News analysis for professionals in the cannabis industry

UK report says cannabinoids should be under health, not law-and-order rules

Written by Freddie Dawson | 24th June 2021

The British government must take oversight of CBD and medical cannabis out of Home Office hands and place it with the Department of Health and Social Care, according to a new report on post-Brexit regulation...

UK debate reveals broad agreement on need to reform outdated drugs law

Written by CannIntelligence | 24th June 2021

Members of Parliament from across the political spectrum in the UK believe the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act is in urgent need of reform, after 50 years of “wasting lives” and holding back vital research...

It’s all about the brand as firms look to expand across the US and beyond

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 22nd June 2021

Brand creation and consolidation is driving a number of major business deals in the US market ...

Brazil moves closer to legalising medical cannabis, despite president's veto threat

Written by CannIntelligence | 21st June 2021

A bill that would allow the cultivation and processing of hemp and cannabis in Brazil has passed an important committee vote in the country’s lower legislative chamber – but serious obstacles remain ...

European ingredient popularity drives cannabinoid sector's latest M&A action

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 18th June 2021

Appetite for European ingredients producers appears to be driving the latest round of merger and acquisition (M&A) action in the cannabinoid sector ...

Official report favours legalisation, but France is unlikely to budge on cannabis

Written by CannIntelligence | 17th June 2021

Members of the French National Assembly appear unlikely to follow the recommendations made in a recent report on recreational cannabis, despite its scathing criticism of the current harsh regime ...

Nordic Oil seeks €5m and ‘emotional investment’ through crowd-funding

Written by CannIntelligence | 16th June 2021

Nordic Oil could become the largest European CBD brand to raise money through crowd-funding as it seeks to raise €3m-€5m through the Seedrs platform ...

Combining other topical ingredients with cannabinoids goes more than skin-deep

Written by CannIntelligence | 16th June 2021

Trends such as sustainability and organic plant-based ingredients are helping to drive the market for hemp and cannabinoid topical products even higher, with combination products all the rage ...

CBD startups exceeding all fundraising expectations as investors leap aboard

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 15th June 2021

CBD and cannabis startups from Scotland to Florida are attracting increasing numbers of investors as they scale up their businesses and break crowd-funding records in the process ...

UK psychedelics fund puts £5m into seven companies to tackle mental health

Written by CannIntelligence | 14th June 2021

UK venture capital fund Neo Kuma has invested £5m across seven healthcare companies focused on the use of psychedelics to help combat mental health issues ...

France to clarify regulation of CBD hemp extracts with upcoming decree

Written by CannIntelligence | 11th June 2021

A draft ministerial decree to clarify the regulation of CBD in France is under consideration, but many in the industry are unhappy with the proposed measures ...

The battle for medical cannabis goes on in Mississippi after ballot is annulled

Written by CannIntelligence | 8th June 2021

Mississippi supporters of medical cannabis are fighting to have their voices heard after a vote for legalisation was thrown out by the US state’s Supreme Court ...

It's complicated: German court ruling adds further confusion to hemp law

Written by CannIntelligence | 3rd June 2021

The legality of selling hemp flowers as well as hemp leaf tea in Germany is no clearer despite the recent ruling by the country’s highest court that low-THC industrial hemp flowers could – in principle...

Wave of e-commerce and retail store purchases keep High Tide on the rise

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 1st June 2021

Canadian cannabis retailer High Tide is continuing its advance into the US market with the $26m acquisition of 80% of CBD e-commerce platform Fab Nutrition (FAB CBD) ...

Regulator's labelling guidance could spell doom for UK sales of CBD-infused alcohol

Written by CannIntelligence | 1st June 2021

The UK alcohol industry's voluntary regulator denies being outright opposed to CBD alcoholic drinks – but moves made by one major brand suggests many see the writing on the wall for the niche sector ...

Canopy spreads, while Sundial purchases Canada's largest cannabis retailer

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 31st May 2021

Merger and acquisition activity remains high in the industry and two major Canadian firms – Sundial Growers and Canopy Growth – have made acquisitions this month ...

Initial results from Project Twenty21 reveal promise – and a few caveats

Written by CannIntelligence | 26th May 2021

CBD-Intel assesses how Project Twenty21 is faring as it seeks to construct a registry of medical cannabis users in the UK and Europe, providing real world data on potential efficacy ...

Another one bites the dust as Hawaii tries and fails again to legalise cannabis

Written by CannIntelligence | 25th May 2021

Despite the island state's generally liberal outlook, and long association with cannabis culture, legalisation of recreational use remains a frustrated dream for many in Hawaii ...

Small steps towards regulation raise big hopes for cannabinoids in Argentina

Written by CannIntelligence | 24th May 2021

Early moves towards a regulatory framework that would allow a cannabinoid industry in Argentina have been welcomed by insiders who hope ultimately to match or surpass the progress made by other South American nations ...

Tilray closes deal with Aphria and turns to lobbying for cannabis reform

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 21st May 2021

The boss of the world’s new largest global cannabis company has likened the industry’s potential to that of the alcohol business before the ending of Prohibition in the early 1930s ...

EU Commission considers bringing CBD vapes under tobacco regulation

Written by CannIntelligence | 20th May 2021

European tobacco control rules could be extended to specifically cover the vaping of CBD, a new report from the European Commission suggests ...

Another CBD company that 'should know better' fined by US FTC over health claims

Written by Freddie Dawson | 18th May 2021

A CBD company has been fined more than $30,000 by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the first such punishment since a crackdown on false or misleading health claims was announced in December ...

Trulieve Harvest merger billed as largest in US cannabis

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 13th May 2021

US cannabis firm Trulieve has bought Harvest Health and Recreation in a $2.1bn deal that aims to create the US’s most profitable cannabis company in what is being billed as the largest US cannabis transaction...

Cannabinoids, cannabis and pain: a promising area for further research

Written by CannIntelligence | 13th May 2021

Pain is a familiar part of everybody’s life, yet it remains a remarkably hard subject to study. It therefore is unsurprising that studies have come to differing conclusions on the use of cannabis and cannabinoids...

Covid helps fuel cannabis acquisitions by Greenlane and Dutchie

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 11th May 2021

Two US firms, Greenlane and KushCo, have merged in a deal that aims to create a major manufacturer and distributor of cannabis accessories in the US ...

Cannabis lobbying steps up in the US with major players joining the discussion

Written by CannIntelligence | 10th May 2021

Significant cannabis reform is inevitably coming to congress, no matter whether the Biden administration considers it a priority, and giants in experienced lobbying industries are preparing their agents ...

Growing medical market prompts expansion in New York and Pennsylvania

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 7th May 2021

When Biden won the US election in November 2020 the stock market value of cannabis firms soared in expectation of a more lenient political climate under the Biden administration ...

Heading south: Valens and Canopy increase presence in US CBD market

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 6th May 2021

Various business deals across the US and Canada see cannabis and CBD companies expanding their portfolios and growing their brands in a series of acquisitions, investments and partnerships ...

Legalisation of cannabis looks like being a hot topic in Germany's federal elections

Written by CannIntelligence | 3rd May 2021

With federal elections due in September, Germany’s Free Democratic Party (FDP) has called on the government to draft a law permitting the controlled distribution of cannabis for adult use ...

South Africa's new national cannabis plan could spark regional change

Written by CannIntelligence | 30th April 2021

South Africa releases the National Cannabis Master Plan, which will not only boost and uplift the southern Africa cannabis industry, but will set a regional precedent for the growth of a legal cannabis market in the area ...

Opposition parties put forward proposals for legalisation of cannabis in Poland

Written by CannIntelligence | 29th April 2021

Poland’s Parliamentary Team for the Legalisation of Marijuana has submitted a package of three draft bills to the speaker of parliament’s lower chamber, following a public consultation on the proposals ...

Minor cannabinoids: what are they, and how could they be of benefit?

Written by CannIntelligence | 28th April 2021

CBD-Intel offers a review of the science behind some of cannabis’s lesser-known compounds – the so-called “minor cannabinoids” – with an emphasis on their potential applications ...

UK FSA releases initial validated novel food application list

Written by Freddie Dawson | 23rd April 2021

The long-anticipated UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) initial list of products supported by a validated CBD novel food application has been released ...

CBD and Covid-19 – lab experiments show promise, but don't hold your breath

Written by CannIntelligence | 21st April 2021

Early research into the possibility of CBD having a role to play in the fight against coronavirus infections has shown some initial promise. Any practical application remains a long way off, however ...

Cann Group teams up with Emyria to develop pharmacy grade CBD capsules

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 21st April 2021

Australian medicinal cannabis firm Cann has moved quickly to maximise the benefits of its CBD Gelpell capsule technology by entering into a collaboration deal with healthcare technology firm Emyria ...

Jersey well placed to become Europe’s major growing hub for medical cannabis

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 20th April 2021

Jersey could become “a cannabis hub for Europe” after Northern Leaf successfully completed a second round of funding that will enable it to complete its pharmaceutical cannabis cultivation facility on the island ...

A new head honcho for CBD policy – but who will US FDA pick for this vital role?

Written by CannIntelligence | 19th April 2021

A new deputy commissioner at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will likely be the single person with the most influence on the path to market for CBD in the US ...

The next big thing – or are investors in psychedelics playing the long game?

Written by CannIntelligence | 19th April 2021

While legal cannabis is still a relatively new industry, investors are already looking for the next sector to boom – and many think that will be psychedelics ...

Credit union runs into trouble with US agency over too-lax cannabis activities

Written by CannIntelligence | 16th April 2021

Access to banking services has been a problem for the legal cannabis sector in the US from the beginning – and the experience of one cooperative in Michigan shows that the relationship can be problematic...

US Customs stands accused of seizing legal hemp – and farm machinery

Written by Anthony Traurig | 16th April 2021

The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency is wrongly seizing legal hemp and hemp-related shipments – such as farm equipment that it claims constitutes drug paraphernalia – according to two recently-filed lawsuits ...

New Senate request could hold Mexican legalisation back until at least September

Written by CannIntelligence | 15th April 2021

Mexico’s Senate is poised to request extra time to approve legislation that would legalise cannabis in the country, prolonging debate over the highly anticipated bill until September ...

Tilray expands its influence Down Under, moving on New Zealand medical market

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 15th April 2021

Canadian cannabis firm Tilray is moving in on New Zealand’s market for medical cannabis and has received the necessary approvals to launch Tilray medical cannabis products across the country ...

Details of China's proposed ban on CBD in cosmetics still unclear

Written by CannIntelligence | 14th April 2021

Suggestions that a Chinese ban on the use of CBD in cosmetics that would essentially shut down the domestic CBD market, blocking imports and cross-border online sales, appear to be premature ...

'A nice buzz in the air' – CBD shops reopen as UK lockdown lifts

Written by CannIntelligence | 14th April 2021

As the national lockdown in the UK lifted on Monday, shoppers were excited to purchase CBD in person ...

‘Cautious’ Idaho is ready at last to become the 50th state to legalise industrial hemp

Written by CannIntelligence | 13th April 2021

It’s been a long process getting there, but the last US state to legalise industrial hemp finally has a bill headed to the governor’s desk and farmers poised to plant the crop ...

How cannabis derivatives could help to preserve the miracle of modern medicine

Written by CannIntelligence | 13th April 2021

Could cannabinoids, including CBD, provide a partial solution to the growing danger of diseases becoming resistant to existing antibiotics? ...

Could cannabinoids help in the fight against drug-resistant bacteria?

Written by CannIntelligence | 12th April 2021

Scientific findings on the antimicrobial properties of cannabis – and in particular cannabinoids – have raised the question of whether they might play a role in combatting antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as MRSA ...

A mixed bag: reactions to the USDA's final hemp rule requirements

Written by CannIntelligence | 9th April 2021

States continue to update their hemp production plans to match US Department of Agriculture (USDA) final rule requirements, with Michigan being one of the latest ...

Italy issues its first licences to grow hemp and extract CBD for medical use

Written by CannIntelligence | 8th April 2021

Italy’s Ministry of Health and the Italian Medicine Agency (AIFA) have begun authorising Italian companies to manufacture hemp-derived CBD extracts for pharmaceutical purposes ...

Delta-8 THC – hot new kid on the block, or hemp's disturbing problem child?

Written by CannIntelligence | 7th April 2021

The newest cannabinoid craze is stirring up controversy in the emerging legal hemp industry. Delta-8 THC, produced from hemp-extracted CBD, promises a legal high – but, many wonder, at what cost? ...

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