Back in 2020, the European Commission formally classified edible cannabidiol (CBD) products like gummies, drinks, oils and even bread as novel foods (NFs). Today, all submitted applications remain on hold, with no CBD products receiving NF authorisation in the UK or Europe. Here Libby Clarke, managing [...]

From 26th February, the medical cannabis division of Rokshaw Ltd is rebranding to Curaleaf Laboratories. Since its inception in 2012 by founders Jonathan and Richard Hodgson, Rokshaw has created an industry wide reputation of providing the highest quality of products from our MHRA-approved manufacturing facility. Its [...]

Patients from across the globe will call for fair and equal access to medicinal cannabis treatment at the upcoming session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs. Members of the IACM Patient Council, alongside other non-profit organisations, will represent the rights of patients seeking legal, fair [...]

A new study has found few changes in driving performance among patients taking medicinal cannabis products.  Researchers at Swinburne University in Australia examined the effects of cannabis products on simulated driving performance in a group of 40 patients legally prescribed medical cannabis. The semi-naturalistic study found [...]

A cannabis extract has shown positive results in slowing down melanoma cell growth and increasing cell death rates in skin cancer, a new in-vitro study has found. Researchers from Charles Darwin University (CDU) and RMIT investigated programmed cell death caused by a specific extract (cannabinoid PHEC-66) [...]

Via Business of Cannabis  The Irish Government has approved the establishment of an Oireachtas committee to examine the Citizens’ Assembly recommendations for the decriminalisation of drug use ‘as quickly as possible’. It comes just two weeks after the Dáil, Ireland’s lower parliamentary house, voted to delay [...]

Glaucomas constitute a group of eye disorders characterized by progressive damage to the optic nerve, often associated with increased intraocular pressure (IOP), leading to irreversible vision loss. Glaucoma can develop slowly, and the gradual vision loss may go unnoticed for an extended period. Regular eye examinations, [...]

President Zelensky has signed a bill legalising medical cannabis in Ukraine, with patients expected to have access to regulated medicines as early as 2024.  In what has been described as a ‘great victory’, on Tuesday 13 February, President Zelensky signed into law legislation permitting the prescription [...]

As reported by Business of Cannabis   The European Commission (EC) last week partially approved a new ‘European Citizens Initiative’ focused on cannabis reform, in a move marking an increasing acknowledgment of the changing landscape in regards to cannabis regulation across the European Union (EU). This [...]

Jersey lawmakers have passed new legislation which is described as a ‘step towards’ the decriminalisation of possession of small amounts of cannabis and other Class B and C drugs. In a vote on Wednesday 7 February, the Jersey States Assembly unanimously approved an amendment to the [...]

In a new study, 38% of dog owners surveyed in Denmark reported giving their pups cannabinoids, with 77% reporting at least some ‘positive effect’. In recent years, cannabis has become more widely used for recreational and medical use in humans, and many cannabis-based products are also [...]

Via Business of Cannabis Spain’s newly appointed health minister has said that the country’s long-awaited medical cannabis law will be ready ‘in the coming months,’ as she makes good on her promise to kickstart progress. Mónica García Gómez used her first appearance in Congress to reaffirm [...]

In a new extract from the Principles of Cannabinology Handbook, Viola Brugnatelli and Fabio Turco, examine whether cannabis could play a role in tackling the global obesity crisis. Obesity has evolved into a significant public health crisis, with alarming global prevalence rates and with profound health [...]

The Cannabis Industry Council (CIC) has committed to supporting UK veterans in accessing medicines for conditions such as PTSD and chronic pain.  Leaders at the CIC have joined over 11,000 other organisations across the country in signing the Armed Forces Covenant, which pledges to support the [...]

New studies challenge some longstanding myths about cannabis and its effects on driving and motivation, while others examine cognitive function, cancer and CBD in cats       In recent weeks new research has been published exploring the relationship between cannabis and driving impairment, motivation and cognitive function in [...]

Ireland’s Health Research Board (HRB) has published the findings from its review of evidence for the safety and efficacy of prescribed medicinal cannabis. The report, which was published on Tuesday 23 January, found evidence to support the use of prescribed medicinal cannabis for certain conditions for [...]

Via Business of Cannabis Australia and New Zealand are undergoing contrasting reforms in their medical cannabis regulations. New Zealand aims to lower product quality standards for domestic producers to facilitate exports, while Australia seeks to elevate standards for international producers to ease imports. According to Prohibition [...]

Researchers at LVR University Hospital Essen in Germany have announced the results of a new study on the efficacy of medical cannabis in treating chronic depression. According to the findings, patients showed significant improvement with the reported severity rate of their depression reduced significantly, with no [...]

New UK research is said to lay the foundations for further exploration of cannabis as a potential treatment for Long COVID. Researchers at Drug Science have published the findings from a world-first trial examining the potential of cannabis to manage the debilitating symptoms of Long Covid. [...]

It is a well-known fact that cannabis can cause the ‘munchies’ but now researchers have revealed why that is—potentially paving the way for new treatments for appetite disorders.  Scientists at Washington State University, have discovered a mechanism in the brain that promotes appetite in a set [...]

Via Business of Cannabis Last week the Czech government published a draft version of its highly anticipated cannabis regulation bill, sparking outrage due to the apparent omission of plans for a full commercial market. With much of the European cannabis industry still reeling from Germany’s decision [...]

Federal health officials in the US have acknowledged the ‘accepted medical use’ of cannabis for the first time, in documents confirming a recommendation that it be reclassified as a lower risk drug.  The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released documents which confirm [...]

The legalisation of adult-use cannabis in Canada is not linked to increased rates of psychosis in the short-term, new research shows, but longer studies are needed.  A new study has found that following the legalisation of adult-use cannabis in Canada, there was no short-term increase in [...]

German associations have called for wider reforms to medical cannabis regulations to ‘reduce bureaucracy’ and open up access for patients.  In July 2023, Germany’s federal government commissioned the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) – the body responsible for determining which medical treatments are covered by the country’s [...]

Consuming cannabis before a workout can boost motivation and make exercise more enjoyable, a new study has shown. The first ever study to examine how legal, commercially available cannabis shapes how exercise feels was published  in the journal Sports Medicine, in December 2023. The study, looking [...]

Via Business of Cannabis As Spain emerges from months of political deadlock, its newly formed government has at last made a meaningful commitment to break the country’s medical cannabis deadlock in turn. Though his newly formed government has been hard won, sparking both protests in the [...]

From major regulatory developments to new advances in cannabis healthcare and gradual shifts in opinion, there is plenty to be optimistic about in the year ahead.  With the help of some experts, we’ve pieced together our predictions and reasons to be hopeful for cannabis reform in [...]

A recent study highlights how medical cannabis has a broader and more ‘holistic effect’ on pain relief than opioid medications.  Previous research has suggested that medical cannabis works as a tool for pain relief by altering the patient’s experience of pain, instead of only targeting pain [...]

One of the UK’s major medical cannabis providers, Sapphire Clinics, is to rebrand as Curaleaf Clinic in the new year.  Sapphire was the first medical cannabis clinic to open in the UK in July 2019, and later joined the Curaleaf family in January 2022 as a [...]

New findings from the UK link medical cannabis treatment to improvements in quality of life among ADHD patients. A new study using data from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry suggest that patients prescribed cannabis-based medicinal products (CBPMs) for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) showed improvements in sleep, anxiety [...]

Drug Science’s medical cannabis study, T21, will continue for a fifth year with three new industry partners on board. Launched in 2019 by the UK’s independent body on drugs, T21 (formerly Project Twenty21) aims to build the evidence base for the safety and efficacy of Cannabis [...]

Via Newsweed  Maltese officials have approved three new cannabis clubs as the country’s first harm reduction training sessions took place last month. Malta’s Responsible Cannabis Use Authority (CURA) has issued three new licences to Cannabis Harm Reduction Associations (CHRAs).  This brings the total to five clubs [...]

Greek MEP, Stelios Kouloglou, has appealed to the European Commission (EC) to address the lack of legislative framework for medicinal cannabis that has left patients relying on the illegal market.  Despite being one of the first European countries to legalise medicinal cannabis in 2017, the current [...]

More older Americans consume cannabis now than before the pandemic, according to a new study, prompting calls for more open communication with healthcare providers. Data from the National Poll on Healthy Aging, which is run by University of Michigan’s Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, shows [...]

A new study suggests that cannabis, when used as prescribed to manage a chronic health condition, does not negatively impact cognitive function. These new findings are said to contribute a vital piece to the puzzle in assessing the safety and efficacy of medical cannabis treatment, especially [...]

Via Business of Cannabis  Ukraine’s bid to legalise medical cannabis appeared to be on the cusp of a significant breakthrough this week, but defeat was snatched from the jaws of victory and the bill has now been effectively ‘blocked’. Despite widespread support throughout the country, including [...]

Cannabis is perceived to be more ‘advantageous’ than conventional sleep aids, with many consumers ditching them altogether, a new study has found.  Most people who reported using cannabis to get a good night’s rest in a recent study have quit using over the counter or prescription [...]

In a new extract from the Principles of Cannabinology Handbook, Viola Brugnatelli and Fabio Turco, explore the evidence for, and against, the use of medicinal cannabis in diabetes management. Diabetes is a complex and pervasive condition characterized by hyperglycemia, or elevated blood glucose levels. There are [...]

Via Business of Cannabis Japan, one of the world’s strictest and most hostile countries in regard to cannabis, recently took a major step towards reform, potentially providing a major boom for the country’s CBD industry and opening the door for the establishment of a medical cannabis [...]

A new study has found that regular cannabis consumers demonstrate a greater empathy towards others, highlighting a new pathway of therapeutic potential. In the study, which was published in the Journal of Neuroscience Research, psychological assessments indicated that people who regularly use cannabis tend to have [...]