Market & legal data analysis of the cannabis sector in Europe

Right wing’s rapid U-turn – government keeps Italy guessing on hemp flowers

Written by CannIntelligence | 5th July 2023

A proposal by Italy’s ruling right-wing coalition to regulate the sale of hemp flowers was met with some surprise – and was withdrawn, without explanation, less than 24 hours after being put forward ...

Has Germany walked back its own recreational cannabis legalisation plans?

Written by Freddie Dawson | 3rd July 2023

European authorities do not want to comment on specifics of Germany’s plans to legalise recreational cannabis, suggesting that Germany scaled them back of its own accord rather than because of EU instigation ...

Can health insurance bring Colombia a medical cannabis boom like Germany’s?

Written by CannIntelligence | 27th June 2023

Making coverage of medical cannabis mandatory for insurers is one of the biggest potential spurs for growth in the sector. And companies operating in South America hope Colombia could follow the German path ...

France puts wheels in motion that could get CBD cosmetics banned across Europe

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 16th June 2023

France has started a process that could end with a Europe-wide ban on CBD-containing cosmetic products if an EU assessment finds them not safe for consumers’ reproductive health ...

Belgian ban on cannabinoid pouches comes under attack from tobacco giant

Written by CannIntelligence | 13th June 2023

British American Tobacco (BAT) will petition Belgium’s highest administrative court, the Council of State, to annul a royal decree banning the sale of cannabinoid pouches, along with those containing nicotine ...

Luxembourg’s recreational cannabis plan likely to go the same way as Germany’s

Written by CannIntelligence | 8th June 2023

Germany’s recent announcement that it has scaled back its plans to legalise recreational cannabis could have a knock-on effect on its smaller neighbour Luxembourg’s planned pilot programme ...

French guidelines on CBD supplements: big deal or much ado about nothing?

Written by CannIntelligence | 6th June 2023

France has created temporary guidelines allowing CBD companies to register their products as food supplements pending authorisation under the EU’s upcoming novel foods regulation ...

Belgium aims to bring herbal products under clarified heated tobacco rules

Written by CannIntelligence | 31st May 2023

Herbal products and devices will fall under the Belgian regulatory framework for tobacco if a bill to incorporate Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2022/2100, submitted into the EU TRIS database, goes into effect unchanged ...

Czech Republic heads towards legal recreational cannabis within a year

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 30th May 2023

Recreational cannabis may become legal and regulated in the Czech Republic within the first half of 2024, as the government prepares to push a bill through Parliament by the end of this year ...

Revised German cannabis plan triggers black market fears, disappoints firms

Written by CannIntelligence | 30th May 2023

The German government has scaled back its plan to establish a national commercial recreational cannabis market with a two-part reform framework that would legalise possession, home cultivation and cannabis clubs ...

Czech government stops ban on CBD-containing food products before it starts

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 22nd May 2023

The Czech government will no longer go forward with a proposed measure to ban sales of food products containing CBD which was due to come into effect in mid-June ...

Czechs remain hopeful of surpassing toned-down German legalisation plans

Written by CannIntelligence | 17th May 2023

The Czech Republic has acknowledged that it is coordinating the drafting of legislation to legalise recreational cannabis with Germany – but it appears to be unmoved by backtracking in Berlin ...

The vanity of the bonfires – what now for UK bid to torch EU cannabinoid rules?

Written by CannIntelligence | 16th May 2023

The UK government’s plan to review or revoke thousands of pieces of legislation that originated from EU law by the end of the year is itself now under review ...

Czech controversy as minister announces action against ‘banned’ CBD products

Written by CannIntelligence | 10th May 2023

The Czech Republic is to start taking action against ingestible cannabinoid products in a move believed to be part of a general tightening of enforcement of current regulations ...

‘We can’t make medical claims’ is a way of making a medical claim, says watchdog

Written by Freddie Dawson | 27th April 2023

Referring to the fact that a CBD company cannot make medical claims can itself be construed as making a medical claim, according to the UK Advertising Standards Authority ...

EU takes a step towards evaluating flower-based cannabis medications

Written by CannIntelligence | 26th April 2023

EU authorities are taking the first steps towards creating an EU herbal monograph, or list entry, that would pave the way for marketing authorisation applications for herbal medicines containing cannabis flowers ...

UK FSA recruits and expected new rules ‘should speed up novel food assessments’

Written by Freddie Dawson | 25th April 2023

New resources and potential future regulatory changes are being applied to the UK novel food approval process in the hopes of improving processing time for applications, the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) said ...

Could the Czech Republic’s major IHDC market end with a ban on HHC sales?

Written by CannIntelligence | 24th April 2023

The Ministry of Health in the Czech Republic has unveiled plans to ban the sale of hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) this July, triggering criticism from local industry insiders ...

UK FSA selects Deloitte to review novel foods process, including CBD products

Written by CannIntelligence | 21st April 2023

Auditing firm Deloitte is to review the UK Food Standards Agency’s novel foods process in a £130,000 contract. The government committed to reviewing the process in January 2022, taking advantage of Brexit ...

Belgium to outlaw sales of cannabinoid and nicotine pouches later this year

Written by CannIntelligence | 14th April 2023

The sale of cannabinoid pouches in Belgium has been banned along with nicotine pouches on the grounds the latter pose a danger to public health, particularly due to their potential for addiction ...

IMC 2022 revenue up 60% as it leaves Canada, focuses on Israel and Germany

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 11th April 2023

International cannabis company IM Cannabis (IMC) reported a significant rise in its revenue for the whole of 2022 as well as the last quarter of the year ...

Cannabrew launches in UK supermarket Ocado, with US expansion in mind

Written by CannIntelligence | 27th March 2023

Lancaster-based CBD beer company Cannabrew’s range of products are now available at UK supermarket Ocado, in a deal nearly two years in the making ...

CannIntelligence's Coffee & Cannabis event – presentation slides

Written by CannIntelligence | 27th March 2023

CannIntelligence held a private event for industry stakeholders on 10th March 2023 to present market and regulatory data and to open discussion on pressing issues in the sector ...

Relaxation beats intoxication – IHDC sales aren’t just about getting high

Written by Freddie Dawson | 15th March 2023

HHC is the most popular intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoid (IHDC) in Europe, while delta-8 THC remains top in the US, according to CannIntelligence analysts ...

The man leading political efforts to cut cannabis use in France by legalising it

Written by CannIntelligence | 14th March 2023

National Assembly member Christophe Bex hopes to spearhead efforts to legalise cannabis in France and could draft legislation aimed at doing just that ...

Court ruling frees Italian hemp farmers and manufacturers from narcotics law

Written by Freddie Dawson | 23rd February 2023

The Regional Administrative Court (TAR) of Lazio has anulled an Italian government decree on officinal plants which put the use of hemp flowers and leaves under narcotics law ...

Cold-pressed CBD in the UK – exploiting an apparent loophole in novel food rules

Written by CannIntelligence | 22nd February 2023

Cold-pressed hemp oils appear to provide a way for CBD producers to circumvent UK rules on novel foods – but while some are all in favour, others see dangers and shortcomings ...

Czech expert group unveils its proposals for a legal recreational cannabis market

Written by CannIntelligence | 16th February 2023

An expert working group preparing an outline proposal for the regulation of the recreational cannabis market in the Czech Republic has released a provisional set of recommendations ...

Thinking outside the box: EU plans big shake-up of packaging and waste rules

Written by CannIntelligence | 15th February 2023

The European Commission has issued a proposal for a revision of EU legislation on packaging and packaging waste, which could have profound long-term consequences for the CBD and potential cannabis industries ...

Switzerland’s recreational cannabis pilot projects under criticism from within

Written by CannIntelligence | 13th February 2023

Recent criticism from the Swiss canton of Bern on a pilot study to legalise and sell recreational cannabis in pharmacies will have no impact on plans to carry on with the project ...

CBD brands apply for certification as Google lifts ads ban in some parts of US

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 10th February 2023

Cannabis companies are looking to get Google certification as part of the tech giant’s update on the use of Google Ads for CBD products in parts of the US ...

Curaleaf denies undercover cash links with sanctioned Russian billionaire

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 8th February 2023

US cannabis firm Curaleaf has denied having any secret financial ties to the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, who has been sanctioned in the UK and EU since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine ...

Voyager ventures into Poland for post-Brexit access to European CBD market

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 8th February 2023

British CBD and hemp brand Voyager has facilitated easier access to the EU market by acquiring a CBD extraction and manufacturing facility in Poland for £1.5m (€1.69m) ...

EFSA denies waiting to follow US FDA’s lead on CBD safety in novel foods

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 1st February 2023

The European Food Safety Authority denies it is waiting research results on the safety of CBD by the US Food and Drug Administration before it lets validated candidates complete the novel food application process ...

22nd Century Group acquires a UK cannabinoid distributor for $650K

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 30th January 2023

US company 22nd Century Group has acquired privately held UK cannabinoid distributor RX Pharmatech for an up-front payment of $650,000 in cash and stock ...

US FDA issues guidance for development of cannabis-based medical drugs

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 27th January 2023

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a final guidance document for the development of medical drugs containing cannabis ...

Developing countries could get economic boost from industrial hemp, says UN

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 25th January 2023

Government and industry representatives from around the world met in Geneva last week to hear about the “significant economic opportunities” offered by industrial hemp and the need for greater clarity on its legal status ...

EU legal doubt as Belgium’s new e-liquid rules amount to a ban on CBD vapes

Written by CannIntelligence | 23rd January 2023

Belgium has set new rules for nicotine-free e-liquids, effectively banning all e-liquids containing CBD – and thereby setting up a possible conflict with EU law ...

Aussie approval puts Chanelle McCoy on the way toward OTC sleeping aid sales

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 19th January 2023

CBD company Chanelle McCoy Health has received approval to start a trial which may allow it to sell its CBD sleeping aid as an over-the-counter (OTC) drug in Australian pharmacies ...

Legalising cannabis ‘will burden German health system,’ says Bavarian minister

Written by CannIntelligence | 17th January 2023

Cannabis consumption is a growing problem in Bavaria and its planned legalisation in Germany would further burden the country’s health system, Bavarian health minister Klaus Holetschek says ...

French court overturns government ban on hemp flowers, shops can sell again

Written by CannIntelligence | 16th January 2023

The French Council of State has definitively ruled that a 2021 government decree banning hemp flowers is illegal and must be annulled. This major decision fully authorises French shops to sell CBD products, including flowers,...

German ministry punished for delay over cannabis legislation by €1m funding cut

Written by CannIntelligence | 12th January 2023

The German Ministry of Health’s budget has been slashed by €1m in a bid to put pressure on health minister Karl Lauterbach to present a draft law for the legalisation of cannabis ...

Is 2023 the year for the great leap forward on cannabis regulation?

Written by Freddie Dawson | 3rd January 2023

Will 2023 be the year that some fairly major changes start to roll in for cannabis and cannabinoids? It's possible ...

A watershed year? 2022 sees cannabis on the rise, while CBD goes downhill

Written by Freddie Dawson | 30th December 2022

This past year has seen a curious crossing of paths in the world of cannabis and cannabinoids, with concerns around CBD increasing even as many countries make moves towards the legalisation of cannabis ...

The question of semi-synthetics – HHC comes under scrutiny by EU authorities

Written by Anthony Traurig | 29th December 2022

The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) has begun the process of collecting data and evaluating the risk posed by hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) and other semi-synthetic cannabinoids ...

German cannabis prescriptions strictly limited by ‘disturbing’ court ruling

Written by CannIntelligence | 28th December 2022

A decision by Germany’s Federal Social Court limiting the prescribing and insurance payment for medical cannabis has been described by a leading lawyer on cannabis issues as “disturbing” ...

‘Acute need’ – but Ukraine’s medical cannabis bill may lack required support

Written by CannIntelligence | 27th December 2022

Ukraine’s parliament will continue to consider a bill to legalise medical cannabis beyond the current legislative session because of the expected need stemming from the Russian invasion of the country ...

Once it was gone, it was gone – and it's unclear whether Aldi will restock CBD

Written by CannIntelligence | 1st December 2022

Budget supermarket chain Aldi’s CBD products are out of stock in the UK and there’s no indication of when, or indeed whether, they will be restocked ...

Victory in Antwerp confirms company’s right to sell cannabinoids across Belgium

Written by CannIntelligence | 29th November 2022

A CBD company in Belgium has proved in court that local authorities in the country do not have the right to gold-plate regulations to prohibit the sale of hemp-based cannabinoid products ...

European Court of Human Rights medical cannabis case result sets no precedent

Written by CannIntelligence | 21st November 2022

A test case has demonstrated that the ECHR doesn’t consider access to cannabis to be a universal human right, and balancing a cannabis user’s human rights with public interest is best left to sovereign states...

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