Hemp CBD News - HempToday®: Recent Episodes
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[Last in a series of the most popular stories on HempToday in 2024] The debate over intoxicating hemp products intensified in 2024 as jurisdictions and organizations pushed for tighter regulations. […]
[First in a five-part series of the most popular stories on HempToday in 2024] It has been another turbulent year for the CBD industry as regulatory battles and market shifts […]
Canadian cannabinoid company MediPharm Labs Corp. said it has sold its Napanee, Ontario manufacturing facility to Kensana Health, a biotechnology firm specializing in phytopharmaceuticals, for roughly $4 million (CA$5.5 million) […]
Two states have hit flashpoints over products that contain hemp-derived intoxicating substances, underscoring ongoing tensions between regulatory oversight and booming trade in synthetic products that many consider to be unsafe. […]
While interest remains high in Zimbabwe’s hemp industry, stakeholders are finding the going rough as the nascent sector unfolds. Despite significant regulatory strides, Zimbabwe’s hemp industry is encountering several obstacles […]
Colorado’s Attorney General continues to crack down on the state’s hemp companies, recently settling claims against one while filing suit against another. In the first case, a CBD company has […]
The Texas lieutenant governor said banning all forms of THC is one of his main legislative goals when the state legislature convenes next year. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said the […]
UK regulators say they are making progress approving CBD products, and expect to cross an important milestone next year on the way to establishing the country’s estimated $850 million market. […]
Three proposed bills are now afloat in the Ohio state legislature that would put controls on the market for unregulated hemp intoxicants in the state. The latest draft law, introduced […]
Brazil’s Superior Court of Justice (STJ) unanimously approved the planting, cultivation, industrialization and sale of hemp for medical and pharmaceutical purposes, under strict rules. The STJ ruling opens significant opportunities […]
The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) announced it will begin enforcing strict regulations on the sale of intoxicating hemp products, following a recent federal court decision that limited the […]
Backed by producers of psychoactive hemp products, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has effectively secured a two-track market for intoxicating cannabis where only hemp-derived intoxicants and medical marijuana are legal, with […]
Hemp companies backing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in his bid to defeat pro-marijuana legislation are selling illegal high-potency “intoxicating hemp” products that are sometimes tainted, an investigation by the Miami […]
CBD companies serving the Japanese market are scrambling to line up suppliers of “THC-free” formulations in anticipation of strict rules kicking into effect before the end of the year. Japan […]
A key UK drugs agency has recommended raising the THC limit for industrial hemp from 0.2% to 0.3% “on the field,” bringing it in line with the EU and the […]
An Italian court has suspended a decree from the country’s Ministry of Health that blocked the market for CBD, a victory for stakeholders who say they are battling the government […]
A new study published in the Journal of Medical Toxicology highlights a significant increase in hemp-derived delta-8 THC exposures in the U.S., particularly in states where marijuana remains illegal. The […]
The European Commission has opened an investigation into efforts by the Italian government to halt trade in CBD and hemp flowers. Italian Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Valentina Palmisano of the […]
CBD did not prove effective in counterbalancing the effects of delta-9 THC on brain connectivity, and may heighten them, according to a recently published study. Contrary to earlier research suggesting […]
The U.S. Army has updated its drug policies to crack down on the use of delta-8 THC, a synthetic form of THC made from hemp-derived CBD. The new policies aim […]
[Also: Updates on developments in Utah and Tennessee] Hemp stakeholders in California and New Jersey suffered major setbacks in court decisions late last week that upheld regulations cracking down on […]
Hemp-derived CBD could prove to be an effective and environmentally friendly insecticide, according to a study by U.S. researchers. The study, published in the scientific journal Insects, showed that CBD can wipe out larvae in two troublesome strains of mosquitoes in their early stages of development – within 48 hours.
The research, led by a team at Ohio State University, marks a promising breakthrough in the ongoing fight against insecticide resistance, particularly in the case of mosquito species such as Aedes aegypti, which transmit deadly yellow fever, dengue, and Zika viruses.
“It’s very important to be able to control these pests at an early stage, when they are at their most vulnerable,” said Erick Martinez Rodriguez, a graduate student in entomology at Ohio State and lead author of the research report. He noted that targeting mosquitoes in their larval stage, before they mature and spread diseases over large distances, is critical for effective pest management.
Stubborn strainsThe breakthrough comes as mosquito populations around the world are developing genetic mutations to ward off conventional insecticides, posing serious challenges for global control programs. One strain of Aedes aegypti – the Puerto Rican strain – has shown stubborn resistance to commonly used synthetic insecticides, which target the nervous system of mosquitoes.
CBD, however, has shown the ability to bypass these metabolic defenses.
The Ohio State researchers extracted CBD by pulverizing dried hemp leaves and soaking them in methanol to create a potent solution. The study found that even a small amount of CBD-rich extract was lethal to mosquito larvae.
“What was surprising was the small amount needed to be so deadly,” Rodriguez said of the potential for the eco-friendly alternative to synthetic insecticides, which often have harmful environmental side effects due to overuse.
Natural insecticidesThis discovery is part of a growing body of research into plant-derived insecticides. Previous studies from Ohio State identified natural mosquito-repellent properties in plants from Madagascar, which inspired the team to explore hemp.
Study co-author Peter Piermarini, a professor of entomology at Ohio State, said CBD could be an attractive candidate for broader pest management strategies. “It’ll be interesting to learn more about how CBD interacts with various proteins in mammals and insects to understand why it’s safe for people but not insects,” he said.
However, Piermarini emphasized the need for more research into how CBD-based insecticides could affect non-target species, such as honeybees, which play a critical role in pollination and biodiversity.
More research neededWhile the findings are promising, they raise questions about the ecological impact of widespread CBD use in pest control. Mosquito larvae thrive in aquatic environments, and introducing CBD-based insecticides into these habitats requires a careful examination of how non-target aquatic species might be affected, the researchers noted. Protecting biodiversity while controlling pests is a delicate balance, and future research is needed to assess potential unintended consequences, they added.
Researchers also see potential in refining extraction methodologies for CBD-based insecticides, ensuring they are efficient and environmentally sustainable. This could involve optimizing the concentration of CBD to make it more effective at lower doses, further minimizing its ecological footprint.
Biopesticide revolution?The study opens several new avenues for research, including the efficacy of CBD against other insect species resistant to traditional insecticides. If CBD can be adapted to control a broader range of pests, it could revolutionize the biopesticide industry, offering a natural and eco-friendly alternative to synthetic chemicals.
Additionally, there is potential for genetic engineering approaches that could enhance the insecticidal properties of hemp, making it an even more powerful tool in pest control.
“Understanding how these natural compounds interact with different insect species will be crucial for developing safe, targeted pest control methods,” Rodriguez said, noting that the ultimate goal is to create solutions that reduce environmental harm while remaining effective against resistant pests.
The research was supported by the Infectious Diseases Institute and Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. The journal Insects, which is peer-reviewed, is an open-access journal by the Basel, Switzerland-based Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute.
Epidiolex, the medical-grade CBD used to treat rare forms of childhood epilepsy, could provide relief to military veterans suffering the effects of exposure to chemicals in wartime, according to recent research by Chinese experts.
The findings, in a study of rats, suggest the drug might be an effective treatment for Gulf War Illness (GWI), a chronic condition suffered by veterans of Operation Desert Storm in 1990-1991.
“Long-term oral administration of CBD holds promise to alleviate cognitive and mood impairments as well as chronic pain experienced by veterans suffering from GWI,” the study observes.
CBD helped ease the blockage of pleasure feelings, and lowered the rats’ sensitivity to pain, according to the research. Also, rats administered Epidiolex showed improvements in recognizing objects and remembering locations, the study revealed.
Causes of GWIEpidiolex, a high-CBD, no-THC formula, is approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) as a treatment specifically for seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, Dravet Syndrome and Tuberous Sclerosis Complex. It is also approved by the European Medicines Agency and the UK’s Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. (The drug goes by the alternative spelling “Epidyolex” in Europe and the UK.) Canada’s federal health regulator, Health Canada, approved the medicine late last year.
GWI is attributed to exposure to various environmental hazards, including pesticides, chemical warfare agents, and medications administered during the 1990-1991 conflict in the Middle East, as well as the burning of oil wells.
The illness causes immune system dysfunction, inflammation, and damage to the nervous system. Veterans with GWI experience chronic fatigue, muscle and joint pain, gastrointestinal issues, respiratory problems, cognitive dysfunction, sleep disturbances and headaches.
More research neededThe researchers said the study is promising in light of previous research on other compounds with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, such as curcumin, melatonin, and monosodium luminol, which also showed benefits in alleviating symptoms of GWI. However, those compounds required relatively higher doses than CBD, indicating that Epidiolex may offer a more efficient solution at lower dosages. Lower dosages also reduce the risk of potential side effects and make treatment more accessible for patients.
Epidiolex effectively improved brain function at a dose of 20 mg/kg, which is roughly equivalent to a human dose of 3.2 mg/kg per day.
“CBD treatment could be a viable option either alone or in combination with existing treatments,” the study concluded, although researchers emphasized the need to rule out potential drug-drug interactions before widespread use.
With an estimated 25% to 32% of the nearly 700,000 U.S. veterans who served in the Gulf War affected by GWI, the number of veterans potentially suffering from the condition ranges from 175,000 to 224,000.
The study highlighted the need for more comprehensive research before conclusions can be drawn about the efficacy of CBD as a treatment for GWI. The study raised concerns about the potential for adverse effects, particularly the risk of suicidal ideation. Although the FDA has issued warnings about the possibility of suicide in patients taking Epidiolex, those warnings are based on presumed effects rather than concrete data, the study noted.
CBD research growsThe study’s findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that CBD’s anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties may be beneficial for a wide range of conditions, including PTSD, another condition suffered by military veterans.
The study was carried out in a collaboration among academic institutions, industry research bodies and corporations that focus on military and civilian medicine and pharmaceutical research. The authors of the report, published on BioMed Central, a part of German Scientific publisher Springer Nature, are from the School of Basic Medicine at Qingdao University, the People’s Liberation Army’s Military Institute for Disease Prevention and Control, the School of Pharmacy at Qingdao University, and Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
The Chinese study comes after research in Japan concluded that Epidiolex failed to reduce the frequency of seizures in children in a critical Phase 3 trial.
Epidiolex is produced by GW Pharmaceuticals, a division of Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Dublin.
A North Carolina “wellness” company has been hit with a warning from the U.S. Food & Drug Adminstration (FDA), which says it promoted a wide range of hemp cannabinoids under unproven health claims.
Root Bioscience Brands, LLC, which does business under the Naternal brand, was ordered to remove from its website extensive unsubstantiated health claims regarding five products aimed at humans and one for pets. The company complied and took down the questionable information.
The health claims suggested that Naternal brand products containing CBD, CBG and CBN help with a wide range of conditions, including Alzheimer’s Disease, concussions, cancer, high blood pressure, addiction to cocaine and opioids, PTSD, autism, ADHD, stress, anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain, inflammation, glaucoma, inflammatory bowel disease, skin infections, weak appetite, and Huntington’s Disease.
FD&C Act violationsFDA said the products “are unapproved new drugs introduced or delivered for introduction into interstate commerce in violation of . . . the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.”
Addressing the company’s claims regarding opioid treatment with cannabinoids, the FDA said: “The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has determined that a public health emergency exists nationwide involving the opioid crisis. You market your CBD products for the treatment or cure of opioid addiction. However, these products have not been determined by FDA to be safe and effective for these (or any other) uses.
“Further, the unproven treatments could cause patients to forego or delay FDA-approved treatments for opioid addiction or withdrawal. The marketing and sale of unapproved opioid addiction treatment products is a potentially significant threat to the public health. Therefore, FDA is taking measures to protect consumers from products that, without approval by FDA, claim to diagnose, mitigate, prevent, treat or cure opioid addiction,” according to the warning letter.
Unproven for petsThe company’s website was also warned over a wide range of health claims for its CBD products for pets, which suggested they can be treatment for seizures, arthritis, diabetes, chronic pain, anxiety, insomnia, skin ailments, Lyme Disease, nausea, osteoarthritis and epilepsy.
CBD has not been proven effective for any of those conditions, and is not approved to administer to pets, according to the letter.
The warning letter was addressed to Garrett Perdue, CEO at Morrisville, North Carolina-based Root Bioscience Brands. It was issued jointly by FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research and Center for Veterinary Medicine.
CBD will remain off Italian drug lists for now, after a regional court temporarily suspended a government decree that blocked the sale of products taken internally.
The decree, which took effect Aug. 5, designated CBD a narcotic, raising the specter of devastation for supply chains that make and sell CBD-based products in the dietary supplements and herbal medicine sectors – and possibly cosmetics.
But the Regional Administrative Tribunal of Lazio – which has made rulings supporting the hemp sector in the past – stepped in to pause the decree.
CBD rulingWhile that’s a skirmish won, broader restrictions still loom over the Italian CBD sector in a proposed amendment that would shut down the trade in hemp flowers altogether – effectively banning the source of CBD.
As the first debates on the amendment started this week, hemp stakeholders marshaled their forces in opposition to the measure, which would become part of the country’s 2023 Security Law, a sweeping measure that strengthens police agency powers and creates harsh criminal penalties for violators.
Three parties, trade group Canapa Sativa Italia, and two companies, Giantec Srl and Società Biochimica Galloppa Srl, brought the legal action against the government’s decree on CBD. The court ruling temporarily blocking the decree came Tuesday, Sept. 10.
The plaintiffs’ legal case challenged the lack of scientific evidence put forward by the government, saying such tight restrictions on producing, handling and distributing hemp-derived CBD products were not justified.
Meloni’s determinationThe industry is fighting back against an aggressive campaign under the conservative government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who seems determined to wipe out EU-legal CBD and other cannabinoids as well as hemp flowers in Italy. She is calling for an out-and-out ban on hemp flowers and cannabinoids, and strict control over what the government mistakenly considers to be “psychoactive” substances.
The government has also said it intends to prevent hemp from being used as a cover for the illegal marijuana market in Italy and will encourage strict enforcement of all cannabis laws.
In a legally binding decision applicable across the EU, the European Commission declared in 2020 that CBD is not a narcotic and may be legally traded in and among member states; raw hemp flowers may also be traded if they are under the EU THC limit of 0.3% or less. The ruling was based on a celebrated European Union Court of Justice finding made earlier in the same year.
Farm groups push backAt a press conference this week, leading hemp and farm groups pushed for lawmakers to vote against the amendment that would ban hemp flowers.
“For us this is an existential battle, and we are here because we are convinced that we cannot lose today. The challenge is to overcome ideological prejudices about the crop, because the whole industrial hemp sector is at stake here,” said Mattia Cusani of Canapa Sativa Italia.
Tommaso Battista, president of the Copagri farming association, said, “The purely ideological intervention on hemp envisaged in the so-called security bill risks irreparably cutting the legs off an innovative and fast-growing sector.”
In addition to Copagri and Canapa Sativa Italia, the hemp association Federcanapa and the farming confederation CIA-Agricoltori Italiani were present for the press event.
Union weighs inUnion and political representatives demonstrated against the hemp amendment jointly at a separate event this week organized by the Italian General Confederation of Labour (CGIL), Italy’s oldest trade union representing more than 5 million members. On hand at that event, staged outside the Brindisi Prefecture governmental office were representatives from left-leaning political parties such as Più Europa, PD, M5S and Alleanza Verdi e Sinistra’.
CGIL’s General Secretary, Antonio Macchia, said that the hemp amendment to the Security Law would cause “devastating economic and legal consequences” for hemp producers, while at the same time exposing Italy to EU sanctions because it ignores a ruling of the European Court of Justice.
Hemp flowers have come under attack in Italy since at least early 2022, when the State-Regions Conference – a platform for cooperation among central and regional governments – updated language in a 2018 decree to classify hemp as strictly a medicinal plant. Four cannabis associations filed suit, and the decree was annulled one year later by the same Lazio Tribunal that ruled on this week’s case.
Hemp stakeholders in Tennessee have gone to court to protect their interests in intoxicating hemp substances – following the lead of similar groups in other U.S. states.
The lawsuit, led by hemp producers in the Tennessee Growers Coalition (TGC), alleges the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) skirted its own protocols and state law when it instituted emergency rules meant to tamp down on hemp-derived intoxicants such as delta-8, delta-9 and delta-10 THC found in edibles that have been widely available under no restrictions in Tennessee.
By redefining hemp cannabinoids, the state “placed extensive restrictions on their manufacture and sale,” according to the lawsuit, filed in Davidson County Chancery Court.
The case in Tennessee is just the latest among many across the country as stakeholders clash with state regulators, police and drug agencies, which are working to get trade in the hemp-derived intoxicants under control.
Some states have banned the products altogether. Tennessee has instead allowed them but under strict regulations. State officials estimate that the sales of products containing intoxicating hemp substances represent as much as $180 million in economic value for Tennessee.
Licenses requiredIn addition to the emergency rules, the state established a licensing program for businesses working with hemp-derived cannabinoids, given the acronym “HDC.”
“HDC product” is defined as a product that contains or that is labeled to contain a hemp-derived cannabinoid and that is produced, marketed, or otherwise intended to be consumed orally, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin. HDC products also include intermediate products intended for subsequent use as a component in a later finished product.
According to the new regulations, an HDC product license is required per person per location for any person who manufactures, distributes or sells an HDC product at retail.
Other wording changes were also made. Previously in Tennessee law, “manufacture” meant to compound, blend, extract, infuse, cook, or otherwise make or prepare products containing a hemp-derived cannabinoid, including the processes of extraction, infusion, packaging, repackaging, labeling, and relabeling of products containing a hemp-derived cannabinoid.”
Under the new regulations, “manufacture” also includes any action that transforms cannabis physically or chemically beyond its principal form as a farm product or that filters, cleans, or trims that product to isolate any of its particular parts or components.
Topicals exemptedTopical products, defined as products solely intended to be applied to the skin or hair and are not intended to be absorbed through transdermal application, are not under the emergency rules and are not included within the definition of an HDC product even if they contain a hemp-derived cannabinoid.
The rules also prohibit the sale of HDC products to individuals under 21 and limit the amount of intoxicating substances allowed per serving in products such as edibles.
Additionally, labeling and testing requirements have become more stringent, with mandates for detailed ingredient lists, QR codes linking to test results, and warnings on packaging.
The rules also redefine what qualifies as THC by including hemp-derived THC-A, a precursor that converts to THC when heated. This change could lead to a ban on THC-A and certain CBD flower products, as they are often indistinguishable from marijuana except when tested in a lab.
Growers’ argumentThe Tennessee Growers Coalition complaint leans on the argument that existing rules in Tennessee comply with the 2018 Farm Bill passed by the U.S. Congress. That bill redefined industrial hemp and hemp-derived products, removing them from the Schedule I Controlled Substances Act and making hemp an “ordinary (and legal) agricultural commodity,” the suit states.
But intoxicating, psychoactive, or “high”-producing products made from industrial hemp were not understood or envisioned by Congress when it passed the 2018 Farm Bill. That lack of vision left a loophole that unscrupulous CBD and intoxicating hemp operators have taken advantage of, and along the way re-associated non-drug cannabis (hemp) with psychoactive cannabis (marijuana).
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture first issued the emergency rules in December 2023. The lawsuit argues that the Department violated its own protocols because while it held a public hearing, it failed to propose draft regulations and instituted the emergency rules three days before they went into effect on July 1, 2024.
Joining the TGC as plaintiffs in the suit are Saylor Enterprises LLC (d/b/a CBD Plus USA) and Gold Spectrum CBD LLC.
Italian hemp stakeholders are fighting back against government initiatives that risk wiping out hemp-derived cannabinoids including CBD.
A decree that took effect Aug. 5 placed CBD on the country’s list of narcotic drugs, forbidding products taken internally by consumers. While the decree presumably exempts CBD cosmetics from the ban, the Ministry of Health later issued a series of confusing circulars to medical, pharmacist and veterinarian associations which put even those products in question.
The ban, if approved, would have a devastating effect on supply chains that make and sell CBD-based products in the dietary supplements and herbal medicine sectors – and possibly cosmetics, stakeholders have said. The risk to CBD cosmetics comes despite CBD having been approved for inclusion in Cosing, the European database for cosmetic preparations in 2021.
Associations fight backTrade associations Canapa Sativa Italia (CSI) and Imprenditori Canapa Italia (ICI) have filed appeals over the CBD ban with a Regional Administrative Tribunal. The two groups presented experts who testified that CBD is safe and carries no risk of abuse. ICI commissioned a report it said dismantles point-by-point the opinions of government health agencies.
“CBD is safe, and in the last few years alone there have been at least twenty studies that reiterate that this cannabinoid is not a narcotic and has no risk of abuse,” Mattia Cusani of CSI told Dolce Vita.
Clear legality in EUPerhaps more importantly, CSI has also filed a complaint with the European Commission, because the Italian measure would violate European Union rules on competition and the free movement of goods.
In a legally binding decision applicable across the EU, the Commission declared in 2020 that CBD is not a narcotic and may be legally traded in and among member states; raw hemp flowers may also be traded if they are under the EU THC limit of 0.3% or less. The ruling was based on a celebrated European Union Court of Justice finding to that effect made earlier in the same year.
The European Commission has said it is investigating the matter.
Locking up flowersThe parallel amendment to ban hemp flowers would block plant tops from “import, processing, possession, transfer, distribution, trade, transport, dispatch, delivery, sale to the public and for consumption, even in semi-finished, dried or shredded form” – effectively shutting down all commercial activity involving hemp flowers – even those with low or no THC content.
The amendment would become part of the country’s 2023 Security Law, a sweeping measure that strengthens police agency powers and creates harsh criminal penalties that could be applied to violations of the ban.
Sold as buds and known as “cannabis light” in Italy, hemp flowers are restricted to 0.3% THC in the EU. However, Italy observes a 0.6% THC barrier, still far below an amount that would produce the effects associated with a “high.”
Dark determinationThe conservative government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni seems determined to wipe out EU-legal CBD and other cannabinoids as well as hemp flowers in Italy. Her government has opposed the legalization of recreational marijuana and her political party, Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy), has consistently expressed concerns about the potential social and health impacts of legalizing marijuana.
The Meloni government maintained the 0.6% THC national limit for industrial hemp, which theoretically makes CBD production more efficient because CBD rises in proportion to THC. That advantage, however, is negated by the out-and-out ban the government is seeking on hemp flowers and cannabinoids, and the desire to maintain strict control over what it mistakenly considers to be “psychoactive” substances.
The government has also said it intends to prevent hemp from being used as a cover for the illegal marijuana market in Italy and will encourage strict enforcement of all cannabis laws.
Long battleHemp flowers have come under attack in Italy since at least early 2022, when the State-Regions Conference – a platform for cooperation among central and regional governments – updated language in a 2018 decree to classify hemp as strictly a medicinal plant. Four cannabis associations filed suit, and the decree was annulled one year later by the Regional Administrative Tribunal of Lazio, which ruled it went against European law.
CSI and ICI are among six Italian cannabis groups that have also launched a petition aimed at reversing the unfriendly hemp policies. And European Parliament members (MEPs) from Italy’s 5-Star Movement (M5S) political party have called on the European Commission to intervene.
By HempToday with reporting from Cannabis Terapeutica; Dolce Vita
Regulators and law enforcement agencies in New York and Texas have stepped up enforcement actions against sellers of intoxicating hemp products with raids this month.
In New York, hundreds of hemp shops have been raided or closed since a statewide crackdown was launched in March after lawmakers in Albany gave new powers to police agencies and the state’s Office of Cannabis Management.
Licensed marijuana retailers in New York have backed the enforcement actions, suggesting the widespread availability of gray-market intoxicating hemp products is jeopardizing the state’s nascent legal pot market, estimated at $500 million to $1 billion.
New York State legalized recreational marijuana in 2021, and the first licensed dispensaries began opening in late 2022, but a number of challenges have made the implementation of the state’s program more complicated than initially anticipated – most notably the emergence of the hemp-derived substances made possible by a loophole in federal law.
Challenge nationwideStates throughout the U.S. are working to get their arms around a runaway market for intoxicating hemp products – often called “diet weed,” “marijuana light,” or “gas station pot,” – after the 2018 Farm Bill legalized industrial hemp federally but failed to anticipate the market for intoxicating downstream products that has developed in the intervening years.
Most of the substances are produced synthetically by putting hemp-derived CBD through a process in the lab. In addition to delta-8 THC – the most popular of the compounds – producers are also making synthetic delta-10 THC, THC-O-acetate, HHC, THCP and others.
In addition to being widely available in licensed CBD outlets and hemp shops, the products can also be found in convenience stores, bodegas, and other common retail outlets. Online ads also push the products, which are usually in the form of gummies and other edibles.
Gov. Kathy Hochul, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and other officials say the raids have helped increase sales through regulated marijuana operators.
Retailers push backThree licensed hemp retailers – Smoke N Save in Saratoga Springs, Two Strains in Queensbury, and Breckenridge in Manhattan – earlier this week filed a lawsuit in state Supreme Court against the OCM and the New York City Sheriff’s Office, claiming the police actions are taking place without lab tests or confirmation of what’s actually in the products.
The crackdown on New York’s illicit cannabis trade also has had an “immediate and catastrophic effect” on the market for CBD, which has “essentially halted,” a group of hemp companies charged in a separate lawsuit filed in March against the OCM and the New York Cannabis Control Board.
9 shops hit in TexasIn Texas, the Police Department in the city of Allen (APD) joined agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in a more concentrated action against nine local vape and CBD shops that were accused of selling products containing intoxicating hemp substances.
Texas has more than 7,700 operators licensed to sell hemp products at retail, according to the Department of State Health Services (DSHS).
The Texas raids were foreshadowed by warning letters sent to the shop owners three months ago by the APD, which identified several “hemp” products as over the legal limit for THC. The police told the The Dallas Morning News that products sold by local businesses had tested from 7% to 78% THC.
Products remain ‘legal’Hemp stakeholders have have had some success in pushing back against restrictions on the products.
In 2021 a bill that would have outlawed the products died in the legislature, and last year operators won a court case that set aside a ban on the products by the DSHS, which had designated the THC compounds inside them as Schedule 1 controlled substances.
The Senate State Affairs Committee held an interim hearing in late July during which lawmakers called for a review of the hemp intoxicants when the Legislature convenes next year.
Medical marijuana is legal in Texas but recreational pot faces an uphill battle as lawmakers have repeatedly spurned legalization efforts.
The world’s only widely approved medical CBD formula performed weakly in a key clinical trial in Japan, the maker of the drug reported.
Epidiolex, an oral solution for treating rare forms of epilepsy in children, “did not achieve its primary goal of a significant reduction in seizure frequency” in a Phase 3 trial, according to Jazz Pharmaceuticals, the parent company of GW Pharmaceuticals, which makes the drug.
Phase 3 trials are critical in the four-phase drug development process because they provide the most comprehensive data on how well a drug works, and its safety profile, which is used by regulatory bodies such as the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S., the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the UK’s Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to decide whether to approve the drug for public use.
‘No new safety issues’Despite the weak performance in reducing seizures, Jazz said the trials uncovered no new safety issues, and recorded “improvements” in unspecified “other areas.”
Rob Iannone, the company’s executive vice president, global head of research and development, said Jazz remains confident in the overall clinical profile of Epidiolex, which he said has been established in more than 900 patients in five other Phase 3 clinical trials. He said the company will continue to work with Japanese regulatory authorities regarding a “potential” new drug application.
“We recognize the significant unmet need for patients in Japan living with rare epilepsies,” Iannone said.
The trial in Japan, which is ongoing, is focused on measuring how much seizure frequency changes over a treatment period of up to 16 weeks in 62 children aged 1 to 18 years old.
Japanese officials approved Epidiolex for hospital-based clinical trials in 2019, exempting the drug from the country’s Cannabis Control Act, which bans cannabis compounds generally.
Approval historyEpidiolex, a high CBD, no THC formula, first won general approval in 2018 from the FDA, which later approved the drug in 2020 as a treatment specifically for seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, Dravet Syndrome and Tuberous Sclerosis Complex. It was approved by the EMA in Europe and the MHRA in the UK in 2019. (The drug goes by the alternative spelling “Epidyolex” in Europe and the UK.) Canada’s federal health regulator, Health Canada, approved the medicine late last year.
GW Pharmaceuticals is considered to be the biggest medical cannabinoid company in the world, having developed its products under strict regulations for medicine in the markets where it is present. It was acquired by Ireland-based Jazz in 2021.
Sales of Epidiolex reached $845.5 million in 2023, an increase of 15% from the previous year. Jazz Pharmaceuticals, whose shares are traded on the NASDAQ Global Market, had total revenues of $3.8 billion in 2023.
An American research team that claims to have carried out the first clinical trial of Cannabigerol (CBG), said the hemp-derived cannabinoid appears to reduce emotional discomfort, and may have some memory-enhancing effects.
The researchers, from Washington State University (WSU) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), looked at the acute effects of CBG on anxiety, stress and mood. A study reflecting the trial results was published recently inScientific Reports, an open-access, online journal from Nature Portfolio, a scientific publishing group.
“CBG is becoming increasingly popular, with more producers making bold, unsubstantiated claims about its effects,” according to Carrie Cuttler, an associate professor of psychology at WSU who led the study.
No miraclesWhile the WSU-UCLA study supports some of those claims, Cuttler urged caution. “We need to avoid claims that CBG is a miracle drug. It’s new and exciting, but replication and further research are crucial,” she said.
The study used Zoom sessions to conduct a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 34 cannabis users who first reported baseline ratings of anxiety, stress and mood. The subjects then took either 20 milligrams of CBG or a tincture containing a placebo, which were mailed out previously by the researchers. Asked to rate their their feelings, the subjects said the hemp compound significantly reduced their anxiety 20, 45 and 60 minutes after ingestion.
Better recallCuttler said one of the most surprising outcomes of the study was CBG’s apparent effect on memory. Contrary to THC’s negative effects on memory, CBG enhanced recall of words from a list exposed to the subjects before they were administered the 20 mg dose. Those in the sample group were able to recall more words than those in the control group.
“We triple-checked to ensure accuracy, and the enhancement was statistically significant,” Cuttler said.
At the same time, the study found that CBG did not produce cognitive or motor impairments or other adverse effects commonly associated with THC. Participants in the experimental group reported low intoxication ratings and minimal changes in symptoms such as dry mouth, sleepiness, heart palpitations and heightened appetite – effects normally associated with THC.
Cuttler said the findings align with survey data from a previous study she led that indicated 51% of CBG users consume the substance to decrease anxiety, with 78% suggesting it is better than conventional anxiety medications.
About CBGWhile cannabis stakeholders have long been focused on developing THC and CBD, researchers and hemp breeders are now teaming up to better understand CBG, and developing CBG-rich cultivars. First discovered in the 1960’s, CBG, which is non-psychoactive, is not under international drug schedules, and is not considered a controlled substance in the USA.
CBG is known as the “mother” or “OG” cannabinoid, due to the fact that it is the precursor to all other cannabinoids, such as CBD (Cannabidiol), CBN (Cannabinol), CBC (Cannabichromene), and THCA (Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid). It has also been called “the Rolls-Royce of cannabinoids” because it is costly to produce. The relatively low amount of CBG found in conventional cannabis plants means it takes thousands of pounds of biomass to isolate even small amounts of the compound, meaning high prices to the end user.
Other benefits?Previous non-clinical studies have suggested CBG may be therapeutic for glaucoma, inflammatory bowel disease and Huntington’s disease, and may inhibit tumor growth in some cases; it may also kill or slow bacteria and advance bone development.
Also, instead of inducing THC-like effects, CBG reportedly buffers the feelings of paranoia sometimes caused by over-ingesting THC.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture earlier this year approved a genetically modified variety of hemp designed to produce high levels of CBG while eliminating all THC and CBD. The new hemp variety, called “Badger G,” was developed by the University of Wisconsin’s Crop Innovation Center.
The European Commission last year added CBG to the EU’s cosmetic ingredient database (Cosing), clearing the compound as safe for use in health and beauty products.
Cuttler said her team is designing a subsequent clinical trial to replicate its findings, and to add physiological measures such as heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol levels. The researchers also plan to extend the study to non-cannabis users. Cuttler said she is also planning a study of CBG’s effects on menopause symptoms in women.
A California bill intended to crack down on products containing hemp-derived intoxicating substances likely will not get consideration this legislative session, leaving the window open for sales of the controversial products until next year – and leaving consumers at risk, state officials say.
Despite the legislative delay, the state’s Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) says it will continue efforts to rein in the products.
“The administration continues to work with the legislature to close loopholes and increase enforcement to address the sale and distribution of illegal hemp products,” David Hafner, the regulator’s media relations manager, said in a statement. “Mislabeled and misleading products do not belong in the marketplace – especially when they put our kids’ health and safety at risk.”
Under the proposed legislation, such products could be sold only in licensed cannabis shops. The measure seeks to shut down an out-of-control gray market, with shelf space in gas stations, bars, bodegas, coffee shops, strip malls and even mobile trailers – often in packages that appeal to youth.
California state government regulators have the power to remove a product from the market if they deem it to be unsafe. Although the the DCC has yet to give any signals it will go to that extreme, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office told MJBizDaily it was “deeply disappointed” by the stalling of the bill.
‘Kids at risk’Izzy Gardon, a spokesperson for the governor’s office, said “Misleading and intoxicating hemp products harm consumers and put our kids’ health and safety at risk. They should be subject to reasonable health and safety regulations, just like similar cannabis products.
“The administration is actively exploring further action to close loopholes, increase enforcement, and prevent children from accessing unsafe hemp and cannabis products,” Gardon said.
The proposed law also targets smokable hemp flowers, which are often sprayed or mixed with additives that boost the THC levels.
The Senate Appropriations Committee took public comment on the measure, Assembly Bill 2223 (AB 2223), last week, but a vote has not been scheduled before the end of the current legislative session on Aug. 31. California’s next legislative session begins in January 2025.
CBD restrictionsIntroduced by Democrat Assembly member Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, the California bill passed the State Assembly last month with bipartisan support.
Newsom, who has urged a crackdown, added a 44-page amendment that also calls for strict regulation of CBD. Under one provision, so called “pure CBD” products – mainly CBD-containing hemp oil – could be sold outside of the state’s regulated marijuana system. But those products may not contain any detectible amount of THC or any other intoxicating cannabinoids, a more restrictive policy than the federal limit of 0.3 percent THC. Sales of hemp products with detectable THC or other intoxicating cannabinoids would be restricted to state-licensed cannabis dispensaries.
Critics have warned that provision could put high-concentration CBD products out of the reach of patients who have found the compound effective in the treatment of various forms of seizures. More importantly, CBD sales in California, estimated at somewhere between one-half and one billion dollars, could be devastating for hemp stakeholders in the state’.
Oxy-moronsVariously referred to as “gas station pot,” “diet weed,” “marijuana light” and other slang terms, “high”-producing compounds made from industrial hemp were not understood or envisioned by the U.S. Congress when it passed the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized industrial hemp by removing it from the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. That lack of vision left a loophole that unscrupulous operators have taken advantage of, and along the way re-associated non-drug cannabis (hemp) with psychoactive cannabis (marijuana).
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has explicitly warned that the intoxicating hemp substances have not been evaluated or approved for safe use and are illegal. While the FDA hasn’t addressed all psychoactive substances derived from CBD extensively, the agency’s overall position on the regulation of cannabis and cannabis-derived products suggests these substances require FDA approval before being marketed as safe and effective.
In the absence of federal restrictions, states across the USA are working to reign in the illicit hemp products, with some banning them altogether and others imposing strict rules. Officials in some states have come out strongly against the intoxicating hemp products because they are being marketed in packaging that mimics leading brands of treats that are popular among children.
Bans stand in 2 statesAmong recent developments in other states:
WYOMING: A federal judge last week rejected a lawsuit brought by nearly a dozen hemp product retailers challenging a ban on intoxicating hemp substances that took effect in July. The judge ruled that the retailers had not stated a claim for which relief could be granted, and gave the state defendants immunity. The lawsuit was filed at the end of June in U.S. District Court against Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon, Attorney General Bridget Hill, Director of Agriculture Doug Miyamoto and all of Wyoming’s elected prosecutors. The hemp operators had sued the state over Wyoming Senate File 0032 (SF0032). The latest legal development is a final word on the lawsuit, after a previous federal court decision also rejected the hemp operators’ challenge to the new law. SF0032 prohibits the addition of synthetic substances or other additives to hemp and hemp products, and classifies hemp-derived intoxicating compounds as Schedule I controlled substances.
MISSOURI: A ban on the sale of drinks, candy and other foods that contain hemp-derived intoxicating substances takes effect Sept. 1, 2024, under an executive order issued earlier this month by Gov. Mike Parson. The governor said the state’s goal is to safeguard the health and safety of Missourians, especially children. Parson cited health concerns and lack of research on delta-8 THC and similar psychoactive substances, most of which are synthetic forms of cannabinoids. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said there have been reports of adults and children being hospitalized after consuming products containing the substances, and criticized branding and packaging that appeals to youth. Parson said consumption of psychoactive hemp products is not covered by the ban and confirmed that adult-use recreational marijuana remains legal in Missouri through authorized dispensaries.
Anti-drug, education, police and health groups have asked Congress to ban intoxicating hemp substances, as the battle against the illicit compounds is reaching a fever pitch. The organizations, 51 in […]
A law that would ban hemp flowers in Italy could wipe out more than CBD and smokable hemp, according to a lawyer who represents cannabis interests. Attorney Giacomo Bulleri issued […]
An Iowa ban on synthetically produced intoxicating hemp compounds has been upheld in court after a federal judge said the plaintiffs failed to prove a new state law violates the […]
The State of Virginia stands to collect nearly $11 million in fines from more than 300 businesses that violated rules meant to crack down on intoxicating hemp products. The Virginia […]
Ohio is the most recent state to move against intoxicating substances made from industrial hemp, with proposed laws having been introduced in both houses of the legislature. Developments in three […]
UK CBD maker B3 Labs, which had more than 500 products awaiting safety approval by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), has succumbed to overall struggles in the sector, the company […]
A draft law in Germany should eliminate lingering problems with law enforcement agencies by clearly stating that industrial hemp has no intoxicating effect and therefore poses no danger. In a […]
Struggling U.S. marijuana giant Curaleaf Holdings Inc. has signaled it believes in the axiom “if you can’t beat them, join them,” recently announcing a new line of hemp-derived THC products. […]
Six marketers of products containing delta-8 THC have received warnings from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over snacks the agencies say appeal to […]
A ban on intoxicating hemp may not wait for the next U.S. Farm Bill, as a measure that could remove the often unsafe products from the market has passed out […]
The Italian government has placed CBD on the country’s list of narcotic drugs, in defiance of a regional administrative court ruling, and in contravention of European Union law. The Ministry […]
Regulators in the U.S. Virgin Islands have warned licensed hemp retailers to stop selling food and drinks containing CBD, raw flowers and pre-rolls under threat of punishment – leading to […]
A government-held company said it will make Argentina’s first export shipments of hemp to three countries, where it sold a total 730 kilos of high-CBD, low-THC flowers. Cannava S.E., owned […]
More signals surfaced last week indicating Thailand is likely to reverse course on cannabis by shutting down a combined legal CBD and marijuana market projected to reach billions in value. […]
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has sued the owner of Facebook, saying the social media giant hosted bogus online ads which falsely depict him promoting CBD. The lawsuit, against Meta […]
French health officials have issued an urgent warning to consumers to avoid products containing synthetic hemp-derived intoxicants, and declared an exhaustive list of substances as narcotics. The National Agency for […]
Intoxicating hemp products are being removed from the market in South Dakota, Louisiana, Iowa and Nebraska as a result of recent legislative and legal developments. In South Dakota, a federal […]
The fortunes of leading U.S. CBD company Charlotte’s Web continued a downward trend in the first quarter of 2024 as the company recorded $9.7 million in losses on reduced revenues […]
Women who use CBD for pregnancy-related mental and physical discomfort could be putting their offspring at risk, according to a new study by researchers in the U.S. and Canada that […]
Japan appears poised to issue highly restrictive THC limits for CBD products that would essentially wipe out a market for over-the-counter products estimated at more than $170 million (¥27 billion), […]
A UK physician who aggressively recommended a treatment plan that included CBD for a terminal cancer patient has lost his medical license. A disciplinary panel at the Medical Practitioners Tribunal […]
Not all hemp cannabinoids would be banned under a controversial amendment proposed for the next U.S. Farm Bill, according to analysis from a key legislative agency. The Congressional Research Service […]
A Mexican company has been notified it was approved for a hemp license, only the second such permit granted by the country’s health agency. The Federal Commission for the Protection […]
Restrictions on per-serving THC limits in CBD products proposed in California could bring a setback for consumers who take high doses of over-the-counter CBD for medical conditions, some caretakers have […]
A U.S. Congressional spending bill released this week includes language that would likely shut down widespread distribution of unregulated intoxicating hemp products – perhaps before the end of the year. […]
Struggling UK CBD company Chill Brands Group PLC has suspended trading of its shares amid a clash among board members and executives. In a June 10 announcement, the company said […]
Intoxicating hemp substances will remain on the market in Florida after Gov. Ron DeSantis nixed a proposed law that would have banned products containing them. DeSantis on Friday vetoed Senate […]
A plan to re-criminalize cannabis in Thailand could cost CBD stakeholders millions of dollars in lost investments, a key trade group has warned. The Thai Hemp and Cannabis Industry Association […]
Southern states are coming down on both sides of the intoxicating hemp debate, with Texas being urged to enact strict rules for the synthetic compounds while Louisiana lawmakers have sidelined […]
Massachusetts cannabis regulators say intoxicating hemp products constitute a “public menace” to the health of the state’s citizens, and are harming regulated marijuana dispensaries that operate under strict rules. The […]
A proposed law in New Jersey would essentially wipe out delta-8 THC and other intoxicating hemp substances and restrict the sale of CBD to the state’s licensed pot dispensaries. Under […]
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has clarified the definition of THC in the context of industrial hemp, potentially placing greater restrictions on intoxicating products derived from hemp compounds, according […]
The Italian government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has taken aim at industrial hemp in legislation that would wipe out CBD and all other products derived from the plant’s flowers. […]
Two states moved this week to crack down on hemp-derived intoxicating hemp products, with Gov. Brian Kemp signing a Georgia law into effect and Connecticut’s House of Representatives sending a […]
An isle of Jersey CBD operator has won a landmark legal case against the UK Home Office, which had banned the import of its products due to trace amounts of […]
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case with potentially significant financial repercussions for the CBD industry. The case centers around a truck driver who claims he was […]
Two more states have joined the chorus of nearly 30 others seeking to restrict delta-8 THC and other unregulated, synthetic forms of intoxicating hemp from the market. California agencies Friday […]
Intoxicating hemp products would be banned or under regulations sufficiently strict to wipe out the market in Louisiana under competing measures passed by the State Senate and House of Representatives […]
An online retailer of intoxicating hemp products was justified in canceling a distribution contract with its suppliers over moldy products and other problems with shipments, a North Carolina judge has […]
Japan’s CBD market reached $154 million (¥24 billion) last year, and further growth is anticipated following the enactment of changes in the nation’s main cannabis law, according to a new […]
Nearly 8,000 people reported adverse effects after consuming products containing delta-8 THC or other intoxicating hemp compounds between 2021-2023, according to America’s network of poison control centers. More than half […]
Income from hemp flowers bounced back slightly last year while fiber growers saw the value of their outputs fall sharply even though total fiber fields expanded, according to the third […]
Two more states have joined the growing ranks of those trying to get their arms around a runaway market for intoxicating hemp products. Legislation in Mississippi and Illinois would put […]
The commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) repeated the contention that the agency does not consider hemp-derived CBD safe enough to be sold lawfully as a dietary […]
A marijuana trade group is urging the U.S. Congress to regulate intoxicating hemp compounds separately from non-psychoactive seed- and fiber-derived byproducts, calling for a more restrictive definition of industrial hemp […]
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said it has settled with the former CEO of a leading CBD company who was charged with fraud. Martin Sumichrast, who stepped down […]
Medical CBD maker GW Pharmaceuticals said it will pay $7.5 million to settle a class action lawsuit that challenged the company’s 2021 takeover by Ireland-based Jazz Pharmaceuticals. The lawsuit, brought […]
CBD products in the UK carry less of the hemp-derived compound than advertised, according to research that looked at four product categories. The study, by researchers from Loughborough University and … UK study shows advertising overstates CBD levels in 4 product categories Read More »
Shady producers of delta-8 THC, the popular synthetic form of marijuana made from hemp-derived CBD, are crying the blues as states ramp up their attempts to protect children from the … To protect consumers, make CBD medicine only, restrict delta-8 THC to pot shops Read More »
Argentina has set the THC limit for industrial hemp at 1.0% and established a “one-stop shop” for administration of the hemp and medical marijuana sectors under rules published this month. … With latest decree, Argentina has chance to be leader in Latin-American hemp Read More »
Albania has opened a wider berth for industrial hemp, setting the THC limit at 0.8% for crops in the field but placing CBD under highly restrictive rules that allow only … Albania sets THC limit for hemp at 0.8%, but CBD is ruled medical cannabis Read More »
“Hemp in the Modern World: The Years Long Wait for FDA Action,” this week’s congressional hearing in the U.S. Congress, will do little to change the arc of things for … Posturing at Congressional CBD hearing adds nothing new to sector’s outlook Read More »
Maryland hemp stakeholders have filed a lawsuit against state officials over market access for their CBD products, which are now highly restricted under a law that took effect this month. … Hemp producers challenge Maryland law that threatens to wipe out state CBD market Read More »
Four legislators representing both political parties have reintroduced a bare-bones bill designed to get the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) moving on regulations for CBD. The Hemp Access and Consumer … Bi-partisan bill aimed to spur CBD regulations is re-introduced in Congress Read More »
A U.S. congressional committee is scheduled to talk hemp this week as lawmakers presumably will increase pressure on the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to establish guardrails to safely guide … Committee will probe ‘yearslong wait’ for CBD rules in hemp hearing this week Read More »
Awareness of hemp is strong in some categories, but takeup of hemp products lags significantly, a study of Vermont consumers reveals. CBD remains the most recognized downstream output made from … Consumers well aware of some hemp products, but do they buy? Read More »
The Czech government will regulate but not ban synthetically produced “high”-producing compounds made from hemp-derived CBD, according to the Ministry of Health. The move reverses food safety officials’ earlier announced … Czech Republic will regulate but not ban synthetics made from CBD Read More »
Colorado researchers have found that CBD passes through the placenta of pregnant women and accumulates in the fetal brain, risking harm to preborns. The finding, by a team at the … Expectant mothers pass CBD through placenta, posing risk to fetal brains Read More »
Producers of non-ingestible CBD products saw advertising rules loosened on Facebook in the U.S. after parent company Meta overhauled policies for its social media platforms. The changes also apply to … Facebook updates policy for ‘non-ingestible’ CBD, loosens rules for hemp fiber, seed Read More »
Six companies in five states have received warning letters from government agencies for selling illegal products containing delta-8 THC made from industrial hemp. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) … FDA, FTC issue new round of warnings over hemp-derived synthetic THC Read More »
Most shareholders in U.S. CBD maker Charlotte’s Web withheld their votes for four directors during the company’s recent annual meeting, as a conflict between the founders and the current board … Board says founders’ plan would create conflicts of interest at Charlotte’s Web Read More »
A British Isles CBD producer said authorities have blocked it from exporting its products to the UK because they contain THC, illustrating lingering regulatory inconsistencies for the popular compound in … Jersey CBD maker halts operations after its products are blocked from UK Read More »
A new law on CBD in Washington has the potential to radically realign the CBD market as it now exists in the state by essentially handing the sector over to … New law could radically alter Washington CBD market, giving control to marijuana interests Read More »
France will seek restrictions on CBD as an ingredient in cosmetics products in a proposal now before EU authorities. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced that France intends to propose … France proposes restrictive classification for CBD in EU cosmetics products Read More »
A scam CBD operator has received a three-year prison term and must repay his victims more than $2 million, under federal sentencing handed down last week. Rahsaan Jackson Garth, 49, … Scam CBD operator must pay $2 million to farmers, serve prison term Read More »
Founders of leading U.S. CBD maker Charlotte’s Web have called for changes at the top by seeking resignations from four of six current directors, including board President John Held and … With Charlotte’s Web ‘at risk,’ founders call for shakeup at the top Read More »
Louisiana lawmakers have failed in their attempts to reign in products that contain delta-8 THC, the unregulated, high-producing synthetic compound present in gummies, tinctures and other consumables that are widely … Delta-8 products will remain on shelves in Louisiana as lawmakers fail to act Read More »
Minnesota’s new cannabis law has legalized both high-producing delta-8 and delta-9 THC derived from industrial hemp, and will allow such products to be widely available to consumers. The relatively low-dose … Minnesota OKs hemp-derived delta-8 and delta-9 THC, bans other synthetics Read More »
A bi-partisan hemp bill that would separate grain and fiber outputs from flower-derived products such as CBD and other cannabinoids has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. The … U.S. House bill would separate hemp cannabinoids from grain and fiber Read More »
A U.S. hemp stakeholder group has again criticized the government’s Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for drawing conclusions based on outdated research it says exaggerates the potential dangers of CBD. … Hemp group says FDA’s position on CBD is based on outdated research Read More »
Resolving safety issues and setting a legal path for CBD looks like it won’t come anytime soon, according to comments during a webinar held by the U.S. Food & Drug … ‘New path’ to market for legal CBD in U.S. looks like it will be a long one Read More »
An agent of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) who was fired in 2019 over a drug test has filed suit against the agency. Anthony Armour, who worked in DEA … Opioid-fighting agent fired over CBD use hits DEA with lawsuit Read More »
The Czech government has halted a planned ban and will further study regulations for CBD and other hemp-derived cannabinoids, reversing a policy announced late last month. “We have agreed that … Czech government halts planned ban and will reconsider CBD rules Read More »
With the hemp industry in a deep trough, the U.S. Farm Bill now before Congress is an opportunity for a desperately needed reset. But if a recent Farm Bill position … Industry Leaders’ hemp vision for the 2023 Farm Bill falls far short Read More »
Colorado lawmakers say they have worked out a compromise in proposed legislation stakeholders had feared would place overly strict limits on CBD. The measure, Senate Bill 271 (SB 271), is … Colorado lawmakers say compromise reached on THC levels for CBD Read More »
Reading the tea leaves on both sides of the Atlantic these days, one has to wonder: Is CBD about to be relegated to drug-only status? The question is not as … Are regulators about to take the easy way out and declare CBD a drug? Read More »
Minnesota hemp stakeholders say the inclusion of hemp in state cannabis legislation would create burdensome rules that could stifle the industry. The Minnesota Industrial Hemp Association (MIHA) said licensing categories … Legislative bundling of hemp and marijuana would make Minnesota an outlier Read More »
Food safety officials in the Czech Republic say they will ban the marketing of products that contain CBD and other cannabinoids from hemp, citing EU regulations and a lack of … Czech Republic will ban CBD and other hemp-derived cannabinoids Read More »
Desperate CBD makers have put a target on their back in Europe as drug authorities this month sent up warning flags over HHC, an unregulated psychoactive compound being sold as … Spread of products that mimic marijuana is a black eye for European CBD Read More »
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA) failure to regulate CBD leaves the door open for nefarious business operators, and threatens consumers’ health, the chairman of a key congressional committee … FDA’s failure to regulate CBD is health threat, says U.S. House committee chair Read More »
Virginia hemp stakeholders have failed in their attempts to sideline a bill that bans delta-8 THC, and sets strict limits on total THC levels in hemp food products. Both houses … Virginia poised to ban delta-8 THC, put tight restrictions on CBD Read More »
A Chicago-based drinks maker has signed a sponsorship agreement with the Chicago Cubs in a first-ever deal involving a producer of CBD-containing products and an individual American baseball team. Under … CBD drinks maker inks sponsorship deal with baseball’s Chicago Cubs Read More »
Finnish authorities have banned the sale of hexahydrocannabinol (HHC), a hemp-derived cannabinoid that has popped up in concentrated form as an alternative to marijuana in some European countries over the … Finnish authorities ban ‘high’-producing, hemp-derived HHC Read More »
A ban on delta-8 THC appears likely in Arkansas while restrictions on the psychoactive hemp-derived substance have been averted for now in Georgia. The Arkansas Senate voted last week to … D-8 ban appears likely in Arkansas, while Georgia dodges a bullet Read More »
An Alabama CBD maker said it will go to court to try to quash an order by state health officials that called on the company to stop promoting and selling … Alabama producer says it will fight back against state order on CBD Read More »
Cigarette giant British American Tobacco (BAT) said it will invest $10 million for a 20% stake in a new joint venture between two Colorado hemp companies. London-based BAT said it … BAT invests $10 million in U.S. venture to develop hemp drug Read More »
The failure of a minor bill that would have helped CBD producers in South Dakota won’t have much of an effect on the overall hemp industry in the state, where … Veto of THC bill won’t have much effect on hemp in South Dakota Read More »
A Brazilian court has agreed to rule on a case that would greenlight businesses and farmers to grow cannabis, but even with a positive outcome in the case, Brazil could still be years … Brazilian court agrees to rule on growing hemp, but lawmaking lags Read More »
The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has now advanced a total 2,847 CBD products to the second stage of its three-stage approval process for new (or “novel”) foods. In the … Nearly 3,000 products advance in UK’s $800 million CBD sweepstakes Read More »
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has agreed to amend a hemp bill awaiting his signature, but hemp stakeholders say the changes don’t go far enough. Youngkin ordered changes to a provision … Virginia hemp stakeholders say THC rules in amended bill don’t go far enough Read More »
As Zimbabwe continues to shape rules and laws for the hemp industry, the country needs to simultaneously build out infrastructure and expand research while spreading risk by moving beyond CBD … Zimbabwe’s hemp fortunes hinge on diversification into fiber, foods Read More »
French authorities have approved temporary guidelines which allow CBD products to be declared as food supplements and remain on the market pending authorization under the EU’s food safety program. The … France sets temporary rules to keep $300 million market for CBD open Read More »
U.S. lawmakers re-introduced two bills that would establish a legal framework for hemp-derived cannabinoids, hoping to revive a rulemaking process that has been slow to unfold. The measures would mandate … U.S. lawmakers re-introduce bills that would set framework for CBD Read More »
A batch of applications for CBD products submitted by a UK trade group has been advanced by food safety authorities. The Association for the Cannabinoid Industry (ACI), which formed a … CBD applications from 7 companies advanced by UK food safety authorities Read More »
Indiana farmers appear to have all but given up on industrial hemp, and stakeholders say the state government is to blame. Now down to just 40 licensees after hitting a … Failure to set legal framework in Indiana means ‘hemp program is dying’ Read More »
It started with a meeting at the police station followed by a smelly bus trip, as the late Dr. Raphael Mechoulam recalled years later. The future “father of cannabis research” … Mechoulam’s studies in cannabis started with police, and a smelly bus trip Read More »
More state governments are joining the growing chorus that would ban synthetic, hemp-derived delta-8 THC, with Arkansas, West Virginia and Texas the most recent to take such measures under consideration. … Clouds darken over CBD as more states consider banning delta-8 Read More »
A drastic imbalance between revenues and expenses shows publicly traded companies are overstretched in the European CBD market and continue to rack up massive losses, a UK cannabis analyst says … Publicly traded CBD companies continue to shed millions in Europe Read More »
UK hemp stakeholders fear CBD could be relegated to medical-only status after the release of a controversial report from a government regulator claimed 10 people have died after ingesting the … UK stakeholders scoff at report of CBD deaths, criticize Jazz Read More »
Nebraska hemp stakeholders are hoping for passage of a bill that would align the state’s hemp program with federal rules, suggesting the changes could revive the fortunes of the crop … Proposed bill would hit reset button for hemp in beleaguered Nebraska Read More »
Federal CBD policy should advance research that can inform consumers about risk while at the same time giving stakeholders regulatory certainty, a senior advisor at the U.S. Food and Drug … ‘Large, innovative’ CBD sector needs balanced rules, says FDA advisor Read More »
Lawmakers in Kentucky and Virginia have floated laws that would ban delta-8 THC products, citing safety concerns over the popular synthetic compound, which is made from hemp-derived CBD. Stakeholders in … Lawmakers in two more states turn up the heat on delta-8 THC Read More »
Hemp-derived synthetic forms of THC, the psychoactive element in cannabis, do not meet the federal definition of hemp and are therefore controlled substances, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has … DEA asserts hemp-derived THC products are controlled substances Read More »
A regional court in Italy has upheld a lawsuit filed by four cannabis associations, overturning a decree issued one year ago that classified hemp as a narcotic in contravention of … Italian trade groups cheer court ruling that hemp is not a narcotic Read More »
Amended legislation in Zimbabwe has removed industrial hemp from the country’s list of dangerous drugs and set the defining line between marijuana and hemp at 1.0%. The legislation, the Criminal … Zimbabwe strikes hemp from drugs list, sets THC limit at 1.0% Read More »
While North Carolina hemp farmers all but abandoned the flower market, flower-derived CBD products continue to flood the state, underscoring consumer safety threats amid a yawning regulatory gap. Growing and … NC grapples with CBD, as downsized hemp industry re-sets to fiber Read More »
Hong Kong has banned CBD, adopting harsh criminal punishment aligned with China’s zero-tolerance policy which led to a ban on the mainland last year. The new policy, approved last October … Following China, Hong Kong criminalizes CBD under harsh penalties Read More »
More than 400 CBD products have now been stricken from a public list by UK food safety officials, and may not be sold to consumers. The UK’s Food Standards Agency … More than 400 CBD products are now barred from sale in UK Read More »
Saying federal safety standards are insufficient to manage the CBD industry, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has called on Congress to set rules for the products through legislation. … FDA says it can’t manage regulation of CBD, calls on Congress to act Read More »
The maker of CBD prescription drug Epidiolex has filed a lawsuit in the USA alleging patent infringement. GW Research Ltd, a subsidiary of Ireland-based Jazz Pharmaceuticals, claims that more than … Epidiolex maker files suit in U.S. to protect its patents Read More »
A New Jersey state senator has introduced a bill to regulate delta-8 THC, calling the synthetic compound “the bathtub gin of the cannabis space” as he warned many such products might … Delta-8 is ‘bathtub gin of the cannabis space,’ New Jersey lawmaker warns Read More »
The Oversight Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives says it will investigate the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over its regulatory jurisdiction of hemp-derived CBD. The committee is … U.S. house committee to investigate FDA over CBD rulemaking Read More »
France’s Council of State has formally lifted a ban on the sale of hemp flowers used to produce CBD and other cannabinoids, finalizing the overrule of a 2021 government decision. The … France lifts ban on flowers as framework for CBD advances Read More »
Google will allow the advertising of hemp and topical CBD products in California, Colorado and Puerto Rico under an update to its policies on “Dangerous Products and Services and Healthcare … Google opens door, just barely, for advertising of CBD products Read More »
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A county judge in Oregon has dismissed the bulk of claims in a securities fraud case involving two U.S. cannabis companies, citing jurisdictional grounds. The...
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A national animal food group is urging Idaho officials to delay enforcement of a ban on sales of animal foods that contain hemp or hemp...
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German hemp stakeholders say action is needed by lawmakers to shield producers from prosecution after the country’s high court confirmed convictions in two cases involving...
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More than 500 products analyzed by a team of U.S. researchers revealed contaminants are widely present in CBD, according to a soon-to-be-published paper on edibles...
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Hong Kong will criminalize CBD early next year, categorizing the compound as a dangerous drug. Under changes to Hong Kong’s drug control laws expected to...
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The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has targeted two privately held California pharmaceutical companies, seeking $6.6 million over an alleged inside deal involving the...
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Two new CBD hemp cultivars developed in the United States have been accepted for inclusion in the EU Common Catalogue of Plant Varieties and are...
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Creditors owed a total of €9.6 million by Austria-based CBD company Deep Nature Project GmbH will receive 20% of the money under a recently announced...
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U.S. CBD company Charlotte’s Web Holdings (CW) will pay Major League Baseball $30.5 million plus a 10% royalty on sales, and grant the professional sports...
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Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has recommended allowing imports of cannabis for medical use, opening a crack for medical grade CBD. Under the...
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Two Colorado companies have been awarded $1.14 million after bringing suit over a CBD biomass deal that went bad. A U.S. federal court for the...
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CBD stakeholders say they hope the appointment of a cannabis policy expert at the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) signals the agency may finally...
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German hemp company Signature Products GmbH will begin supplying the European market with Chinese-made CCELL vape devices, the company has announced. CEO Florian Pichlmaier said...
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The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has rejected a Freedom of Information request submitted by HempToday (HT) regarding companies that currently have products in the...
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Poland-based Herbs & Hydro has expanded its line of health & beauty products, adding to its range of shampoos, conditioners and soaps based on hemp...
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A key cannabis bill now before the U.S. Senate would establish the legality of all forms of THC naturally present in hemp, adding varieties so...
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The Thai Industrial Hemp Trade Association (TIHTA) said it has signed a cooperation agreement with 12 manufacturing industries to advance innovations and technology for the...
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A ban on the sale of CBD and other hemp-derived products intended for pets and farm animals will go into effect Nov. 1 in Idaho...
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Hemp farming and production licenses will be inexpensive and widely available in Costa Rica, according to regulations that have been approved by the government. Cultivation...
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Canada’s RAMM Pharma Corp. said it has purchased European CBD maker HemPoland from The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (TGOD) for roughly $920,000 (C$1.2 million)...
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Some CBD products could be forced off the shelves in the UK after recent lab reports showed them to be “illegal,” the country’s Food Safety...
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A Pakistani Senate committee has criticized efforts to expand the number of ministries involved in setting policy for industrial hemp after the cabinet of Prime...
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Recent announcements from two publicly traded companies signal how CBD makers, desperate amid the worldwide crash in the sector, are scrambling to stay in business...
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Minnesota lawmakers are expected to eventually address rules that inadvertently made the state a hotbed for hemp-derived delta-8 THC edibles as a result of a...
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