Tobacco giant Altria calls for US federal legalisation and regulation of cannabis

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 1st March 2021 || Business briefing |

North America

United States

US federal regulation

Business briefing

Marlboro cigarette manufacturer Altria has stated its support for the federal legalisation of cannabis – with a view to Cronos, the Canadian cannabis company in which it has a major stake, thriving in a legal US market ...

US state regulators’ association calls for joined-up federal thinking on cannabis

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 24th February 2021 || Regulatory briefing |

US federal regulation

Regulatory briefing

A US association of cannabis regulators has written to Congress urging the modernisation of cannabis policy at federal level ...

BAT looking ‘beyond nicotine’ as Big Tobacco turn its attention to CBD

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 23rd February 2021 || Business briefing |

Europe

North America

United Kingdom

United States

Companies

Business briefing

British American Tobacco (BAT) is looking “beyond nicotine” to alternative sources of revenue, and has described CBD as an “exciting growth area for our business for the future” ...

CBD health and wellness subcategory sees advances on a global scale

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 5th February 2021 || Business briefing |

Asia

Australasia

Australia

California

Canada

Europe

Ireland

Japan

North America

United Kingdom

United States

Marketing and Retailing

Business briefing

CBD firms are making further advances into the health and wellness subcategory of the market with new product launches, distribution deals, and clinical studies underway ...

Supply chain hopefuls stay cheerful despite $150m investment fund flop

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 27th January 2021 || Business briefing |

Asia

Europe

Germany

Israel

United States

Companies

Business briefing

Texas-based Collective Growth is remaining positive despite failing to find the right partners for a $150m investment fund raised to develop the US hemp market ...

Financial investments suggest a mood of optimism around CBD and cannabis

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 26th January 2021 || Business briefing |

Canada

Germany

North America

United States

Companies

Health

Business briefing

Renewed interest in financing of CBD and cannabis businesses could signal that investors are starting to be positive again about the future after companies seemingly weathered the worst of the storm in 2020 ...

CBD drinks – ‘a superior option for those traditionally alcohol-driven occasions’

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 19th January 2021 || Business briefing |

Canada

Europe

North America

United Kingdom

United States

Companies

Marketing and Retailing

Business briefing

Health and wellness appear to be the primary marketing position for new cannabinoid beverage launches ...

Tilray set on becoming the ‘weed giant of the world’ with Aphria merger

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 29th December 2020 || Business briefing |

Canada

Europe

Germany

North America

Portugal

United States

Companies

Business briefing

Canadian cannabis firms Aphria and Tilray have announced a merger that will create “the world’s largest weed company”, operating under the Tilray name ...

I’m a celebrity – get me into quality cannabis, hemp and CBD brands…

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 23rd December 2020 || Business briefing |

Europe

Germany

North America

United Kingdom

United States

Companies

Health

Marketing and Retailing

Business briefing

Increasing numbers of celebrities are endorsing CBD products, with names as big as will.i.am, Jay-Z, Beyoncé and Gwyneth Paltrow among those investing or launching their own brands ...

Bio-synthesis fermentation of minor cannabinoids continues to grow

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 15th December 2020 || Business briefing |

North America

United States

Companies

Technology and Innovation

Business briefing

Californian “cellular agriculture company” Cellibre has closed a round of funding that will enable it to accelerate the production of pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoids via fermentation ...

Trials and research into the healing potential of cannabinoids continue

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 11th December 2020 || Business briefing |

Europe

North America

United Kingdom

United States

Health

Business briefing

Pharmaceutical firms continue to invest in research into the healing potential of cannabinoids, launching clinical trials to investigate their ability to treat a range of conditions ...

Newer brands perform better in labelling accuracy for edibles, report finds

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 30th November 2020 || Business briefing |

North America

United States

Food

Marketing and Retailing

Business briefing

More established brands performed worse than their new upstart rivals in the latest report on CBD labelling accuracy ...

Thoughtful Brands pulls out of German psychedelics to focus on American CBD

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 24th November 2020 || Business briefing |

Canada

Germany

North America

United States

Policy and Politics

Business briefing

Canadian cannabis and psychedelic medicine firm Thoughtful Brands has dissolved its German subsidiary Verrian to focus on its core business following the acquisition of Kentucky-based American CBD Extraction ...

Celebrities speak out in anger as CBD companies take famous names in vain

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 23rd November 2020 || Business briefing |

Europe

North America

United Kingdom

United States

Business briefing

Sir David Attenborough, Olivia Newton-John and Clint Eastwood are among the latest in a line of celebrities who have spoken out against their names and images being used without their permission to promote CBD oils ...

The cannabinoid drinks market is getting crowded – but it still takes a lot of bottle

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 19th November 2020 || Business briefing |

Canada

North America

United Kingdom

United States

Food

Technology and Innovation

Business briefing

Current lack of success in Canada and unsupportive regulations in the US have not stopped cannabinoid companies from exploring the beverages sector ...

Troubled Aurora facing class-action lawsuit by ‘misled’ shareholders

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 16th November 2020 || Business briefing |

Canada

North America

Companies

Business briefing

A group of shareholders has filed a class-action lawsuit against Aurora Cannabis, alleging the company “made materially false and misleading statements” about its business, operational, and compliance policies ...

‘Fraud’ action against Canopy Growth halted as plaintiff files for bankruptcy

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 8th October 2020 || Business briefing |

Canada

North America

Companies

Business briefing

A legal action against Canopy Growth has been halted now that Canadian cannabis cultivator PharmHouse has filed for bankruptcy protection from the Ontario Court while it restructures its business ...

Psychedelic substances for therapy? It’s an idea whose time may be coming

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 7th October 2020 || Business briefing |

Canada

Europe

North America

United Kingdom

United States

Technology and Innovation

Business briefing

Although still illegal in the US and Canada, psychedelic substances such as fungus-derived psilocybin are becoming increasingly acceptable, research suggests ...

Mushrooms may be good for you – and firms hope that can be good for them too

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 6th October 2020 || Business briefing |

Canada

North America

United States

Companies

Health

Regulation and Legislation

Technology and Innovation

Business briefing

Commercial interest in mushrooms as active ingredients is on the rise – despite legal issues that severely curtail commercial opportunities ...

Ambitious firms defy the times by expanding operations into new markets

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 5th October 2020 || Business briefing |

Belgium

Europe

Luxemburg

North America

Spain

Switzerland

United States

Companies

Business briefing

Turbulent times and the ongoing challenges caused by COVID-19 are not stopping some CBD businesses from doing deals and making major investments as they seek expansion into new markets ...

Wellness trend pushes multiple launches in CBD space

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 2nd October 2020 || Business briefing |

North America

United States

Health

Business briefing

Increasing numbers of CBD businesses are marketing products that chime with the wellness trend and now even Playboy is launching a line of CBD products in the US that promise physical and mental benefits ...

Deals and new products launch CBD further into the wellness field

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 7th September 2020 || Business briefing |

North America

United Kingdom

United States

Companies

Marketing and Retailing

Business briefing

CBD firms are expanding their reach into the wellness market via company acquisitions, distribution deals and new product launches ...

Pharma gets bigger with approval for new cannabinoid-based treatments

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 3rd September 2020 || Business briefing |

Canada

North America

United States

Companies

COVID-19

Health

Regulation and Legislation

Science

US federal regulation

Business briefing

The pharmaceutical side of the cannabinoid industry continues to grow, with several major announcements expanding treatments and blurring boundaries ...

Closures, bankruptcy and rescues – cannabinoid firms battle for survival

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 2nd September 2020 || Business briefing |

Canada

North America

United States

Companies

COVID-19

Health

Science

Business briefing

The bankruptcy stories continue for cannabinoid firms in the US and Canada as businesses struggle to survive in turbulent times ...

Canopy Growth takes stride into sports nutrition with NFL superstar tie-up

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 19th August 2020 || Business briefing |

Canada

North America

United States

Food

Health

US federal regulation

Business briefing

Canadian cannabinoid firm Canopy Growth has signed a multi-year deal with NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes as part of its advance into the sports nutrition market ...

Irish trade body criticises the government’s approach to hemp and CBD

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 14th August 2020 || Business briefing |

Europe

Ireland

Companies

Policy and Politics

Business briefing

The trade body for hemp and CBD in Ireland has accused the Irish government of working in silos and said its lack of intra-governmental communication as well as consultation with stakeholders could lead to the end of the...

HempFusion completes NDC registration for CBD topical products

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 31st July 2020 || Business briefing |

North America

United States

Companies

Health

Business briefing

Registration in the US FDA National Drug Code (NDC) Directory conveys significant benefits even if the FDA does not specifically approve these items as over-the-counter products, according to a CBD company ...

Firms restructure and recapitalise as revenues continue to decline

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 27th July 2020 || Business briefing |

Canada

North America

United States

Companies

Business briefing

As tough market conditions continue for cannabinoid firms in the US and Canada, struggling companies are continuing to pursue a range of survival strategies ...

Distribution deals show faith in future of European CBD retail

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 22nd July 2020 || Business briefing |

Asia

Bulgaria

Colombia

Europe

Germany

Israel

Portugal

South America

Spain

Companies

Marketing and Retailing

Business briefing

Firms from Israel and South America are showing faith in the European CBD market, and its bricks-and-mortar retail, with distribution deals to place their products in a growing number of outlets ...

Cuts, restructuring and bankruptcies as firms navigate troubled waters

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 8th July 2020 || Business briefing |

Canada

North America

United States

Companies

COVID-19

Business briefing

Hard-hit cannabinoid firms in the US and Canada are reassessing their market strategies, restructuring, and downsizing – in some cases with significant job cuts – as the market remains volatile ...

Ocean Spray’s move into CBD drinks may make a path for others to follow

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 23rd June 2020 || Business briefing |

Colorado

North America

United States

Companies

Food

Regulation and Legislation

Technology and Innovation

US federal regulation

Business briefing

A new line of sparkling CBD drinks is to be launched in the Colorado market in what may be an indication of how high-profile companies approach the CBD market during its continued period of uncertainty ...

Another cannabis firm in trouble as Beleave is granted creditor protection

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 16th June 2020 || Business briefing |

Canada

North America

Companies

COVID-19

Business briefing

Canadian grower Beleave has become the latest casualty of turbulent times in the cannabis industry ...

Red, white and blooming – High Times joins the cannabis move into CBD

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 16th June 2020 || Business briefing |

Florida

Illinois

Michigan

North America

United States

Companies

Marketing and Retailing

Business briefing

One of the most iconic brands in the cannabis space, High Times, has entered into an agreement with Red White & Bloom (RWB) to develop cannabis-based CBD and THC products across the US ...

Why cannabis companies and others are switching track towards CBD

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 9th June 2020 || Business briefing |

Canada

North America

United States

Companies

Farming

Business briefing

Excess production space, surplus of supply, legal restrictions – and now the coronavirus crisis – have been giving the global cannabis industry a tough ride and some businesses are setting their sights on hemp-derived CBD ...

Brazil’s rule change is just what the doctor ordered for Canadian company

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 5th June 2020 || Business briefing |

Brazil

Canada

Colombia

North America

South America

United States

Uruguay

Companies

COVID-19

Policy and Politics

Regulation and Legislation

Business briefing

Countries in South America are becoming increasingly important markets for CBD, as the ink dries on a deal to distribute medical cannabis products in Brazil, where a change in regulatory policy has opened up trade ...

Aurora looks to US market with $40m Reliva deal after selling off assets

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 4th June 2020 || Business briefing |

Canada

North America

United States

Companies

Business briefing

Canadian cannabis firm Aurora has shifted focus to the US CBD market, a long-time goal of the company, with the $40m purchase of retailer Reliva ...

Researchers aim for a certified safer alternative to painkiller ibuprofen

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 23rd January 2020 || Business briefing |

Florida

North America

United States

Companies

Health

Technology and Innovation

Business briefing

A US-based hemp research firm is working with a university in Florida to create an FDA-approved capsule that could replicate the painkilling abilities of ibuprofen ...

Can CBD help make anticancer drugs and antibiotics more effective?

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 22nd January 2020 || Business briefing |

Asia

Europe

Israel

United Kingdom

Health

Technology and Innovation

Business briefing

Two new studies have shown hopeful signs that CBD could be combined with existing drugs to improve treatment – in one case, of cancer, and in the other of the potentially deadly E. coli ...

Charity invests in CBD trials for Parkinson’s symptom relief

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 14th January 2020 || Business briefing |

Europe

United Kingdom

Companies

Health

Business briefing

As more victims of Parkinson’s disease turn to CBD to relieve symptoms such as tremors, anxiety and insomnia, Parkinson’s UK is investing in a clinical trial into how CBD might benefit those suffering Parkinson’s-related psychosis ...

‘Potential goes beyond CBD and THC – but consumers need educating’

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 12th November 2019 || Business briefing |

California

Europe

North America

United Kingdom

United States

Companies

Marketing and Retailing

Business briefing

Educating consumers is the key to success in the fast-moving industry of cannabis-based products, says Melissa Jochim, founder of High Beauty, a brand of skincare products from pressed hemp seed oil ...

Full-spectrum products are ‘the future’, says pro-hemp vet

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 29th October 2019 || Business briefing |

North America

United States

Companies

Health

Marketing and Retailing

Business briefing

California vet Tim Shu, founder of Vet CBD and Dr Shu’s Pet Care, discusses the future of full-spectrum products, cannabinoid therapeutics, and the need for further research and regulation ...

Into the fourth dimension, and other stories: CBD business news in brief

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 28th October 2019 || Business briefing |

Canada

North America

United States

Companies

Market Research

Marketing and Retailing

Technology and Innovation

Business briefing

A bumper crop of business briefs includes news of a “unique 4D, shape-changing cannabinoid and active ingredient delivery system” ...

US health organisations respond to rise of CBD with cautious optimism

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 17th October 2019 || Business briefing |

North America

United States

Health

Business briefing

Medical associations in the US say they are optimistic about the potential for CBD to treat patients, but have warned people to proceed with caution when treating themselves due to a lack of rigorous scientific studies ...

US universities take positive steps for hemp research and innovation

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 15th October 2019 || Business briefing |

Kansas

North America

Oregon

United States

Virginia

Health

Policy and Politics

Technology and Innovation

Business briefing

Funding success for new developments in hemp research, as well as innovations such as monitoring the path of pollen using drones ...

Lung outbreak: CDC, FDA now focused on THC, but public more worried by nicotine

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 4th October 2019 || Business briefing |

North America

United States

Health

Vapour/Smokable

Business briefing

The American public believes nicotine e-cigarettes to be more dangerous than THC vaping, even as official statements on the recent outbreak of lung disease start to emphasise the role of cannabis and play down the involvement of nicotine...

Good evidence – and the lack of it: CBD-Intel science news in brief

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 25th September 2019 || Business briefing |

North America

United States

Health

Business briefing

Scientific studies reveal varying views on the use of CBD and cannabis in treating PTSD, HIV, depression, anxiety and stress, while parents are warned not to give CBD to their children ...

US consumer study finds CBD levels matter most to medical cannabis users

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 22nd August 2019 || Business briefing |

North America

United States

Market Research

Policy and Politics

Business briefing

Consumers looking for the medical benefits of cannabis are willing to pay a premium for high-CBD flowers, according to the findings of a new study by a group of US universities ...

New clinical trial investigates CBD-infused oral health products

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 19th August 2019 || Business briefing |

Australasia

Australia

Europe

North America

Companies

Marketing and Retailing

Technology and Innovation

Business briefing

A new clinical trial is investigating the efficacy of CBD-infused mouthwashes and toothpaste when used to treat gum disease. The randomised controlled clinical trial is a collaboration between Australian medicinal cannabis business Impression Healthcare and US-based pharmaceutical-grade medical...

A hole in one – will sports and CBD continue to entwine?

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 8th August 2019 || Business briefing |

Canada

North America

United States

Companies

Health

Marketing and Retailing

Technology and Innovation

Business briefing

The sports world is becoming increasingly enamoured with CBD. US professional golfers have become the latest sporting personalities to endorse CBD products, including 2009 US Open winner Lucas Glover. Will CBD continue to wind its way into the professional...

Getting the dosage right is crucial to CBD’s mainstream future, says expert

Written by Lorraine Mullaney || 3rd July 2019 || Market reports |

Canada

EU

Europe

North America

United Kingdom

United States

Companies

Health

Regulation and Legislation

Market reports

Accurate and consistent CBD dosage will be vital for the industry as edible items become the biggest category of cannabinoid-derived products, experts predict ...