Business Of Cannabis Awards: Laura Ramos, editor of CannaReporter® is Journalist of the Year 2024

The Business Of Cannabis industry's first awards event proved to be a huge success and will now become a permanent feature of the European cannabis scene. With distinctions in 11 different categories, the awards ceremony took place on June 25th, at Amazing Grace, in London, on the occasion of Cannabis Europe, organized by Prohibition Partners. Among the winners are Hannah Deacon, who received the cnotable contribution to the European cannabis industry, Laura Ramos, who won the 2024 Journalist of the Year award, or Curaleaf and Cannavigia, who were distinguished in several categories. See the list of all winners here.

The awards attracted more than 200 senior professionals from across the European cannabis chain and were sponsored by PHCANN International. PHCANN CEO Sasho Stefanoski gave the opening speech, during which he congratulated all nominees and highlighted the growth of the sector.

Speaking about sponsoring the awards, Vladimir Kofcegarski, Sales Director at PHCANN International, said: “We are proud to sponsor the Business of Cannabis Awards, celebrating excellence and innovation in an industry that is breaking new ground and shaping the future. This event not only honored notable achievements, but also highlighted the dedication and passion that drives the cannabis community. Congratulations to all the winners for their outstanding contributions and success. A special thank you to the team at Prohibition Partners for organizing such a remarkable event.”

A panel of industry-leading expert judges assessed the hundreds of nominations across 11 individual categories designed to recognize excellence in their defined disciplines. These included recognizing individual excellence and expertise, teamwork, breakthrough innovations and impactful research.

Stephen Murphy, CEO and co-founder of Prohibition Partners, the parent company of Business of Cannabis, praised the winners, emphasizing the event's dedication to honoring excellence in various facets of the cannabis sector. “The awards showcased innovation, leadership and growth in this dynamic industry. This year's event provided a remarkable gathering of industry leaders, innovators and influencers and highlighted the phenomenal work carried out by businesses and individuals across Europe over the last 12 months, recognizing the efforts of those at the forefront of change. This event celebrated the achievements and contributions in the cannabis sector, highlighting the importance of leadership and innovation in driving the industry forward”, highlighted Murphy.

The nominees in the different categories and the respective winners were as follows:

1 – Grower of the Year

Curaleaf International
Mary Jane
Dennis Lobo
Dalgety
Bathera

Winner: Curaleaf International. It has created a world-class, cultivation-based supply chain, setting the benchmark for consistency and standards.

2 – Cannabis Startup of the Year
Recognize notable achievements in innovation in the cannabis sector.

Cannavigia
Astrasana
Overseded
Mamedica
Objective

Winner: Cannavigia. Cannavigia was selected as Start Up European Company of the Year due to its innovative product range, global reach and demonstrated industry leadership.

3 – Cannabis Journalist of the Year
Demonstrable ability, integrity and impact in covering cannabis-related topics.

Aurélien Bernard (Newsweed)
Lukas Hurt (Magazin Konopi)
Laura Ramos (CannaReporter® and Cannadouro Magazine)
Ben Stevens (Business of Cannabis)
Sarah Sinclair (Cannabis Health)
Javier Hasse (Independent Journalist)

Winner: Laura Ramos. Laura is considered to be not only a Journalist, but also an activist and an agent of change.

Laura Ramos, editor of CannaReporter®, with Fabricio Conrado Nobre, from WidePartner, after receiving the Business of Cannabis 2024 Journalist of the Year award

Laura Ramos praised the work of all her colleagues nominated in the same category, with whom she wanted to share the award, and highlighted the importance of having specific information about cannabis, for this industry to grow successfully. “Journalists are responsible for bridging the gap between science and the cannabis industry with government entities and civil society, helping to break myths and eradicate the misinformation that reigns in the general press about a very stigmatized plant. By conveying reliable, verified and fact-based information, journalists specializing in cannabis make factual and crucial information accessible, which contributes to the development of this promising industry and to better health conditions for people around the world.”

The editor of CannaReporter® also warned about the difficulties that independent Journalism faces in order to be sustainable, a problem that is common to all Journalists appointed by the Business of Cannabis: “It is necessary for the cannabis industry to also contribute to quality Journalism , ensuring that this financing does not compromise the credibility and impartiality of Journalists. This is the biggest difficulty facing the media today, being sustainable while maintaining their impartiality. Companies' investment in advertising and patronage on a large scale, through individual contributions or campaigns Crowdfunding, continue to be the best options for financing independent journalism projects”, he stated.

4 – Law Firm of the Year
Excellence and leadership in providing legal advice in the complex, rapidly evolving field of cannabis legislation.

Herbert
Gowling
Loyra
Fieldfisher
Memery

Winner: Gowling. Their experience in merging political and commercial work has elevated this group to one of Europe's leading law firms in the cannabis industry.

5 – Cannabis Clinic of the Year
Celebrating clinics that have demonstrated outstanding commitment and compassion in providing high quality care to patients.

MAC
MediCan
Curaleaf
Clinn.pt

Winner: Curaleaf Clinic. Formerly known as Sapphire Clinics, it established a network of clinics recognized for providing high quality care. In addition to meeting standard requirements, these clinics have significantly advanced scientific understanding and raised industry standards for medical cannabis treatment.

6 – Best Patient-Focused Initiative of the Year
For exceptional efforts in developing initiatives designed to improve patient care, education and support.

Drug Science (T21)
Medcan Family Foundation
Medical Cannabis Patients Association (MCPA)
PatientsCann UK

Winner: Drug Science (T21).

It is very important to have access to a credible source to research, collect, analyze, process and publish reliable information and this is a crucial service for the industry. This work is not always easy, but it is vital that it exists, which is why Drug Science and the T21 project deserve the award. The winner of this award is also recognized for their crucial work in providing high-value data and resources that all other organizations can benefit from to better support their patients.

7 – Use of Cutting-edge Technology
Innovation and excellence in technological solutions, platforms and products that have made a significant impact.

Cannavigia
Copeia GmbH
Elixie, Lda.
Script Assist
TRUSTT

Winner: Cannavigia. Cannavigia stands out as a pioneering European technology company, demonstrating an exceptional ability to provide high-level regulatory services. Its solutions ensure unparalleled trust and transparency across the entire supply chain for all stakeholders, making them the best use of technology in this sector.

8 – European Cannabis Company of the Year
Exceptional contributions to shaping the European landscape of the cannabis industry.

STENOCARE
curaleaf international
Cantourage
Tiresome Group
Blossom
Agropharm Projects
DEMECAN

Winner: Curaleaf International. Curaleaf has built a truly pan-European group, establishing itself as a market leader across multiple jurisdictions through smart strategic execution. It maintains commendable standards of social responsibility and is building a sustainable model through impressive doctor and patient education programs. These achievements make Curaleaf International worthy of the European Cannabis Company of the Year award.

9 – Business Leader of the Year
Visionary leadership, strategic acumen and standout performance from a business leader in the cannabis industry.

Boris Jordan (Founder and Executive Chairman of Curaleaf)
Franziska Katterbach (president of Khiron Life Sciences)
Henk van Dalen (Owner of Dutch Passion Seed Company)
Timo Bongartz (CCO of Cannavigia)
Joeri Perneel (CEO of Pure Support)

Winner: Boris Jordan. Boris is not just satisfied with the fact that Curaleaf is recognized as an important multi-state operator in the US market. He expanded Curaleaf International to become Europe's leading cannabis operator, establishing a presence in seven European markets. In doing so, he is laying the groundwork for future transatlantic cannabis businesses and leveraging his extensive experience to navigate and develop early-stage markets.

10 – Industry Rising Star Award
For an individual who has demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities and/or an unwavering commitment to driving positive change.

Julian Vaterrodt
Jon Robson
Jack Whip
Dylan Doran Kennett
Dr Simon Erridge

Winner: Jack Whipp. Jack has established himself as a formidable operator, deftly navigating the complexities of the global supply chain and demonstrating exceptional interpersonal skills in managing a rapidly growing patient base. His outstanding skills and contributions make him the clear choice for the Industry Rising Star award.

11 – Remarkable contribution to the European cannabis industry
Hannah Deacon

Hannah Deacon thanked Michael Barnes, the British doctor who helped her on her journey to treat her son Alfie, who suffers from Epilepsy.

The award was presented by Professor Mike Barnes and Hannah was recognized for her incredible contributions to the industry. “My son inspires me every day. He goes to school, he is learning to read. I can go to work and I have a much better quality of life because my son is well and I'm not worrying about him every day and night. He is a happy guy and inspires me to keep going to ensure that every patient in this country who could benefit from cannabis can receive it,” she said.

After the event, Hannah said on Dispensary. Thank you to Matt Hughes and the team at MedCan Family Foundation, we have worked and campaigned together for many years but we have much more to do to achieve our goal of seeing wider NHS access to cannabis medicines for all the families we support and broader epilepsy community. Lastly, a huge thank you to my family, Drew, Alfie and Annie, who have helped me through these dark times, it has been a rollercoaster of a journey that continues.”

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Note: This article was originally published by Ben Stevens on Business of Cannabis and translated, enhanced and adapted by CannaReporter® with permission from the author.