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Is delta-8 THC really the next big thing?

14th April 2021 - Blogs |

From a consumer/market perspective, it certainly looks like delta-8 THC is the most promising minor cannabinoid. It has quickly overtaken others such as CBG and CBN in terms of general awareness and – anecdotally – in terms of interest from companies and consumers alike. The appeal appears to be that it acts as a “lighter” version of delta-9 THC – the more typical psychoactive element » Continue Reading.

Now that the deadline for applications has passed, when should enforcement action from the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) be expected?

1st April 2021 - Blogs |

The FSA told CBD-Intel during a recent conference that – unsurprisingly – no actions would be taken until after the list of validated/administratively checked pending validation applications had been published. Thus far no date for the publication of the list has been put forward, but the speculation is that it will now more than likely be at least May before it » Continue Reading.

Was the UK FSA decision to make changes to the novel food application timeline really that unexpected?

25th March 2021 - Blogs |

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has ruffled a few feathers by changing its criteria for allowing products to stay on the market. Instead of requiring a validated novel food submission, it now only requires a submission that has been administratively checked (essentially scanned over to make sure all required bits are present) – under the assumption that the application » Continue Reading.

Will the FSA-validated novel food submission list reveal commercially sensitive information?

11th March 2021 - Blogs |

There’s been some worry that the eventual list of brands with a novel food application validated by the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) will reveal commercially sensitive information such as which brands are currently contracted to which ingredient or white-label goods suppliers. But the FSA has not indicated that such information would be included in any list. And there is » Continue Reading.

How long will it take to see validated assessments from the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA)?

4th March 2021 - Blogs |

The FSA has confirmed to CBD-Intel that it has already validated at least one application with an updated list to be published in April. This represents a significantly quicker turnaround than many anticipated, though Pureis did submit its application as soon as possible – telling CBD-Intel that it filed it one minute after midnight on 1st January 2021. However assuming » Continue Reading.

Could the Biden administration bring a new approach to enforcement of CBD health claims?

26th February 2021 - Blogs |

There is a chance that enforcement priorities could change under new appointments to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by the Biden administration. Two commissioners – one of which is staying on to work as part of the Republican minority of the five-commissioner panel in charge of the FTC, and the other of which appears to have some influence on their likely » Continue Reading.

Have the rules changed for importation of CBD into the UK?

18th February 2021 - Blogs |

The Home Office has not changed licensing requirements for importers of CBD into the UK. The minister for policing, Christopher “Kit” Malthouse, has requested an updated recommendation from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) on acceptable THC levels in CBD consumer products. The ACMD has not yet responded and the previous limit of 1 mg generic tolerance for » Continue Reading.

Podcast: are changes to the Philippine’s regulatory framework likely in the near future?

17th February 2021 - Podcasts , Resources |

Our host for today’s podcast is Jon Bruford, a copy editor at CBD-Intel, who will be joined by CBD-Intel junior legal analyst Elsa Carrasco, who discusses the current regulatory framework in place for CBD and cannabis in the Philippines. Elsa presents a clear idea of the legal framework of the country,  the requirements to operate in the CBD industry in » Continue Reading.

Will the EFSA look to modify its approach in light of action on novel food in the UK?

12th February 2021 - Blogs |

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has stated that it is in contact with other similar agencies such as the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the UK, but only specified that it would not treat applications that had been approved in other jurisdictions any differently during its own assessment process. But beyond that, it has not stated what other influence the FSA » Continue Reading.

How seriously should producers of CBD alcohol products take the recent Portman Group ruling?

5th February 2021 - Blogs |

The Portman Group’s first decision on a complaint regarding a CBD product has gone largely unreported but could have a very significant impact on that part of the market. The voluntary alcohol industry regulator has said it is bringing out further guidance for producers of CBD alcoholic beverages – the first time it will have addressed the issue. So it is important to » Continue Reading.

What impact will the EC’s decision to permit the use of extracts from the whole plant in cosmetics have on the industry as a whole?

28th January 2021 - Blogs |

The decision – which should be noted is still only preliminary, though almost certainly to be confirmed with subsequent updating of the cosmetics ingredients (CosIng) database – should allow a wider range of cosmetic products onto the market. Exactly how much of an impact the change – when it eventually is confirmed – will make in reality largely depends on » Continue Reading.

Is the entrance of British American Tobacco (BAT) into the CBD sector a positive or negative for the industry?

22nd January 2021 - Blogs |

The top-line answer is that it is wholly neither. There are elements of both in any position taken on the news. BAT’s entrance into the market with its vaping product under the Vuse brand (coming in three flavours – mint, mango and berry – and two strengths – 50 mg at £9.99 and 100 mg at £14.99) would be priced at the higher end of » Continue Reading.

Do CBD firms expect much of a January uptick in sales?

18th December 2020 - Blogs |

It seems many of the firms CBD-Intel has talked to see a similar story for January sales, focused on resolutions or upticks in health and wellness – as was predicted for the holidays sales period stretching from Black Friday at the end of November into the gift-giving Christmas and other holidays period through December. Overall, the market is still too » Continue Reading.

How far-reaching an impact could the CJEU Kanavape decision have?

11th December 2020 - Blogs |

The Court of Justice of the European Union’s (CJEU) decision in the Kanavape case will have a tremendous impact on the CBD industry in the European Union (EU). However, the breadth of its impact is not yet fully realised. A number of things must happen beforehand and it may come down to further court rulings before a baseline level of requirements and » Continue Reading.