International

The government of the United Kingdom has approved changes to the rules governing industrial hemp licenses designed to make it easier for farmers to grow the crop. The new regulations will support regulated farmers who grow hemp and encourage new investment in the industry while continuing to discourage illegal drug uses of the plant, government officials said this week. In the U.K., industrial hemp (cannabis with less than 0.2% THC) can be legally grown outdoors by licensed farmers for the production of… Read more.

Weed is finally legal in Germany, but it may still be verboten at one of the country’s signature events. According to Forbes, the “German federal state of Bavaria is considering the possibility of restricting cannabis use at the famous Oktoberfest following the legalization of cannabis for personal use.” “Bavaria government aims to restrict public spaces for consuming cannabis at events like Oktoberfest by establishing cannabis-free zones, as first reported by DPA (German Press Agency),” Forbes reported. “Oktoberfest in Munich is the world’s… Read more.

Farmers in Zimbabwe are pivoting from the country’s traditional staple crops like corn to a new lucrative crop—hemp production. Leaders in the country, however, are more worried about any disruptions to food security locally than the potential economic boon hemp will likely bring to the country. Agriculture contributes about 18% to Zimbabwe’s total gross domestic product (GDP), and maize or corn is the country’s staple crop and accounts for a substantial proportion of the lion’s share of fertilizers that are… Read more.

On a frigid day in late December, amidst a war nearing two years with Russia, Ukraine’s parliament voted to legalize medical cannabis. While December 19, 2023, will go down in history for this pivotal decision, the gain for the international legalization movement is bittersweet when one examines the reason for the legislation. What’s commonly referred to in Europe as the Russo-Ukrainian War is considered by most of the world to have begun in February 2022, but it actually began in February 2014… Read more.

In 2023, an artist and his patron set out on a seemingly impossible task: illustrate the vast history of cannabis in a single art piece. Inspired by the Tapisserie de Bayeux—an ancient chronological tapestry depicting a two-year invasion of England by the Normans—Stefan van Swieten commissioned his friend Mossy Giant to create a piece for his cannabis social club in Barcelona, Spain. Now stretching across the wall at La Creme Gracia, the artwork displays incredibly detailed and interconnected scenes. Starting with the Big Bang, the… Read more.

Colombia’s medical cannabis exports continued to grow last year, although sales still haven’t reached the level that the country’s operators envisioned. In 2023, the value of medical cannabis exports from Colombia was $10.8 million, according to figures provided to MJBizDaily by ProColombia, a government agency in charge of promoting nontraditional Colombian trade. The figure represents an 11.3% increase over 2022, when Colombia’s medical cannabis exports amounted to $9.7 million, a 96% jump from 2021. Industry sources see the latest export figures as a sign… Read more.

It’s official – with the clock striking midnight in Germany, and the date changing from March 31st to April 1st, the nation’s new adult-use cannabis legalization policy has become the law of the land. Adults (18 years old and older) in Germany may now partake in the newly established freedoms created by the implementation of the first pillar of the CanG law. “It was time to initiate a paradigm shift in drug policy, ending the failed prohibition policy of the… Read more.

European countries are gradually turning their attention toward cannabis reform as medical and adult-use cannabis steadily become the new status quo in states around the U.S. While Germany gears up to launch its adult-use program next month, Switzerland has embraced an alternative approach in the form of an adult-use cannabis pilot program. Earlier in March, Swiss officials published the first data from its pilot study in Zürich, offering initial insights on the demand for legal cannabis in the country along with… Read more.

The German government last week adopted a bill to end the prohibition of cannabis for adults that will make possession and home cultivation of weed legal in Europe’s most populous nation as of April 1. The legislation, which also allows for the establishment of cannabis clubs, was given final approval on Friday in the Bundesrat, Germany’s legislative chamber representing the country’s 16 federal states. The bill has already been approved by the second chamber of parliament known as the Bundestag,… Read more.

A government-appointed panel of experts analyzing Canada’s adult-use legalization law, the Cannabis Act, has recommended the country enable pharmacy access for medical marijuana and reconsider how excise tax is applied to recreational products. The proposals are part of a final report, 18 months in the making, that lays out 54 recommendations and a number of observations for the federal government to consider. Some of the recommendations align with industry expectations, such as allowing pharmacies to sell medical cannabis products, which… Read more.

Cannabis stocks soared Friday on the news Germany’s parliament legalized cannabis for personal possession and use. Canopy Growth Corporation’s stock (NASDAQ: CGC) surged a remarkable 39 percent, capping a weekly gain of more than 106 percent. Others on the NASDAQ, including Aurora Cannabis Inc. (ACB, up 26.6 percent), SNDL Inc. (SNDL, up 21.5 percent), Tilray Brands Inc. (TLRY, up 18.5 percent), and Cronos Group Inc. (CRON, up 9.2 percent), also witnessed substantial increases in share prices. Under the new law,… Read more.

The CBD maker also extended its partnership with Major League Baseball. Charlotte’s Web (OTC: CWBHF) has been caught in a protracted sales downturn, but management is optimistic that it can still turn the tides for the once stand out CBD maker. The MLB-partnered company reported a 14.8% slide in net revenue in 2023, down to $63.2 million from 2022. Lower sales in both e-commerce and business-to-business (B2B) sectors drove the decline. While the company has been taking “multiple actions to maintain… Read more.

The landlocked country of Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland), located in southern Africa, recently made a move to legalize medical cannabis. According to a report from VOA Zimbabwe, King Mswati III and the Eswatini government have introduced medical cannabis legislation hoping that it will help curb illegal sales and allow the country to benefit from tax revenue. “The legislation will also provide measures to guard against increasing the black market,” said spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo. “This has robbed government taxes, Eswatini, an opportunity to grow… Read more.

While recreational cannabis may still be illegal in the North African country of Morocco, the nation is kicking off a new era of legal cannabis cultivation and export. As the third month of 2024 comes to a close, the country has shared data about its first legal harvest season in 2023. According to Morocco’s cannabis regulators, National Agency for the Regulation of Cannabis-Related Activities (ANRAC), the country’s first legal harvest in 2023 was 294 metric tons. It involved 32 cooperatives… Read more.

Ganja in Jamaica is more than just the cannabis plant; it’s a culture, a way of life, and an expression of people from varying cultural backgrounds who ended up on the Caribbean Island via the plantation model. The British monarchy was responsible for the cultural clash that saw enslaved Africans and indentured laborers co-mingling and participating in the smoking of ganja after a day’s work in the sugarcane plantations. This unique phenomenon gave birth to Rastafari, a religious and political… Read more.

Wana Brands, a leading manufacturer of cannabis edibles in the United States, announced on Thursday that it is expanding to Europe through a strategic partnership with Alpen Group. With an initial launch in Switzerland, the home of cannabis pharmaceutical manufacturer Alpen Group, Wana Brands plans to bring its popular line of weed gummies to European consumers as cannabis policy reform begins to take hold across the continent. Last year, Switzerland’s health authority approved pilot programs for the retail distribution of… Read more.

Germany’s lower house of parliament voted last week to legalize the consumption and cultivation of cannabis by adults, although the measure passed by the Bundestag does not permit commercial sales of recreational marijuana. The legislation legalizes cannabis clubs, however, allowing groups of no more than 500 adults to collectively grow weed for personal use by club members. “We have two goals: to crack down on the black market and improved protection of children and young people,” Health Minister Karl Lauterbach… Read more.

Canada’s tax collection agency is following through on a threat to garnish cash from licensed cannabis producers that are delinquent on their excise duty payments, MJBizDaily has learned. The move is a major escalation in the Canada Revenue Agency’s efforts to collect money it’s owed by federally regulated cannabis companies with outstanding excise debt – a situation that has ballooned in recent years as the industry’s financial challenges mount. The amount of unpaid federal excise tax owed by Canada’s cash-strapped marijuana companies… Read more.

Germany became the third European Union country to pass adult-use cannabis legalization on Friday after lawmakers in the Bundestag, which is the country’s lower parliamentary body, approved the Cannabis Act in a 407-226 vote, the Associated Press reports. Following the approval, cannabis possession by adults aged 18 or older will become legal starting April 1, which coincides with German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach’s prediction from earlier this year. Under the new law, adults will be allowed to grow up to… Read more.

A cannabis company with operations based in Jamaica announced this week that it has successfully exported cannabis-derived THC products to the United States, where they will be tested at a facility licensed by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The company, Pure Jamaican and its GMP-certified, licensed pharma manufacturer Seven-10 Pharmaceuticals, said the shipment marks the first legal export of THC to the United States from Jamaica in a move that elevates the Caribbean island nation’s role in the global cannabis… Read more.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed the country’s medical cannabis legislation into law, setting the legal stage for the creation of Europe’s newest medical market. The development was first reported on the Ukrainian Association of Medical Cannabis’ Facebook page. In December, Ukraine’s Parliament gave the green light to a law that sets the legal foundation for a medical cannabis industry. Now the government has three months to develop a draft of regulations to govern the industry. The product types and qualifications… Read more.

Thousands of cannabis businesses in Thailand are bracing for major legal and regulatory changes as the country looks to curb adult-use sales and pivot the industry back to a medicinal market. The government’s latest draft cannabis law looks to end a legal vacuum that unintentionally allowed the recreational marijuana industry to flourish after a 2022 decision to declassify the drug as a narcotic. The new law could radically alter the business prospects for thousands of cannabis store owners and cultivators… Read more.

Canada’s THC-infused beverage market is about to get more crowded. Jones Soda, the beloved soft drink company known for its quirky flavors, said on Tuesday that the arm of its cannabis business, Mary Jones, “has been approved to operate in Ontario, Canada, with additional provinces to follow.”  “Starting with their THC-infused beverages, the products are currently slated for Ontario availability in Q1 24,” the company said in a press release. Jones is eyeing an additional expansion into other cannabis categories within the Canadian… Read more.

The groups that form Germany’s coalition government struck a deal last week on cannabis legalization, setting the stage for the new law to take effect in the spring.  Now, the proposal will be considered by the country’s parliament, with a vote expected later this month. Zeit, a German publication, reported last week that the “government coalition made up of the SPD, Greens and FDP has agreed on the details of the legalization of cannabis,” and that the “law could come into force… Read more.

There are chefs who cook with cannabis, then there are James Beard-nominated chefs who cook with cannabis. Toronto-based culinary master Jordan Wagman is in the latter category. For the uninitiated, receiving a James Beard nomination is very much akin to an Oscar nomination for acting. It’s a big deal (as all you Top Chef fans know). But this chef was on a mission. “It all comes back to my health,” Wagman says when asked about his journey to becoming one of the… Read more.

Red Light Holland plans on coming to America. The company is launching a new branch called SR Wholesale North America to sell mushrooms “if and when regulations permit,” according to the company’s statement. The new wholesale arm will work with Ontario-based partner farms to offer a variety of fresh mushrooms as it builds out a sales pipeline in the region. “Our AEM Partners, Holburne and F&R Mushroom farms, have a proven track record of delivering top-quality mushrooms, and we are confident… Read more.

German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach says he hopes to submit the nation’s adult-use cannabis legalization proposal for a parliamentary vote this February and see the proposal come into effect by April, according to a DW report. The proposal was initially agreed upon by Germany‘s three-part government coalition last year, and Lauterbach said that lawmakers’ discussion regarding the Cannabis Act has remained positive. While legalization critics have pushed back against the proposal, Lauterbach argues that the unregulated market carries risks such as contaminated products and extremely… Read more.

Germany’s health minister believes marijuana legalization will become a reality in the country this spring. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has set a target for the Bundestag, the national parliament, to approve the nation’s long-awaited cannabis law in February. Germany would then become the first country to legalize cannabis in Europe in April, according to German news reports. “I am continuing to assume that the Cannabis Act will be passed by the Bundestag in the week between Feb. 19 and 23… Read more.

Sometimes, you have to take it to the streets, literally. At least that’s the approach Australian cannabis activists Will Stolk and Alec Zammitt take when trying to generate awareness around the flaws in Australia’s current weed regulations. Stolk and Zammitt have been helping make cannabis a hot topic of discussion in Australia for the past eight years, rolling out annual 420 “Who Are We Hurting?” demonstrations that have captivated the ears and eyes of the Australian public. At the very least, Stolk and Zammitt aim to… Read more.

Local industry watchers say it could be years before domestic cannabis cultivation in Ukraine is up and running after Parliament gave the green light to a draft law that will lay the legal foundation for a medical marijuana industry. That might open the door to import-export opportunities for local and international businesses looking to match supply with demand, at least in the early years of the Ukraine market. Even though the bill was approved in the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s Parliament, a substantial… Read more.

For some, we live in a world where blazing it as soon as the clock strikes 4:20 is a means of mental and spiritual healing – a puff of green that transports you into a state of tranquillity. But for others, cannabis use isn’t just about the 4/20 caricature or a personality trait that your on-again, off-again fling parades instead of going to therapy. There’s a lot more intention to it. Over the years, more and more practitioners have turned to medical cannabis to… Read more.

After hitting a brief snag late last year, a bill approved by Ukraine’s unicameral legislature in December to legalize medical cannabis in the country appears to be back on track. The delay occurred when the opposing Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) party and its leader, Yulia Tymoshenko, announced the party’s intention to appeal to the Constitutional Court to cancel the legislative vote, citing that “the amendments to the bill were considered in a half-empty chamber.” Tymoshenko, who has been vocally opposed to the reform measure,… Read more.

Thailand is on the brink of a major shift in its cannabis policy with the introduction of a new law proposed by the Minister of Public Health, Mr. Cholnan Srikaew. According to the Thai Examiner, this law aims to strictly regulate the use of cannabis, focusing solely on medical applications and effectively outlawing its recreational use.The proposed legislation stipulates that any cannabis product with a THC level above 0.2% is illegal, a stark contrast to the previous more liberal stance that… Read more.

For the diehard cannabis connoisseur, one whose only mission in life is the quest for the eternal buzz, tracking down that one marijuana strain that really kicks them in the boo-boo can be tough. It means visiting one dispensary after another, where, often, none of the staff ever seems willing to break out the secret stash from the back. And we know they’ve got one! So there is a lot of trial and error in this process. And this search… Read more.

A BBC investigation revealed a plethora of online pharmacies in the U.K. appear to be selling medication without doctor approval.  The BBC said they bought over 1,600 prescription-only pills from 20 online pharmacies without general practitioner approval or any scrutiny other than an online questionnaire. The names of the pharmacies were withheld for obvious reasons, but they managed to purchase anti-anxiety medications, painkillers and sleeping pills as easily as one might purchase a sandwich at Subway.  This problem has been increasing in… Read more.

Australian voters are more for than against decriminalising cannabis and legalising cannabis plants at home for personal use, as proposed by a bill introduced to NSW parliament. New YouGov data collected in December from 1,555 participants found 50 per cent of Australians supported legalising growing cannabis plants for personal use, 31 per cent opposed and 19 per cent were undecided. It also found 54 per cent were in favour of decriminalising cannabis, 33 per cent opposed and 12 per cent were… Read more.

Gezellig is a fantastic Dutch word that encompasses a whole mood and defies translation. I think it means a combination of things: the warm feeling of belonging, being in the right place at the perfect time, surrounded by the most genial company. You hear the word a lot in Amsterdam; the concept of gezellig is at the heart of Dutch culture. Finding the sweet moment, relaxing into it, being as cozy and comfortable as possible… it’s a prescription for any stressed-out modern soul.… Read more.

Cannabis use around the world continues to eclipse other drugs––and is increasing. Opioids, meanwhile, continue to cause the most harm. Those are just some of the takeaways from the United Nations’ annual “World Drug Report” for 2023. “Drug use continues to be high worldwide. In 2021, 1 in every 17 people aged 15–64 in the world had used a drug in the past 12 months. The estimated number of users grew from 240 million in 2011 to 296 million in 2021… Read more.

High Tide has opened the doors for its Canna Cabana cannabis store on the Tsuut’ina Nation in the province of Alberta. It’s only the fourth province-approved adult-use cannabis store on or adjacent to a reserve in the province, according to a spokesperson for the Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis (AGLC). The other three are: 7 Points Cannabis in Enoch Cree Nation.Green Nation Naturals in the vicinity of Maskwacis territory.4Hoots in Sucker Creek First Nation.Alberta has 750 legal cannabis stores, meaning… Read more.

The number of legal cannabis retailers has exploded in North America the last decade, but that hasn’t resulted in easier access for kids.  That is the takeaway from newly published survey data that examined perceptions of cannabis among youth in Canada. “Very little research has examined how perceptions of cannabis access among underage youth in Canada have changed since cannabis was legalized and since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, this paper examines the effect of the early and… Read more.

A new report projects that the global recreational marijuana market will nearly double over the next four years, with legal sales of adult-use cannabis climbing to almost $50 billion per year by 2027. The report, from U.K.-based cannabis data, media and tech company Prohibition Partners, credits global momentum in cannabis reform and the opening of new recreational cannabis markets in Europe over the next three years as the prime drivers of the industry’s worldwide growth. “North America remains the global… Read more.

Local government officials in the Swiss capital of Bern are discussing the possibility of launching a pilot program to study the effects of legal cocaine sales on the general public. According to Reuters, legislators in the Bern Parliament have proposed the idea as a potential solution to increased cocaine usage in a country already infamous for some of the highest levels of cocaine use in Europe. The discussion began just weeks after a select few Swiss cities, Bern included, launched a… Read more.

The Canadian province of Alberta is revamping its regulations to allow cannabis retailers to operate temporary stores at age-gated events such as trade shows and festivals starting next year. Alberta is Canada’s second-largest cannabis retail market, trailing only Ontario. The regulatory overhaul, announced this week, is part of provincial lawmakers’ review of the recreational cannabis market to determine what regulations are working, what needs to be improved and what’s redundant. The new rules will reduce barriers and costs for legal cannabis retailers… Read more.

Financially distressed cannabis companies continued to seek refuge in Canadian insolvency law in 2023, although such insolvency filings under one statute declined from 2022. This year’s cannabis insolvencies included big names such as retailer Fire & Flower and producer Aleafia Health, highlighting the industrywide struggle to keep operating in the face of low marijuana prices, high taxes and trouble accessing new funding. Seven of the 57 filings under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) through Dec. 15, 2023, or about… Read more.

Ontario’s government-owned marijuana wholesaler was sitting on more than 500 million Canadian dollars ($367 million) in cash earlier this year, but officials have declined to spell out why the Ontario Cannabis Store held on to that much money rather than remit some of it back to the provincial government earlier. According to recently disclosed Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) financial statements, the wholesaler had CA$536 million ($394 million) in cash as of March 31, 2023 – the end of its fiscal… Read more.

The South African province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) in October granted 664 licenses to cultivate, store, and transport industrial hemp, the South African reports. Under the program, hemp plants can contain up to 0.2% THC. The permits were awarded by the KZN Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) during the Cannabis Expo and Conference held in the province. KZN Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube said the expo and conference marked a “new era for the cannabis sector in the province” and noted that the… Read more.

Some ingestible cannabis products that Health Canada considers noncompliant with federal rules still appear to be widely available in parts of the country, almost a year after the regulator asked companies to stop selling them to consumers because of concerns about overconsumption of THC. The wide availability of these products on store shelves in some provinces has thrown the market for ingestibles into turmoil, making it harder for producers committed to regulatory compliance to know what is kosher and what… Read more.

The Germany’s coalition government called the Traffic Light coalition, which combines individuals from the Social Democratic Party, Free Democratic Party, and The Greens, reportedly reached an agreement for cannabis regulation on Nov. 27. These recent discussions estimate that cannabis legalization could take effect starting on April 1, 2024, with social cannabis clubs potentially allowed to open as early as July 1, 2024. “The #Cannabis law is coming! Finally: We are finally ending the failed ban policy! After intensive negotiations, there is now a… Read more.

Victoria could be on the way to decriminalising recreational cannabis after Premier Jacinta Allan admitted to using the drug in the past and Treasurer Tim Pallas said he didn’t believe in a “criminal approach”. The Legalise Cannabis Party this week launched a campaign to make recreational cannabis use legal in three states and overhaul legislation that unfairly criminalises people – particularly First Nations people who are disproportionately charged with possession. In New South Wales between 2020 and 2022 they made up almost half of… Read more.

Canada’s federal health regulator has approved Jazz Pharmaceuticals Canada’s cannabinoid-based medicine Epidiolex as a supplementary therapy for certain rare and severe forms of epilepsy, allowing the company to bring to market a clinically tested drug with global sales that dwarf those of the nation’s entire medical cannabis industry. Epidiolex is the top-selling clinically proven cannabinoid-based medicine in the world, with global sales through the first nine months of Jazz’s fiscal year totaling approximately $604.8 million (823 million Canadian dollars). By comparison, in… Read more.

Ecuador’s newly-elected president has re-outlawed drug possession just a few days after taking power as part of a campaign promise to crack down on narcotics trafficking. President Daniel Noboa announced Thursday, less than two days after taking office, that he would be changing the nation’s drug laws to once again make possession of small amounts of drugs a crime, walking back legislation enacted by Democratic Socialist President Rafael Correa’s administration about a decade ago.  Previously, Ecuadorians were permitted to carry… Read more.

The Toronto Stock Exchange isn’t the only tier one Canadian exchange for U.S. cannabis companies looking to raise capital outside their home turf. A growing number of multistate operators have chosen another tier one exchange, the Toronto-based Cboe Canada exchange, instead of the more junior Canadian Securities Exchange. Cboe (pronounced “see-bow”) Canada was known as the NEO Exchange before its 2022 acquisition by Cboe Global Markets, the parent company of the Chicago Board Options Exchange. These days, Cboe Canada is home… Read more.

Researchers at a university in Sweden are using acid and ketamine to better understand the workings of the brain, which would then lead to the development of artificial intelligence. The researchers, based at Lund University in Lund, Sweden, “have developed a technique for simultaneously measuring electrical signals from 128 areas of the brain in awake rats,” the school said in a press release earlier this year.  The study has drawn recent media coverage from both Reuters and the British tabloid Metro. The university said that… Read more.

Finding weed in Berlin is like going back in time. Sure, Germany has a medical cannabis program but it’s not Oklahoma. The regulations are very strict. You can’t just walk in off the street and start buying flowers and concentrates. It’s true that German legislators are working out plans for cannabis legalization, but adult-use cannabis dispensaries are estimated to be at least five years away. To find cannabis in Berlin, you gotta do it the old-fashioned way. You need a plug. A… Read more.

Japan’s lower house of the National Diet on Tuesday passed a measure to legalize cannabis-derived pharmaceuticals, the Japan Times reports. The bill would also close a loophole in the country’s 1948 Cannabis Control Law, which bans possession, trade, and cultivation of cannabis and related products but does not contain a specific reference to use.  Under the bill, cannabis would be added as a banned substance under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Law, and violations of the law would be punishable by up… Read more.

A citizen petition in Canada’s House of Commons is seeking to raise the maximum amount of THC in edible cannabis products from 10 milligrams to 100 milligrams, which advocates say will “benefit consumers and will contribute to a more sustainable industry as a whole.”  The petition notes that both the Canada Competition Bureau and the Ontario Cannabis Store, which is run by the government, have called upon Health Canada to increase THC limits.  The petition argues that while the current 10 milligram THC limit… Read more.

A radiant symbol has recently emerged among the bright neon signs lining Bangkok's streets: the weed leaf. After legalizing medical cannabis in 2018, last year Thailand became the first country in Asia to decriminalize weed. Today, people over 20 who are not pregnant or breastfeeding can consume it without punishment, although smoking in public spaces can still land you a hefty fine. That’s led to a boom in cannabis shops across the country. And with a dispensary practically now on every… Read more.

Canadian cannabis advocates are calling on the federal government to relax strict limits on the potency of cannabis edibles with a petition seeking a tenfold increase in maximum permitted THC levels. Canada legalized cannabis through an act of Parliament in 2018, and retail sales of cannabis extracts and edibles were authorized for licensed operators one year later. Regulations on edibles set strict potency limits, however, with a cap of 10 milligrams of THC per product. In contrast, California, the largest regulated… Read more.

Researchers in Italy have found evidence that cannabis was used by residents of Milan hundreds of years ago by studying bones from a 17th-century cemetery. In a report on the research, the scientists surmise that weed was likely used recreationally, noting that hospital records from the time do not include cannabis in an inventory of medicinal plants used in Milan in the 1600s. Medical records from the Middle Ages show that cannabis was used in Europe as an anesthetic and… Read more.

A new study has determined that customized cannabis treatments can improve the quality of life for patients with autism spectrum disorder. The study of 20 patients with autism found that participants who took a customized daily regimen of full-spectrum cannabis extracts showed a significant improvement in their symptoms resulting in an improvement in the quality of life for both the patients and their families. The small study, which was conducted by Brazilian researchers monitored by a University of Brasília ethics… Read more.

One after another, many of Canada’s largest cannabis greenhouses and indoor grow operations have been sold or mothballed as the industry continues to search for a supply-demand equilibrium after years of overproduction. The facilities, each costing anywhere from 100 million Canadian dollars ($73 million) to more than CA$500 million, are being closed for various reasons. Some of the operations crashed into the cannabis industry’s hard macroeconomic realities: Canadian cultivators bankrolled and licensed too much cultivation capacity before and after adult-use legalization in 2018,… Read more.

Village Farms International (Nasdaq: VFF), an agriculture veteran turned cannabis grower, is weathering a competitive cannabis market by betting on brand variety and operational efficiency, executives said during the company’s third-quarter earnings call. The British Columbia-based company, traditionally known for its produce, has shifted much of its growth narrative toward expanding Canadian cannabis segment. The introduction of the Fraser Valley brand to Ontario has driven positive results, grabbing decent market share by targeting cost-conscious consumers during a period of industry-wide price compressions. CEO Michael DeGiglio cited the… Read more.

Institutional investors are increasingly bullish on U.S. cannabis multistate operators, according to a new survey, which suggests marijuana rescheduling by the federal government could convince those big investors to put new money into MSOs. The group’s sentiment is “more bullish than it was six months ago, mostly because of (the prospect of) rescheduling,” said Frederico Gomes, a cannabis equity analyst with Calgary, Alberta-based ATB Capital Markets and lead author of the report, which surveyed 23 institutional investors between Oct. 23 and… Read more.

Medicann is launching the first medical cannabis clinic in Ireland and is immediately accepting patients who believe they may be eligible for treatment, according to a news release. The clinic will cover “all conditions treatable with medicinal cannabis,” not limited to those recognized by Ireland’s Medicinal Cannabis Access Programme. Currently, there are three qualifying conditions included under the Medicinal Cannabis Access Programme: spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis, intractable nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy and severe treatment-resistant epilepsy. A Step Forward for… Read more.

Nigerian-born artist Burna Boy, 32, revealed that he turned down a $5 million offer to perform in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) because smoking cannabis is banned in the city, and the punishments are severe.  Per the local law, attempting to enter Dubai with cannabis can result in a five-year sentence, and if you’re caught smoking weed there, you might face a minimum of three months behind bars, and you’ll possibly be deported once you’re released. Before changes were made… Read more.

The Canadian cannabis industry is on pace to see a record number of federal licenses revoked this fiscal year, largely at the request of the companies themselves, according to new data from Health Canada. The federal agency revoked 42 licenses during the first six months of the current fiscal year – April through September – putting the industry on pace to surpass the 74 that were revoked in the 2022-23 fiscal year. In 2021-22, 50 licenses were revoked, more than… Read more.

According to a recent report from The Japan News, the region with the most hemp cultivation in Japan is the Tochigi Prefecture, located north of Tokyo. Farmers in the area initially cultivated a variety of hemp called Tochigishiro in 1982, which they still grow today. The number of hemp farmers has dwindled, with 6,000 growers in the Tochigi Prefecture at its peak, down to just 12 today. Many of these remaining growers are in their 60s and 70s. One 44 year old cultivator, Yoshinori… Read more.

Mohamed El Guerrouj, who has been serving as the interim director for the Morocco National Agency for Regulating Cannabis Related Activities (ANRAC) general since September 2022, recently was granted the title of general director by Moroccan King Mohammed VI. According to Morocco World News, the announcement was made on Oct. 19 between King Mohammed VI and a council of ministers meeting to discuss the Morocco 2024 Finance Bill, as well as international agreements, and appointments to official positions.  El Guerrouj has… Read more.

Ignoring warnings from my family and that internal fear monster informed by nothing more than movies about narcotraficantes, I board the plane for an adventure in Colombia. From the moment I see Santi’s welcoming smile as I wheel out of the baggage area, I feel my anxiety dissipating. This is going to be an amazing weekend with Wind Hill Tours, the brainchild of Damian Holman, a cannabis grower based out of Maine. He, his wife Sonja, and their business partner Santi have… Read more.

Some of Canada’s largest cannabis cultivators are turning to vegetables, fruits and orchids to bolster their bottom line as macroeconomic fundamentals continue to challenge the struggling industry. The latest licensed producer to enter the food business is Leamington, Ontario-based Tilray Brands, which recently said it was converting part of its sprawling facility in Gatineau, Quebec, to grow fruits and vegetables. Tilray joins Alberta-based Aurora Cannabis and British Columbia-headquartered Village Farms International in diversifying their main business at a time when… Read more.

The Victorian parliament has passed new laws that will allow medical cannabis users to get behind the wheel on a closed road. These new laws are part of a trial that will look into the impact marijuana has on a person’s driving ability. In 2016, Victoria was the first Australian state to legalize medical cannabis. However, individuals part of this program can still face legal consequences if they’re found to have tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in their system while driving. The difficulty with this is THC… Read more.

Israel has been at the forefront of cannabis legitimization as the country’s scientists are responsible for many of the modern-day medical studies of the plant. Israeli researcher Raphael Mechoulam, the father of cannabis research, passed away this year, at 92 years of age. In the early 1960s, he was the first to reveal the structure of cannabidiol (CBD) and delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), molecules setting the stage for the future of cannabis. Since the U.S.  didn’t consider cannabis to have any medical… Read more.

Canadian cannabis growers and processors are eligible to apply for funding under the new 3.5 billion Canadian dollar ($2.6 billion) Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership program if certain conditions are met, the administrator of the initiative, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, told MJBizDaily. Any prospective sources of new funding would be welcome news for Canada’s smaller cannabis growers and processors, many of which are struggling under persistent deflationary and ultracompetitive pressures, plus tight funding from private-sector lenders. Financing from the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable… Read more.

A group that was supposed to have been created by the Canadian government almost two years ago to shine a light on major issues confronting the nation’s struggling cannabis industry is, for the first time, showing signs of life. A long-awaited cannabis “strategy table” designed to bridge communication between Canada’s federal government and the flailing industry quietly had its preliminary meeting over the summer and selected a chair, industry sources say. George Smitherman, CEO of the Cannabis Council of Canada, said the… Read more.

The first mushroom festival in India took place September 15-18 in the verdant and fungally diverse tropical forests of Wayanad in the southern state of Kerala. The inaugural Shroom Sabha attracted mycophiles from all corners of the subcontinent, and struck an acute balance between professionalism and playfulness that brought out the best of each quality.  While the “Shroom Boom” happening in the West has garnered headlines and primetime coverage for the last several years, the mushroom revolution in India has somehow managed… Read more.

The most recent global cannabis market forecast from Colorado-based BDSA predicts that the industry will hit $55 billion in sales by 2027, a big increase from about $32 billion in 2022. But it is a significant downward revision from another BDSA report earlier this year, which projected that global marijuana sales would hit almost $60 billion by 2027. That change the German government’s decision to retreat from its original plan for a broad recreational market, opting instead for a more limited pilot program, BDSA executives told Green… Read more.

A herd of sheep grazing near Almyros in the Thessaly region Greece invaded a medical cannabis greenhouse and ate at least a hundred kilograms of pot, local reports say. The incident was spurred by displaced livestock in Greece after Storm Daniel ripped through the Mediterranean country. NPR reports that over 600 pounds of cannabis were consumed by sheep in the Thessaly incident, while other sources mention 220 pounds of cannabis. Either way, it was a massive amount of medical cannabis. Sheep… Read more.

More Canadian cannabis companies are tapping government funding sources to finance research and other projects as private-sector capital has become harder to come by. MJBizDaily found that more than 3 million Canadian dollars ($2.2 million) worth of federal funding was provided to almost two dozen companies over the past year, according to the government’s Grants and Contributions portal. Since 2018, the year Canada legalized recreational marijuana, roughly CA$32.8 million worth of funding has been provided to dozens of cannabis businesses by… Read more.

Thailand’s new prime minister said the Southeast Asian country plans to rewrite its cannabis laws to allow only medical use, a move that would halt widespread recreational sales and fundamentally alter the industry. In an interview with Bloomberg, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who was elected in August, said there is a need to “rewrite the law” to stop adult-use sales from occurring. “The problem about drugs has been widespread lately,” he said in the interview. He said his government would “rectify” the… Read more.

Much of the medical cannabis produced under Denmark’s regulatory system has not made it to market and was intentionally destroyed for various reasons, according to government data. Just over 300 permits have been issued for the destruction of 145,541 kilograms (320,862 pounds) of cannabis, the Danish Parliament’s Health Committee said in a reply to a parliamentary inquiry earlier this year. The figure includes all cannabis destroyed by the companies with an authorization to cultivate cannabis – within the country’s pilot program –… Read more.

E-commerce technology company Squarespace Inc. (NYSE: SQSP) announced a partnership with dispensary tech company Jane Technologies to offer its products to cannabis businesses in Canada. “At Square, we’re always looking to solve sellers’ pain points and we know cannabis dispensaries have limited options when it comes to reliable and integrated commerce tools,” said Roshan Jhunja, Head of Retail at Square. “Sellers are looking for an easy-to-use, fully integrated omnichannel solution to help them run their businesses in person and online. We’ve been fortunate to… Read more.

Nearly five years after legalizing recreational marijuana at the federal level, Canada is approaching 4,000 regulated cannabis stores spread unevenly across the enormous country, according to data compiled by MJBizDaily. The latest quarterly store tally comes as Canada’s cannabis retail sector continues to transform. Some private-sector retailers are failing, such as major retail chain Fire & Flower, which entered creditor protection in June after years of operating at a loss. Other retail operators, meanwhile, are acquiring: Fika Cannabis successfully bid 36 million Canadian dollars ($26.7 million) for… Read more.

Some brands just seem to have an innate sense for how to make it to the top. They’re able to attract the old guard with a classic panache while at the same time appealing to hipsters who seek a bougie vibe. Canadian dispensary chain Burb passes the test, blending trendy retail with onsite spaces where artists can create and collaborate and industry members can network and build brands. From consumption lounges and live-music nights to a bud bar and a new location that… Read more.

Canadian cannabis producer Canopy Growth Corp. entered into subscription agreements with institutional investors in a private placement offering for gross proceeds of approximately $25 million (33.8 million Canadian dollars). The offering of roughly 22.9 million units occurred at a price per unit of $1.09, an approximately 22% discount from Friday’s close, according to a Monday news release. Smiths Falls, Ontario-based Canopy said the investors hold an over-allotment option allowing them to acquire up to about 22.9 more units. The gross proceeds from… Read more.

Columbia Care Inc. (NEO: CCHW) (OTCQX: CCHWF) is changing its legal name to The Cannabist Company Holdings Inc. as it aligns more closely with its retail store name. The company is rebranding to The Cannabist Company and is also changing its trading symbols on the CBOE Canada to “CBST” and “CBST.WT”, respectively, for the common shares and warrants. “The rebrand to The Cannabist Company marks an incredibly pivotal moment for us as an organization and speaks to where we are heading. When we launched Cannabist, we wanted… Read more.

Active medical cannabis registrations and overall spending on the medicine in Canada fell to their lowest levels since before recreational marijuana was legalized in late 2018. The number of active patient registrations with a federal license holder was 212,700 as of the end of March, according to the latest data from Health Canada and Statistics Canada, respectively. That’s 38% lower than the 345,520 active registrations in October 2018, when Canada legalized marijuana for adult use. The Health Canada figures are… Read more.

With its right hand, Tilray Brands has consolidated a swath of the Canadian cannabis market, most recently buying Hexo Corp. in its quest to grow market share. With its left hand, Tilray has gone on a beverage alcohol acquisition bender in the United States. After several alcohol acquisitions that turned Tilray into one of the largest U.S. craft brewers, the company recently announced an $85 million deal to acquire eight craft beer brands from brewing behemoth Anheuser-Busch InBev. As the dust settles on Tilray’s latest… Read more.

The United Kingdom’s Home Affairs Committee is recommending the government widen access to unlicensed cannabis-based products for medical use via the National Health Service before the end of the current Parliament. The National Health Service (NHS) is England’s publicly funded health care system. The government has two months to respond to the committee’s recommendation. There are currently no licensed cannabis-based products for medical use (CBPMs) in the U.K. And, though unlicensed CBPMs may be prescribed, none have received marketing authorization.… Read more.

If you’re an enthusiast of top-quality cannabis seeds, we’ve got some fantastic news for you. The renowned cannabis seed bank Barney’s Farm launched their USA website www.barneysfarm.us in this past May. This marks a new era for cannabis enthusiasts nationwide, as they can now access the finest seeds, straight from the source. And with all seeds shipped from their USA warehouse based in Illinois, you can expect quick delivery to any state. Let’s explore the history of Barney’s Farm, the reasons behind… Read more.

Medical cannabis reimbursements by Veterans Affairs Canada in the 2022-23 fiscal year recorded an all-time high, according to the latest figures.However, annual growth of those reimbursements as measured in dollars reached a multiyear low, indicating that growth in the category is slowing substantially.Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) is the federal department responsible for benefits and services for retired and serving Canadian Armed Forces members.In the 2022-23 fiscal year ended March 31, VAC reimbursed 21,108 people a total of 167.6 million Canadian… Read more.

Australia and Israel were the top markets for Canada’s medical cannabis exporters last year, as the quantity of flower shipped overseas continued to surge, according to new figures shared by Health Canada with MJBizDaily. In the April 2022-March 2023 fiscal year, Canada’s exports of medical marijuana flower were 59,986 kilograms (roughly 132,200 pounds), a 48% increase over the previous year’s 40,640 kilograms. The vast majority of exports, however, went to only three countries, meaning exporters risk being dependent on a very… Read more.

Health Canada said two licensed cannabis companies have voiced concerns about the wildfires in British Columbia, but the federal regulator told MJBizDaily it has yet to receive any reports the blazes have destroyed marijuana crops. “Health Canada is aware that the wildfires and their associated evacuation orders may have an impact on cannabis license holders,” a Health Canada spokesperson said via email Thursday. “We acknowledge these are challenging times.” The regulator did not identify the companies. Canada has been battling its worst… Read more.

Two indices tracking the performance of cannabis businesses on North America’s largest stock exchanges have been discontinued amid waning investor interest in marijuana stocks and billions in losses suffered by the companies. The S&P/TSX Canada Cannabis Index was decommissioned with little fanfare earlier this year after being launched on Jan. 20, 2020, a spokesperson for S&P Dow Jones Indices confirmed in an email to MJBizDaily. A second cannabis index, the S&P/MX International Cannabis Index, was decommissioned in November 2021. The S&P/TSX Canada Cannabis… Read more.

Back in the regulated marijuana industry’s more heady days, a U.S. hemp-derived CBD subsidiary seemed like the must-have accessory for any Canadian cannabis company worth its bud. Canopy Growth Corp. owned a hemp farm in Springfield, New York, and planned to build a $150 million industrial park in Kirkwood, New York, to produce hemp products. Aurora Cannabis bought Reliva – a Massachusetts-based producer of hemp-derived CBD products – in a $40 million deal that included potential earnouts. And Cronos Group spent hundreds of millions of… Read more.

Germany’s cabinet on Wednesday passed a bill to legalize adult cannabis use and cultivation, Reuters reports. The measure still requires approval from parliament.  Under the proposal, adults would be allowed to possess up to 25 grams, grow up to three plants, and acquire cannabis as associates of non-profit clubs. Young adults would be allowed to purchase up to 30 grams per month, while older adults would be able to purchase up to 50 grams.  During a press conference, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach… Read more.

Tilray Brands Inc. (Nasdaq: TLRY) (TSX: TLRY) is buying the remaining 57.5% of shares in THC-infused drink line Truss Beverage Co. from Molson Coors Canada, the company said Friday. In a statement, Blair MacNeil, President of Tilray Canada, expressed excitement for the move. “In addition to acquiring full and direct ownership of a stable of high-growth brands, this acquisition further strengthens Tilray’s No. 1 cannabis market share position in Canada and positions the company at the forefront of the adult-use beverage sector,” MacNeil… Read more.

Nearly five years after recreational cannabis legalization, legal weed shops are as common as corner stores in most major Canadian cities. In the biggest metropolis, Toronto, more than 400 cannabis retail licenses have been issued across the city’s six boroughs. In contrast, Canada’s second-biggest city – Montreal – is home to only 21 legal cannabis outlets within city limits, plus some stores in outlying suburbs. All are operated by Quebec’s government-owned recreational cannabis retail monopoly Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC).… Read more.

Top executives at Canopy Growth Corp. (TSX: WEED) (Nasdaq: CGC) did their best this past week to convince stakeholders that the business is now making progress on a “path to profitability,” as Chief Financial Officer Judy Hong put it during the company’s second-quarter earnings call. Hong and CEO David Klein tag-teamed during the call to argue that cost-cutting measures, a strategic pivot to an “asset-light” business model, and further investment in brand partnerships, such as the one the company has with… Read more.

Canadian megacorp Tilray Brands Inc. struck an $85-million cash deal with Budweiser parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) to purchase eight breweries in the United States. The acquisition will triple Tilray’s beverage production capacity to 12 million cases per year, making it the fifth-largest craft beer company in the country. The purchase added 10 Barrel Brewing Company, Blue Point Brewing Company, Breckenridge Brewery, HiBall Energy, Redhook Brewery, Shock Top, Square Mile Cider Company, and Widmer Brothers Brewing to a portfolio… Read more.

Canada’s federal government accounts for a growing share of the unpaid debts racked up by failed cannabis companies, lending credence to claims the nation’s nascent adult-use industry is suffering from pricey fees and heavy taxation. A review of recent insolvency filings by MJBizDaily found that the Canada Revenue Agency, the federal tax collection body, and Health Canada, the national department in charge of regulating cannabis production, are commonly among the biggest unpaid creditors for insolvent marijuana producers. In the 2021-22 fiscal year,… Read more.

Canada’s federal government could face legal consequences for failing to facilitate research on potential health issues experienced by cannabis smokers, according to the former chair of the task force that laid the groundwork for recreational legalization in the country. Anne McLellan, a former law professor at the University of Alberta, told The Globe and Mail newspaper the Canadian government could “potentially” face a class action lawsuit. The federal health minister from 2002 to 2003, McLellan told the Toronto-based newspaper that any lawsuits… Read more.

This article will discuss the 26 biggest marijuana companies in the world, understand some recent industry trends, and navigate the future of the marijuana industry. If you want to skip our detailed analysis, you can head directly to the 5 Biggest Marijuana Companies in the World. An Analysis of the Cannabis Industry According to a report by Fortune Business Insights, the global cannabis market was worth $43.72 billion in 2022. The industry is expected to reach a valuation of $57.18 billion by the… Read more.

In this week’s cannabis news round-up, supermodel Gigi Hadid was arrested and pleaded guilty to cannabis possession; Philip Morris to acquire Israeli firm for up to $650M; Ukraine takes first step towards medical cannabis; and Berner teams up with the Last Prisoner project for Release Papers. Photo courtesy of Cayman Islands Classic Gigi Hadid Arrested for Cannabis Possession in Cayman Islands Gigi Hadid’s recent trip to the Cayman Islands took an unexpected turn when Customs & Border Control agents discovered… Read more.

The Albanian parliament passed a law Friday to lay the legal and regulatory foundation for a medical and industrial cannabis industry. Lawmakers approved the bill, with 69 votes in favor, 23 against and three abstentions. The law creates the National Agency for the Control of Cannabis as the main regulatory body, which will deal with the regulation of the processing and production of products for medical use. The law, which also allows for medical marijuana cultivation, had been presented by… Read more.

For cannabis retailers, it’s no secret: Customers like buying weed close to home, if they can. New research into Canada’s regulated cannabis market supports that intuition: Consumer proximity to government-regulated stores increases the odds that people will source product from the legal market. The paper – due to be published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs – explores the association between how far Canadian cannabis users live from regulated cannabis retail stores and how they choose to obtain… Read more.

Cannabis entrepreneurs are increasingly turning to smaller micro-cultivation facilities to manage costs and produce higher-quality marijuana at a time when the industry is facing a glut of “standard” product and falling prices. That shift ultimately could help shrink some of the Canadian cannabis industry’s current supply glut, given that micro-class licensees operate smaller cultivation facilities. At the end of 2022, Canada’s total indoor growing area was 28% lower than the all-time high reached in 2020. Canada’s federal government last year… Read more.

In this week’s cannabis news round-up, data shows celebrity cannabis brands are outselling traditional brands in California; Maryland’s booming cannabis market is poised to reach billion-dollar status; Maine reports record-breaking adult-use cannabis sales in June; and Scotland pushes for drug decriminalization, but the British government rejected the proposal. Data Shows Celebrity Cannabis Brands Outshine Traditional Brands New data suggests that celebrity cannabis brands are making a big impact in the California market and outperforming traditional brands, according to insights from cannabis analytics provider… Read more.

Pressure is growing on the Canadian government to adjust the THC limit governing cannabis edibles, with the country’s largest adult-use wholesaler calling on the nation’s marijuana regulator to consider such a move. In a position paper sent to Health Canada, the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) also urged the agency to address the cannabis industry’s “unsustainable” environmental footprint – particularly the impact of packaging and single-use plastics. In recommending a hike in the THC edibles cap, the OCS joins a growing… Read more.

German adults aged 18 and older would be allowed to possess up to 25 grams of cannabis for personal use and cultivate up to three plants under the country’s draft law to legalize cannabis published by the Ministry of Health last week, Forbes reports. The law would also establish cannabis growers’ associations which would allow members to obtain either 25 grams of cannabis per day or 50 grams per month for personal use, and associations could supply each member with up to… Read more.

Unpaid regulatory fees owed by cannabis companies to Canada’s federal government jumped more than 200% from a year earlier, to almost 4 million Canadian dollars ($3.1 million) as of the end of March, MJBizDaily has learned. The overdue fees have grown every year since 2019, as cannabis businesses licensed by the federal government struggle under the weight of taxes, fees, an intensely competitive market and poor business decisions. For the 2022-23 fiscal year, the fees in arrears grew to CA$3.9 million, 225%… Read more.

Cronos Group has received a number of expressions of interest about a possible sale and is reviewing those offers, the Toronto-based cannabis producer said. “Cronos is in the initial stages of reviewing these indications of interest, and there can be no assurance that any agreement or transaction will result therefrom,” the company said in a news release. Reuters reported Thursday that Cronos is exploring a potential sale. Cronos is currently working with a financial adviser to handle the expressions of interest from other companies,… Read more.

German cannabis company Four 20 Pharma has inked a deal to be the main jersey sponsor for Sport-Club Paderborn 07, a professional German soccer club. Sport-Club Paderborn 07 – commonly known as SC Paderborn 07 and based in Paderborn, North Rhine-Westphalia – competes in the German second division, under the Bundesliga. The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The two-year deal commences with the 2023-24 season, which begins Aug. 18. Professional soccer teams typically sell sponsorship opportunities on… Read more.

Hundreds of emails, documents and reports obtained by MJBizDaily through a Canadian federal records request paint a more complete picture of the Cannabis Act review currently underway – a reexamination that could have far-reaching implications for operators in the country’s 5.6 billion Canadian dollar ($4.3 billion) legal marijuana industry. The 1,700-page package of documents reveals fresh details about the government-appointed expert panel undertaking the review, in particular the group’s tardiness in launching, the scope of the topics covered – as well as what’s not… Read more.

A Canadian Senate committee is urging the federal government to revise the county’s adult-use cannabis law to give First Nations the authority to regulate their own production and sales programs. That is one of the recommendations contained in a recently released report by the Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples, which spent 2022 examining the implementation of the 2018 Cannabis Act and how the end of prohibition affected Indigenous peoples. The group of 14 senators heard testimony from 29 witnesses. (MJBizDaily reported… Read more.

Last Tuesday, Colombia's Senate dealt a blow to decriminalizing recreational cannabis by rejecting a bill. The constitutional reform proposal fell short of 54 votes, receiving 43 against and 47 in favor. This decision was made just an hour before the conclusion of the current legislative session. Despite facing a setback, Senator Juan Carlos Losada of the Liberal Party remained optimistic and refrained from considering it a defeat. He highlighted the significant progress achieved by bringing such a contentious issue to… Read more.

Health Canada is asking federally licensed cannabis producers to stop using certain words on labels and in promotions for infused beverages, warning they could appeal to young people. The words – “soda,” “cola,” “root beer” or “ginger ale” – do not comply with Canada’s strict labeling and promotions requirements for cannabis, according to an email obtained by MJBizDaily that was sent by Health Canada to companies producing the affected products. Health Canada is requesting businesses to “cease all non-compliant promotion and labelling of cannabis,”… Read more.

The cannabis industry is not immune to cyberthreats. Many Canadian businesses lost millions after a distributor for the government-operated Ontario Cannabis Store was hit by a cyberattack that left the region incapable of processing or delivering orders to retailers. In another cyberattack, hackers stole $3.6 million an Australian medicinal-cannabis firm intended to send to an overseas contractor. These are just two examples of how the industry has become a popular target for cyber-extortion in recent years due to the nature… Read more.

The Colombia Senate on Tuesday narrowly rejected a bill to allow legal cannabis sales to adults, Reuters reports. The measure failed despite having a majority of support in the chamber — 47 voted in favor and 43 opposed but, as a constitutional amendment, the bill needed support from 54 senators, leaving it just seven votes short. Despite the vote, Interior Minister Luis Fernando Velasco indicated on Twitter that the administration of President Gustavo Petro would “insist on this issue.”   In an interview… Read more.

Colombia’s Senate failed to approve a legal framework to regulate recreational marijuana sales, making it the latest country to fall short in a bid to bring illegal cannabis sales into the regulatory fold. A majority of Senators actually voted to approve the measure – with 47 in favor and 43 opposed – but the bill’s proponents required a minimum of 54 votes to advance the constitutional reform. Colombia follows Germany, Israel, Mexico and New Zealand in having announced ambitious recreational cannabis plans, only to ultimately come up short… Read more.

Surrounded by verdant fields, Flat House, which sits on a farm in Cambridgeshire, the UK, looks like a typical barn conversion. But inside, the look and feel of the building immediately make you realise this is something quite different. "The walls remind me of hay bale dens we used to make as kids," says Flat House's owner Gemma Barron. "It has the most lovely acoustic quality. And last year we had the heating off for 24 hours in mid-winter and… Read more.

Decibel Cannabis is a rare breed among licensed producers in Canada. The company’s ascent to the top of market-share charts in key product categories came not from costly and severely dilutive mergers and acquisitions – a strategy employed by some larger rivals. As of April, the Alberta-based company said its national share was 7.1% – good enough for second place in Canada’s hotly contested market, though market analytics firm HiFyre had Decibel as No. 1 in the key provinces of… Read more.

Both companies plan to use some of the proceeds to further their research. While funding for psychedelics companies may be becoming more scarce, at least two firms have managed to successfully initiate rounds recently. PharmAla Psychedelic drug company PharmAla Biotech Holdings Inc.  (CSE: MDMA) (OTC: PMBHF) announced a non-brokered private placement of a minimum 3,333,333 units and a maximum 16,666,666 units of the company at a price of $0.30 per unit for gross proceeds of a minimum of $1 million and a maximum of… Read more.

A cannabis oil company is poised to go public next week in a landmark deal, sidestepping Canada’s downtrodden traditional IPO route after merging with a long-standing, listed crude producer. Zyus Life Sciences Inc. completed a reverse takeover of Phoenix Canada Oil Co. Ltd. on June 9, raising C$20.1 million ($15.1 million). The company, which makes cannabinoid drugs to treat pain for osteoarthritis and bone cancer, is set for its trading debut as Zyus Life Sciences Corp. (ticker ZYUS CN) on… Read more.

The Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda has granted Rastafari officials authorization to grow and consume cannabis as their faith considers the plant sacred, the Associated Press reports. In an interview with the AP, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne said the reforms are meant to prevent further discrimination of the Rastafari and bring respect to their culture and faith.  Browne noted that the nation has already decriminalized cannabis and legalized medical cannabis but wanted to take the next step – “to legalize the… Read more.

Summer is the magical time of year when we embark on the thrilling quest of finding the perfect country to explore. If you’re all about that herbaceous adventure, typical wanderlust lists might not deliver the exhilaration you crave. While 23 US states have opened their arms to the wondrous world of weed, it’s easy to forget that not every country is rolling out the welcome mat for cannabis-friendly travel. The last thing you want is to end up in legal… Read more.

Fire and Flower Throw in the Towel, Citing Significant Losses An initial order for creditor protection has been granted by a Canadian court to Fire & Flower Holdings and its cannabis-related businesses due to significant net losses of more than $150 million ($200 million) that have accrued since 2018. The Companies Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) was used by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to grant this order, which enables the company to continue operating as it currently is and interact with… Read more.

Professionals have many reasons for attending cannabis events both domestically and internationally. The obvious: expanding business into new markets, meeting clients in person, and discovering innovation. Then, there’s also the benefit of large-scale discussions about how to adapt in a fast-paced, ever-evolving sector. The Lift Cannabis Conference & Expo in Toronto, Canada, checked all those boxes. This year’s agenda presented a list of change agents, including Muskoka Grown Chief Executive Officer John Fowler, Spirit Leaf and Superette President Dave Marino, and Abi… Read more.

The company's decision to file for bankruptcy underscores the ongoing challenges in the sector. Fire & Flower Holdings Corp. (OTCQX: FFLWF), a major Canadian cannabis retailer, is seeking creditor protection under the Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA), the company said Tuesday. The company and a string of its subsidiaries have received an order from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice for creditor protection, marking a notable — yet foreseen — shift in its financial circumstances. Previously, Fire & Flower has been open about its active pursuit for additional… Read more.

Business failures and consolidation failed to stop Canada’s stockpile of unsold cannabis from reaching a new high in the final quarter of 2022, the latest sign that shrinking prices and margins could continue to squeeze companies. Packaged and unpackaged inventory of dried cannabis jumped to an all-time high of 1.47 billion grams (3.2 million pounds) as of December 2022, according to the latest data from Health Canada, which tracks overall unsold stockpiles of licensed producers, wholesalers and retailers. That’s an… Read more.

As recreational cannabis talks increase all around Europe, the term “social clubs” keeps getting bandied about. The formal understanding is that social clubs are not-for-profit associations that cultivate their own cannabis for their members. Like any private club’s concept, the idea is to bring the illicit market indoors. This mom-and-pop style approach has a mixed bag of interpretations and results associated with it across the European cannabis social club scene. The Historic Dutch Cannabis Coffee Shop Model The oldest versions… Read more.

The company said it plans to open five more stores in Florida. Red White & Bloom Brands Inc. (OTC: RWBYF) posted its financial results for the first quarter ending March 31, 2023. The company posted revenues that ticked down over the year and opened newly re-branded stores in Florida, as it tries to stave off losses. The Toronto-based firm reported revenues of $27 million, down from last year’s $28 million, with a gross profit of $9.4 million. Operating expenses amounted to $10.9 million, and the… Read more.

An excise stamp needs to be affixed to all legal cannabis products sold in Canada. The amount of unpaid federal excise tax owed by Canada’s cash-strapped licensed cannabis producers more than tripled in the latest fiscal year from a year earlier as companies complain they’re getting buried by government fees and levies. Federally licensed cannabis producers owed the Canada Revenue Agency 192.7 million Canadian dollars ($145 million) as of March 31, 2023, a more than threefold increase over the 2021-22… Read more.

Back in 2021, mere weeks before what would prove to be a historic election for cannabis policy in Germany, the International Cannabis Business Conference (ICBC) hosted a panel of sitting federal lawmakers to discuss German cannabis policy. It was the first time in history that all major parties in Germany were represented in a panel discussion specific to national cannabis reform. As we learned weeks after the historic panel discussion, a new governing coalition was elected in Germany and many of the… Read more.

The government of Costa Rica issued the first business license to cultivate and process marijuana for medical purposes, according to local media reports. Costa Rica’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) issued the license to Azul Wellness S.A., The Tico Times newspaper reported. Azul reportedly plans an 800-square-meter production and processing facility in Costa Rica’s Guanacaste province. The firm has partnered with U.S. cannabis private equity firm Merida Capital Holdings. MAG also has issued eight hemp-cultivation authorizations to date, according to the… Read more.

The Canadian federal government’s revenue service is ramping up pressure on cannabis producers with outstanding excise debt, MJBizDaily has learned, adding more pressure on companies that already are struggling financially. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is said to be raising the possibility of garnishment, liens on plant property and equipment, and legal action. Excise payment debts have soared in recent years, as cannabis producers suffer from a combination of industry-wide overproduction, which is driving down prices, and high taxes at various levels… Read more.

The future of marijuana in Thailand may become uncertain as political parties contesting in the upcoming national election call for the repeal of cannabis decriminalisation, which has been in effect for approximately one year. Pheu Thai Party‘s Paetongtarn Shinawatra, a prime ministerial candidate, has voiced her concerns about liberalised cannabis at a recent rally, stating the need to suppress drugs. The legal vacuum that emerged from decriminalisation has caused frustration among politicians and citizens alike, as the new industry was introduced before lawmakers could assess and pass regulations for its… Read more.

Nearly a year after Thailand decriminalised cannabis amid promises of an economic bonanza, Thai growers and sellers say they are being undercut by illegal imports from the United States that sell for a fraction of the price of homegrown buds. Thailand struck cannabis from its list of banned narcotics in June 2022 after a high-profile campaign by Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to establish the kingdom as a global hub for cannabis for medical purposes. But Thailand’s parliament has yet to pass a… Read more.

Policymakers in the Czech Republic recently expressed a strong desire to legalize cannabis for adult use, building on the momentum occurring across the border in Germany. Germany is trending towards adult-use legalization and the Czech Republic has expressed its own plans for legalization. However, the Czech Republic’s Ministry of Agriculture recently announced that it will be instituting new restrictions on CBD products, which is leaving many international cannabis observers scratching their heads. “The State Agricultural and Food Inspection … is… Read more.

With the increasing number of states legalizing cannabis for medical and recreational purposes, there are growing concerns about the potential rise in incidents of cannabis-impaired driving. Unlike alcohol impairment, which can be easily tested using a breathalyzer, identifying cannabis impairment requires a more intricate approach. Police officers must rely on observational skills, physical tests, and specialized technology to determine if a driver is under the influence of cannabis. This article will explore law enforcement's various techniques to test for cannabis-impaired driving. So… Read more.

The study showed how mushroom extracts could boost immune cells in the brain. Psyched Wellness Ltd. (CSE: PSYC) (OTCQB: PSYCF) stock jumped 11% to lately sell at four cents based on the release of a new study demonstrating how mushroom extract can help modulate brain health. The study, to be published in Frontiers in Pharmacology, shows that Amanita muscaria extract activates human microglia, which play a key role in maintaining brain function. These mushrooms are known to contain muscarine, muscimol, muscazone, and ibotenic acid and… Read more.

A top Germany health official has submitted a draft bill to legalize marijuana possession, cultivation and social clubs—the first of a two-part reform framework—to government cabinet officials. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach shared details about the legalization plan last month, and on Friday he distributed the legislative text to cabinet officials to consider before finalizing the bill and sending it to lawmakers. “Promise kept. Comments welcome,” Lauterbach said in response to news coverage about the latest development, according to a translation. While… Read more.

In this week’s cannabis round-up, Singapore executes Tangaraju Suppiah for cannabis delivery; Delaware legalizes adult use cannabis in an unusual way; Colorado announces new funding opportunities for cannabis businesses; put your best foot forward in CBD sneakers and record sales reported for this year’s 420. Singapore Executes Man Accused of Cannabis Trafficking Even though he wasn’t found in possession of any cannabis, Singapore has executed a man accused of organizing a cannabis delivery. In 2018, the 46-year-old Tangaraju Suppiah received… Read more.

PharmaCielo Ltd. (TSXV: PCLO) (OTCQX: PCLOF), the Canadian parent of Colombia’s premier cultivator and producer of dried flower and medicinal-grade cannabis extracts, PharmaCielo Colombia Holdings S.A.S., released its financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2022. The company reported $1.5 million in sales for the quarter versus last year’s $339k for the same time period. This was also much higher than the third quarter revenue of $475k. The net loss for the quarter was trimmed to $2.9 million versus last year’s… Read more.

Canadian marijuana operator Organigram Holdings is asking a federal court to quash a Health Canada decision that the company’s popular ingestible cannabis lozenges should be classified and regulated as edibles instead of extracts. The legal challenge could have broader implications for Canada’s regulated cannabis sector and affect millions of dollars in sales of high-potency lozenges and similar products. Toronto-headquartered Organigram is seeking an application for judicial review. In Canada, such reviews give stakeholders, including companies, the opportunity to challenge decisions by government authorities, explained… Read more.

Australia’s medical cannabis industry continues to experience brisk growth in patients and sales, and experts say the market could even surpass Canada’s medical sector this year. Australian patients generally access medical cannabis via two government-regulated programs: the so-called Special Access Scheme Category B (SAS-B) system or from an Authorized Prescriber, typically a physician. Australia legalized medical marijuana in 2016. According to Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) data, the number of SAS-B patient approvals for medical cannabis increased sharply every year from January 2018… Read more.

Produce and marijuana company Village Farms International has been warned by the Nasdaq stock exchange about its low share price. The company’s Nasdaq-listed shares (VFF) have closed below $1 since March 7. Village Farms has until Oct. 17 to become compliant with Nasdaq’s $1 minimum bid price requirement, the Delta, British Columbia-based company said in a Monday news release. If not, “the company may be eligible for an additional period of 180 calendar days to regain compliance or may be subject to delisting… Read more.

After the market closed on Thursday, Mind Cure Health Inc. (CSE: MCUR) (OTCQB: MCURF)  announced its financial results for the quarter ending February 28, 2023.  All amounts are stated in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated. The company had no revenue to report and C$200k in losses. On March 16, 2022, Mind Cure announced that additional capital required to execute the company’s plan was unlikely to be found. Accordingly, the company made the decision to eliminate all expenditures outside those required to preserve the value of… Read more.

TerrAscend Corp. (CSE: TER) (OTC: TRSSF) decided to celebrate 420 by filing its preliminary proxy statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in its next step to listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange (the TSX). While the company had hoped to time the release at 4:20pm, it managed to post the notice at 5:30pm. Shareholders will first have to approve the proposed transaction, which is expected, and the listing would come shortly thereafter. The meeting is scheduled for June 22, 2023… Read more.

A new delivery option will be available for consumers of legal cannabis in British Columbia starting this week. E-commerce and delivery technology company Uber Eats is partnering with online marijuana platform Leafly to offer delivery of cannabis products in British Columbia starting April 18. Last fall, the two companies started offering cannabis ordering and delivery in Toronto. In British Columbia, customers 19 and older will be able to place orders on the Uber Eats app and have cannabis products delivered to their door from… Read more.

Canopy Growth Corporation (TSX: WEED) (NASDAQ: CGC) announced that it has entered into an exchange agreement with Greenstar Canada Investment Limited Partnership, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Constellation Brands, Inc., in order to extinguish C$100 million (approximately USD$73.9 million) aggregate principal amount of the company’s outstanding 4.25% unsecured notes due 2023. The goal of the transaction is to preserve cash on hand and cut the company’s annual expenses. Greenstar is buying and then canceling the C$100 million aggregate principal amount of the Existing Notes held by GCILP… Read more.

Canada’s Supreme Court on Friday upheld Quebec’s prohibition on homegrown cannabis, ruling that a provincial ban on possessing and cultivating marijuana plants for personal purposes is constitutional. Quebec is one of the provinces that does not allow the home cultivation of cannabis. Manitoba’s ban is also being challenged in court. When Canada legalized marijuana in 2018, Quebec Cannabis Regulation Act prohibited the possession and cultivation of the plant for personal use. In 2019, Janick Murray-Hall successfully challenged the ban before the province’s… Read more.

A survey by Finland’s Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) found 53% of respondents said cannabis use and possession should not be a crime, YLE News reports. Another 24% said cannabis should be legal for any use and 56% said cannabis should be legal for medical use. In 2018, those figures were 18% and 54%, respectively. Additionally, the survey found 29% of Fins would support decriminalization of all drugs – a 9% increase from the previous survey in 2018. The survey found the same percentage… Read more.

The German government has finally revealed its long-awaited revised plan to legalize cannabis. German officials held a press conference yesterday, attended by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach and Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir, where they announced the country's plan to legalize cannabis. The revised plan for cannabis in Germany draws on policies and experiments from other European countries with a unique twist. It seems inspired by the Swiss model for a pilot project for the sale of cannabis products, which will also… Read more.

The growth in Israel’s medical cannabis industry has slowed over the past several months, but experts say regulatory changes are afoot that could reinvigorate patient numbers if the country’s tumultuous political situation stabilizes. The number of authorized medical cannabis patients in Israel reached an all-time high recently – topping 123,000 – before dipping in February, according to data from the Israeli Medical Cannabis Agency (IMCA). In 2020, by contrast, the number of authorized medical cannabis patients more than doubled over two… Read more.

German officials have announced they are scaling back their widely anticipated cannabis legalization plan following a discussion with European Union officials, the Associated Press reports. The new plan, revealed on Wednesday, is to legalize cannabis possession of up to 25 grams and establish nonprofit “cannabis clubs” where registered members who are 18 and older can go and purchase the plant for recreational purposes. The clubs will be limited to 500 members each and individuals will not be allowed to hold memberships at more than… Read more.

Canadian cannabis producer Phoena Group has been granted creditor protection and is winding down its operations, the company said in court documents. The Vaughan, Ontario-based company – formerly called CannTrust – said it no longer has the financial footing to continue operating. As a result, Phoena plans to immediately halt the cultivation of new plants, destroy cannabis inventory not yet released for sale and lay off 87 employees, although upward of 238 of its workers will be affected. CannTrust was… Read more.

South Africa to Introduce New Cannabis Laws – What You Need to Know The South African Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services has opened the proposed amendments to the Cannabis for Private Purposes Bill for public comments. Interested stakeholders have been invited to write submissions on the proposed amendments by Friday, April 28, reported Business Tech. The measure is one of the 51 bills that are currently advancing to Parliament for consideration. If passed, the legislation will allow for the cultivation… Read more.

European cannabis executives would welcome a decision by the German government to pursue a trial recreational cannabis program versus nationwide legalization – even if that meant a significantly smaller market for businesses to pursue. Still, some experts say any trial program in Germany would come with risks, pointing to the flailing Netherlands experiment and even parallels with Japan’s “scientific” whaling activities. German media reported last week that federal officials might resort to a “cannabis legalization light” model amid concerns that nationwide legalization could… Read more.

Germany imported a record amount of marijuana for medical and scientific use in 2022, according to fresh data from the country’s Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM). While the top-line number suggests the import business is booming, a deeper look shows that 2022 posted the slowest annual growth since the BfArM started reporting cannabis import data in 2018. Moreover, a good chunk of those imports appears to have never reached patients, possibly because of poor quality or product… Read more.

LFLY-4.46%+ Free Alerts, a leading online cannabis marketplace and resource for marijuana users, is shifting its focus from journalism about the industry to offering consumer-oriented content, which will include product information. WeedWeek and newsletter Cultivated were the first to report the news. Consumer Education Is The Way Leafly aims to shift its content strategy towards being more focused on products and marketplaces, with the goal of providing consumers with valuable information to help them make better purchasing decisions, a company spokesperson told MJBizDaily. Former Leafly… Read more.

A recent study by the University of Sydney’s Lambert Initiative found 37% of respondents who use cannabis medically received a legal prescription under Australian law. In 2018, that figure was just 2.5%. The researchers found that those who only used prescription cannabis tended to be older, female, and less likely to be employed. Professor Nicholas Lintzeris, the lead researcher for the third Cannabis as Medicine Survey from the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney, said the data… Read more.

Switzerland’s government has approved a trial to legalize the sale and consumption of cannabis and assess the social and economic benefits of regulating cannabis products, CNBC reports. Starting this summer, a test group of 2,100 Zurich residents will be allowed to purchase regulated doses of cannabis for personal use from pharmacies, dispensaries, and social clubs in the city.  As part of the study, participants will be expected to answer a questionnaire every six months on their cannabis consumption habits and health effects. The study is conducted in collaboration… Read more.

Switzerland’s government is one step closer to its yearslong effort to launch a trial program involving the sale and consumption of recreational cannabis. Called “Züri Can – Cannabis with Responsibility,” the study will involve only Zurich and is intended to provide a scientific basis for the development of the country’s cannabis policies. The study was expected to start in autumn 2022 but was delayed because the Federal Office of Public Health and the Cantonal Ethics Committee had yet to give their approval. Only… Read more.

In June last year, Thailand became the first country in Southeast Asia to decriminalize the use of marijuana. It comes after decades of being classified as a Category 5 drug. Cannabis, also known as marijuana, has had a long history in Thailand. Traditionally, the plant was used by locals in their food and medicine.  But in 1935, using marijuana — whether as a drug or otherwise — was criminalized. And until last year, anyone using or possessing marijuana could face… Read more.

Germany could be weeks away from introducing a bill to legalize cannabis under sweeping reforms that would greenlight the consumption and sale of the drug in Europe’s largest economy. Germany’s Health Minister Karl Lauterbach last week said that the plans had received “very good feedback” from the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, adding that the bill could be announced by the end of March or in early April. “We will soon present a proposal that works, that is, that conforms to… Read more.

Marijuana multistate operator TerrAscend Corp. could become the first U.S. plant-touching company to list on the Toronto Stock Exchange by this summer if the restructuring plan it shared with shareholders and analysts wins TSX approval. And if the company is successful, that potential could trickle down to other U.S. plant-touching cannabis operators, which have been barred from major exchanges because marijuana remains federally illegal in the United States. Massachusetts-based Curaleaf Holdings, for example, has also had discussions with the TSX about the possibility… Read more.

Following years of stalling on the issue of legal cultivation of cannabis for medicinal and industrial purposes, a Brazilian appeals court is set to rule on allowing businesses and farmers to grow cannabis, reported Reuters. What Happened? The Superior Court of Justice (STJ) made its intentions public to reach a final decision on a case that would set a precedent nationwide. Lawyers familiar with the case said until the court's final ruling on the matter, which is expected within the next year, pending cases filed by companies seeking to plant… Read more.

Potency testing on store-bought cannabis flower by a Canadian laboratory has found THC levels significantly lower than the labeled value, sparking an industrywide conversation about how to address inaccurate THC claims. Rob O’Brien, CEO and chief science officer of Kelowna, British Columbia-based licensed cannabis testing laboratory Supra Research and Development, shared the findings from his Canadian potency tests online. O’Brien tested 46 different cannabis flower products, grown by 21 producers, in a variety of package sizes purchased from several different stores in… Read more.

Cannabis retailer High Tide Inc. (NASDAQ: HITI) (TSXV: HITI) (FSE: 2LYA) released first-quarter results Friday, posting a 64% year-over-year revenue increase. "Our Q1 earnings numbers represent the best quarter ever in High Tide’s history in terms of revenue, adjusted EBITDA, and market share growth. Q1 is now our second consecutive quarter of record revenue and adjusted EBITDA and saw a meaningful improvement in our free cash flow position," said CEO Raj Grover. HITI Financial Highlights Revenue increased to $118.1 million in the first… Read more.

Argentina's newly established regulatory body for cannabis is supervising numerous research and development initiatives with the aim of entering the potentially profitable market for cannabis exports. By 2025, the Argentine government aims to generate $500 million in domestic cannabis sales and $50 million in exports. Although the recreational use of cannabis is prohibited, individuals in Argentina can cultivate their plants for medicinal purposes. The government is considering expanding the number of private companies authorized to manufacture cannabis, as this industry has significant… Read more.

Thailand has long been known for its traditional spa treatments that incorporate ancient healing techniques and natural ingredients. But with the legalization of cannabis in June 2022, a new trend is emerging in the world of wellness: cannabis-infused spa treatments. Cannabis-infused spa treatments are quickly becoming a popular way to relax and unwind in Thailand, and for good reason. CBD, one of the primary compounds found in cannabis, may have numerous health benefits, including reducing inflammation and promoting relaxation. At the… Read more.

Mexico’s government on Thursday granted its first-ever license for cannabis cultivation in the country. The Mexican Health Regulatory Agency awarded the license to Xebra Brands which allows it to import and acquire cannabis seeds, cultivate and harvest cannabis, process and produce cannabis, and sell cannabis products both domestically and through export.    The licensing comes two years after the Mexico Supreme Court ruled cannabis prohibition was unconstitutional which led to the passage of cannabis reforms by federal lawmakers.    In a press release, Jay Garnett, CEO of Xebra Brands,… Read more.

 In the early 1960s, a Bulgarian-born scientist named Raphael Mechoulam was caught carrying five kilograms of, as he called it, “superb, smuggled Lebanese hashish” on a bus from Tel Aviv to Rehovot. But he wasn’t planning on smoking the stuff. Mechoulam was a fledgling researcher keen on exploring the science behind cannabis, a stigmatized plant whose specific medical properties were not yet known. Over the decades he became a pioneer in cannabis research, whose findings about the psychoactive substance helped ease… Read more.

Argentina's new cannabis watchdog is overseeing more than 50 projects related to the research and development of cannabis and is establishing a regulatory framework as it bids to enter the potentially lucrative weed export market. "The industry has incredible potential," said Gabriel Gimenez, director of the ARICCAME cannabis agency created in January this year, last week. He said 51 regulated research and development projects are currently taking place around the country, including Cannava in Jujuy province, Agrogenetica Riojana in La Rioja,… Read more.

Adastra Labs, a Langley-based company known for its cutting-edge cannabis and ethnobotanical products, has recently received approval from Health Canada for an amended license. This license permits the lawful possession, production, distribution, and sale of a highly regulated substance. Following decriminalizing personal amounts of controlled substances in British Columbia, Adastra can now interact with up to 250 grams of cocaine and import coca leaves to create and synthesize the substance. As a leading manufacturer and supplier of innovative scientific products, Adastra Labs… Read more.

An increasing amount of cannabis grown by licensed Canadian producers has been lost or stolen over the past five years, new data shared with MJBizDaily shows. Separate data provided by Health Canada, the department responsible for federal health policy, also revealed that thousands of instances of theft have been reported to various levels of police. However, the sum of the missing products – including 2,219 kilograms (4,870 pounds) of dried cannabis – is a small fraction relative to the amount… Read more.

The Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference, the world's largest gathering of cannabis decision-makers, founders and investors is returning to Miami Beach, Florida on April 11-12, 2023 and Raj Grover, president and CEO of High Tide, will be there. High Tide Inc.  HITI+1.48%+ Free Alerts is Canada’s largest non-franchised retailer of recreational cannabis so you won't want to miss out on what he's got to say about the industry. Need A Business Strategy? Ask A Transparent Negotiator Since starting his first company at the age of 22, Grover established himself as one of Canada’s foremost… Read more.

Since recreational use of cannabis became legal in Canada in 2018, the federal government of that country has imposed a total duty on cannabis products of over 1 billion Canadian dollars ($740 million). Executives expect that the government would ease the tax and excise regime it imposes on the sector as employment and financial losses rise as the milestone is reached. Around CA$862.3 million in total duty on cannabis products was levied by the federal government between the 2018–19 and 2020–21… Read more.

Adastra Labs, a cannabis company based in Langley, British Columbia, announced that it had received approval from Health Canada to include cocaine as a substance that it can legally process, sell, and distribute. B.C. Premier David Eby said he was “astonished” when he became aware of the news, according to CTV News. “The short answer is I was astonished by this announcement. I understand that this company says Health Canada has given them some sort of authorization. It is not part of our… Read more.

Two young entrepreneurs turned their zeal for fizzy drinks and cannabis into a craft beverage brand, using tasteless full-spectrum cannabis as well as organic and simple ingredients. Canada-based Zèle (pronounced zéll) is helping to transform the cannabis beverage game, led by CEO and Formulator Callum Hanton, and National Brand Manager Jonathan Martin. Both were under the age of 20 when Hanton first developed the company’s proprietary technology, and when they launched the brand. “We have overcome many hurdles to get to where we… Read more.

While nearly every street corner in tourist areas of Thailand is selling cannabis legally now (a recent driver in Samui spotted nine shops in a two-block stretch), not everyone is in favour of it, especially politicians. Politicians believe the rushed legalization and subsequent free-for-all is a strong talking point against the Bhumjaithai Party, who pushed for decriminalization. Now, the Democrat Party has launched its election campaign with a vow to reverse the blanket legalization of cannabis. The hardline anti-cannabis party platform comes despite being a coalition partner of the Bhumjaithai Party in… Read more.

Canada’s cannabis consumers spent 4.52 billion Canadian dollars ($3.35 billion) on regulated adult-use products in 2022, growing 17.9% over 2021’s sales total, according to new retail sales data released Tuesday by Statistics Canada. The year-over-year sales increase came as the number of licensed cannabis stores in Canada increased. In 2021, Canadians bought CA$3.83 billion worth of recreational cannabis from licensed stores. Despite the notable year-over-year increase, the pace of cannabis sales growth in Canada appears to be slowing, said Michael… Read more.

Amsterdam Bans Weed Smoking in the Red Light District Amsterdam's red light district has been a haven for tourists seeking liberation from the rules and regulations of their mundane lives. However, the residents of this vibrant district are keen to tone down the wild atmosphere. The city council recently announced that cannabis use would be prohibited on the streets of the red light district, citing the disruptive and dreary ambiance that often lingers in the area during the night. This new regulation… Read more.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Feb. 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DELTA 9 CANNABIS INC.  DNDLTNF ("Delta 9" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has completed its first shipment of bulk dried cannabis flower to a customer in Australia, marking the Company's first export of dried cannabis flower material to an international market. The Company has also received seven additional export permits from Health Canada and intends to complete multiple shipments of dried cannabis flower and cannabis extracts to the Australian… Read more.

Uruguay, the first country in the world to legalize cannabis for adult use, is now exporting low-THC cannabis, or hemp, to the United States. According to information procured exclusively ahead of an official announcement, CEND, a global provider of customized technological infrastructure and certification platforms for the cannabis industry and other regulated industries, has completed its inaugural large-scale shipment of low-THC legal cannabis (or hemp) from Uruguay to the United States. While smaller exports had been completed before, the market… Read more.

The Australian government has rescheduled the psychedelics psilocybin and MDMA to provide access to people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and treat-resistant depression. The substances aren’t being legalized for broad use, but by placing them in Schedule 8 for therapeutic use under the country’s drug code, psychiatrists who meet the required standards will be able to prescribe the psychedelics. The drugs will remain in the stricter Schedule 9 for unauthorized use. “The decision acknowledges the current lack of options for… Read more.

In Switzerland's bustling metropolis, Basel, a rare opportunity has arisen. The city has just launched its pilot cannabis project, granting exclusive access to a privileged few. A select group of several hundred individuals will now be able to indulge in recreational marijuana, easily procured at local pharmacies. Swiss authorities gave the green light for a daring experiment last year - a pilot project exploring uncharted territories. The Federal Office of Public Health eagerly embraced this endeavor, hoping to gain valuable insights into… Read more.

The medical cannabis facility is expected to gradually reach full capacity soon to supply a wide range of cannabis products. Since June 2018, when the legal framework for licensing plants for cultivation and production of finished medicinal cannabis products came into effect, the General Secretariat of Industry of the Ministry of Development and Investment has licensed 134 cannabis crops for medical purposes across Greece. The investment by Tikun Europe, a subsidiary of Israel-based Tikun Olam, was welcomed by Greek Minister… Read more.

Former cartel bosses, drug traffickers and police officers took the stand this week in the trial of Genaro García Luna, Mexico’s former federal security minister and architect of the country’s war on drugs, which he carried out while publicly working with the DEA and secretly working with the world most powerful drug cartel capo, Joaquín “El Chapo" Guzmán.  No, this is not a script for the fourth season of Netflix’s 'El Chapo' series though it would make an intriguing Mexican telenovela as the most trusted… Read more.

Health Canada has begun asking some federally licensed marijuana companies to stop selling certain ingestible cannabis products the regulatory agency says are incorrectly classified and labeled as “extracts” rather than “edibles,” MJBizDaily has learned. The move could cost cannabis businesses millions of dollars, Canadian industry sources say, because the products in question – including some lozenges and chewable extracts – are increasingly popular among consumers. Executives are puzzled over Health Canada’s timing, especially since some of the products in question have been… Read more.

Recently, Pattaya has become a popular destination for cannabis enthusiasts. With its relaxed laws, Pattaya has become a hub for cannabis tourism, offering an array of cannabis-related activities, products, and services. Whether you’re looking to relax with a puff of a joint, enjoy an edible, or explore the science behind cannabis, Pattaya has something for everyone. So, if you’re ready to explore and experience the cannabis culture of Pattaya, read on! Cannabalize PHOTO: Cannabalize Cannabalize is a premier cannabis store dedicated to… Read more.

Bhumjaithai Party MP Suphachai Jaismut believes the legalising of cannabis has led to a decrease in the use of methamphetamine (also known as Yaba) in Bangkok. Suphachai posted on Facebook yesterday that, “Ganja comes, Yaba goes away.” The Bhumjaithai Party MP admitted that he never expected legalising cannabis would decrease the use of methamphetamine. He initially focused on its potential medical benefits and didn’t consider this possible outcome. However, he stated that he had come to believe in the connection between cannabis legalisation and decreased Yaba use based… Read more.

Cannabis in Quebec has been legal since 2018, yet statistics still show that 82% of cannabis users in the state are getting their products from the black market. This has reduced the effectiveness of the regulated cannabis market in the region and led to a loss of revenue. This has made us inquire into the reason why users are preferring the black market over cannabis stores. This article will feature responses from cannabis users within the region. We will also analyze… Read more.

As a result of recent arrests, travellers departing from Los Angeles and heading to London's Heathrow Airport may experience heightened security measures. Nine individuals were apprehended on suspicion of attempting to smuggle cannabis, a substance legal in California but illegal in the UK, where it commands a higher price among UK drug traffickers. Between January 10th and 17th, over 400 kilograms of the drug were seized from passengers at Heathrow Airport. As investigations continue, authorities will closely monitor the LA to… Read more.

Roman Abramovich, a Russian billionaire and former owner of the English Premier League's Chelsea Football Club, has been discreetly investing in cannabis enterprises for years. According to Forensic News, the news outlet that obtained the secret documents, Roman Abramovich has contributed to funding the two largest shareholders of Curaleaf Holdings. The Russian businessman is also said to have close relations with Vladimir Putin, the Russian president. Curaleaf, the alleged cannabis company Roman Abramovich has been secretly investing in, is a renowned recreational… Read more.

ep, it’s true. Italy’s Army is in charge of growing and producing top-grade medical marijuana and is using secret nutrients to cultivate cannabis for those suffering from illnesses like cancer or Parkinson’s disease. This year, the Army plans to produce at least 1,500 pounds of weed to cover nearly half the amount required annually to meet the country’s medical marijuana needs.   “The next step is self-sufficiency — that’s our ambition,” said Nicola Latorre, who leads the Italian Defense Industries Agency, which… Read more.

Russian billionaire and a former owner of the Chelsea Football Club, which plays in the English Premier League, Roman Abramovich, has been secretly investing in cannabis companies for years. According to leaked documents, sourced and shared by Forensic News, a Russian oligarch known for his close ties to Russian leader Vladimir Putin has helped fund the two biggest shareholders of multi-state cannabis operator Curaleaf Holdings  CURLF. With a market cap of around $3.08 billion, the Wakefield, Massachusetts-headquartered company is considered one of the largest marijuana businesses in the… Read more.

For decades, debates and political commitments on drug policy at the United Nations have been plagued by the goal of 'achieving a society free of drugs' (or 'drug abuse'). Who could forget the slogan of the big UN drugs event in 1998 - “A Drug-Free World, we can do it!”?. This fantastical notion has underpinned unimaginable harm as governments all over the world have strived to eradicate drugs through draconian measures. Despite these efforts, the global market in illegal drugs… Read more.

The best social reform starts on the frontline. The news that the National Police Chiefs’ Council has decided to effectively decriminalise cannabis and cocaine in England is, for drugs reformers, sensational. It intends to extend nationwide the warning and treatment schemes that have already been piloted in Durham and Thames Valley. Instead of prosecuting users of hard drugs such as heroin, cocaine and ecstasy, officers will recommend addiction services (dealers, and those who refuse to cooperate, will still be prosecuted). So far,… Read more.

Following the decriminalization of cannabis in Thailand, people in Bangkok have wasted no time in setting up places where you can buy it. Whether you’re looking for a dispensary, a cafe, a street vendor, or a delivery service, Bangkok is full of great places to buy cannabis. But with so many options, it can be hard to decide which one offers the best quality weed at the best prices. So, to help you with your search, here are some of the… Read more.

Government officials from Indonesia – a country famous for having some of the strictest drug laws in the world – flew to Thailand to learn about the kingdom’s liberal medical cannabis policies this morning. News that old-fashioned Indonesia is considering legalising medical cannabis comes as quite a shock given that lawmakers in the country approved a Draconian law that bans premarital sex yesterday. Indonesian members of parliament visited the Ministry of Public Health to listen to the Director of the Medical Cannabis Institute, Kitti Losuwanarak, talk about the process of legalising cannabis in… Read more.

New DelhiCNN —  Rats in northern India have been accused of eating hundreds of kilograms of cannabis seized from drug dealers and stored in police warehouses. “Rats are small animals, and they aren’t scared of the police,” noted a court in the city of Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, after hearing that local police were unable to furnish almost 200 kilograms of confiscated cannabis that was supposed to be used as evidence in a recent case. Court documents said the police had been… Read more.

Thailand has dropped some restrictions on imports of cannabis cultivation seeds, and established limits for THC and CBD in foods as the country continues rapid development of a legal and regulatory framework for cannabis. While more restrictive regarding marijuana, the changes reflect the government’s strategy to open the market for virtually all products derived from industrial hemp. The Thai Department of Agriculture said “cannabis and hemp seeds” can now be imported as long as the importers obtain permits from the… Read more.

A team from a Moroccan cooperative and international experts from the Solar Decathlon have highlighted the beauty of vernacular architecture and building in Morocco by creating a hemp house outfitted with solar panels. The hemp and solar panelled house called Sunimplant, is an off-grid house made as a sustainable, relatable demo home for Moroccan people.  Student creators built it as part of Solar Decathlon organized in part by the IRESEN Institute for Research in Solar Energy and New Energies in Morocco,  Mohammed VI Polytechnic… Read more.

According to Politico, details of Germany’s current cannabis legalization plan were leaked on October 19 by the RND (RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland) newspaper group. The draft currently includes a plan to decriminalize sales and possession of cannabis, as well as allowing cannabis to be sold in licensed shops and pharmacies. This approach to reform has been pending since German officials announced their intentions to approach reform back in June, led by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach. According to the current draft, sales of up to 20 grams would… Read more.

Costa Rica just took its biggest step yet toward legalizing weed. President Rodrigo Chaves signed a proposed law this week that could legalize recreational marijuana in the Central American nation. The legalization bill was sent on Wednesday to the country’s legislative assembly where lawmakers will analyze it, along with results of similar laws in other countries, before eventually voting on passing the regulation.  It is unclear how long this process will take, but presidential support means that it has the institutional backing… Read more.

What is the CBD scene like in Sweden and where is the best CBD oil in the country? Cannabis.net sat down with Cbdsverige.com to find out whe the CBD scene is like in Sweden. Is it legal? Is cannabis going to be legalized soon? Let's find out what he Swedes are doing to get ready for the hemp and cannabis Green Rush! What is the CBD/cannabis scene like in Sweden? I can only speak for the CBD scene in Sweden, and… Read more.

The United Kingdom prime minister’s office is distancing itself from a proposal from Conservatives that would reclassify cannabis from a Class B to Class A drug in the country, with a Downing Street spokesperson telling The Guardian that there are “no plans” to make the change.    The plan was pitched last week by Conservative police commissioners in the U.K. It would have put cannabis in the same category as heroin and cocaine and meant harsher penalties for possession and potential life sentences in prison for… Read more.