalization has reduced the influence of cartels and criminal organizations, especially in states near the Mexican border, where violence associated with drug trafficking has decreased considerably (Reason Foundation & PotGuide).\
These findings suggest that cannabis legalization can contribute to reducing crime, particularly in areas traditionally impacted by drug trafficking (NORML & Boise State University).

### **Creation of Formal Jobs**

The legalization of cannabis has shown a significant impact on the creation of formal jobs in countries where it is regulated. For example, in the United States, the legal cannabis industry added over 107,000 new jobs in 2021 alone and currently supports around 428,000 full-time jobs. This growth is attributed to the expansion of both the medicinal and recreational markets, with states like California and Florida leading in terms of the number of jobs and sales.

In Canada, since the legalization of cannabis, the industry has generated around 151,000 direct and indirect jobs. The economic contribution of the cannabis sector to Canada's GDP is also significant, totaling billions in sales and capital investments.\
These figures show that the regulation of cannabis not only aids in the creation of formal jobs but also contributes substantially to the economy through tax revenues and the development of new markets.

### **Phytoremediation and Efficient Use of Natural Resources**

Studies show that cannabis, especially the hemp variety (Cannabis sativa L.), has significant potential for phytoremediation and CO2 capture. Phytoremediation is the use of plants to remove contaminants from the soil, and cannabis stands out in this function due to its ability to absorb heavy metals and other pollutants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and copper (Cu). In controlled experiments, cannabis has been shown to be effective in removing up to 97% of PAHs and 58 mg/kg of copper from contaminated soil (SpringerLink & MDPI).

Moreover, hemp is highly efficient in capturing CO2, capable of absorbing up to 15 tons of CO2 per hectare in a four-month cultivation cycle, which is significantly more than many other plants. This characteristic makes hemp a promising option for sustainable agriculture and climate change mitigation (SpringerLink & MDPI).\
Therefore, the regulation and cultivation of cannabis not only contribute to the environmental recovery of degraded areas but also help reduce CO2 emissions, offering a natural and effective solution to some of today's most urgent environmental challenges.
