News analysis for professionals in the cannabis industry

Czech government struggles to push through cannabis legalisation bill

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 2nd August 2024

The long-awaited submission of a Czech government draft bill for the regulation of recreational cannabis was not received favourably by conservative representatives, leading to a discussion focused on self-cultivation only ...

As contests for US governorships ramp up, how do candidates view cannabis?

Written by Freddie Dawson | 25th July 2024

Though debate about US president Joe Biden’s potential replacement dominates headlines on the November elections, down-ballot races in many states may impact the future of cannabis in the country ...

Germany’s cannabis clubs are now allowed to operate, but are they really?

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 19th July 2024

On 1st July, cannabis clubs became allowed to operate under Germany’s new cannabis law, but this doesn’t mean that even the first already-licensed club will actually be able to start operations anytime soon ...

Germany inaugurates its very own cannabis club system: will it work?

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 18th July 2024

The first cannabis club in Germany may soon start operating after receiving the first cultivation licence under the country’s new cannabis regulation ...

Mexico’s president considered positive for cannabis sector, trouble for vape market

Written by CannIntelligence | 17th July 2024

The election of Claudia Sheinbaum as Mexico’s first-ever female president is being celebrated by members of the national cannabis industry as a positive step towards potential legalisation ...

Florida governor’s veto on IHDC ban bill: good news for hemp or playing politics?

Written by CannIntelligence | 3rd July 2024

Florida’s governor last month vetoed a bill that would have banned most intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoid (IHDC) products and limited the amount of total delta-9 THC in hemp products ...

Red scare in the green game – should Chinese activity in US farming raise flags?

Written by Freddie Dawson | 27th June 2024

Revelations about Chinese activities in the US agriculture sector have raised a number of issues. Evidence of increased activity by Chinese national affiliates has sparked something of a red scare among commentators ...

Australians use medical cannabis to treat pain, mental issues, survey results show

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 11th June 2024

Nearly eight years after the legalisation of medical cannabis in Australia, most people who use it to treat a health condition obtain it legally, through a doctor’s prescription ...

Germany expected to eliminate hemp ‘intoxication clause’ from cannabis law

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 7th June 2024

An announced withdrawal of a law clause stating that the commercial use of industrial hemp must exclude “the abuse of intoxication” could have a significant impact on the German cannabis industry if approved ...

Germany set to introduce HHC ban, but other semi-synthetics may take its place

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 6th June 2024

HHC is likely to become illegal very soon in Germany, as the country’s Federal Council prepares to pass a government decree on the subject on 14th June ...

Italy’s right-wing government may end up banning hemp, putting a sector at risk

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 31st May 2024

Italy may soon ban hemp flowers and hemp flower extracts with a THC content of less than 0.2%, as the country’s far-right government takes a conservative stance on cannabis ...

Are US regulators far removed from society when it comes to cannabis?

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 29th May 2024

While moving cannabis to a less-restrictive Schedule III will not legalise the recreational market at a federal level, it may reflect the need for authorities to modify their attitude to align with changes in society...

Contamination and adulteration of vape products: how serious is the problem?

Written by CannIntelligence | 27th May 2024

The recent discovery of the illicit animal tranquilliser xylazine in cannabis vapes raises concerns about harmful contaminants. How do these substances end up in vaping products? ...

Canadian cannabis firms ‘barely keeping their heads above water’ under tax load

Written by CannIntelligence | 22nd May 2024

Canada’s cannabis industry is warning more cannabis companies may be forced to close their doors in the coming months, after the Canadian government failed to deliver excise duty relief in this year’s federal budget ...

The long road to EFSA authorisation for CBD as novel food in the European Union

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 20th May 2024

In June 2022, the European Food Safety Authority broke some very bad news to CBD companies applying for their products to be authorised as novel food in the European Union ...

Malawi’s legalisation of medical cannabis leaves Rasta community ‘disappointed’

Written by CannIntelligence | 13th May 2024

Malawi has legalised the cultivation of a potent local variety of cannabis for industrial and medicinal use but maintained the criminal status of its recreational use – raising concerns among the Rastafarian community ...

‘Revolutionary’ US cannabis rescheduling set to increase companies’ profitability

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 9th May 2024

The reclassification of cannabis to a less restrictive schedule of the US Controlled Substances Act will have crucial implications for the industry, especially as far as taxation is concerned, experts say ...

UK FSA novel food committee gives CBD brands first positive safety assessments

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 6th May 2024

UK-based CBD brands Cannaray and Pureis are the first to obtain a positive safety assessment from the Food and Standards Agency (FSA) Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes ...

Canada’s Indigenous communities could earn millions with cannabis tax scheme

Written by CannIntelligence | 30th April 2024

The Canadian government has unveiled plans to allow Indigenous governments to levy a new tax on alcohol, cannabis, tobacco, fuel and vaping products sold in their communities, which could net them millions of dollars ...

Germany’s cannabis law could open doors for foreign businesses to set up in Europe

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 23rd April 2024

As Germany becomes the first country in mainland Europe to partially legalise adult-use cannabis, investors from outside the continent may want to establish a presence in the European market now and wait for opportunities ...

All eyes on Germany for legalisation – but is that really the right place to be looking?

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 23rd April 2024

Germany enforced mainland Europe’s first adult-use cannabis regulation on 1st April, but long before that the country had captured the attention of the international cannabis sector ...

Brazil looks to separate cannabis from crime via Supreme Court or legislature

Written by CannIntelligence | 22nd April 2024

A positive result is expected in a Supreme Court challenge on Brazil’s already decriminalised penalties for cannabis possession, which could clearly delineate the amount permitted for personal use for the first time ...

The uncertain fate of IHDCs in Europe: could a general ban be on the horizon?

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 12th April 2024

In this part of a series of articles celebrating the tenth anniversary of Tamarind Intelligence, we look at how the landscape of intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoids (IHDCs) across Europe has changed over the years ...

Canada sets up advisory group to address issues in and build the cannabis industry

Written by CannIntelligence | 4th April 2024

The Canadian government has set up a special advisory group to bring industry leaders and government officials around the same table in a bid to address the problems the country’s cannabis industry is facing ...

Report recommends changes to Canada’s cannabis law to deal with industry issues

Written by CannIntelligence | 3rd April 2024

An expert panel report that could set the stage for changes in coming months in the way cannabis is bought, sold and marketed across Canada is recommending wide-ranging amendments to the country’s cannabis law ...

UNESCO declares CBD store in suburban US shopping mall a World Heritage Site

Written by CannIntelligence | 1st April 2024

CBDeelite has today (1st April) been declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (UNESCO), in an effort to preserve some of the CBD era for future generations ...

Germany enforces partial recreational cannabis law after ditching last obstacle

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 29th March 2024

Germany agrees on partial recreational cannabis legalisation, after fears that the enforcement of its already approved regulation law would be delayed beyond the 1st April set date ...

German regulation seen as a beacon of hope during Barcelona’s cannabis week

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 21st March 2024

The international cannabis sector wrapped up its yearly gathering in Barcelona with all eyes on Germany’s upcoming regulation and the contradiction of host country Spain still without one ...

Czech Republic bans semi-synthetics amid debate over cannabis regulation

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 15th March 2024

Shortly after drafting its first proposal on cannabis regulation, the Czech government has banned semi-synthetic cannabinoids HHC, HHC acetate (HHC-O) and tetrahydrocannabiforol (THCP) ...

Barcelona prepares to host industry and consumers at its 2024 ‘cannabis week’

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 7th March 2024

In just a few days, the global cannabis sector will gather again in Barcelona for what has become informally known, for some years now, as the city’s cannabis week ...

Still weeds to wade through as Germany passes recreational cannabis legislation

Written by Freddie Dawson | 26th February 2024

Germany has successfully passed a law legalising the recreational use of cannabis, which could make it the first mainland EU member state to successfully apply a regulatory framework to the sale of recreational cannabis ...

UK ASA ruling on Supreme CBD social media posts: that’s advertising all right

Written by Freddie Dawson | 22nd February 2024

If you get paid for increasing sales of a product, you’re promoting that product. That seems like a simple enough concept, yet it’s one that, according to the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), influencers and...

The rise of cannabis clubs in Europe – the grassroots model regulators are adopting

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 12th February 2024

The cannabis social club model is now being incorporated by multiple European regulators. Born and developed outside a legal framework, it originated as an attempt to regulate cannabis production and consumption ...

Spain’s medical cannabis regulation is coming soon, but was it worth the wait?

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 30th January 2024

Spain will soon have a long-overdue regulation of medical cannabis in place. This may be good news for the sector, but will the upcoming law measure up to industry and patients’ expectations? ...

Hollowed-out draft of Czech regulation leaves room for improvement, say critics

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 17th January 2024

The Czech government’s newly presented, much-awaited proposal on cannabis regulation falls short of industry expectations, although activists believe there is still room for improving the initial draft ...

What’s in store for cannabis regulation? Looking at 2024 with cautious optimism

Written by Freddie Dawson | 10th January 2024

Cannabis rather than hemp will see the primary regulatory changes in 2024, CannIntelligence predicts, with moves coming in the US, Thailand, Germany and France, among others ...

Is cannabis regulation finally on the horizon under Spain’s ‘new’ government?

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 5th January 2024

Optimism over possible regulation of cannabis in Spain has increased as the new ruling coalition has shown some potential for getting back to work on the process ...

Argentina's cannabis industry hopes Milei won't swing the policy pendulum

Written by CannIntelligence | 21st December 2023

The election of libertarian Javier Milei is causing as much worry as optimism in Argentina’s cannabis industry, which hopes for a commitment to the continuity of current public policies ...

22nd Century sells its hemp/cannabis business to cut debt and operating costs

Written by Freddie Dawson | 29th November 2023

US-based 22nd Century will sell its hemp/cannabis subsidiary, GVB Biopharma, to an entity affiliated with current GVB employees and will use the sale proceeds to pay off debt and further deleverage its balance sheet ...

Cannabinoids from other sources: the promise that keeps failing to deliver

Written by CannIntelligence | 28th November 2023

Cannabinoids can be found in numerous plants, animals and fungi, and as more are unearthed and their properties tested, our knowledge of potential applications and uses expands ...

Extension of Farm Bill coverage to 2024 means good news for the US hemp sector

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 27th November 2023

US hemp farmers will be able to continue operating under the 2018 Farm Bill framework until the end of September next year, as stopgap funding was approved and signed into law by president Joe Biden...

Japan’s first medical cannabis law: ‘historic shift’ or crackdown on illicit use?

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 17th November 2023

Japan’s first medical cannabis law may end up only legalising a single pharmaceutical product, while also criminalising recreational cannabis consumption ...

Canadian cannabis company Organigram gets $90m from BAT to fund expansion

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 10th November 2023

A British American Tobacco (BAT) subsidiary is investing a further CAD124.6m (USD90.2m) in its strategic partnership with Canadian licensed cannabis producer Organigram ...

Weaker demand for hemp and cannabis products impacts 22nd Century’s revenue

Written by Freddie Dawson | 7th November 2023

22nd Century reported decreased revenues for the third quarter of 2023 and blamed demand challenges in its hemp/cannabis product distribution business, although this still represents the biggest part of its net revenue ...

Why Austria is unlikely to follow its neighbours in legalising cannabis

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 2nd November 2023

While its neighbours Germany and the Czech Republic continue to move closer towards legalising recreational cannabis, Austria appears to be lagging behind. The governing People’s Party is firmly against the idea ...

Poland’s next coalition government may take a more liberal stance on cannabis

Written by CannIntelligence | 27th October 2023

A coalition of centre-right, liberal, and left-wing forces is the most likely to form a new government in Poland before the end of the year, following elections held on 15th October ...

New Zealand reclassifies low-dose CBD medical products, effects yet to be seen

Written by Fernanda Tucunduva | 24th October 2023

Low-dose CBD products can now be supplied in New Zealand by registered pharmacists without a prescription after Medsafe reclassified CBD from a prescription-only medicine to a restricted (pharmacist-only) medicine ...

CBD regulatory progress in US Congress grinds to a halt in partisan gridlock

Written by CannIntelligence | 18th October 2023

Partisan gridlock continues to keep Congress from clarifying the regulatory framework for CBD. Even as the Biden administration moves to reschedule cannabis, Congress punts CBD issues back and forth with the FDA ...

How could a new government affect cannabinoid policy in the Netherlands?

Written by CannIntelligence | 17th October 2023

The nearly 18m people of the Netherlands face uncertainty following the collapse of the government this summer. The Cabinet is currently overseeing the nation with a “caretaker” status until the 22nd November general election ...

Thailand’s new PM vows to outlaw recreational cannabis once again

Written by CannIntelligence | 13th October 2023

Thailand’s cannabis free-for-all could come to a halt within months as the new prime minister has said he wants to make recreational use and sale illegal again ...

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