Government shutdown delays next step towards Mexican legalisation

Written by CBD-Intel || 23rd April 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Mexico

North America

COVID-19

Policy and Politics

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

Further advances towards the legalisation of cannabis in Mexico have been delayed by a government shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a new deadline for legislation set by the country’s Supreme Court ...

More CBD companies land in hot water with US FDA over COVID-19 claims

Written by CBD-Intel || 20th April 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Companies

COVID-19

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

Companies that have made claims about CBD’s beneficial effects against COVID-19 are facing swift enforcement action from US regulatory authorities ...

Uzbekistan approves hemp cultivation and manufacture under licence

Written by CBD-Intel || 17th April 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Asia

Uzbekistan

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

The government of Uzbekistan has allowed the turnover and imports of hemp and its related products within its territory, according to recent statements made by the press service of the Uzbek Presidential Administration ...

Clean bill of health: Epidiolex is taken off US schedule of controlled drugs

Written by CBD-Intel || 15th April 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Regulation and Legislation

US federal regulation

Regulatory briefing

The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has removed Epidiolex, the only CBD drug so far approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), from its list of controlled substances ...

Legal in theory only – huge licence fee holds up Zambia’s cannabis trade

Written by CBD-Intel || 2nd April 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Africa

Zambia

Farming

Policy and Politics

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

Four months after Zambia legalised the production and export of cannabis, no one has yet been able to take advantage because of the high cost of licensing fees – and some confusion remains about what is allowed ...

US state governments shut down or shut doors in face of coronavirus

Written by Freddie Dawson || 1st April 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

COVID-19

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

Legislative measures are on hold in half the states of the US due to the COVID-19 emergency, with most suspending activity until at least mid-April ...

Interagency spat as USDA blames DEA ‘pushback’ for hemp rule troubles

Written by Freddie Dawson || 26th March 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Farming

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

The head of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has blamed the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) for heavily criticised measures in the recently proposed federal hemp production rules ...

FDA needs more data before making CBD rules, Hahn tells US hearing

Written by CBD-Intel || 25th March 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Policy and Politics

Regulation and Legislation

Science

Regulatory briefing

FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn has told a Congressional subcommittee that more research and data are needed before the FDA is ready to issue a formal policy on CBD products ...

US authorities stamp down on false claims of anti-coronavirus properties

Written by CBD-Intel || 23rd March 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

COVID-19

Health

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

Bogus claims that products containing CBD may have any beneficial effects in treating or warding off coronavirus risk the wrath of authorities in the US – and could ultimately damage CBD's reputation ...

Divisions over drug policy lead to fresh delay in UN vote on restrictions

Written by CBD-Intel || 16th March 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

EU

Europe

Mexico

North America

Russia

South America

Switzerland

United Kingdom

United States

Uruguay

World

Policy and Politics

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

The United Nations’ central drug policy agency has declined to reveal why it again postponed a vote on WHO recommendations to relax restrictions on cannabis and related substances such as CBD and THC ...

US FDA releases CBD enforcement policy update in Congress

Written by CBD-Intel || 13th March 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Regulation and Legislation

US federal regulation

Regulatory briefing

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released an update on CBD enforcement to members of Congress ...

CBD medicines could be approved in Philippines without need of new law

Written by CBD-Intel || 10th March 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Asia

Philippines

Policy and Politics

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

Legislative efforts will continue to push for cannabinoid liberalisation in the Philippines – despite recent comments that approval in principle of the epilepsy drug Epidiolex would be sufficient to cover most matters ...

EIHA statement leads to confusion over Germany’s novel food position

Written by CBD-Intel || 6th March 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

Germany

Food

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

German authorities and a major European hemp association have disagreed on the implications of correspondence regarding the novel status of hemp extracts ...

Law firm leads call for joined-up hemp regulation between US states

Written by CBD-Intel || 5th March 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Canada

Colorado

New York

North America

United States

Companies

Policy and Politics

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

A coalition of organisations linked to the US hemp market has released the first part of a series of policy recommendations – while one CBD firm has been referred to the US Federal Trade Commission over extravagant health...

Malawi legalises medical cannabis to salve collapse in tobacco earnings

Written by CBD-Intel || 3rd March 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Africa

Malawi

Farming

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

A bill legalising hemp and medical cannabis has been passed in Malawi, making it the fifth African country to pass some form of cannabis legalisation ...

US FDA chief Hahn says it would be ‘a fool’s game’ to try to halt CBD spread

Written by Freddie Dawson || 2nd March 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Policy and Politics

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

CBD products will not be banned in the US and there is some medicinal value to them being on the market, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner Stephen Hahn has said ...

USDA takes step back on enforcement of interim hemp testing rules

Written by CBD-Intel || 2nd March 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Regulation and Legislation

US federal regulation

Regulatory briefing

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is to temporarily delay enforcement of two controversial provisions in its interim hemp production rule after receiving a large quantity of critical feedback ...

Irish hemp federation hits out at FSAI over order to recall CBD products

Written by CBD-Intel || 28th February 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

Ireland

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

The Hemp Federation of Ireland (HFI) has taken issue with a report from the Food Standards Agency of Ireland (FSAI) and the order to remove a number of specified CBD products from shelves ...

Testing technology playing catch-up to head off US state smokable hemp bans

Written by CBD-Intel || 28th February 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Regulation and Legislation

Technology and Innovation

Vapour/Smokable

Regulatory briefing

Testing in the field could counter a major stated reason for enacting bans on smokable hemp in the US, but a perfect technical solution has not yet been found ...

SAFE Act and US medical cannabis research bill look dead in the water

Written by CBD-Intel || 27th February 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

Two bills in the US House of Representatives, relating to banking and medical cannabis research, appear to be dead, with not enough time to pass the measures in 2020 despite wide support ...

15-day testing rule under review after US hemp farmers express fears

Written by CBD-Intel || 27th February 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

Several US hemp farmers have spoken to CBD-Intel expressing concern over the crop-testing provisions set out in the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s interim final rule on hemp production ...

Clarity needed over CBD pet and animal products in the US

Written by CBD-Intel || 25th February 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Companies

Marketing and Retailing

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

A lack of clear regulation has not stopped growth for companies looking at the US CBD pet and animal sector, but for the industry to see the niche truly embraced, some solution to the regulatory issues must first...

Swiss Supreme Court rules that hemp flowers should not be taxed under tobacco law

Written by CBD-Intel || 24th February 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

Switzerland

Policy and Politics

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

Switzerland’s federal supreme court has ruled CBD should not be taxed under tobacco law, meaning that hemp flowers will no longer be subject to the 25% tax under the Swiss tobacco law ...

Heilongjiang province hemp proposals could be basis for industrial policies

Written by CBD-Intel || 24th February 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Asia

China

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

At a meeting of the thirteenth People’s Congress of Heilongjiang, representative Ding Fei laid out a comprehensive plan to accelerate the growth of the hemp and CBD industries in the province ...

BfR issues warning over adulterated German e-liquids

Written by CBD-Intel || 21st February 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

Germany

Health

Policy and Politics

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

Germany's Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) recently issued a warning on e-liquids that it believed to be containing synthetic cannabinoids, after at least eight teenagers suffered medical complications from an as yet unconfirmed source ...

Polish agricultural subcommittee meet to discuss hemp cultivation

Written by CBD-Intel || 20th February 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

Poland

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

Polish lawmakers from the Permanent Subcommittee on Bioeconomy and Innovation in Agriculture at the Sejm – the lower chamber of the country’s parliament – recently hosted government officials, representatives of the Polish and the European hemp industry, and...

Scotland and Ireland take different approach to novel food legislation

Written by CBD-Intel || 19th February 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

Ireland

United Kingdom

Food

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

Scotland has not followed the rest of the UK in setting a deadline for novel food applications, while the Republic of Ireland has adopted an even more conservative approach, stating that unauthorised novel foods should not be on...

Owner of Brighton’s Canna Kitchen charged with dealing cannabis

Written by CBD-Intel || 19th February 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

United Kingdom

Companies

Regulatory briefing

The owner of the first cannabinoid restaurant in the UK has been charged with dealing cannabis ...

Italian prohibitionist draft bill unlikely to find approval

Written by CBD-Intel || 17th February 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

Italy

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

A proposal to regulate hemp in Italy through increasing restrictions has not got any closer to becoming a law ...

Medical cannabis could now ‘see the light of day’ in the Philippines

Written by CBD-Intel || 13th February 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Asia

Philippines

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

The current administration in the Philippines has expressed its openness to introducing cannabis products into the country, but strictly in medicinal form – contrary to what the president indicated last year ...

UK FSA sets a March 2021 deadline for novel food applications

Written by Marija Obradovic || 13th February 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

England

Europe

Northern Ireland

United Kingdom

Wales

Food

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

The UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) today set 31st March 2021 as a deadline by when the industry players must submit their novel food application ...

Firm takes a risk with ‘FDA certified’ claim for CBD pain relief cream

Written by CBD-Intel || 11th February 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Companies

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

Reports that a CBD pain relief cream has been certified by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could be construed as misleading ...

Vital directives still to come as Peru pieces together full regulation

Written by CBD-Intel || 11th February 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Peru

South America

Health

Policy and Politics

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

Peru is moving towards comprehensive legislation on cannabis but has yet to define how to classify CBD, leaving the guidelines unworkable for now ...

Italy lays down limits for THC in edibles, but no mention of CBD

Written by CBD-Intel || 6th February 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

Italy

Food

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

A decree approved by Italy’s Ministry of Health has established firm limits for allowed levels of THC in edibles ...

Italian amendment to regulate ‘light cannabis’ is thrown out once more

Written by CBD-Intel || 5th February 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

Italy

Policy and Politics

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

The Constitutional Affairs and Budget committees of Italy’s lower house, the Chamber of Deputies, have rejected an amendment to regulate the sale of hemp or “cannabis light” products ...

So this is Brexit – but what does it mean for CBD trade, now or later?

Written by Barnaby Page || 3rd February 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

EU

Europe

United Kingdom

Policy and Politics

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

As the UK exits Europe and enters its 11-month period of transition, what does Brexit actually mean for cross-Channel relationships, and for the CBD industry in particular? ...

Frustration grows as US federal rules impede research on cannabinoids

Written by CBD-Intel || 30th January 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Policy and Politics

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

Federal agencies and legislators from both major US parties have all voiced a desire for more research on cannabinoids – but a major obstacle remains the lack of federally approved cannabinoids to study ...

US Congress members bid again to make CBD supplements legal

Written by CBD-Intel || 29th January 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Policy and Politics

Regulation and Legislation

US federal regulation

Regulatory briefing

Leading members of the US Congress are again pushing for the legalisation of dietary supplements containing hemp-derived CBD, currently banned by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ...

Georgian parliament to look again at plans to legalise hemp for export

Written by CBD-Intel || 27th January 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

Georgia

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

With high government hopes for a new export trade, the parliament of the former Soviet republic of Georgia is to consider again a bill that would legalise the cultivation of hemp and manufacture of hemp products ...

Lack of consistency on the rules makes US import and export a minefield

Written by CBD-Intel || 23rd January 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Regulation and Legislation

US federal regulation

Regulatory briefing

Jurisdiction confusion and regulatory uncertainty make it a stressful business moving CBD and hemp products across the US border ...

British watchdog warns: foods containing CBD are illegal in UK

Written by CBD-Intel || 22nd January 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

EU

Europe

United Kingdom

Food

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) has reiterated the country’s ban on foods containing CBD and warned that CBD-containing food, drink and dietary supplements currently on the market are illegal ...

US banks can do business with hemp firms (unless they get suspicious)

Written by CBD-Intel || 20th January 2020 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Regulation and Legislation

US federal regulation

Regulatory briefing

Federal banking regulators have issued guidance clarifying the legal status of banks doing business with hemp firms, permitting it as long as they follow and comply with the relevant requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act ...

Clearer US regulation could follow a coming boom in CBD litigation

Written by CBD-Intel || 27th December 2019 || Regulatory briefing |

North America

United States

Regulation and Legislation

US federal regulation

Regulatory briefing

Expect to see more CBD-related lawsuits from individual US consumers over the next year – and increased litigation could help to speed up regulatory clarification ...

UK pharmacists plead: What CBD products are we allowed to sell?

Written by CBD-Intel || 24th December 2019 || Regulatory briefing |

EU

Europe

United Kingdom

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

The trade body representing independent pharmacists in the UK says official government guidance about CBD is unclear and has asked for advice on what its members can and cannot stock on their shelves ...

Italian Senate president unilaterally denies hemp regulation amendment

Written by CBD-Intel || 19th December 2019 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

Italy

Policy and Politics

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

The proposal to regulate and tax low-THC hemp varieties of cannabis has been removed from the budget bill and declared inadmissible by the president of the Italian senate ...

Calls for new regulation after ‘vape-related’ death of Belgian teenager

Written by CBD-Intel || 19th December 2019 || Regulatory briefing |

Belgium

EU

Europe

Health

Policy and Politics

Regulation and Legislation

Vapour/Smokable

Regulatory briefing

Regulation in Belgium and possibly across Europe may change as a result of the link being made between CBD vaping and a teenager’s death – though that link has not been verified ...

Brazil takes a major step towards liberalisation of the hemp industry

Written by Marija Obradovic || 19th December 2019 || Regulatory briefing |

Brazil

South America

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

Brazil has granted industrial hemp cultivation and processing authorisation to a company in a move that may be viewed as a major step towards liberalisation of the hemp and cannabinoid sector in the country ...

Two CBD products approved under Irish medical cannabis programme

Written by CBD-Intel || 17th December 2019 || Regulatory briefing |

EU

Europe

Ireland

Companies

Health

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

The Irish government has given approval to two CBD-based medicines as it starts its medical cannabis programme ...

Is Austria losing enthusiasm for the enforcement of novel food rules?

Written by CBD-Intel || 16th December 2019 || Regulatory briefing |

Austria

EU

Europe

Companies

Marketing and Retailing

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

Confusion surrounds the sale of CBD food products in Austria – but that has not stopped some companies that have previously run into trouble with the authorities from reintroducing items into the market ...

Italy’s Five Star party proposes new tax regulation on hemp products

Written by CBD-Intel || 3rd December 2019 || Regulatory briefing |

Europe

Italy

Regulation and Legislation

Regulatory briefing

Two amendments to regulate the sale of hemp products have been put forward by Italy’s Five Star party, including a tax on hemp-related items ...