Global Lessons, Local Opportunities: Medical Resource Association, Inc. Panel Explores the Future of Patient-Centered Cannabis
When the Medical Resource Association, Inc. hosted its latest panel, the theme “Global Lessons and Local Opportunities” set the tone for a conversation that felt as timely as it was timeless. With markets across Europe, North America, and beyond in various stages of legalization, the dialogue underscored a central truth: cannabis reform may look different country by country, but at its core, it must be patient-centered, sustainable, and trustworthy.
The panel, which included Sasho Stefanoski, Jamie L. Pearson, and other international leaders, explored what it will take for countries like France to learn from global markets while creating systems that work locally.
Learning from Global Markets
Panelist Sasho Stefanoski framed the discussion by pointing to the opportunity France has to examine precedents elsewhere:
“France can look on the landscape, can look in Canada, can look on the German market especially, which is very, very attractive at this moment. UK market as well in Australia. And if the French regulatory is willing enough, they can extract the best practices from every market. But as you said, all markets have something in common. Everyone is striving to a patient-oriented market. Everyone is putting the patient at the center of the operations. Someone is doing better, someone is doing not so good. But at the end of the day, patient-oriented system should be based on trust, sustainability, and innovation. Without these three premises, you cannot build a system because that's how you'll give credibility to governments.”
His words carried the weight of lived experience. Germany’s medical program, for example, has quickly become one of the most attractive global markets due to its insurance coverage, structured import framework, and physician involvement. Canada, with its fully legalized framework, offers lessons in scalability, while the UK and Australia present different models of patient access and physician engagement.
France, Stefanoski argued, can synthesize these lessons into a uniquely French model — but only if trust, sustainability, and innovation remain at the center.
Trust, Credibility, and Regulation
Trust emerged as the watchword of the conversation. Stefanoski continued:
“We are here to support the community in building trust and credibility to the regulators. So to show that there is a need for these type of products or medicine in France, and to support them in their, let's say, efforts pursuing the government into the legislation changes that will give sustainability and we will map the road to a full cannabis reform in France.”
This approach is less about lobbying for short-term wins and more about creating systems with long-term credibility. By engaging regulators transparently and demonstrating that patients’ needs are real and urgent, advocates can build a case for reform that resonates with governments and citizens alike.
The Lifestyle–Medicine Nexus
An audience question brought another layer to the discussion: the tension — or synergy — between cannabis as lifestyle and cannabis as medicine. Stefanoski responded with a vision of integration:
“During the previous panels, there was a question about cannabis, and someone from the audience said lifestyle. So this is very important because we need to combine all of this and put it on the right direction. We need to combine the community, the lifestyle, the patients and the patients. There are no patients without doctors, which means doctors should be part of the community to embrace the plant and all the derivatives of the plant as something which is helping.”
This framing calls for a holistic understanding of cannabis. Patients, doctors, regulators, and communities do not operate in silos. The lifestyle culture — from wellness practices to consumer rituals — intersects with the medical framework. A sustainable system acknowledges this interplay rather than denying it.
Jamie L. Pearson: The Global Dealmaker’s View
If Stefanoski grounded the conversation in patient-centered systems, Jamie L. Pearson expanded it into the realm of global dealmaking. As the President and Founder of New Holland Group and a veteran of international cannabis ventures, Pearson’s perspective carries weight across continents.
She reminded the audience that reform is not only about medicine, but also about bridging cultures, currencies, and corporate strategies:
- In Europe, Pearson noted, cannabis reform is increasingly tied to supply chain development. Countries like Germany are pushing imports, while others are investing in domestic cultivation. Navigating these complexities requires partnerships that balance compliance with creativity.
- In North America, she explained, the lesson is about scaling responsibly. Canada’s rapid market saturation offers a cautionary tale, while the U.S. remains a patchwork of opportunity and constraint.
- Globally, Pearson emphasized the importance of cross-border collaboration. “Dealmaking,” in her framing, is not only about business growth but also about cultural translation — ensuring that markets don’t just copy one another, but learn and adapt.
Pearson’s ability to draw connections across continents underscored the panel’s thesis: reform is both global and local. The challenge — and opportunity — lies in finding the right balance between the two.
France at the Crossroads
The French market became a recurring focus throughout the discussion. With limited pilot programs and cautious government attitudes, France has yet to embrace large-scale reform. But panelists suggested that the country could become a European leader if it learns from global precedents.
France’s cultural emphasis on medicine, wellness, and lifestyle makes it uniquely positioned to integrate cannabis into healthcare and daily life. Yet, as Stefanoski and Pearson reminded the audience, without trust, sustainability, and innovation, reform risks being hollow.
Toward a Patient-Centered Future
The message from the Medical Resource Association, Inc. panel was clear: cannabis reform is not a one-size-fits-all blueprint. Each market — from Germany to Australia, from Canada to France — must carve its own path while learning from others.
But what unites them all is the centrality of the patient. Reform is not credible without doctors, regulators, and communities working together. It is not sustainable without trust. And it is not innovative without acknowledging lifestyle, culture, and medicine as interconnected.
As Pearson put it, the true work of global dealmaking lies not only in contracts, but in building systems that endure. And as Stefanoski reminded the audience, credibility is the currency governments value most.
Together, their perspectives sketched a vision for the future: a cannabis industry that is as global as it is local, as cultural as it is clinical, and as innovative as it is sustainable.
