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Moldova Issues First Authorization For Hemp Production

Written by Hazel Norman on . Posted in Business, Policy.

Hemp policy and regulatory modernization is sweeping across the globe, with a recent example being in the European nation of Moldova where the government has issued its first authorization for legal hemp cultivation.

“Moldova has officially entered the industrial hemp sector, issuing its first authorization for hemp cultivation under new regulations that open the door for fiber and seed production.” reported Hemp Today in its original coverage. “The approval, granted by the Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices through its Standing Committee on Drug Control, marks a significant step in the country’s agricultural policy.

“The move follows recent government amendments to laws regulating plants containing narcotic or psychotropic substances, which now define industrial hemp separately from marijuana. Under the new framework, farmers can grow hemp varieties listed in the Moldovan National Plant Variety Catalog, the EU’s Common Catalog of Varieties of Agricultural Plant Species, or national catalogs of EU member states.” the outlet also stated.

Humans have made use of the hemp plant for various purposes for thousands of centuries. It wasn’t until the 1900s that policies prohibiting hemp production and use were enacted.

Thankfully, more governments are getting on the right side of history and allowing aspiring members of the legal hemp industry to cultivate hemp and use it as a source for medical products and adult-use products, in addition to using hemp for creating numerous textiles.

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Action Gets Delayed On Italy’s Restrictive Hemp Laws

Written by Hazel Norman on . Posted in Business, Policy.

For centuries the hemp plant and its varied uses were fairly limited to textiles. While the practice of incorporating hemp into medicinal applications is thousands of years old, it wasn’t as widespread in use compared to using hemp to make things like rope and paper.

In recent years, hemp-derived products for medical patients and consumers have increased significantly. ‘Cannabis light’ products in Europe, which contain low amounts of THC and typically larger amounts of CBD, are very popular and widespread in many places, including in Italy.

Unfortunately, lawmakers in Italy have tried to hinder the nation’s emerging hemp-derived product sector, having issued a decree last year that equates cannabidiol (CBD) with dangerous narcotic substances. The decree sought to limit the sale of CBD products to pharmacies only (non-repeat prescriptions).

Members of Italy’s CBD industry have sought relief from the European Commission, requesting that the European Commission intervene. However, such an intervention has yet to materialize, and action from the EC is being delayed.

“Brussels has delayed addressing Italy’s restrictive measures on industrial hemp and CBD, with stakeholders warning that the holdup is stifling the country’s growing hemp industry, following a March 17 debate in the European Parliament.” reported Hemp Today in its original coverage.

“The conflict centers on two key Italian measures that have raised alarms among hemp advocates: a proposed amendment to the country’s Security Law and a decree that classifies oral CBD products as narcotics. The amendment, still under consideration in Italy’s Senate, would ban the production and trade of hemp flowers and derivatives, even those with THC content below the EU’s permitted 0.3% threshold.” the outlet also reported.

Until the European Commission makes a firm decision in either direction, Italy’s hemp and CBD industries will continue to remain in a state of limbo.

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Legal Cannabis Supply Changes Coming To The Netherlands Next Month

Written by Hazel Norman on . Posted in Business, Policy.

The Netherlands is home to multiple regional adult-use cannabis commerce pilot trials. The pilot trials involve permitting limited recreational cannabis sales at a local level for policymakers and regulators to be able to gather industry research data for later use.

Currently, the participating pilot trial retail outlets can source their cannabis products from non-legal sources. However, that is going to change starting next month when all products for the pilot trials have to be sourced from legal suppliers.

“As of April 7, coffeeshops in the ten participating municipalities will no longer be allowed to sell illegally sourced cannabis, marking the most substantial shift in the Netherlands’ drug policy in decades.” stated NL Times in its local coverage.

“Under the new system, all cannabis must come from government-approved growers. Minister of Justice and Security Van Weel said he expects the “quantity, quality, and diversity” of legally grown cannabis to be sufficient by the deadline to meet consumer demand.” the outlet also reported.

Cannabis pilot trials are operating in the Netherlands in Breda, Tilburg, Arnhem, Almere, Groningen, Heerlen, Hellevoetsluis, Maastricht, Nijmegen, and Zaanstad. A proposal to expand the cannabis trials to include the Amsterdam-Oost district was previously denied by members of the Netherlands Parliament.

A poll conducted in April 2024 found that 60% of residents in the Netherlands support having a regulated cannabis industry.

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Legal Cannabis Sales Spike In Canada As Alcohol Sales Plummet

Written by Hazel Norman on . Posted in Business.

Canada was the second country to adopt a national recreational cannabis legalization law and remains the most robust nationwide legal adult-use cannabis market on the planet. Uruguay legalized cannabis before Canada, however, Uruguay continues to limit adult-use cannabis commerce to legal residents.

The legal adult-use market in Canada is the best recreational cannabis commerce experiment for public policy and economic researchers for a multitude of reasons. The data generated in Canada provides insight into what other nations may expect if/when they adopt a similar legalization model.

One thing that the data is demonstrating in Canada is that legal cannabis sales continue to erode the unregulated cannabis market, and paralleling the rise in cannabis sales is a drop in sales of alcohol products. Below is more information about the sales trends via a news release from NORML:

Ottawa, Ontario: Sales of alcohol and cannabis in Canada are on opposite trajectories, according to data provided by Statistics Canada, the national statistical agency of the Canadian government.

For the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, sales of alcoholic beverages experienced historic declines, with beer sales experiencing the largest overall decrease. In comparison, “Sales of recreational cannabis by provincial cannabis authorities and other retail outlets increased 11.6 percent or $0.5 billion from one fiscal year earlier, reaching $5.2 billion in 2023/2024.” Sales of cannabis products had previously grown nearly 16 percent in 2022/2023.

Canada legalized the adult-use marijuana market in 2018.

Separate data published in February in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine reported that fewer young adults in the US acknowledge consuming alcohol following the opening of licensed marijuana retailers.

While survey data finds that many consumers acknowledge substituting marijuana for alcohol, observational data gathered from jurisdictions that have legalized cannabis is mixed – with some studies reporting dips in alcohol sales post-legalization and others reporting no significant changes at the population level.

Complete data sets are available from Statistics Canada.

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Over 250 German Cannabis Pharmacies To Gather In Berlin

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Business.

Germany is home to the largest legal medical cannabis industry in Europe, with cannabis pharmacies serving as the foundation of Germany’s emerging industry. Legal medical cannabis sales launched in German pharmacies in 2017, and since that time the sector has grown exponentially.

Germany’s emerging medical cannabis industry was already enormous in scope and market value before the nation’s new CanG law took effect. However, since April 1st, 2024, when the first provisions of adult-use legalization became effective in Germany, the nation’s medical cannabis industry hit an entirely new rate of growth.

A main contributing factor to the dramatic medical market increase in Germany is the removal of cannabis from the nation’s Narcotics List, which was a key component of the new CanG law. The removal of cannabis from the list made it easier for doctors to prescribe cannabis in Germany, in addition to improving the medical cannabis supply chain and boosting domestic medical cannabis production.

Medical cannabis continues to be the biggest winner of Germany’s adult-use policy modernization effort so far, despite the boost in patient numbers still being in the early stages. Before April 1st last year, researchers estimated that Germany had between 200k and 300k active medical cannabis patients. That number is projected to increase to as much as 5 million in the not-so-distant future.

Additionally, according to a recent report by the Bloomwell Group, prescriptions for medical cannabis in Germany increased by roughly 1,000% between March 2024 and December 2024. Medical cannabis imports are also increasing in Germany, with imports surging over 70% in the first three months following the enactment of the CanG law compared to the same period in the prior year.

The International Cannabis Business Conference will once again bring its flagship two-day conference to the iconic Estrel Berlin Hotel on April 29th-30th amidst this historic shift in Germany’s medical cannabis industry. International Cannabis Business Conference Berlin is Europe’s largest and longest-running cannabis B2B event, and this year’s installment will be bigger and better than ever with a heavy focus on Germany’s emerging medical cannabis industry.

Over 250 German cannabis pharmacies are expected to be represented at the International Cannabis Business Conference Berlin as part of a new feature of the conference. All German cannabis pharmacies can receive free VIP tickets to the two-day event. Interested cannabis pharmacies in Germany are encouraged to contact the International Cannabis Business Conference team so that they can sign up to receive their VIP tickets.

International Cannabis Business Conference Berlin is the perfect place for cannabis pharmacy operators to showcase their brands, and to network with entrepreneurs, investors, and industry service providers. Conversely, attending the International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin is an effective and efficient way for medical cannabis product makers, investors, and entities offering pharmacy industry services to meet directly with representatives from over 250 German pharmacies. It is an unparalleled opportunity to establish profitable business relationships that could last decades into the future.

Over 5,000 cannabis leaders from over 80 countries are expected to be represented at the International Cannabis Business Conference Berlin 2025 and that includes representatives from every sector of the industry, as well as leading international cannabis policymakers and regulators. Bring your company to the International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin to network with the best and take your industry pursuits to the next level. Prospective attendees can register now and save $200 before ticket prices go up on April 2nd at midnight. Make sure to secure your spot before the event sells out.

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European Commission Clarifies Hemp-Derived CBD Is Permitted In Cosmetics

Written by Hazel Norman on . Posted in Business, Policy.

The hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) market is increasing in size and value with every passing year, including the cosmetics sector. Just the skincare subsector of the CBD cosmetics market alone is worth billions of dollars according to market analysts.

“The global CBD Skincare Market is poised for rapid expansion, with forecasts revealing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.76% from 2025 to 2030.” analysts at Research and Markets stated recently.

“This exponential growth indicates a market size increase from US$4.759 billion in 2025 to US$9.892 billion by the end of the decade, reflecting consumers’ rising inclination towards products infused with cannabidiol (CBD) and signaling a significant shift in skincare trends towards natural and effective ingredients.” the analysts also stated.

Europe is a market where hemp-derived CBD cosmetics are particularly popular, and the European Commission recently clarified that cosmetic products containing hemp-derived CBD are permitted.

“The European Commission has responded to a request for clarification from CannaReporter regarding the recent decision by Infarmed IP to withdraw from the market several cosmetic products containing cannabidiol (CBD) extracted from the hemp plant.” CannaReporter stated it its original coverage.

“In this regard, the EC reiterates that the classification of CBD as a narcotic (whether synthetic or extracted from hemp) is not in line with the understanding of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) or with European Regulation. It was also clarified that a scientific evaluation is underway to define safety criteria for CBD and THC in cosmetics.” the outlet also stated in its reporting.

A recent market analysis by Meticulous Market Research estimates that the overall global CBD-infused products market “is expected to reach $291.39 billion by 2032, at a CAGR of 30.6% from 2025 to 2032.”

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South Africa Department Of Health Bans Cannabis Edibles

Written by Hazel Norman on . Posted in Business, Policy.

South Africa is on a short list of countries that have adopted national adult-use cannabis legalization measures. The African nation is joined by Uruguay, Canada, Malta, Luxembourg, and Germany.

The Department of Health in South Africa recently announced a complete ban on cannabis edibles. Cannabis edibles are popular with medical cannabis patients and recreational consumers for various reasons, not the least of which is that they are a smokeless form of consumption.

“In a shocking move, the Department of Health has quietly banned the production and selling of cannabis and hemp-derived foodstuffs in South Africa.” reported ION in its local coverage. “This unexpected turn of events contradicts the government’s decriminalisation of cannabis by the Constitutional Court in recent years.”

“In the State of the Nation Address (SONA) in February, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the government aims for South Africa to spearhead the commercial production of hemp and cannabis.” the outlet also reported.

South Africa’s President signed a limited adult-use cannabis legalization measure into law back in May 2024.

“President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act (“CfPPA”). The CfPPA regulates the cultivation, possession, and use of cannabis by adults in a private setting.” The President’s office stated in a press release at the time.

“The consequent regulatory reform enabled by the CfPPA will, amongst others, entirely remove cannabis from the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act. This will further enable amendment of the Schedules to the Medicines and Related Substances Act and provide for targeted regulatory reform of the Plant Breeders Rights Act and the Plant Improvement Act, as well as other pieces of legislation that require amendment to allow for the industrialisation of the cannabis sector.” the press release also stated.

Back in 2018, South Africa’s Constitutional Court issued a landmark ruling that deemed cannabis prohibition as it pertained to adult individuals to be unconstitutional. The 2018 decision stemmed from a lower court decision in Western Cape in March 2017 which determined that a ban on cannabis use by adults at home was unconstitutional.

The 2018 decision in South Africa left many unknowns, including how much cannabis a person could cultivate and possess in a private setting. The Court largely punted many policy decisions to lawmakers, who then proceeded to drag their feet for several years.

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Cannabis Pilot Trials In The Netherlands And Switzerland

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

Europe is home to a unique form of cannabis public policy experimentation. Multiple jurisdictions, the Netherlands and Switzerland, permit regional adult-use cannabis commerce pilot trials.

The trials allow recreational cannabis commerce to occur at a local level for research purposes. The data and information collected via the trials, in theory, help policymakers and regulators when crafting national laws and regulations.

Updates from both jurisdictions have surfaced recently in media coverage, and by many measures the pilot trials are going well, particularly in Switzerland according to a new government report.

“Switzerland’s adult-use marijuana legalization pilot program is “running smoothly,” with “no indication of any disturbances to public order,” a government-commissioned report finds as lawmakers are considering legislation to broadly end cannabis prohibition across the country.” reported Marijuana Moment in its original coverage.

“About two years after the pilot program launched in seven municipalities across the country, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) study—carried out by the University of Lausanne and the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland—generally determined that the initiative has been a success.” the outlet also reported.

Things are a bit more mixed in the Netherlands. Not due to public safety or health concerns, but rather, due to concerns over an upcoming supply change to the nation’s program that participants are indicating could cause issues.

“The regulated cannabis cultivation experiment is supposed to enter its next phase on April 7. From then on, the coffeeshops in the participating municipalities are only allowed to sell cannabis from regulated growers. But the experiment is not ready to move on.” reported NL Times in its local coverage.

“There is too little supply from the regulated growers, and the quality is sometimes insufficient, coffeeshop owners said in a letter to the mayors of the participating municipalities. They worry that the experiment will fail if the deadline isn’t postponed.” NL Times also stated.

Another country that has given preliminary approval to regional adult-use cannabis commerce pilot trials is Germany, although the nation’s pilot program launch has experienced delays.

Current European Union agreements prohibit nationwide recreational cannabis commerce such as what is found in countries like Uruguay and Canada. However, EU agreements do permit local recreational cannabis commerce activity for research purposes, so for now, that is what EU-member nations have to work with in addition to permitting home cultivation and cultivation associations.

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Record Number In Scotland Buy Legal Medical Cannabis Privately

Written by Hazel Norman on . Posted in Business, Policy.

Scotland’s legal medical cannabis industry has struggled to reach its full potential in recent years, however, the industry has passed a meaningful milestone with a record number of Scots making legal purchases of medical cannabis products from private industry sources.

“Record numbers of Scots are paying for medical cannabis as NHS waiting lists leave them struggling to get conventional treatment.” reported Daily Mail. “An unprecedented 3,440 Scots now have private prescriptions for the drug – mostly patients suffering from common conditions such as depression, anxiety, or chronic pain.”

“Scotland’s first medical cannabis clinic was set up in 2019 and its roster of clients has grown monthly.” the outlet also reported.

Nearly five dozen nations around the world have legalized cannabis for medical use to some degree. Israel was the first country to legalize cannabis for medical use back in 1999.

Currently, cannabis is legal for adult use in Uruguay, Canada, Malta, Luxembourg, Germany, and South Africa. Recreational cannabis legalization has also been adopted by two dozen states in the U.S., and regional adult-use cannabis commerce pilot trials are operating in the Netherlands and Switzerland.