Dario Sabaghi

Freelance journalist interested in international news and cannabis.

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Forbes •

EU’s Food Watchdog Sets Hemp-Derived CBD Safety Limits

The European Union’s food agency has established safe consumption levels for CBD, signaling a major, though cautious, regulatory shift for the CBD industry in Europe.The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) announced this week that it has set a provisional limit for the consumption of hemp-derived CBD, the main non-intoxicating compound in cannabis.The provisional safe intake level for CBD has been set at 0.0275 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day, which is about 2 mg/day for a 70 kg...
Forbes •

How Much Cannabis Is Too Much? U.K. Researchers Propose Safer Use Limits

A group of researchers has proposed clear, practical guidelines for safer cannabis use, similar to how alcohol consumption is measured in standard units, which aim to reduce the risk of cannabis-related harm as legalization spreads.Researchers at the University of Bath in the U.K. published the study in the journal Addiction, outlining weekly cannabis-use thresholds beyond which the risk of developing cannabis use disorder (CUD) rises sharply.Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug globall...
Forbes •

Republican Support For Cannabis Legalization Falls During Trump, Survey Finds

Republicans are showing less support for cannabis legalization under the Trump administration, amid the White House’s efforts to fight illegal drugs. A survey published this week by the analytics and advisory company Gallup shows that support for cannabis legalization among Republican voters dropped by 13 points over the past 12 months. In 2024, 53% of Republicans supported legalization, but that figure has fallen to 40% this year, returning to levels similar to 2016, when, under President Donal...
Forbes •

Ohio House Backs Bill To Restrict Cannabis Use, Regulate Hemp Products

The House of Representatives of the state of Ohio has approved a bill that changes the law that legalized cannabis in 2023 by restricting how cannabis can be consumed and regulating intoxicating hemp products.While maintaining its original provisions and continuing to allow adults 21 or older to grow up to six plants per person or 12 per household, the bill takes a step backward from the law approved by 57% of voters in 2023.Ohio House lawmakers passed a bill this week that would prohibit public...
Forbes •

CBD May Reduce Schizophrenia-Related Cognitive Deficits, Study Finds

A new study from Brazil has found that CBD may help reduce brain activity impairment linked to schizophrenia.While the study was conducted on rats, and the results don’t prove CBD can treat schizophrenia in humans, it adds weight to growing evidence that the compound could have antipsychotic properties.The findings were recently published in the Schizophrenia Research journal, showing that a single dose of CBD helped reverse certain memory problems and brain hyperactivity in rats bred to model t...
Forbes •

Large-Scale Genetic Study Identifies Genes Linked To Cannabis Use

A massive genetic study has found key genes linked to cannabis use, in an effort to explain why some people are more likely to try or frequently use cannabis, and how this behavior overlaps with mental health and addiction risk.Researchers analyzed genetic data from more than 131,000 participants of the personal genetics company 23andMe to examine two traits: whether a person had ever used cannabis in their lifetime and how frequently they used it during their heaviest period. The findings, publ...
Forbes •

Germany Is Seeking Stricter Rules For Medical Cannabis To Crack Down On Online Prescriptions

Germany is proposing restrictions on medical cannabis prescriptions that could severely impact patients and telemedicine platforms, a move that is drawing widespread criticism.The Federal Ministry of Health introduced in July a draft bill amending the Medical Cannabis Act that would change the rules of the game in the medical cannabis industry in Germany. Under the proposed bill, cannabis flowers will only be prescribed after an in-person doctor visit and must be picked up at a pharmacy, whereas...
Forbes •

Netflix Takes On The Cannabis Underworld With New Crime Drama Amsterdam Empire

Netflix has dropped the official trailer for Amsterdam Empire, a gripping new crime drama set against the backdrop of Amsterdam’s cannabis culture, promising a raw look at the city’s underground world.Amsterdam Empire premieres exclusively on Netflix on October 30, following a world premiere event on October 21 in Amsterdam, where the cast will be in attendance.Announced last year, the series stars Famke Janssen and Jacob Derwig in leading roles. The project marks Janssen’s first appearance in a...
Forbes •

Trump Highlights CBD Benefits For Seniors Amid Ongoing Cannabis Rescheduling Process

U.S. President Donald Trump has shared a video on the medical benefits of CBD for seniors in a pivotal moment for hemp legislation and the cannabis rescheduling process.The video, shared on his Truth Social yesterday, promoted the health benefits of CBD for seniors. A voiceover explained that CBD may help restore the endocannabinoid system, which helps control functions such as mood, appetite, sleep, and pain by using natural chemicals similar to those found in cannabis, like cannabidiol, or CBD...
Forbes •

Cannabis Use Among Germany’s Young Adults Is Rising Regardless Of Legalization, Survey Finds

A new study shows that cannabis use among young adults in Germany has steadily increased over the past 15 years, even without the country’s recent legalization.The findings suggest that Germany’s partial legalization of recreational cannabis came into effect last year, which, by removing cannabis from the narcotics list, allowed personal use, home cultivation, and the establishment of cannabis social clubs, may not be driving the rise in cannabis use among young people. The study’s data, which i...
Forbes •

California Lowers Cannabis Taxes As Legal Market Struggles

California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a law that rolls back a 25% tax increase on the state’s legal cannabis industry to help licensed operators compete with the illicit market.Newsom signed the Assembly Bill 564, authored by Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco), into law on Monday, following its passage in the State Senate on September 11 with a 39-1 vote, in the Assembly in June.The new law reinstates the retail excise tax on cannabis sales to 15%, reversing a scheduled increase t...
Forbes •

California To Ban Hemp-Derived THC Sales Outside Licensed Cannabis Market

California lawmakers have passed sweeping legislation to crack down on hemp-derived THC products, such as delta-8 and delta-10 THC products, tightening oversight of a booming gray market that has drawn mounting scrutiny from health officials and licensed cannabis operators.The California Senate on Saturday approved Assembly Bill 8 in a unanimous 73-1 vote, after the Assembly unanimously approved the bill the day before.The text will now be presented to Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is expected to sign...
Forbes •

DOJ Targets Biden Cannabis Rules While GOP Committee Seeks To Block Rescheduling

The Department of Justice is moving to roll back cannabis research and hemp testing pending rules adopted under former President Joe Biden, while a Republican-led committee is seeking to block the Trump-backed push to reschedule cannabis, highlighting fractures within the GOP over cannabis reform.Attorney General Pam Bondi withdrew 54 proposed cannabis rules in a notice dated September 8 and published September 11, including regulations on the expansion of medical marijuana and cannabidiol (CBD)...
Forbes •

Thai Parliament Elects Cannabis Champion As New Prime Minister

The Thai Parliament has elected Anutin Charnvirakul as Prime Minister, one of the most prominent advocates for cannabis legalization in the Southeast Asian country. Anutin, 58, leader of the political party Bhumjai Thai, was elected by the Parliament last week, after an endorsement from the Thai king.He becomes the third prime minister to take office in Thailand in two years, following the removal of Paetongtarn Shinawatra and her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin. Anutin is known for having helped...
Forbes •

Google Launches Pilot Program To Allow Cannabis Advertising In Canada

Google has launched a temporary pilot program to allow Canada’s cannabis businesses to advertise their products on its search engine with the aim of testing users’ interest. Google Ads announced on August 20 the launch of a limited pilot program in Canada, allowing licensed businesses to advertise their cannabis-related product types or services.Therefore, for the first time, Canadian licensed cannabis businesses have the opportunity to display their ads on Google Search, which will appear on Go...
Forbes •

CBD May Reverse Some Effects Of Social Stress, Study Finds

A new study conducted in mice has found that CBD use could reverse some effects of social stress, but it did not affect anxiety-like behaviors caused by social stress. A team of researchers from Spanish and German institutions recently published a study in the journal Neuropharmacology. They looked at whether CBD could reverse short-term behavioral effects of social stress in mice, its longer-term impact on cocaine reward, and how the endocannabinoid system might be involved in these effects.Soc...
Forbes •

UK Government May Ban Semi-Synthetic Cannabinoids Like HHC

The UK may be the latest European country to ban semi-synthetic cannabinoids like HHC amid concerns over their safety. In a response letter sent to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACDM) on August 20, UK Minister of State for Policing and Crime Dame Diana Ruth Johnson said that she accepts the recommendation to ban a number of semi-synthetic cannabinoids and will implement them when parliamentary time allows.“I recognise the significant health and social harms that hexahydrocannabino...
Forbes •

Medical Marijuana Users Shouldn’t Lose Their Second Amendment Rights, Court Rules

A federal appeals court has handed medical marijuana patients a major victory, ruling that the government hasn’t shown that banning them from owning guns lines up with America’s long-standing traditions of firearm regulation.In a ruling issued this week, a three-judge panel of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals set aside a lower court’s dismissal and said the plaintiffs had plausibly claimed a violation of their Second Amendment rights. The dispute focuses on federal provisions that ban “unla...
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