LATEST ALERTS
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued warning letters to seven CBD companies for claiming that some of the products they sell may be used to prevent or cure Covid-19
Thailand has removed the entire cannabis plant including flowers and seeds from the country’s list of Category 5 narcotics
Research from scientists at the University of Oregon suggests that certain cannabinoids can stop the SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) virus from infecting cells. This may lead to future treatments
The most common subject of recent warning letters from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over unsubstantiated health claims was CBD products that were claimed to mitigate, prevent, treat, diagnose or cure Covid-19
If 2020 was the year in the waiting-room then 2021 was perhaps the year of the unfulfilled hype. As predicted, there was little movement in many of the major issues controlling the CBD market
Early research into the possibility of CBD having a role to play in the fight against coronavirus infections has shown some initial promise. Any practical application remains a long way off, however
As the national lockdown in the UK lifted on Monday, shoppers were excited to purchase CBD in person
Find all of CBD-Intel’s coronavirus-related regulatory alerts here, updated as they appear
For many 2020 will always carry an asterisk. The CBD industry was – overall – more fortunate than many other sectors
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
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
Matches in Serie A, the top football league in Italy, are for the first time featuring advertisements for a CBD company as the home delivery market continues to grow rapidly in the country
Studies looking at the potential for CBD to treat or alleviate COVID-19 symptoms continue to progress – with one study hinting at promising results combining CBD with other terpene products
The pharmaceutical side of the cannabinoid industry continues to grow, with several major announcements expanding treatments and blurring boundaries
The bankruptcy stories continue for cannabinoid firms in the US and Canada as businesses struggle to survive in turbulent times
Expansion plans by two major players suggest confidence in the future of the CBD market in the UK, with one anticipating a continuing rise in sales driven by reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic
Hard-hit cannabinoid firms in the US and Canada are reassessing their market strategies, restructuring, and downsizing – in some cases with significant job cuts – as the market remains volatile
Consumption of hemp flowers in Italy went up during the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown, despite their sale being illegal in the country, a survey has revealed
A strong online presence has been essential to resiliency through the COVID-19 pandemic, but many larger offline retail chains that have also focused on selling through these channels may still see a recovery
The loss of conferences and expos due to COVID-19 prevention measures has not affected the sale of white label goods as much as may have been anticipated, according to companies
Hemp flower has become increasingly available in Spanish tobacconists (estancos) and even on corner newsstands during the COVID-19 crisis – even thought its sale is not permitted under Spanish law
Canadian grower Beleave has become the latest casualty of turbulent times in the cannabis industry
Subscription services are a niche area of the CBD market that could benefit from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, providing companies with security and customers with a way to try new products without leaving home
Countries in South America are becoming increasingly important markets for CBD, as the ink dries on a deal to distribute medical cannabis products in Brazil, where a change in regulatory policy has opened up trade
The company behind the world’s first injectable CBD product has issued a voluntary recall, while the US FDA continues to send warning letters over unsubstantiated health claims
CBD companies based in Europe have a range of possible options for government assistance to help them through the various strictures imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic
UK companies that are struggling and in need of assistance because of due to lockdown rules in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic have several options to choose from, depending on their size and their needs
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published an announcement of a product recall made voluntarily by a company after tests suggested the CBD oil contained too much lead
A Canadian company part-owned by singer Bif Naked has run foul of Canada’s national health authority after suggesting its CBD products can help protect users from COVID-19
Every state in the US is offering some sort of tax relief in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and many hemp and CBD companies may be eligible for such relief
The answer is not quite clear. A lot of companies reported no drop or even increases in sales compared to the previous year. There could be several reasons for this. Firstly, all cannabinoid-related products are still part of a growing industry. Increases from a low base are not surprising and it is difficult to calculate if increases would have been » Continue Reading.
Initial reports on the results of the first ever socially distanced 4/20 are a mixed bag
The ongoing pandemic lockdown looks to be ending in some areas with easing of measures in numerous jurisdictions. But the months lost – and continued social distancing measures which will not be entirely lifted in the near future – will have an impact on regulation going forward. However official sources are unlikely to admit and delay regulatory changes until the » Continue Reading.
While the global coronavirus epidemic and consequent lockdown have caused uncertainty in the cannabis sector, investments in CBD are likely to go ahead in the coming months, some experts in the industry say
CBD businesses in the US that have seen business impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and associated social measures could be eligible for a variety of state aid programmes. Extra funding for the programmes was just approved by both the US House of Representatives and Senate, with Trump expected to sign eminently. The extra funds means the US Small Business Administration (SBA)’s Economic » Continue Reading.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues, regardless of location, there is an overwhelming sense of uncertainty in the CBD industry. In this special episode, Tim Phillips – the founder and managing director of CBD-Intel — provides some analysis relating to the three main areas impacted in CBD industry: demand, supply, and regulation; however, he believes that it is too early to discuss the long-term impacts.
Further advances towards the legalisation of cannabis in Mexico have been delayed by a government shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a new deadline for legislation set by the country’s Supreme Court
Most US hemp and CBD businesses should qualify for economic relief during the COVID-19 pandemic – but the type of assistance may vary dependent on qualification and availability of funds
CBD companies have had to adapt marketing strategies as the COVID-19 pandemic has developed. The pandemic and the associated practice of social distancing have overtaken 4/20, the biggest promotional day for cannabis
Companies that have made claims about CBD’s beneficial effects against COVID-19 are facing swift enforcement action from US regulatory authorities
Closures of non-essential retail will be far and away the largest factor impacting on CBD markets across the globe. It is estimated that up to 90% of offline sales in markets such as the UK happen through channels that would be deemed non-essential. And while some of that trade will transition to online channels, many will be unwilling or unable » Continue Reading.
CBD entrepreneur Christina DiArcangelo tells CBD-Intel that businesses should be using the slowdown to study, reflect, plan – and “get ahead of the ball”
The wider impact of COVID-19 on the CBD sector in the US remains confused in the short term and largely a mystery in the longer term as companies scramble to gather information
Legislative measures are on hold in half the states of the US due to the COVID-19 emergency, with most suspending activity until at least mid-April
Industry organisations have responded in anger to continued claims being made by some companies about the supposed power of cannabinoids in tackling COVID-19
Also: GW suggests another possible use for Epidyolex; Lawsuit alleges hemp plants were contaminated with pesticide; Elixinol rebrands to move away from medicinal image; Kentucky hemp business goes bust
Expected retail closures will have a significant impact on the distribution of CBD products in most major markets, according to analysis of CBD-Intel data
Bogus claims that products containing CBD may have any beneficial effects in treating or warding off coronavirus risk the wrath of authorities in the US – and could ultimately damage CBD’s reputation
A company looking to surf on the COVID-19 news wave for some added publicity has launched a hand sanitiser infused with CBD, which it claims is an ideal ingredient to add in the fight against viruses.
The company, Global Cannabinoids, has produced a 65% ethanol-based hand sanitiser gel. This is above Centers for Disease Control recommendations for minimum alcohol content in a hand sanitiser. To this, the company has added vitamin E as well as a 1:1 mix of CBD and CBG in a 100 mg per 2 oz. dose.
The cannabinoids have been shown to have potential anti-microbial properties in a preliminary study which did find they acted as modulators of lipid affinity. Lipids are the weakest element in coronaviruses such as COVID-19. However what difference the addition of CBD and CBG makes to the hand sanitiser is unclear at this point in time – though anti-bacterials generally do not have much of an impact.
A US nutritional ingredient company has announced a deal which will see its CBD-based drugs distributed in Brazil.
Kemin Industries, based in Des Moines, Iowa, announced a partnership earlier this month with Brazilian company CBD Vida where Kemin’s subsidiary, CBD manufacturer MedPharm, will supply the South American company with products.
Brazil’s regulations on CBD have recently changed, allowing patients to get CBD on prescription directly from pharmacies, and CBD Vida’s CEO, Fabio Candello, hailed the move, saying it would mean people in the country had access to products “scientifically created with extreme care”.
A company which specialises in CBD and psychedelics has completed the purchase of a psilocybin business.
Canada-based Revive Therapeutics announced earlier this month that it had completed the acquisition of Psilocin Pharma for an aggregate purchase price of CAD2.75m, comprising 55m common shares at a deemed price of $0.05 per share.
When the initial deal was announced in February, Revive CEO Michael Frank said: “Psilocin Pharma has the platform, relationships, and know-how to develop psylocibin-based products that are key to this emerging psychedelics industry. We feel this acquisition will complement Revive and be a strong addition to our current clinical initiatives in liver disease and inflammation.”
A Nevada cannabis company has signed the lease for a new processing facility.
GK Manufacturing & Packaging, a subsidiary of Mesquite-based Cannabis Sativa Inc, will be taking over a 16,364 sq ft facility in Oakland, California, and is hoping to use the site, which is registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and has both halal and kosher certification, to produce up to 12m product units per month.
The move will be completed later in March, and Cannabis Sativa CEO David Tobias said he was “anxious” to have it completed.
A Canadian biosciences company has achieved what it describes as its “first major commercial milestone” by delivering a form of yeast which produces CBD.
Calgary, Alberta, based Willow Biosciences delivered the yeast to its partner, Albany Molecular Research, earlier this month, with the company aiming to create a 500 l pilot scale demonstration by the end of the year, and with the product expected to hit the market at some point in 2021.
Willow CEO Trevor Peters praised his company’s scientists, saying: “Their ability to create the yeast strain that will form the base of our future production ahead of expectations is a testament to their skill and expertise.”
The governing body for weightlifting in the US has announced a partnership with a CBD company.
USA Weightlifting (USAW) will be working with Pure Spectrum in an arrangement which will last until 2023 and, USAW says, will help competitors use a product that is compliant with both US and world anti-doping regulations.
USAW is not the first governing body of an Olympic sport to partner with Pure Spectrum, with USA Triathlon teaming up with the Evergreen, Colorado, company last year.
A US wellness brand is selling what it claims is the world’s first CBD blanket.
New York’s Curfew is selling its Dream Blanket which is infused with CBD to give users “ultimate relaxation” on its website for $295.
The blanket uses micro-encapsulation, where the CBD is stored inside coatings and released via friction every time it is used, and Curfew says the CBD should last for 20 wash cycles, or around two years. The company is not the first to use a micro-encapsulation/friction strategy for CBD. Acabada created a CBD active-wear product that it claimed would last for 40 “high-intensity wear and wash cycles”.
Dog-sledding champion Lance Mackey has admitted to giving his dogs CBD despite the protestations of race vets.
Mackey, who won the Iditarod race in Alaska four years in the row from 2007 to 2010, said that he had given his dogs the substance before last year’s race, but was told by head vet Stuart Nelson not to – a request he declined because CBD is not on the competition’s banned list.
Mackey got the product from Talkeetna-based dispensary The High Expedition as part of an endorsement deal, and said his dogs got through $100 worth of CBD tincture a day during the 938 mile race, which is said to last over two weeks on average.
The founder of a cannabis company is being sued over claims he inflated business projections by more than 2000% in an attempt to con the firm’s licensees out of more than $1.2m.
Papers filed at Nevada’s US District Court claim Chase Mandel knowingly exaggerated projections involving cannabis chew firm Cannadips and its parent company, Trinidad Consulting, by telling Solace Enterprises they could make $150,000 a day gross profit when, Solace claims, the truth was that it made more like $8400 a day.
Solace also claimed that it had lent Mandel £500,000 in 2018, raising that figure to $1m six months later, but the loan has not been repaid, and Solace also says Mandel used some of the money for “personal benefit and to fund lifestyle choices”.
However, Mandel’s attorney Brian Hafter says Solace had failed to “pay royalties owed to Cannadips and/or provide the required royalty reports”.
Two cannabis companies are set to merge, it has been announced.
BR Brands, who make the Mary’s Brands and Defonce ranges of CBD products and Dixie Brands, which makes AcesoHemp, will be uniting in a deal which will see a board comprising three people from BR and two from Dixie.
Under the new arrangement, the company will 80% owned by BR.
Canadian cannabis giant Tilray is lowering the value of its US CBD assets, citing a lack of regulatory clarity.
Tilray made the announcement after its annual reports reported a $112m (US) write-down of the agreement it made last year with Authentic Brands Group in a deal which would have seen a roll out of CBD products to mainstream shops.
The company made a net loss of $321.2m, or $3.20 a share, across 2019, with a net loss in the last quarter of $219m, and senior vice president Rachel Perkins said: “We are closely monitoring the FDA’s guidance around CBD and await further clarity before we make further investments in this market.”
A CBD company has bought a business which specialises in helping promote cannabis brands through marketing.
CBD Unlimited announced the acquisition for an undisclosed sum of Kush Inc, which also owns Kush Wear, a website which helps promote and market clothes made from hemp.
CBD Unlimited CEO Todd Davis said: “We look forward to extending our product pipeline to sustainable alternatives and clothing brands under the Kushwear name.”
Canadian healthcare authority Health Canada has approved a clinical trial for a CBD medicine designed for patients who should not be exposed to THC.
The authority has issued a no objection letter to Cardiol Therapeutics, allowing it to carry out a phase 1 study of its CBD formulation which, Cardiol hopes, will help treat acute myocarditis, a form of inflammatory heart failure which is a cause of sudden cardiac death in children and young adults.
Cardiol CEO David Elsley said: “This will be the first study designed to investigate safety and dosing levels of our high concentration cannabidiol formulation developed for patients who should not be exposed to THC.”
Cannabis giant Canopy Growth says it will close two facilities in Aldergrove and Delta, British Columbia, leading to the loss of 500 jobs, as well as shelving plans for a new site in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, citing the slow development of the Canadian Market in the 17 months since legalisation.
However, Canopy also announced that it has entered into a loan financing arrangement with TerrAscend Canada, helping TerrAscend fund its American operation, Arise Bioscience.
The moves see Canopy shifting its aims slightly from the Canadian market to the US one, and CEO David Klein said the closures were a “necessary step”.
German drug store Rossmann is selling CBD again after taking it off the shelves last year over concerns about EU novel foods legislation.
The chain is now stocking a range of CANOBO products, made by Dusseldorf company CannaCare Health, with shoppers able to get a 100 ml tube of muscle gel for €19.99, a 100 ml bottle of 2.75% CBD oil for €19.99 and a 5% bottle of CBD oil for €34.99.
Although Rossmann is back selling CBD, it is not known whether and when its main rival, dm-drogerie markt, will lift the self-imposed ban put in place in April last year.
– CBD-Intel staff
Photo: Kelly Sikkema
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect people across the world, a swathe of CBD-related events have been called off or postponed. Here is a list of some of the major ones, with dates and details
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