Forbes • 10th September 2024

California Governor Introduces Regulations To Ban THC In Hemp Products

California’s Governor Gavin Newsom has proposed legislation to ban hemp products containing any traces of THC, with stakeholders arguing that the regulations would jeopardize the state’s hemp industry. Last week, Governor Newsom introduced new emergency regulations stating that “industrial hemp food products intended for human consumption” must have “no detectable amount of total THC” and “no more than five servings per package.” The rules would also prevent individuals under 21 from purchasing...

Forbes • 4th September 2024

Volkswagen Bets On Hemp To Replace Faux Leather In Car Interiors

Volkswagen has partnered with a hemp company to develop a sustainable material made from hemp fibers as a replacement for faux leather. Germany’s auto giant announced last week a partnership with the German start-up Revoltech GmbH to research and develop sustainable materials made from industrial hemp. Volkswagen mentioned that a material derived from hemp fibers could serve as a sustainable surface option in their models starting in 2028. This 100% bio-based hemp material uses by-products from...

Forbes • 30th August 2024

California Advances Bill To Establish Amsterdam-Style Cannabis Cafes

Californians may soon enjoy cannabis just like in Amsterdam, as the state moves closer to introducing cannabis cafes. The California Senate has advanced two key bills to expand the state’s cannabis market. The Senate passed a bill this week allowing on-site cannabis consumption at licensed businesses, which could also offer non-cannabis food and non-alcoholic drinks and host live events like concerts, similar to Amsterdam’s cannabis cafes. This proposed legislation allows licensed cannabis retai...

Forbes • 29th August 2024

U.S. Court Rules Marijuana Users Cannot Be Banned From Owning Guns

A U.S. appeals court has ruled that a Texas gun owner using marijuana cannot be prosecuted under federal law, finding it unconstitutional to disarm her based on past drug use. The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Wednesday that the prosecution violated Paola Connelly’s Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, referencing a significant 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision that broadened gun rights. The ruling, first reported by Reuters, challenges the constitutionalit...

Forbes • 23rd August 2024

THC Could Protect Brain From Aging, Study Finds

A promising new study suggests that long-term, low-dose THC intake may protect the brain from aging, improve cognitive function in older age, and promote overall longevity. A group of researchers from the University of Bonn in Germany recently published a study in the journal ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science that investigates the impact of long-term THC treatment, the main psychoactive compound of cannabis, on brain aging. The study centers on a key cellular pathway known as mTOR, a prot...

Forbes • 20th August 2024

King Of Morocco Pardons Over 4,800 Cannabis Farmers

Morocco's progress in cannabis policy has led the King to pardon thousands of cannabis farmers in the North African country. Moroccan King Mohammed VI on Monday pardoned over 4,800 people convicted, prosecuted, or wanted in cases related to cannabis cultivation. This decision coincides with this year's anniversary of the King and People's Revolution. King Mohammed VI has issued an order to pardon a group of individuals, including both detainees and those at large, who were sentenced by various c...

Forbes • 16th August 2024

Ohio Marijuana Sales Top $11.5 Million In First Week Of Rollout

Ohio dispensaries have sold over $11.5 million worth of recreational marijuana in just less than one week since sales began. Recreational marijuana sales between August 6 and August 10 amounted to $11,530,708, with an additional $8.3 million coming from medical marijuana sales, according to a recent report from the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control. The marijuana agency also reports that 173,043 units of manufactured marijuana products and 1,285 pounds of plant material have been sold. The avera...

Forbes • 13th August 2024

Cannabis May Help People Reduce Opioid Use, Study Says

A new study suggests that cannabis could assist some people in reducing or quitting opioid use. The study, conducted by University of Southern California researchers and published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports this week, was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Through qualitative data and an emphasis on the real-life experiences of drug users, the researchers found that cannabis may help people navigate some of the most challenging phases of reducing or quitting opioi...

CannIntelligence • 6th August 2024

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

The proposed and withdrawn amendment to ban CBD products in Italy has reappeared as part of a bill aimed at enhancing public safety and combating crime. The government amendment 13.06 to hemp law 242/2016 would require hemp cultivation in the country to clearly be intended for industrial purposes only. The proposed and withdrawn amendment to ban CBD products in Italy has reappeared as part of a bill aimed at enhancing public safety and combating crime. The government amendment 13.06 to hemp la...

Forbes • 6th August 2024

Ohio’s First Marijuana Sales Begin At Nearly 100 Dispensaries

Adults over 21 in Ohio can start buying marijuana without a medical card today at nearly 100 dispensaries across the state. The Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Cannabis Control (DCC) has issued the first dual-use Certificates of Operation (COO) to 98 dispensaries across the state. This comes more than a month before the September 7 deadline specified in the statute approved by Ohio voters in November 2023. However, it is still unclear how many businesses receiving the certificates will b...

The New Arab • 31st July 2024

Biden's legacy of failure in the Middle East

In a letter published on X on 21 July, US President Joe Biden ended his re-election campaign and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to contend for the White House with former president Donald Trump in November's election. Biden's announcement shook up the presidential race and came after increasing pressure from within the Democratic Party, and among members, that he should step down after a poor performance in the 27 June debate against Trump in which his mental capability to serve was call...

Forbes • 25th July 2024

Thailand To Reverse Cannabis Re-Criminalization Plan

Thailand is making a U-turn by planning to regulate cannabis without re-criminalizing it for recreational use, despite previous promises to restrict its use to medical purposes by the new government following the elections. This move, announced by Anutin Charnvirakul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, as well as former Minister of Public Health from 2019 to 2023, who pushed for the decriminalization of cannabis, would save Thailand’s thriving recreational cannabis industry, which w...

Forbes • 22nd July 2024

Where Does Kamala Harris Stand On Marijuana?

With U.S. President Joe Biden stepping aside for the presidential race and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, her potential candidacy for the 2024 election against Donald Trump brings attention to her stance on multiple issues, including marijuana. Following Joe Biden’s announcement on Sunday that he will not seek re-election, Democrats are rapidly strategizing to maintain control of the presidency. In the hours after his announcement, several Democrats endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris...

Forbes • 19th July 2024

Senator Introduces ‘DOOBIE Act’ To Remove Marijuana Use Barriers For Federal Jobs

A Senator has proposed legislation that would restrict federal agencies from considering past marijuana use when making employment and security clearance decisions. Democratic Sen. Gary Peters from Michigan introduced on July 11 the Dismantling Outdated Obstacles and Barriers to Individual Employment Act, also known as the DOOBIE Act. This legislation aims to prevent past marijuana use from negatively affecting an individual’s eligibility for federal employment. Under current legislation, mariju...

Forbes • 17th July 2024

FTC And FDA Issue Warning Letters Over Delta-8 THC In Child-Friendly Packaging

Federal Trade Commission and Food Drug Administration have issued cease-and-desist letters to six companies for selling delta-8 THC products in packaging that closely mimics popular national brands appealing to both children and adults. For the second time, the FDA and FTC have warned companies as part of their ongoing joint effort against the sale of illegal copycat food products containing delta-8 THC, a cannabis compound not found in significant amounts in the hemp plant and typically manufac...

Forbes • 11th July 2024

Illinois Marijuana Sales Hit $1 Billion So Far This Year

Illinois has reached a significant milestone in marijuana sales, hitting the $1 billion mark so far this year. This achievement was made almost two weeks earlier in 2024 than it was in 2023. Governor JB Pritzker announced on Wednesday that Illinois hit $1 billion in marijuana retail sales on July 1, 2024. This figure includes over $850 million in adult-use marijuana sales and nearly $150 million in medical marijuana sales. This milestone was reached nearly two weeks earlier than in 2023, when th...

Forbes • 5th July 2024

Will Labour Change Cannabis Policy In The UK?

The Labour Party has secured a majority in the UK’s 2024 general election. With Keir Starmer as the leader, Labour will form the government after 14 years of Conservative rule. However, like the Conservative governments that preceded him, Starmer is not expected to change the UK’s drug policy or decriminalize cannabis. Starmer has repeatedly stated he won’t change the UK’s drug policy, mentioning he has “no intention” of altering drug laws if his party wins the next election. Just one week befor...

Forbes • 28th June 2024

Kentucky To Open Applications For Medical Marijuana Businesses

Medical marijuana in Kentucky is taking a significant step forward, with Gov. Andy Beshear announcing the opening of applications for the state’s medical marijuana businesses. Beshear announced Thursday that the Kentucky Medical Cannabis Program will begin accepting license applications for medical marijuana businesses starting Monday, July 1, six months ahead of the original schedule. Businesses interested in growing, processing, or selling medical marijuana in Kentucky can begin applying for

Forbes • 26th June 2024

Brazil’s Top Court Decriminalizes Cannabis For Personal Use

Brazil’s Supreme Court has voted to decriminalize possession of cannabis for personal use. While this ruling does not legalize cannabis for personal use, it may aim to reduce the penalties for possession. The decision was delivered on Tuesday, with eight of the eleven top court judges voting in favor of keeping possession of small amounts of cannabis as an “illicit act” that does not warrant criminal prosecution. The judges are set to discuss today the amount of cannabis that distinguishes a

Forbes • 25th June 2024

Bipartisan Pennsylvania Lawmakers Push Again To Legalize Marijuana

Pennsylvania lawmakers are making another attempt to pass a bill that would legalize adult-use marijuana, following the stalling of a similar Senate bill introduced nearly a year ago. The state legalized medical marijuana in 2016, but it has not yet approved adult-use legalization. Bipartisan efforts are pushing for this change, emphasizing economic benefits and alignment with neighboring states. However, despite substantial legislative support and ongoing debates, unresolved concerns involve