News analysis for professionals in the cannabis industry

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 ...

Father’s frustration as legal hold-ups keep medical cannabis out of Georgia

Written by CannIntelligence | 24th January 2023

Licensed medical cannabis patients in the US state of Georgia can legally possess oils with less than 5% THC, but they can’t legally buy it due to legislative delays and a series of legal appeals...

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 ...

Kansas slow to legalise medical cannabis ‘because legislators want to get it right’

Written by CannIntelligence | 18th January 2023

Legislation to create a medical cannabis programme in the US state of Kansas appeared to be on the verge of success many times – but it died again as the 2022 session drew to a...

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,...

FDA expected to issue recommendation ‘soon’ on CBD regulation in the US

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 13th January 2023

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may soon issue recommendations for a long-awaited regulation of CBD products in the country ...

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 ...

Japan cannabinoid conference-goers look forward to future with legal reforms

Written by CannIntelligence | 9th January 2023

There are high hopes for the Japanese cannabinoid sector ahead of the legal reforms expected later this year, according to speakers at the CBD Journey Vol. 4 and CannaCon 2022 event and conference held at...

Colombia ready to lead Latin America into a more cannabis-friendly future

Written by CannIntelligence | 5th January 2023

CannIntelligence reviews developments in cannabis regulation in Latin America in 2022 and looks forward to likely further opening-up of the industry in many of the region's nations in 2023 ...

Poll finds cannabis now twice as popular as tobacco smoking with young US adults

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 4th January 2023

Young adults in the US are giving up on cigarettes and alcohol as their consumption of cannabis outgrows that of tobacco and may be behind a dip in alcohol sales in some states ...

Canada’s annual cannabis survey reports growing public reliance on legal sources

Written by CannIntelligence | 3rd January 2023

A growing number of Canadians are turning to legal sources for cannabis, according to a new survey commissioned by the government, with just 4% of users admitting to buying from illicit sellers ...

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 ...

US FDA again issues warning letters on CBD in ingestibles, this time with a twist

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 30th December 2022

The FDA has made clear for years that CBD in food is illegal in the US, as it violates the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act. What’s different this...

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” ...

US teens’ use of cannabis and other illicit substances still less than pre-pandemic

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 27th December 2022

The use of illicit substances, including cannabis, by US teenagers has plateaued in 2022 after a significant decline in 2021, a national survey found ...

‘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 ...

Two US cannabis companies fight out contract dispute in California courts

Written by CannIntelligence | 23rd December 2022

A 2021 acquisition deal between two cannabis companies over a lucrative shopfront in Orange County, California, has resulted in both companies filing legal claims against each other ...

Former NewAge CEO accused of lying about ‘Bob Marley-inspired CBD drinks’

Written by CannIntelligence | 22nd December 2022

The former CEO of a firm that claimed to have manufactured CBD-infused drinks is accused by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of making fraudulent and false claims about the company ...

Mergers and acquisitions bringing new cannabis brands to consumers across US

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 21st December 2022

US cannabis firms have been striking deals to acquire new brands, diversify their offerings and boost production capacity. Recent movers include California’s High Times and Bloomios, while two Oregon firms have teamed up ...

As legal cannabinoid markets spread, UN considers vexed question of regulation

Written by CannIntelligence | 20th December 2022

The United Nations may be growing more accepting of a global legal cannabinoid sector, but it does not believe many countries have the capacity to successfully regulate such markets ...

Hong Kong to ban CBD in the new year, ending a once-burgeoning business

Written by CannIntelligence | 19th December 2022

The sale and possession of CBD will be banned in Hong Kong from the beginning of February 2023 following an announcement earlier this year. Under the new rules, CBD will be classified in the same way as heroin...

Advocates for psylocibin as therapeutic treatment push Canadian government

Written by CannIntelligence | 16th December 2022

Canadian advocates for therapeutic access to psilocybin are ramping up their efforts to get the federal government to grant exemptions to the country’s drug laws so patients and healthcare providers can legally access the drug...

Glasses raised to Canada’s relaxation of the purchasing limit on cannabis drinks

Written by CannIntelligence | 15th December 2022

Canada’s cannabis industry is toasting the federal government’s announcement of new regulations that will dramatically increase the number of cannabis drinks consumers can buy at one time ...

Hope and concern as Colorado legalises the purchasing and use of psychedelics

Written by Freddie Dawson | 8th December 2022

A measure to allow the use of psychedelics in Colorado is a major step – but supporters worry it could lead to the sort of bad experience that would set back the progress of legalisation...

New US cannabis research law – ‘historic breakthrough’ or merely ‘a baby step’?

Written by CannIntelligence | 7th December 2022

The Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act, aimed at increasing research into the medical benefits of cannabis, has been signed into law by US president Joe Biden ...

Canopy Growth restructures from the top to focus on ‘areas of greatest opportunity’

Written by CannIntelligence | 7th December 2022

One of Canada’s largest cannabis companies has announced plans to restructure in a bid to achieve profitability and set the stage for expansion into the US market ...

Canopy Growth sets up strong US arm, ready for federal cannabis legalisation

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 6th December 2022

Ontario-based cannabis firm Canopy Growth has created a US-domiciled holding company to fast-track its expansion into “the world’s fastest-growing cannabis market” ...

Tobacco giant invests $57m as Charlotte’s Web continues to spin its net wider

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 1st December 2022

British American Tobacco (BAT) has invested nearly $57m in Charlotte’s Web, as the Colorado, US-based CBD maker keeps broadening the spectrum of its partnerships ...

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 ...

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs buys into legal weed ‘to create a more diverse industry’

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 30th November 2022

US rapper, record producer and entrepreneur Sean Combs – a.k.a. Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Diddy, or Puffy – has bought cannabis businesses in three US states in a deal valued at up to $185m ...

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 ...

Grey area over medical cannabis regime in Mexico leaves industry pessimistic

Written by CannIntelligence | 28th November 2022

Members of the Mexican cannabis sector have told CannIntelligence they are pessimistic about whether the framework to regulate the national medical cannabis industry will be implemented before 2024 ...

Tilray bets on cannabis-infused drinks, grows distribution network in the US

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 25th November 2022

Tilray Brands continues to show signs of confidence in the future of cannabis-infused drinks by adding more beverage firms to its portfolio and building a distribution network ...

Future looks promising for US state-level legalisation despite midterm setback

Written by CannIntelligence | 25th November 2022

It was a small setback for US pro-legalisation supporters, with only two of five state-level recreational cannabis measures on November midterm ballots being passed ...

That's the spirit – Southern Glazer's moves further into CBD distribution

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 23rd November 2022

Major US alcohol distributor Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits is signing increasing numbers of distribution deals to add CBD products to its portfolio ...

How will the midterm shift in the balance of power in Washington affect cannabis?

Written by CannIntelligence | 23rd November 2022

The predicted Red Wave never arrived – but how have the prospects for cannabis-related federal legislation in the US been changed by the midterm elections? US correspondent James DeLise considers the new balance of power...

How supporters of medical cannabis in Nebraska were left doubly frustrated

Written by CannIntelligence | 22nd November 2022

Nebraska is one of only 12 US states still holding out against medical cannabis – and advocates believe they were deliberately blocked from getting the issue put to the public ballot despite wide popular support...

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...

UK FSA novel food process can succeed with ‘supportive and sensible approach’

Written by Antonia Di Lorenzo | 21st November 2022

A cannabis regulation lawyer believes the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the CBD sector have invested so much time, effort and money in the novel food process that it cannot be allowed to fail...

US Major League Baseball makes deal with CBD company Charlotte’s Web

Written by CannIntelligence | 18th November 2022

In an exclusive partnership with Charlotte’s Web, Major League Baseball (MLB) has become the first of the major US sports leagues to sign a deal with a cannabinoid company ...

EIHA's 'reasonable daily intake' sows confusion over novel food applications

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 17th November 2022

CBD isolate producers in the UK are waiting to see whether and how toxicological data released by the European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA) will affect their novel food applications to the Food Standards Agency (FSA)...

More validated but no light at the end of the tunnel for Efsa’s novel food applicants

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 16th November 2022

Nearly six months after the European Food Safety Authority (Efsa) put novel food assessments for cannabinoids on hold, none of the validated applicants has been able to fill the identified knowledge gaps ...

Sweden's turn to the right may have shut down hopes of liberalisation on cannabis

Written by CannIntelligence | 15th November 2022

Sweden’s general election in September was not good news for cannabis advocates, with the new right-wing bloc minority government likely to take a highly restrictive view, while cannabinoids are not high on its agenda ...

US FDA to ‘advance efforts’ on cannabis research and law with new appointee

Written by CannIntelligence | 14th November 2022

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently appointed Norman Birenbaum to a top post as a senior public health adviser in the FDA’s Center for Regulatory Programs, signalling a seismic shift at the agency...

With a new bill and a quiet opposition, is Australia closer to legalising cannabis?

Written by CannIntelligence | 11th November 2022

In a first attempt to legalise cannabis through the federal parliament in Australia, the Greens party is in the process of drafting a law for legalisation that will be available for public consultation later this year...

No UK novel food authorisations likely before mid-2023 – and no guarantees

Written by Lorraine Mullaney | 10th November 2022

It’s unlikely that any applications for novel food authorisation of CBD products in the UK will be considered for authorisation before mid-2023 – and being on the list of validated applications is no guarantee ...

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