LATEST ALERTS
How US Democrats’ cannabis reform plans ran aground despite promises
12th January 2022 - Blogs , News analysis |
After early promise, no cannabis-focused legislation has yet made it onto president Joe Biden’s desk for signing. So why is that?
Policy and Politics
Rival bills aim to establish a pathway to the US market for ingestible CBD
3rd January 2022 - News analysis |
US representatives have introduced a bill into the House aiming to push the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate CBD in food and drinks
CBD-Intel’s crystal ball reveals possible intoxicating prospects for the year ahead
29th December 2021 - News analysis |
“Intoxicating” will be the word to watch for and THC will be the main driver for developments in 2022, CBD-Intel predicts
How well did we do? CBD-Intel’s predictions for 2021 reviewed
28th December 2021 - News analysis |
CBD-Intel was on point in its 2021 predictions. Much like the preceding year, we believed 2021 would largely be defined more by what did not happen than what did
So it’s farewell to 2021 – a year that promised little and delivered less
27th December 2021 - News analysis |
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
What’s next as Malta becomes first EU state to legalise recreational cannabis?
20th December 2021 - News analysis |
Malta becoming the first EU country to legalise recreational cannabis in some form will still have a commercial impact even though the regulations do not create a retail market
What do Luxembourg and Malta’s legal cannabis plans mean in practice?
9th December 2021 - Blogs , News analysis |
Will proposed plans to legalise recreational cannabis in Luxembourg and Malta change much in terms of EU business?
Luxembourg leads Europe on the road to legalisation of recreational cannabis
6th December 2021 - News analysis |
Luxembourg will become the first European country to establish a legal regulatory framework allowing adults to grow and use cannabis for personal use and to trade seeds
Little stands in the way of Germany legalising recreational cannabis by 2024
30th November 2021 - News analysis |
The incoming German ‘traffic light’ coalition government’s promise to legalise recreational cannabis for adults puts it on track to be the first major European nation to take such action
Top South Dakota court overturns ballot bid to legalise recreational cannabis
25th November 2021 - News analysis |
Legal recreational cannabis in South Dakota will have to wait following the state Supreme Court’s controversial decision to invalidate Amendment A, a ballot initiative passed by voters a year ago
New German coalition plans to legalise cannabis – but when will sales begin?
25th November 2021 - Blogs , News analysis |
The newly elected German governing coalition has followed through on pre-election promises and included a plan for cannabis legalisation in its coalition agreement – but many questions remain to be answered
Gupta’s appointment and nomination of Califf may indicate change in US climate
16th November 2021 - News analysis |
Rahul Gupta has been confirmed by the US Senate as director of National Drug Control Policy, while president Joe Biden intends to nominate Robert Califf as head of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Italian cannabis referendum looks likely to go ahead despite teething troubles
27th October 2021 - News analysis |
Italian campaigners believe they have done enough to secure a referendum on the legalisation of cannabis cultivation for personal use and the decriminalisation of possession
France facing legal battle over coming decree to ban the sale of CBD flowers
19th October 2021 - News analysis |
The French ban on CBD flowers looks set to go ahead, with a decree expected to be officially published at the start of November – and an immediate legal appeal against it likely
New Moroccan government will stick with medical cannabis production plan
14th October 2021 - News analysis |
Morocco’s new medical cannabis law is still supported by the new government of Aziz Akhannouch, even though it was the pet project of a minister in the government he has displaced
German medical cannabis imports rise but no sign of domestic production yet
8th October 2021 - News analysis |
German imports of medical cannabis flowers rose by 80% in the first half of 2021 compared to the same period of 2021, but hopes of establishing local production were dashed
Panama leads the way with Central America’s first legal medical cannabis
5th October 2021 - News analysis |
Panama is set to become the first country in Central America to legalise and regulate medicinal cannabis after the 44-member National Assembly voted unanimously in favour of doing so
Why do cannabis black markets persist in US states where recreational use is legal?
27th September 2021 - News analysis |
Although many point to tax rates driving legal prices higher than those on the illicit market, access plays a bigger role than price in the survival of cannabis black markets, according to experts
Resistant legislators deny Kentucky and Tennessee access to medical cannabis
21st September 2021 - News analysis |
Kentucky and Tennessee are among a large number of Southeastern US states that have not yet passed legislation for medical cannabis programs. Here, CBD-Intel examines the issues behind the official reluctance
‘Transcendental change’ as president opens up Colombia to flower exports
26th August 2021 - News analysis |
“Today, Colombia eliminates the prohibition of dried flower exports,” president Iván Duque said. “This means that Colombia will enter and participate in the international market in a big way.”
Brazil’s bill to legalise hemp and medical cannabis runs into a further snag
24th August 2021 - News analysis |
A bill to legalise the cultivation and processing of hemp and medical cannabis in Brazil has been dealt a blow with a call for it to be debated and voted on by the country’s full Chamber of Deputies before it is put to the Senate
Legislators propose bringing Polish hemp laws in line with other EU states
20th August 2021 - News analysis |
Lawmakers from Poland’s ruling party are among those who have submitted two bills to parliament hoping to change the country’s industrial hemp growing and medical cannabis legislation
What conclusions can be drawn from the FDA rejection of full hemp extracts as supplements?
18th August 2021 - Blogs , News analysis |
The FDA recently rejected applications from both Charlotte’s Web and Irwin Naturals to use a hemp extract as a dietary supplement
Lobbyists for ‘special interests’ accused of un-American activities on cannabis
23rd July 2021 - News analysis |
Licensing issues look set to become the next big US lobbying battleground for cannabis as money moves on from the traditional legalisation-versus-prohibition field
Javid appointment as UK health minister raises slight hope for medical cannabis
19th July 2021 - News analysis |
Medical cannabis advocates are keen to see if Sajid Javid’s appointment as UK health secretary means he will continue his work from 2018, when he helped change the law on medicinal cannabis prescriptions
From tax to social equity: three US states’ recreational cannabis rules compared
15th July 2021 - News analysis |
Three more states have been added to the growing list of US jurisdictions allowing adult use of recreational cannabis. And they have learned lessons on how to frame regulation from those that came before
Why the UK government might not follow task force advice on homegrown hemp
8th July 2021 - Blogs |
CBD growth in the UK could be boosted by a report from a new taskforce on post-Brexit regulatory change. But how likely is it that the recommendations will be implemented?
EU ‘non-paper’ lays out the current state of European cannabinoid regulation
6th July 2021 - News analysis |
The Council of the European Union (CEU) has published a “non-paper” clarifying its thinking on the legal position of cannabis, hemp and cannabinoids within the EU and giving an overview of the current regulatory position
UK taskforce urges reform – but will it happen, and will it boost the market?
28th June 2021 - Blogs |
CBD growth in the UK could be boosted by a report from a new taskforce on post-Brexit regulatory change. But how likely is it that the recommendations will be implemented?
UK report says cannabinoids should be under health, not law-and-order rules
24th June 2021 - News analysis |
The British government must take oversight of CBD and medical cannabis out of Home Office hands and place it with the Department of Health and Social Care, according to a new report on post-Brexit regulation
UK debate reveals broad agreement on need to reform outdated drugs law
24th June 2021 - News analysis |
Members of Parliament from across the political spectrum in the UK believe the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act is in urgent need of reform, after 50 years of “wasting lives” and holding back vital research
Brazil moves closer to legalising medical cannabis, despite president’s veto threat
21st June 2021 - News analysis |
A bill that would allow the cultivation and processing of hemp and cannabis in Brazil has passed an important committee vote in the country’s lower legislative chamber – but serious obstacles remain
Official report favours legalisation, but France is unlikely to budge on cannabis
17th June 2021 - News analysis |
Members of the French National Assembly appear unlikely to follow the recommendations made in a recent report on recreational cannabis, despite its scathing criticism of the current harsh regime
The battle for medical cannabis goes on in Mississippi after ballot is annulled
8th June 2021 - News analysis |
Mississippi supporters of medical cannabis are fighting to have their voices heard after a vote for legalisation was thrown out by the US state’s Supreme Court
It’s complicated: German court ruling adds further confusion to hemp law
3rd June 2021 - News analysis |
The legality of selling hemp flowers as well as hemp leaf tea in Germany is no clearer despite the recent ruling by the country’s highest court that low-THC industrial hemp flowers could – in principle – be sold to the public
Small steps towards regulation raise big hopes for cannabinoids in Argentina
24th May 2021 - News analysis |
Early moves towards a regulatory framework that would allow a cannabinoid industry in Argentina have been welcomed by insiders who hope ultimately to match or surpass the progress made by other South American nations
What can we learn from the distribution of brands by main product category and retailer type in the UK?
14th May 2021 - Blogs |
CBD-Intel’s new UK online report highlights a number of interesting market developments. Among them is the information that brand distribution provides. From a dominance perspective, more brands are now being listed for cosmetic than vape products. This shows how cosmetics now have more exposure to the wider population by having a more diverse range of brand offerings along with greater » Continue Reading.
Cannabis lobbying steps up in the US with major players joining the discussion
10th May 2021 - News analysis |
Significant cannabis reform is inevitably coming to congress, no matter whether the Biden administration considers it a priority, and giants in experienced lobbying industries are preparing their agents
Could CBD/hemp vaping equipment be exempt from the incoming rule prohibiting the mailing of e-cigarette and vaporiser-related products through the US Postal Service (USPS)?
7th May 2021 - Blogs |
Recent consultation guidance does suggest that the USPS is considering broadly exempting hemp and CBD services from the incoming rule. The guidance states: “For hemp-based products containing CBD with a THC concentration not exceeding 0.3 percent, mailers must retain, and prepare to make available upon request, records establishing compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws pertaining to hemp » Continue Reading.
Legalisation of cannabis looks like being a hot topic in Germany’s federal elections
3rd May 2021 - News analysis |
With federal elections due in September, Germany’s Free Democratic Party (FDP) has called on the government to draft a law permitting the controlled distribution of cannabis for adult use
What is the state of science behind minor cannabinoids really like?
29th April 2021 - Blogs |
Minor cannabinoids are gaining increasing interest – pushed by both slowly growing consumer awareness and companies looking to develop further revenue streams from under-utilised products. A number of claims have been made about the properties of various minor cannabinoids – some skirting dangerously close to the line of what is currently permitted and some going well over that health claims » Continue Reading.
Opposition parties put forward proposals for legalisation of cannabis in Poland
29th April 2021 - News analysis |
Poland’s Parliamentary Team for the Legalisation of Marijuana has submitted a package of three draft bills to the speaker of parliament’s lower chamber, following a public consultation on the proposals
How fast is the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) novel food application validation process moving?
22nd April 2021 - Blogs |
It does not look like good news. The only two companies (controlling three brands that contain 23 individually listed products) included in the initial list of validated applications both say they submitted their applications to the FSA in early January. Both also are at least partly based on synthetic CBD ingredients that have successfully navigated EU novel food application initial » Continue Reading.
New Senate request could hold Mexican legalisation back until at least September
15th April 2021 - News analysis |
Mexico’s Senate is poised to request extra time to approve legislation that would legalise cannabis in the country, prolonging debate over the highly anticipated bill until September
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.
Not now, but soon – new industry bodies prepare for Brazil opening up to hemp
18th March 2021 - News analysis |
Brazil still faces a serious attitude problem when it comes to advancing regulations for hemp and CBD, according to the leaders of two recently launched industry associations in the country
Armenia looks to hemp legalisation as part of a route out of national crisis
10th March 2021 - News analysis |
Crisis-hit Armenia intends to legalise and regulate the production of hemp as a part of a package of economic measures to alleviate issues arising from the military conflict with Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region
Pakistan moves towards a legal hemp industry under the eye of government
8th March 2021 - News analysis |
Pakistan is set to embark on a path to the legal production of hemp and hemp-derived products following the approval last September of hemp farming and processing under government control
‘Outdated’ Japanese import and growing restrictions may get even tougher
4th March 2021 - News analysis |
Tough Japanese laws on the import of CBD products and the cultivation of industrial hemp are becoming more challenging for the industry – and even stricter regulations may be on the way
Governor’s influence questioned after judge blocks cannabis legalisation
23rd February 2021 - News analysis |
The legalisation of recreational cannabis in South Dakota is in doubt, amidst accusations of political interference after a judge appointed by the state governor ruled the voter-approved amendment unconstitutional
