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Ukraine Expands Official Dosages For Medical Cannabis

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Policy.

Nearly one year ago, Ukraine’s government officially launched its medical cannabis program. Ukraine’s Parliament first approved medical cannabis reform in December 2023, with President Volodymyr Zelensky signing the measure on February 15th, 2024.

Cannabis resin, extracts, and tinctures became excluded from the list of ‘dangerous substances’ in Ukraine under the new policy after it took effect in August 2024. The production of medical cannabis, the development of medical cannabis therapies, and the distribution of medical cannabis products are tightly regulated in Ukraine.

“In order to implement the Law, the Ministry of Health team, together with the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, the State Medical Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the National Police and other executive authorities, have developed by-laws that regulate all processes in detail and will allow the patient to receive medicine from medical cannabis.” Ukraine’s Ministry of Health stated in a news release at the time (translated from Ukrainian to English).

“In order to ensure the cultivation of medical cannabis in Ukraine, Licensing conditions have been developed, which will soon be considered by the Cabinet of Ministers.” the Ministry of Health also stated. “Also, the entire chain of circulation of medical cannabis, from import or cultivation to dispensing to a patient in a pharmacy, will be subject to license control.”

Another major milestone for Ukraine’s emerging medical cannabis industry came in late September 2024, when policymakers and regulators approved a list of 20 qualifying conditions for suffering patients to gain approval for the country’s medical cannabis program. In June 2025, Ukraine approved its first permit for medical cannabis product imports.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Health recently expanded the list of dosages for medical cannabis, which will afford the nation’s approved medical cannabis patients more options for treating their qualifying conditions.

“The Ministry of Health has expanded the List of dosages of medicines that can be manufactured in a pharmacy from the plant substance cannabis.” the Ministry of Health stated in a press release (translated from Ukranian to English).

“The purpose of such changes is to expand the possible options for prescribing cannabis-based medicines, which can be manufactured in a pharmacy, with combination medicines to increase the availability of treatment for patients who need it for medical reasons.” the Ministry also stated. “The updated list includes 14 forms of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-based medicines and 2 combined forms (based on tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).”

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Cannabis Study Highlights Deficiencies Of Hair Follicle Tests

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Science.

Drug testing is very common across the globe, and for better or worse, it is big business. A recent market analysis found that the global drug testing industry is worth $14.67 billion in 2025, and is projected to grow to $23.05 billion in market value by 2034.

While the estimated current value and future growth of the analysis are for testing for all substances, and cannabis testing is just a subsector of the wider industry, it generally highlights how much money is involved in the world of cannabis testing.

The motivation behind testing for cannabis use is questionable at best, in my opinion. Obviously, no responsible person wants people to be impaired while operating a motor vehicle on a public roadway or to be impaired while operating dangerous equipment while working. However, testing for cannabis impairment is not an exact science, as evidenced by the results of a recent scientific investigation conducted in Italy.

A team of researchers affiliated with various health and academic institutions in Italy examined the results of hair follicle tests that focused on detecting the presence of the cannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The findings from the examination were published in the journal Forensic Science International.

“The aim of the present study was to assess whether detectable hair levels of Δ9-THC and CBD could arise in vivo from short, single and repeated passive exposure to cannabis and “light cannabis” and whether the two products could be distinguished.” the researchers stated about the focus of their study.

“Four volunteers underwent weekly 15-minute exposures to low-Δ9-THC (0.5 %) cannabis smoke, delivered by a pump inside a car, over a month. After 1 month of washout, exposures were repeated with the same scheme with high-Δ9-THC (5 %). Hair and urines samples were collected after each exposure. Hair samples were tested, with and without a washing step (total n = 72), by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry for Δ9-THC and CBD. Urines were tested for drug metabolites (LOD: 1.66 ng/ml).” the researchers stated about their methodology.

“No accumulation of drugs over exposures was shown. Urines always tested negative. Washed hair samples were positive for CBD (mean 0.05 ng/mg) after exposure to low-Δ9-THC cannabis, and for Δ9-THC (mean 0.02 ng/mg) after exposure to high-Δ9-THC cannabis, with levels also typical of drug use.” the researchers found.

“Our study showed that hair contamination could arise in vivo even after short single exposures to cannabis and “light cannabis”, underlining the need for a careful interpretation of results of hair analysis in forensic toxicology.” the researchers concluded.

In laypeople’s terms, the results of the study found that simply being around cannabis smoke was enough for a hair follicle test to determine that a person had THC in their system, and thus ‘was a cannabis consumer,’ even though that may not actually be the case. It highlights one of the many deficiencies of hair follicle testing when it comes to cannabis, and why the widespread use of hair follicle testing for determining cannabis use is ridiculous.

stomach pain

Italian Study Finds Cannabis Helps Fibromyalgia Patients

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Science.

Fibromyalgia is one of the biggest health conditions facing the global community in modern times, with international researchers estimating that fibromyalgia affects between two and eight percent of the world’s population.

The exact number of people suffering from fibromyalgia worldwide is unknown, with many countries’ health systems being deficient in properly identifying and diagnosing the serious health condition. Unfortunately, many sufferers remain undiagnosed and untreated.

Fibromyalgia is a long-term, chronic health condition that involves widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and the sufferer experiencing significant pain when they are touched. The pain, in turn, can affect nearly every aspect of the patient’s daily life.

It wasn’t until recent decades that standardized criteria for diagnosing fibromyalgia were established, and proper therapies were developed. Medical cannabis is an area of treatment that is being explored at an increasing rate for fibromyalgia, and was at the heart of a recent study conducted in Italy.

“Fibromyalgia (FM) is frequently associated with gastrointestinal (GI) disorders such as disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBIs). Current treatments for FM offer limited relief, leading to the exploration of alternative therapies such as medical cannabis.” the researchers stated about the focus of their investigation. The study’s findings were published in the journal Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology.

“Sixty FM patients were enrolled, receiving a Bedrocan® cannabis treatment for 6 months. A standardised questionnaire evaluating upper and lower GI symptoms and the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR) evaluating FM severity were administered at enrolment and 3 and 6-month follow-up evaluations. DGBIs, in particular, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and functional dyspepsia (FD) were diagnosed according to Rome IV criteria.” the researchers stated about their methodology.

“The FIQR severity score log-transformed significantly decreased during the months-by-month comparison period (repeated-measures ANOVA, p<0.001). Among GI symptoms, the log-transformed intensity-frequency score of epigastric pain, epigastric burning, abdominal pain, abdominal distension, and bloating significantly decreased during the month-by-month comparison period (repeated-measures ANOVA, p<0.01).” the researchers found.

As acknowledged by the researchers leading the study, there were limitations to the study’s results, not the least of which was the relatively small sample size involved. As with all studies, people need to keep the results in proper context and consult their doctors to determine if medical cannabis is the right treatment for them. Still, the results of this study are promising and give people information to consider.

jar of cannabis flower

How Cannabis Consumer Preferences Are Shaping The Industry

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Business.

In many legal cannabis markets around the world, consumers and patients have more consumption options than ever before. It wasn’t that long ago that consumers and patients were lucky to get any form or quality of cannabis that they could find.

These days, consumers and patients have a wide range of options to choose from in many legal markets, including edibles, topicals, beverages, tinctures, transdermal patches, concentrates, pre-rolls, and many other products. That is in addition to several strains and potency options for unprocessed cannabis flower.

The average cannabis consumer is becoming more sophisticated, and that, in turn, is revolutionizing the emerging legal cannabis industry as companies continue to bring new products and services to the marketplace. Cannabis consumer preferences are evolving rapidly around the world, from product types to ethical considerations.

Consumption delivery methods are expanding, and many consumers and patients are seeking products containing lesser-known cannabinoids beyond THC and CBD. How consumer preferences are shaping the cannabis industry was the focus of an insightful panel at the most recent International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin.

Panelists discussed the latest trends and how businesses can adapt to meet these demands, including how to incorporate AI technology for data collection and analysis. The panel was moderated by Tim Powers, the Founder of Kind Selections and the Co-Founder of Cannabis Tolling Solutions. Mr. Powers was joined on the panel by:

  • Chris Sinacori, CEO of 3Win Corp
  • Emily Fisher, CEO and Founder of Leafwell
  • Tanner Stewart, CEO of Stewart Farms
  • Lorenz Minks, Strategic Consultant at Research Gardens

You can watch the panel discussion via this link here.

cannabis flower buds

Colombia To Allow Pharmacies To Dispense Medical Cannabis Flower

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Business, Policy.

Cannabis products come in many forms these days, including edibles, topicals, tinctures, concentrates, beverages, and vape cartridges. More types of consumables seem to be hitting the market every year, which is good news for consumers and patients.

With that being said, cannabis flower is still one of the most popular forms of cannabis among consumers and patients for various reasons. Consuming cannabis flower provides the fastest effects for consumers and relief for patients, and it can also be used by people to make their own edibles and other products if they choose to.

All medical cannabis programs around the world must include legal sales of cannabis flower as part of their safe access models, including through pharmacies. Germany and Uruguay are two countries that already permit cannabis flower sales through pharmacies. Thankfully, that is reportedly expected to also happen soon in Colombia.

“Colombia is set to legalize the sale of psychoactivecannabis with a medical prescription, under a draft decree from the Justice Ministry that would, for the first time, permit pharmacies to dispense psychoactive marijuana flower to patients with a doctor’s authorization.” reported Colombia One in its local coverage.

“Under the proposed decree, Colombians could legally purchase cannabis in its flower form and consume it by smoking or vaporizing, once they present a medical prescription for conditions such as chronic pain, sleep disorders, or illnesses affecting the central nervous system, including Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis.” the outlet also reported.

Lawmakers in Colombia first approved medical cannabis legalization in the South American nation in 2016. Legal exports of medical cannabis products were approved in 2021, and since that time, Colombia’s export sector has increasingly gained global market share.

You will be hard-pressed to find a place anywhere else on earth where quality cannabis can be cultivated on a large scale as easily and cost-effectively as it can be grown in Colombia. Licensed large-scale producers can cultivate quality cannabis in Colombia for as little as ten cents (USD) per gram. That is nearly impossible for other markets to duplicate, with only a few exceptions.

The world has enjoyed consuming Colombian cannabis flower for decades, albeit not always regulated Colombian cannabis. Fortunately, the nation’s own medical cannabis patients will soon be able to access it through the nation’s pharmacies, and without the fear of prosecution.

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Lawsuit Filed Against Bavarian Cannabis Consequences Limitation Act

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Policy.

A constitutional complaint and lawsuit were filed today against the Bavarian Cannabis Consequences Limitation Act according to the German Hemp Association (DHV). The Act prohibits cannabis consumption at folk festival events in Bavaria and consumption in outdoor areas of local restaurant establishments.

“The plaintiffs are cannabis patient René Korcak and consumer Emanuel Burghard (both of Bayrisch Kraut), as well as the operator of the Tortuga Bar in Fürstenfeldbrück, Dr. Andreas Rothenberger. The plaintiffs are represented by attorney David Werdermannn (KM8 law firm). The proceedings are coordinated and financed by the German Hemp Association. The constitutional complaint has been filed with the Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe. At the same time, the plaintiffs are challenging the restrictions on their freedoms before the Munich Administrative Court.” DHV stated in a press release announcing the legal actions (translated from German to English).

“While the nationwide Cannabis Act (CanG) has newly regulated adult consumption, the Free State of Bavaria has massively restricted these freedoms with its own law. In particular, the blanket ban on cannabis consumption in the outdoor areas of restaurants (“beer garden ban”) and at folk festivals represents, in our view, an unconstitutional infringement of fundamental rights. It not only curtails the rights of consumers and patients, but also unlawfully interferes with the house rules and entrepreneurial freedom of Bavarian restaurateurs.” the press release also stated.

The press release was also coupled with an online press conference, which is embedded below:

Limiting cannabis consumption to private residences in Bavaria makes life harder for suffering medical patients in particular. It is unfair to expect patients to refrain from consuming their medicine simply because their medicine happens to be medical cannabis.

“As a patient, it would make my life considerably easier if restaurateurs had the freedom to make their own decisions about their businesses.” stated plaintiff and medical cannabis patient René Korcak.

“I’m generally a liberal, politically minded person who has been politically active for a long time and is a champion of civil liberties. But I’m also suing because I fear a loss of revenue if potential guests prefer to stay home and avoid my beer garden because of the cannabis ban.” said Tortuga Bar owner Dr. Andreas Rothenberger.

“With its cannabis ban in beer gardens and at folk festivals, Bavaria is not only ignoring the federal legislature’s decision, but is also disproportionately interfering with the fundamental rights of restaurant owners, patients, and consumers.” attorney David Werdermannn stated about the Bavarian Cannabis Consequences Limitation Act.

“Bavaria, too, must comply with federal laws. It cannot be that the CSU is crafting its own anti-cannabis law for ideological reasons.” Georg Wurth, CEO of DHV, added.

cannabis plant

Canadian Study Highlights The THC Variability Of Cannabis Flower

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Science.

I have long theorized that part of the reason why it has taken so long for governments around the world to modernize their cannabis policies is that it is harder to regulate due to how variable cannabinoid levels are in harvests, at least compared to other crops.

Anyone who has cultivated cannabis knows how hard it is to cultivate the crop uniformly. Someone can cultivate the same strain in the same environment, and the quality and quantity of the flower from different plants can differ despite most things being equal. It gets even trickier when cultivating cannabis on a large scale, and only a short list of master growers can knock out large quality harvests reliably.

The variability of THC content in cannabis flower cultivated in greenhouses was at the heart of a recent study conducted in Canada by researchers affiliated with the Pure Sunfarms Corporation. Their findings were published in the academic journal Scientific Reports.

“Cannabis sativa and C. indica dried cannabis total Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is of importance to consumers/patients and must be accurately reported for both recreational and medical dried flower. In this report, the variation in Total THC in THC-dominant commercially relevant cultivars was investigated.” the researchers wrote.

“The variation in Total THC values within different strata of the plant and between plants of the same batch were explored using a single analytical method. Within one stratum across nine batches (n = 27–57), Total THC varied by 3.1–6.7% of actual content, with only ~ 30–41% of individual replicates falling within their respective 99% confidence internal (CI) (representative of the batch mean).” the researchers wrote about their methodology.

“Between the top and bottom of plants across three batches, Total THC varied by 4.7–6.1% of actual THC content. Between plants of one cultivar, average Total THC varied by 2.8% which was statistically significant (p < 0.0001).” the researchers found.

The variability of THC in cannabis harvests isn’t just important to the cultivators, consumers, and patients, but also to government regulators who often have to enforce unrealistic THC industry standards. That is especially true in the hemp industry, where harvests cannot exceed a certain THC threshold, typically between .2 and 2 percent. If a hemp harvest exceeds the THC percentage threshold, the entire harvest has to be destroyed.

This is why it makes far more sense to set THC caps at the end-product stage of the process rather than at the harvest stage. If there is a cap on THC content for flower, such as what is in place for flower sold in Uruguay’s pharmacies, then any flower that exceeds the set limit can be used for making other products, such as edibles, topicals, and concentrates.

skin care lotion

Research Finds That Nanoformulated CBD Is Effective For Skin Conditions

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Science.

Skin conditions, such as acne, psoriasis, and eczema, affect millions of people worldwide. International researchers estimate that over 125 million people suffer from just eczema alone, with roughly 30% of those eczema sufferers eventually developing psoriatic arthritis.

A team of researchers affiliated with various academic universities in India and Australia recently examined the efficacy of nanoformulated cannabidiol as a treatment for serious skin conditions and wound care. Their findings were published in the European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics.

“Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive chemical derived from Cannabis sativa L., has significant dermatological potential due to its antinflammatory, antioxidant, and wound healing attributes.” the researchers wrote. “However, its clinical usage is limited by instability, minimal skin penetration, and poor solubility.”

“Nanotechnology-based delivery systems such as pickering emulsions, cryogels, lipid nanoparticles, and nanomicelles have emerged as promising strategies to enhance localized skin delivery, improve penetration, enable sustained release, and reduce adverse effects.” they also wrote.

“According to this analysis of 16 papers and 18 patents (2019-2024), CBD that has been nanoformulated offers improved tolerability, sustained release, and skin delivery. According to GRADE review, impacts on dermal absorption, inflammation, and wound healing demonstrated intermediate certainty, but outcomes such as skin penetration, controlled release, and safety showed high certainty.” the researchers found.

“Applications for acne, psoriasis, and eczema show enhanced patient compliance and efficacy. Despite clinical and regulatory obstacles, nano-CBD platforms provide a safe, focused, and efficient approach to improving dermatological care.” the researchers concluded.

A recent market analysis by The Business Research Company estimated that the global cannabis cosmetics market will grow “from $5.48 billion in 2024 to a projected total of $7.29 billion in 2025 at an impressive compound annual growth rate CAGR of 32.8%.”

hemp plants

South Africa Is Studying Cannabis Business Development Opportunities

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Business.

South Africa officially approved a national adult-use cannabis legalization measure in 2024, placing the African nation on an exciting and ambitious path towards taking its rightful place as a continental and international cannabis industry leader.

In 2018, South Africa’s Constitutional Court rendered a landmark legal decision that struck down the nation’s cannabis prohibition law as it pertained to private individual cannabis activity. Part of the decision tasked South Africa’s lawmakers with drafting new laws within two years to reflect the order. It obviously took longer for the Court’s decision to be codified.

A parliamentary question was recently posed in South Africa, which inquired about what steps the Minister of Small Business Development is taking to “support and promote small- and medium-sized enterprises in the hemp and cannabis sectors.”

The question, directed to Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, asked about:

  • Timelines
  • Budget allocations
  • What regulations and laws has her department identified that “impede the development of a hemp and cannabis sector”
  • Steps taken to assist SMEs in navigating “red tape”
  • Steps taken to “ensure that the sector is an enabling space” for rural, black, and women-owned businesses

Below are excerpts from the Minister’s reply, which can be read in its entirety at this link here:

“The Department has conducted research on the value chain relating to hemp and cannabis to assist the Department in understanding the areas in the primary, secondary and tertiary economic functions which MSMEs may find opportunities for creation of small businesses to generate income, create jobs and play a meaningful role in the sector and related economic functional support activities. The study was conducted internally and as such, there were no costs associated with conducting the study.” Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams wrote.

“Currently, the Department is assessing cannabis projects in three provinces (KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape) as a start for provision of support on infrastructure requirements. The process of site visits is underway and projects in KwaZulu-Natal have already been visited for verification, Northern Cape is to follow in this first quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, and Eastern Cape will follow thereafter.” she also wrote.

“The Department has taken a deliberate stance to approach issues of economic participation and inclusion through mainstreaming using the national targets as a benchmark in the implementation of its support interventions and programmes. This is mainly reflected in the performance reports that measures the extend to which rural, township, black, women, youth and the disabled are part of the MSMEs supported from the financial and non-financial support provided on an ongoing basis. The normal structure of reporting addresses these elements under all programmes. In instances where any of the elements is reflected in the reports, reasons for deviation on lack of data in reports submitted are required to justify the omission.” the Minster concluded in her reply to the inquiry.

A recent market projection for South Africa’s emerging legal cannabis industry estimated that the nation’s draft National Cannabis Master Plan, once fully implemented, would create over 100,000 jobs and add approximately R30 billion to South Africa’s economy.