News analysis for professionals in the cannabis industry

The NCUA labels serving hemp businesses a 2021 priority

Written by Freddie Dawson | 22nd January 2021

The National Credit Union Association (NCUA) has highlighted serving the hemp industry as a priority for 2021, which may enable more hemp businesses to access banking and financial services ...

CBD drinks – 'a superior option for those traditionally alcohol-driven occasions'

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 19th January 2021

Health and wellness appear to be the primary marketing position for new cannabinoid beverage launches ...

Tobacco giant steps in – BAT launches CBD e-liquid range onto UK market

Written by Freddie Dawson | 18th January 2021

Big Tobacco has entered the CBD sector with British American Tobacco (BAT) launching a CBD e-liquid cartridge compatible with its Vuse vaping device ...

Uzbekistan publishes regulations for hemp farming and production

Written by CannIntelligence | 15th January 2021

Uzbekistan has published a regulatory framework to implement its legalisation of industrial hemp farming and production passed last year ...

Molson Coors and Hexo joint venture Truss launches CBD beverage in US

Written by Freddie Dawson | 15th January 2021

Molson Coors and Hexo joint-venture Truss has finally released its CBD beverage in the US state of...

A brighter year ahead on cannabis rules? Our 2021 predictions for US regulation

Written by Anthony Traurig | 13th January 2021

CBD-Intel presents some predictions of what regulatory moves could take place around cannabis, hemp and CBD in the US in 2021 ...

European report outlines CBD retail practices and urges clarity on the rules

Written by Freddie Dawson | 11th January 2021

A recently published report from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) highlights the diverse retail make-up and unclear regulatory outlook of the European CBD sector ...

Canopy Growth in patent infringement lawsuit with GW Pharmaceuticals

Written by Freddie Dawson | 8th January 2021

Canopy Growth has sued GW Pharmaceuticals over patent infringement in a case that could have wider-spread consequences for the CBD industry ...

Georgia run-off election: it looks like good news for cannabis reform

Written by Freddie Dawson | 6th January 2021

Reform of cannabis laws at federal level in the US looks to be a step closer following the likely victory of the Democratic party in run-off elections for both Senate seats in the state of...

State officials on both sides as South Dakota goes to court over legalisation

Written by Anthony Traurig | 5th January 2021

South Dakota’s governor has put public cash behind a legal challenge to a move – backed by a majority of voters – to legalise recreational cannabis in the US state. But can the lawsuit overturn...

New York State's proposed regulations could set the hemp standard for others

Written by CannIntelligence | 4th January 2021

Further CBD regulations in the US could be based on rules proposed in the state of New York, it has been suggested – especially crucial definitions for some key terms ...

It could have been so much worse: 2020 was CBD's year in the waiting-room

Written by Freddie Dawson | 1st January 2021

For many 2020 will always carry an asterisk. The CBD industry was – overall – more fortunate than many other sectors ...

Tactics to boost January sales and keep satisfied customers coming back

Written by CannIntelligence | 1st January 2021

Marketers recommend the use of gift cards, along with discounts on higher strength and quality blends to drive new consumer growth in January and to convert new customers into repeat customers ...

A world of change – but don't expect 2021 to deliver very much new regulation

Written by CannIntelligence | 31st December 2020

Multiple jurisdictions are planning significant legislation on both CBD and hemp-related matters, but it seems regulation in 2021 could be defined as much by what doesn’t happen as by the progress made ...

Delay and dispute over deal to get CBD into Brazil's public health system

Written by CannIntelligence | 30th December 2020

Efforts to supply the first CBD product to Brazil’s public healthcare system will have to wait a while longer – and there is some dispute between the institute preparing to produce it and the sponsors...

Continuing failure to pass US federal hemp regulation leaves CBD in a tangle

Written by CannIntelligence | 29th December 2020

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is still working on a plan to standardise a baseline level of regulation for CBD in dietary supplements, food and drinks – but many in the industry and...

Tilray set on becoming the 'weed giant of the world' with Aphria merger

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 29th December 2020

Canadian cannabis firms Aphria and Tilray have announced a merger that will create “the world’s largest weed company”, operating under the Tilray name ...

The long wait goes on for a successful European novel food application

Written by Anthony Traurig | 28th December 2020

Officials from the European Commission (EC) met with CBD-Intel to discuss the status of novel food applications in light of the ruling in the Kanavape case ...

Brexit: more clarity for international trade, but change ahead for vapes?

Written by David Palacios | 24th December 2020

While a post-Brexit regulatory review in the UK is likely to focus much more on nicotine vaping than on CBD, equally there are likely to be knock-on effects for providers of CBD products – whether...

Unfounded claims on cancer and COVID attract warning letters from US FDA

Written by Barnaby Page | 23rd December 2020

Claims that CBD could help shrink tumours were among those censured by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in its latest round of warning letters to the industry ...

I’m a celebrity – get me into quality cannabis, hemp and CBD brands...

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 23rd December 2020

Increasing numbers of celebrities are endorsing CBD products, with names as big as will.i.am, Jay-Z, Beyoncé and Gwyneth Paltrow among those investing or launching their own brands ...

Isle of Man to invite applications to grow hemp, but won't license extraction – yet

Written by Freddie Dawson | 22nd December 2020

The Isle of Man is set to begin assessing hemp production applications as early as February in order to allow initial crops to be grown in 2021 – though no cannabinoids will be extracted yet...

US firms hit by FTC fines as Operation CBDeceit targets false health claims

Written by Freddie Dawson | 21st December 2020

The first ever fines – ranging up to $85,000 – have been issued to CBD companies by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for deceptive marketing practices ...

Cannabis plant considered 'a national security threat' in Russia

Written by CannIntelligence | 18th December 2020

Cannabis legalisation is so far away in Russia that the plant is now considered a national security threat, according to provisions of the new state strategy for Anti-Drug...

Finance minister sets Zimbabwe an ambitious target for cannabis income

Written by CannIntelligence | 17th December 2020

Zimbabwe’s minister of finance and economic development, Mthuli Ncube, has proposed wide-ranging and hugely ambitious cannabis levies in the country, starting next year ...

Italian Customs Agency proposes taking hemp flower sales into its monopoly

Written by CannIntelligence | 17th December 2020

The Italian Customs Agency is trying to widen its jurisdiction by proposing including the sale of CBD hemp flowers within the state monopoly. Others have similar ideas ...

Polish company prepares to fight against move to ban CBD vending machines

Written by CannIntelligence | 16th December 2020

A proposed amendment to Polish law would ban the sale of CBD products through vending machines – but one company using that distribution method does not see any reason to stop just yet ...

Bio-synthesis fermentation of minor cannabinoids continues to grow

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 15th December 2020

Californian “cellular agriculture company” Cellibre has closed a round of funding that will enable it to accelerate the production of pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoids via fermentation ...

Avazo has its collar felt by the FDA/FTC over 'unsubstantiated COVID-19 claims'

Written by Freddie Dawson | 14th December 2020

Another company has been warned by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to stop claiming CBD can cure or mitigate the symptoms of COVID-19 ...

EU Parliament votes to change industrial hemp THC limit from 0.2% to 0.3%

Written by CannIntelligence | 11th December 2020

The European Parliament will have a united position on hemp-related issues during the ongoing tripartite negotiations, which must be concluded by the end of March ...

Trials and research into the healing potential of cannabinoids continue

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 11th December 2020

Pharmaceutical firms continue to invest in research into the healing potential of cannabinoids, launching clinical trials to investigate their ability to treat a range of conditions ...

Montana’s ballot initiative to legalise cannabis faces court challenge

Written by Anthony Traurig | 9th December 2020

A move to legalise cannabis in the US state of Montana, backed by a substantial majority in last month’s ballot, is under threat from a legal bid to block it ...

Watchdog warns phony 'research' claims risk undermining consumer confidence

Written by CannIntelligence | 8th December 2020

While solid research explaining the science behind CBD remains lacking as the market continues to grow, some bad actors in the industry are making false scientific claims for their products ...

EC to review novel food applications following change of heart on CBD

Written by Freddie Dawson | 4th December 2020

The European Commission (EC) will start to review novel food applications after reversing its opinion on the narcotic status of CBD, the EC has confirmed to CBD-Intel ...

Mixed feelings over results of UN vote on cannabis-related proposals

Written by CannIntelligence | 4th December 2020

The United Nations (UN) vote on various cannabis related proposals has largely been seen as a historic moment symbolically but one that can only be considered a tiny first step in practical terms ...

Kanavape ruling could kick-start French CBD industry – but not everyone's happy

Written by CannIntelligence | 3rd December 2020

The decision by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in the Kanavape cape that CBD cannot be treated as a narcotic has been welcomed in France – though not by the official...

CBD store ordered to drop 'irresponsible and harmful' anti-mask advertisements

Written by Freddie Dawson | 2nd December 2020

A CBD shop in the town of Glastonbury in southwest England has been called out for publishing anti-mask advertisements ...

UN commission votes to deschedule cannabis but CBD measure fails

Written by Freddie Dawson | 2nd December 2020

One of four proposed changes to the international scheduling of cannabis as well as CBD has been passed by the 53 voting members of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) ...

Canadian public and industry back plan to free CBD from cannabis regulation

Written by Freddie Dawson | 1st December 2020

The results of Canada’s public consultation on health products containing cannabis have been released, showing strong support for allowing the sale of CBD outside the current cannabis restrictions ...

The British isle heading for its own rules on cannabinoid extraction for export

Written by Freddie Dawson | 1st December 2020

The Isle of Man looks likely to become the second jurisdiction operating under UK regulations to allow the use of hemp flowers in extraction ...

Newer brands perform better in labelling accuracy for edibles, report finds

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 30th November 2020

More established brands performed worse than their new upstart rivals in the latest report on CBD labelling accuracy ...

Proposal put forward in yet another attempt to regulate the Italian CBD sector

Written by CannIntelligence | 27th November 2020

Italian legislators have put forward another proposal that has yet to be presented as an amendment to regulate the CBD sector and, in particular, the sale of flowers, finished products and extracts ...

Malawi accused of setting licence fees to exclude local farmers' ownership

Written by CannIntelligence | 25th November 2020

Officials in Malawi have been accused of deliberately setting high licence fees for hemp and cannabis cultivation and trade in order to attract international investment and exclude local ownership ...

Switzerland opens a door by allowing non-EU catalogue varietals to be grown

Written by Freddie Dawson | 24th November 2020

Starting next year, Switzerland will allow the commercial growing of all hemp varieties with a THC content below 1% – even those that are not in the European Union catalogue ...

Thoughtful Brands pulls out of German psychedelics to focus on American CBD

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 24th November 2020

Canadian cannabis and psychedelic medicine firm Thoughtful Brands has dissolved its German subsidiary Verrian to focus on its core business following the acquisition of Kentucky-based American CBD Extraction ...

Celebrities speak out in anger as CBD companies take famous names in vain

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 23rd November 2020

Sir David Attenborough, Olivia Newton-John and Clint Eastwood are among the latest in a line of celebrities who have spoken out against their names and images being used without their permission to promote CBD oils...

Opponents unlikely to derail Arizona recreational cannabis legalisation

Written by Anthony Traurig | 20th November 2020

Voters in the US states of Arizona, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, and South Dakota passed ballot initiatives to legalise adult-use and/or medical cannabis in their states. However, the path from ballot initiative to law is...

Aurora closes overnight offering in continued attempts to raise funds

Written by CannIntelligence | 20th November 2020

Aurora Cannabis continues to raise money and issue shares, despite facing allegations of misleading statements in a class-action lawsuit filed by investors ...

EU court rules at last in Kanavape case: CBD cannot be deemed a narcotic

Written by Freddie Dawson | 19th November 2020

CBD must not be regarded a narcotic drug, even under UN Convention definitions, whether or not it is extracted from hemp flowers, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has ruled ...

The cannabinoid drinks market is getting crowded – but it still takes a lot of bottle

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 19th November 2020

Current lack of success in Canada and unsupportive regulations in the US have not stopped cannabinoid companies from exploring the beverages sector ...

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