News analysis for professionals in the cannabis industry

Medical cannabis organisation in Spain on first draft law: it won’t help patients

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 14th October 2024

Two years past the deadline, Spain finally has a medical cannabis draft regulation, but restrictions in the bill make it so challenging for patients to access medication that they wonder if it would even help...

Thailand’s newest government says it is pro-cannabis...and this time it’s for real

Written by CannIntelligence | 1st October 2024

Thailand’s new government has said it will not reclassify cannabis as an illegal drug as it seeks to end a legal limbo that has chilled investor interest in the country’s nascent weed industry ...

Brazilian pharmaceutical company acquires Colombian cannabis giant

Written by CannIntelligence | 30th September 2024

Brazilian pharmaceutical company Ease Labs officially announced the acquisition this month of Plena, a cannabis cultivation and extraction company based in Colombia ...

Using after 50: US poll reveals cannabis consumption trends among older adults

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 25th September 2024

One in five older adults in the US use cannabis for recreational or medical reasons, based on a recent survey. Besides risks related to use without medical advice, researchers identified some hazardous behaviours ...

UK ASA says no to CBD web guidance on under-age use and maximum daily dose

Written by Freddie Dawson | 20th September 2024

CBD company websites must follow UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) guidelines – even though they are recommendations only – as demonstrated by two new rulings from the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) ...

IHDCs are legal under US federal law, according to appeals court case ruling

Written by Freddie Dawson | 16th September 2024

A US federal circuit appeals court has affirmed the legality of “synthetically derived” hemp cannabinoids, rejecting interpretations by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoids (IHDCs) in the process ...

Brazil becomes top market for Colombia’s cannabis exports amid regulatory shiftss

Written by CannIntelligence | 13th September 2024

In 2023, nearly a third – around $3.4m – of Colombia's total cannabis exports went to Brazil, driven by regulatory shifts and Colombia’s determination to dominate the international cannabis market ...

From US state to federal government, is Kamala Harris a cannabis friend or foe?

Written by Freddie Dawson | 9th September 2024

Democratic US presidential candidate Kamala Harris has become one of the most positive major voices for cannabis liberalisation at the federal level, but critics say her prior record undermines that and leaves her untrustworthy ...

Prior to US elections, Trump talks the talk on cannabis, but has yet to walk the walk

Written by Frederick Dawson | 6th September 2024

Republican US presidential nominee Donald Trump may end up an ally of the cannabinoid industry if recent comments on his voting intentions are to be believed ...

Recreational cannabis bill advances in Colombia’s Congress, backed by president

Written by CannIntelligence | 4th September 2024

Though Colombia’s efforts to legalise and regulate adult-use cannabis have failed in recent years, lawmakers and the president hope a new bill will receive the backing necessary to further develop its cannabis market ...

Epidiolex misses trial’s efficacy goal in Japan as it aims for drug authorisation

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 28th August 2024

Clinical trials on CBD-based medical drug Epidiolex missed their main goal of registering a significant reduction in the frequency of seizures experienced by patients in Japan, based on the results reported by manufacturer Jazz Pharmaceuticals...

Increase in prescriptions of unlicensed medical cannabis sparks concern in UK

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 26th August 2024

Unlicensed medical cannabis prescriptions in the UK private medical sector have increased by nearly 120% between 2022 and 2023, raising concerns in the healthcare industry over prescribers’ practices ...

Chief research officer shares equation for success in developing next-gen products

Written by CannIntelligence | 23rd August 2024

Businesses that lead product innovation with what the consumer wants will be one step ahead when it comes to taking a next-generation product to market – particularly when making PMTAs in the US ...

US Republican VP nominee may support cannabis regulation but not legalisation

Written by Freddie Dawson | 16th August 2024

Republican nominee for vice-president JD Vance has been silent on vaping, tobacco alternatives and the Ohio cannabis legalisation debate, but some of his comments suggest he may support the regulation of recreational cannabis ...

Cannabinoid and vape brands’ joint affair sparks surprise interest from Middle East

Written by Freddie Dawson | 16th August 2024

Executives were taken aback by the enthusiasm vendors showed for a nicotine vape brand in Dubai with a US West Coast theme, even though it involves a product that the UAE only recently legalised ...

US Democratic VP nominee could be supportive of pro-cannabis policies

Written by Freddie Dawson | 12th August 2024

New Democratic nominee for vice president Tim Walz is unlikely to be an ally to the tobacco alternatives and vaping industries but, as governor of Minnesota, he was keen on legalising cannabis ...

Not your usual partnership between cannabinoid brand and vaping company

Written by Freddie Dawson | 9th August 2024

Vaping company Ispire has signed a 30-year global licensing agreement with Hidden Hills Club, a cannabinoid operation with wider lifestyle ambitions that will lead to the creation of Hidden Hills branded nicotine vaping products ...

Italian amendment reintroduced that could leave CBD, hemp sector in ruins

Written by CannIntelligence | 6th August 2024

The proposed and withdrawn amendment to ban CBD products in Italy has reappeared as part of a bill aimed at enhancing public safety and combating crime ...

Another Thai about-face on cannabis could still result in narcotics listing

Written by Freddie Dawson | 5th August 2024

Cannabis will no longer be added to the narcotics list in Thailand in the latest turnaround from legislators, as officials said they would prefer to regulate cannabis through the legislative process ...

Czech government struggles to push through cannabis legalisation bill

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 2nd August 2024

The long-awaited submission of a Czech government draft bill for the regulation of recreational cannabis was not received favourably by conservative representatives, leading to a discussion focused on self-cultivation only ...

Germany’s cannabis clubs are now allowed to operate, but are they really?

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 19th July 2024

On 1st July, cannabis clubs became allowed to operate under Germany’s new cannabis law, but this doesn’t mean that even the first already-licensed club will actually be able to start operations anytime soon ...

Mexico’s president considered positive for cannabis sector, trouble for vape market

Written by CannIntelligence | 17th July 2024

The election of Claudia Sheinbaum as Mexico’s first-ever female president is being celebrated by members of the national cannabis industry as a positive step towards potential legalisation ...

Florida governor’s veto on IHDC ban bill: good news for hemp or playing politics?

Written by CannIntelligence | 3rd July 2024

Florida’s governor last month vetoed a bill that would have banned most intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoid (IHDC) products and limited the amount of total delta-9 THC in hemp products ...

Australians use medical cannabis to treat pain, mental issues, survey results show

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 11th June 2024

Nearly eight years after the legalisation of medical cannabis in Australia, most people who use it to treat a health condition obtain it legally, through a doctor’s prescription ...

Germany expected to eliminate hemp ‘intoxication clause’ from cannabis law

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 7th June 2024

An announced withdrawal of a law clause stating that the commercial use of industrial hemp must exclude “the abuse of intoxication” could have a significant impact on the German cannabis industry if approved ...

Germany set to introduce HHC ban, but other semi-synthetics may take its place

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 6th June 2024

HHC is likely to become illegal very soon in Germany, as the country’s Federal Council prepares to pass a government decree on the subject on 14th June ...

Italy’s right-wing government may end up banning hemp, putting a sector at risk

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 31st May 2024

Italy may soon ban hemp flowers and hemp flower extracts with a THC content of less than 0.2%, as the country’s far-right government takes a conservative stance on cannabis ...

Contamination and adulteration of vape products: how serious is the problem?

Written by CannIntelligence | 27th May 2024

The recent discovery of the illicit animal tranquilliser xylazine in cannabis vapes raises concerns about harmful contaminants. How do these substances end up in vaping products? ...

Canadian cannabis firms ‘barely keeping their heads above water’ under tax load

Written by CannIntelligence | 22nd May 2024

Canada’s cannabis industry is warning more cannabis companies may be forced to close their doors in the coming months, after the Canadian government failed to deliver excise duty relief in this year’s federal budget ...

The long road to EFSA authorisation for CBD as novel food in the European Union

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 20th May 2024

In June 2022, the European Food Safety Authority broke some very bad news to CBD companies applying for their products to be authorised as novel food in the European Union ...

Malawi’s legalisation of medical cannabis leaves Rasta community ‘disappointed’

Written by CannIntelligence | 13th May 2024

Malawi has legalised the cultivation of a potent local variety of cannabis for industrial and medicinal use but maintained the criminal status of its recreational use – raising concerns among the Rastafarian community ...

‘Revolutionary’ US cannabis rescheduling set to increase companies’ profitability

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 9th May 2024

The reclassification of cannabis to a less restrictive schedule of the US Controlled Substances Act will have crucial implications for the industry, especially as far as taxation is concerned, experts say ...

UK FSA novel food committee gives CBD brands first positive safety assessments

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 6th May 2024

UK-based CBD brands Cannaray and Pureis are the first to obtain a positive safety assessment from the Food and Standards Agency (FSA) Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes ...

Canada’s Indigenous communities could earn millions with cannabis tax scheme

Written by CannIntelligence | 30th April 2024

The Canadian government has unveiled plans to allow Indigenous governments to levy a new tax on alcohol, cannabis, tobacco, fuel and vaping products sold in their communities, which could net them millions of dollars ...

Germany’s cannabis law could open doors for foreign businesses to set up in Europe

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 23rd April 2024

As Germany becomes the first country in mainland Europe to partially legalise adult-use cannabis, investors from outside the continent may want to establish a presence in the European market now and wait for opportunities ...

Brazil looks to separate cannabis from crime via Supreme Court or legislature

Written by CannIntelligence | 22nd April 2024

A positive result is expected in a Supreme Court challenge on Brazil’s already decriminalised penalties for cannabis possession, which could clearly delineate the amount permitted for personal use for the first time ...

The uncertain fate of IHDCs in Europe: could a general ban be on the horizon?

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 12th April 2024

In this part of a series of articles celebrating the tenth anniversary of Tamarind Intelligence, we look at how the landscape of intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoids (IHDCs) across Europe has changed over the years ...

Canada sets up advisory group to address issues in and build the cannabis industry

Written by CannIntelligence | 4th April 2024

The Canadian government has set up a special advisory group to bring industry leaders and government officials around the same table in a bid to address the problems the country’s cannabis industry is facing ...

Report recommends changes to Canada’s cannabis law to deal with industry issues

Written by CannIntelligence | 3rd April 2024

An expert panel report that could set the stage for changes in coming months in the way cannabis is bought, sold and marketed across Canada is recommending wide-ranging amendments to the country’s cannabis law ...

UNESCO declares CBD store in suburban US shopping mall a World Heritage Site

Written by CannIntelligence | 1st April 2024

CBDeelite has today (1st April) been declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (UNESCO), in an effort to preserve some of the CBD era for future generations ...

Germany enforces partial recreational cannabis law after ditching last obstacle

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 29th March 2024

Germany agrees on partial recreational cannabis legalisation, after fears that the enforcement of its already approved regulation law would be delayed beyond the 1st April set date ...

Czech Republic bans semi-synthetics amid debate over cannabis regulation

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 15th March 2024

Shortly after drafting its first proposal on cannabis regulation, the Czech government has banned semi-synthetic cannabinoids HHC, HHC acetate (HHC-O) and tetrahydrocannabiforol (THCP) ...

Barcelona prepares to host industry and consumers at its 2024 ‘cannabis week’

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 7th March 2024

In just a few days, the global cannabis sector will gather again in Barcelona for what has become informally known, for some years now, as the city’s cannabis week ...

Still weeds to wade through as Germany passes recreational cannabis legislation

Written by Freddie Dawson | 26th February 2024

Germany has successfully passed a law legalising the recreational use of cannabis, which could make it the first mainland EU member state to successfully apply a regulatory framework to the sale of recreational cannabis ...

The rise of cannabis clubs in Europe – the grassroots model regulators are adopting

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 12th February 2024

The cannabis social club model is now being incorporated by multiple European regulators. Born and developed outside a legal framework, it originated as an attempt to regulate cannabis production and consumption ...

Hollowed-out draft of Czech regulation leaves room for improvement, say critics

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 17th January 2024

The Czech government’s newly presented, much-awaited proposal on cannabis regulation falls short of industry expectations, although activists believe there is still room for improving the initial draft ...

What’s in store for cannabis regulation? Looking at 2024 with cautious optimism

Written by Freddie Dawson | 10th January 2024

Cannabis rather than hemp will see the primary regulatory changes in 2024, CannIntelligence predicts, with moves coming in the US, Thailand, Germany and France, among others ...

Is cannabis regulation finally on the horizon under Spain’s ‘new’ government?

Written by Tiziana Cauli | 5th January 2024

Optimism over possible regulation of cannabis in Spain has increased as the new ruling coalition has shown some potential for getting back to work on the process ...

Argentina's cannabis industry hopes Milei won't swing the policy pendulum

Written by CannIntelligence | 21st December 2023

The election of libertarian Javier Milei is causing as much worry as optimism in Argentina’s cannabis industry, which hopes for a commitment to the continuity of current public policies ...

22nd Century sells its hemp/cannabis business to cut debt and operating costs

Written by Freddie Dawson | 29th November 2023

US-based 22nd Century will sell its hemp/cannabis subsidiary, GVB Biopharma, to an entity affiliated with current GVB employees and will use the sale proceeds to pay off debt and further deleverage its balance sheet ...

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