Cannabis and cannabinoids in Asia

Global business and regulatory news covering the cannabis industry

20th December 2024

Recreational cannabis plans dashed, medical and IHDCs on the up in 2024

7th November 2024

Greentank teams up with AIR to develop new line of cannabis-free wellness vapes

30th October 2024

UK NHS study first to test CBD and THC drugs together in treatment of epilepsy

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Daily regulatory updates of legal changes in the cannabis sector, including monthly compilations

12th December 2024: Japan: The law criminalising recreational cannabis use and legalising medicinal cannabis products enters into force today. Medicines will require approval before becoming available to patients. Following a public consultation launched in May, the government has issued guidance on THC limits for CBD products.
28th November 2024: Philippines: The Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) are open to reclassifying cannabis as a less dangerous drug, according to senator Ronald dela Rosa, who is also the proponent of the budget for the two agencies, press reports. However, dela Rosa also said he believed the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, Republic Act 9165, would need to be amended first because under it, cannabis is still classified as a prohibited substance. Further reclassification by the DDB can only proceed if cannabis is not included in the annex of the act, dela Rosa said. He added that the DDB and PDEA are in “full support” of efforts to reclassify cannabis as a low-risk drug.
27th November 2024: Philippines: The primary sponsor of the Cannabis Medicalization Act, senator Robinhood Padilla, said he would work with the Philippine Dangerous Drugs Board and its enforcement arm – the Philippines Drug Enforcement Agency – to bring Philippine law in line with international recommendations on CBD, referencing a 2020 UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs decision, to reclassify CBD to recognise its potential medical value. The bill has been pending its second reading since March 2024. Other bills with similar subjects are also being discussed in Congress.
25th November 2024: Pakistan: The Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) informed the National Assembly Standing Committee on Science and Technology about the development of 36 cannabis-based products. The committee agreed to review advancements in the country’s scientific research, particularly in cannabis product development. Hussain Abidi, chairman of the PCSIR, highlighted potential challenges in exporting these products. Earlier this year, Pakistan passed legislation to establish the Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority, legalising hemp cultivation to support this emerging sector.
22nd November 2024: Israel: The Medical Cannabis Unit has announced that patients who are currently unable to reside at the address listed on their cannabis licence can receive their prescriptions from any licensed pharmacies. The unit instructed pharmacies to supply medical cannabis to patients upon proper identification and by maintaining updated records accordingly.
29th October 2024: Pakistan: On 31st October, the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) will hold a meeting of its implementation committee for the agriculture sector to discuss establishing the Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority (CCRA). This follows the passage in September of related legislation in the parliament. The committee will address the processing of cannabis policy, approval of the CCRA’s organogram and other related matters.
21st October 2024: India: In Himachal Pradesh, a state in the north of the country, a pilot project has been launched to explore cannabis cultivation. This comes following the state assembly's expression of interest in legalising cannabis for medical and industrial purposes through the approval of a report advocating on the matter submitted by the revenue minister, Jagat Singh Negi. The project will be overseen by Palampur Agricultural University and Horticulture University Nauni in Solan. This initiative marks a significant step as more Indian states are beginning to consider the legalisation of cannabis for both medical and industrial purposes.
21st October 2024: Thailand: Surachoke Tangwiwat, secretary-general of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), provided some details on the proposed regulation on cannabis extracts on Friday (18th October), explaining that the proposal would address the application process for production, import, export, sale and possession of cannabis products by private companies, press reports. Surachoke clarified that the proposal would allow cannabis extracts with more than 0.2% THC to be used for “specific purposes”, whereas now they may only be used by government agencies for medical and research purposes. CannIntelligence is in contact with Thai authorities, who confirmed passage of the proposal by the Cabinet on 8th October, to obtain a copy of the draft regulation.
18th October 2024: India: The Punjab and Haryana High Court was told in a hearing on the issue of wild cannabis in the states of Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh that officials from these areas will join forces to address widespread cannabis growth. The committee includes specialists from the horticulture and agriculture departments and will focus on controlling the illicit cultivation of cannabis across the region.
10th October 2024: Thailand: A proposal by the Ministry of Public Health that would regulate the possession, sale, import and export of cannabis extracts has been approved in principle by the Cabinet, press reports. The proposed regulation would impose stiff penalties for dealing in cannabis extracts without a licence. It is not yet clear, however, whether the proposal would regulate extracts with a maximum of 0.2% THC, which were removed from the narcotics list in 2022, or only those with more than 0.2% THC, which are Category 5 narcotics. The proposal will now be presented to the Council of State.
2nd October 2024: India: A Delhi-based startup, Awshad, has identified anxiety, insomnia, and mental endurance as major factors driving the demand for CBD in the country. The founders believe there is a significant gap in the market for mental well-being solutions in India, which CBD products could potentially fill. CBD oil and other products are legal in India, as long as they are produced from approved industrial hemp and contain less than 0.3% THC.
2nd October 2024: India: Indian member of Parliament (MP) Afzal Ansari has questioned the legality of cannabis in the country, citing its role in religious rituals, which resulted in the police filing a First Information Report (FIR) against him for allegedly inciting public mischief. His remarks sparked criticism from Hindu groups, prompting the Samajwadi Party politician to clarify that his intent was to address issues related to drug use and smuggling in his local area, rather than advocating for cannabis legalisation.

Full-length in-depth reports with detailed data and analysis for individual markets around the world

25th September 2024

Israel: medical cannabis snapshot, September 2024

25th July 2024

Developments and trends in the global cannabis industry, Q2 2024

11th August 2023

Israel: medical cannabis snapshot, August 2023

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Regulatory reports

Comprehensive legal reports outlining how the sector is regulated, interpretation of the laws and relevant bodies

25th September 2024

Israel: medical cannabis snapshot, September 2024

25th July 2024

Developments and trends in the global cannabis industry, Q2 2024

24th November 2023

A comparative analysis of medical cannabis programmes across the globe

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30th October 2024

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8th October 2024

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25th September 2023

Thailand CBD insights dashboard, 2023

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Regulatory databases

Regularly updated global regulations currently in place, compiled into easy-to-read maps and tables

3rd December 2024

Regulatory tracker: current global regulation of recreational cannabis

3rd December 2024

Regulatory tracker: current global regulation of medical cannabis

4th November 2024

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