Business – Page 3 – International Cannabis Business Conference

Lebanon Agriculture Minister Touts Economic Benefits Of Regulated Cannabis

Written by Johnny Green on July 20, 2025. Posted in Business, Policy.

Lebanon may not be the first country that people think of when it comes to the emerging legal cannabis and hemp industries. However, there is a concerted push underway to ramp up the nation’s legal industries, and that push is largely being led by the nation’s leaders.

“Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Wednesday sponsored a conference at the Grand Serail on legal cannabis cultivation, reaffirming the government’s push to activate Lebanon’s law allowing medical and industrial use.” reported LBC International in its local reporting.

“In his opening remarks, Agriculture Minister Nizar Hani framed the initiative as a turning point in Lebanon’s approach to agriculture and economic development.” the outlet also reported in its original coverage.

Agriculture Minister Hani reportedly described developing the nation’s medical and industrial hemp industries as being “a national responsibility” and that the emerging sectors are “promising” if they can be developed sufficiently.

Lebanon’s Prime Minister estimates that an established medical and industrial hemp industry could develop into a $1 billion market and create a significant number of jobs in the process. He pointed to the Bekaa Valley as an example that could particularly benefit from a developed industry.

A 2019 report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimated that Lebanon was the third largest source for ‘cannabis resin’ worldwide, only behind Morocco and Afghanistan. UNODC estimated that roughly 6% of all the cannabis resin on earth originates in Lebanon.

Two historical measures largely govern cannabis activity in Lebanon. The first came in 1998, when Lebanon passed law 673/1998, which criminalized the use of illicit drugs and scheduled cannabis as a “very dangerous substance with no medical use.”

The second occurred in 2020, when Lebanon became the first country in the region to somewhat liberalize its cannabis policies by permitting limited cannabis farming. As time has gone on, the measure approved in 2020 has proven to be largely symbolic, with the nation’s cabinet refraining from implementing decrees to establish a regulatory authority.

“In April 2020, after decades of discussions and controversy, the Lebanese parliament voted a law legalizing the cultivation, production, and sale of cannabis for medicinal purposes. Although the law leaves several unanswered questions and awaits implementation, the symbolic nature of this step in recognizing a positive role of cannabis in the local economy is significant on a regional level.” wrote a team of researchers affiliated with various health and academic institutions based in Lebanon.

“The social experiment taking place in Lebanon is fraught with risks, given the unstable political situation and chronic economic challenges. The reactions to the law have been mixed with several scientific bodies such as the Lebanese Psychiatric Society criticizing the absence of proper consultation of stakeholders.” the researchers also wrote.

Legal Cannabis Sales Could Add $10 Billion To Victoria’s Economy

Written by Johnny Green on July 20, 2025. Posted in Business, Policy.

If Victoria, a state in southeast Australia, were to allow a regulated adult-use cannabis industry to operate within its borders, the jurisdiction could witness a boost of as much as $10 billion in gross state product over the next decade.

The projection is part of an economic analysis commissioned by the Penington Institute. The economic analysis also found that a regulated recreational cannabis industry in Victoria could create as many as 17,000 new jobs and generate $2 billion for the government’s public coffers via taxed sales and industry fees.

“These figures were based on a scenario in which Victoria implemented a comprehensive regulatory model developed by the Penington Institute.” reported Cannabiz in its original coverage of the analysis. “The plan outlined 21 control measures, including bans on underage access, advertising and public use, and a licensing system covering cultivation, manufacturing and retail.”

“Penington Institute chief executive John Ryan said the data demonstrated the scale of the economic opportunity, which was currently being occupied by a billion-dollar illegal market.” the outlet also reported.

The recreational-focused analysis was published against a backdrop in which opponents inside and outside of Australia’s government are pushing for stiffer medical cannabis industry regulations. Australia legalized medical cannabis in 2016.

“Given the increasing numbers of Australian using medical cannabis and an increase observed in poor prescribing practices, Ahpra and the National Boards last week released updated guidance to help practitioners meet their obligations. This follows the AMA calling on health ministers to address the issue, in part by providing adequate resources to Ahpra and the National Boards.” reported Hemp Gazette about recently shifting medical cannabis regulations in Australia.

“The AMA is also calling for stricter enforcement to stop medicinal cannabis companies from exploiting special access schemes and avoiding listing products on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG). The ARTG lists all therapeutic goods that are legally allowed to be supplied in or exported from Australia; including medicines, medical devices, and other therapeutic products.” the outlet also reported.

Australia is on pace for over 200,000 medical cannabis approvals by the end of the year. Last year, Australian doctors issued about 178k approvals by comparison. Australia’s medical cannabis industry imported over 42,000 kilos of medical cannabis products in 2023 alone.

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Opportunities In New Global Cannabis Markets

Written by Johnny Green on July 15, 2025. Posted in Business.

As much as the emerging legal cannabis industry has grown in size and scope around the world in recent years, it is still young by many measures. The legal global cannabis industry’s market value is measured in the tens of billions right now, but the market value that is still unregulated is measured in the hundreds of billions, demonstrating that the emerging regulated industry is just scratching the surface of what is possible.

Every passing year seems to result in new jurisdictions being created, and/or already established and regulated markets increasing in size. Every policy and regulatory modernization measure that is adopted creates new opportunities for entrepreneurs, investors, and industry service providers.

New international markets were the focus of one of the panels at the recent International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin. The panel was moderated by Adi Rozenfeld, partner at Herzog Law. Ms. Rozenfeld was joined on the panel by:

Eidan Havas, Founder of The Entourage Effect
Natcha Klahan, COO of World Pharma Solutions and partner at Cannagen
Merlin MacDonald, Director of Business Development at Carbon Extracts
Omar Khan, Chief Communications and Public Affairs Officer at High Tide Inc

Emerging regions like Africa, Asia, and Latin America are becoming key players in the cannabis industry. This panel explored market entry strategies, local regulations, and the potential for growth. Panelists also discussed the importance of creating and maintaining positive government relationships in emerging jurisdictions. Learn how businesses can navigate these markets while respecting cultural and regulatory nuances.

You can view the panel discussion at this link here.

Evaluating Germany’s Cannabis Legalization Law

Written by Johnny Green on July 13, 2025. Posted in Business, Policy, Science.

Germany remains the largest country, as measured by population size, to ever adopt a national adult-use cannabis legalization measure. Given Germany’s position as a continental and global political and economic leader, it is easy to make an argument that German legalization is the most significant cannabis policy modernization effort of its kind in history.

While there are various ongoing evaluations of Germany’s CanG law, the Evaluation of the Consumer Cannabis Act (EKOCAN) is a very prominent one that domestic lawmakers are following as they continue to consider potential updates to German cannabis public policy.

The project manager for the EKOCAN research effort is Dr. Jakob Manthey, and according to the Federal Ministry of Health’s website, the goals of the evaluation project are threefold. They include “investigating the impact of the Cannabis Act on”:

Child and youth protection
General health protection
Cannabis-related crime

“To this end, a wide variety of data will be compiled (e.g., from ongoing studies on the topic or from public administration), our own surveys will be conducted (e.g., with public organizations directly involved in the topic, as well as consumers and cultivation associations), and the data will finally be evaluated with regard to the aforementioned overarching objectives.” states the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) on its website (translated from German to English).

“The evaluation will make an important contribution to answering the question of how the law is being implemented in everyday life and whether the intended effects of the law are being achieved. Furthermore, the evaluation should provide reliable evidence for potentially necessary legislative adjustments.” BMG also states.

With that in mind, the initial findings of the EKOCAN project have surfaced via original reporting by krautinvest. I encourage everyone to read krautinvest’s article, which is very informative and insightful.

One of the major takeaways from the initial findings is that reported cannabis consumption rates were already on the rise in Germany leading up to the enactment of the CanG law, and Dr. Manthy determined that the rise was due to older individuals reporting cannabis use.

Regarding younger consumers, which is a demographic often focused on by cannabis opponents in their talking points, Dr. Manthy “sees no anomalies since the Cannabis Act came into force,” according to krautinvest’s reporting, and that Dr. Manthy doesn’t assume “that any changes can be attributed to the Cannabis Act.”

Other high-level takeaways from the initial evaluation findings are that there aren’t enough cannabis cultivation associations in Germany, that there are no “short-term changes” regarding public roadway safety, legalization has not increased reported mental illnesses, and that the CanG law has significantly lowered cannabis-related criminal offenses in Germany.

Unlocking The Hidden Potential Of Cannabis Genetics

Written by Johnny Green on July 12, 2025. Posted in Business, Science.

Cannabis and hemp genetics are the most foundational component of the entire cannabis industry. Everything else in the entire emerging cannabis and hemp industry flows from genetics, and nothing else is possible without it.

With that in mind, unlocking as much knowledge about cannabis and hemp genetics is paramount for the future of the industry. At a genetic level, cannabis and hemp are the same thing. I only refer to them as being separate in articles because there are two distinct global industries due to how hemp and non-hemp cannabis are regulated.

A panel of experts discussed some of the latest developments in the field of cannabis genetics at the recent International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin, from the science of breeding to the role of genetics in IP and branding. Biomolecular compounds and other characteristics sought after in new strains were also examined.

The panel was moderated by procurement and market specialist Bubba Nicholson. Mr. Nicholson was joined on the panel by:

Clinton Younge, Founder of Charlie’s Cannabis Co.
Alexandre Gauthier, Vice President of R&D at Origine Nature
Dave Auger, Commissioner of Big League Genetics
Matthew Don-Carolis, VP of sales at Segra International

You can view the panel discussion at this link here.

Nearly 90% Of Thailand Cannabis Stores Expected To Close

Written by Johnny Green on July 12, 2025. Posted in Business, Policy.

At the start of this year, Thailand was one of the top legal cannabis markets on the planet, becoming so after a landmark policy change a few years ago. In 2022, Thailand made history by becoming the first country in the Southeast Asia region to modernize its cannabis policies and remove cannabis from its narcotics list.

Unfortunately, the glory days of Thailand’s modern cannabis industry appear to be over, at least for now.

“The new regulations – set to be enforced by the end of the year – would leave about 2,000 of Thailand’s estimated 18,000 cannabis shops in operation, a Ministry of Public Health official said on Tuesday.” reported South China Morning Post this week in its original coverage.

“Cannabis was officially designated a “controlled herb” in June, under an order signed by Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin. The reclassification means the plant can now only be used with a licensed medical prescription, and all professionals authorised to prescribe it must undergo training approved by the health ministry.” the outlet also reported.

Some international cannabis media coverage has framed the recent public policy changes in Thailand as ‘proof that Thailand’s cannabis industry experiment did not work as designed.’ However, a basic review of Thailand’s approach in the last few years demonstrates that the industry did work as designed by the last government, and that recent changes are actually the result of a new government taking control of the country.

Thailand’s historic cannabis policy shift in 2022 was designed to pave the way for the nation’s emerging cannabis industry to become a regional and international cannabis industry leader. Every household in the entire country could sign up initially to legally cultivate low-THC cannabis plants, which a reported 1.1 million citizens of Thailand had done at one point.

During Thailand’s historic change in 2022, the nation’s Public Health Minister indicated that there would be no plant limit for the government’s cannabis cultivation program. Thailand’s government also gave away over 1 million cannabis seeds directly to households that signed up for the program.

A broad spectrum of government agencies in Thailand agreed to do their part to push the nation’s emerging cannabis industry forward. Researchers estimated at the time that Thailand’s 2022 policy change would result in roughly 12,000 cannabis dispensaries opening nationwide. As we now know, the number ended up being around 18,000 dispensaries by 2025.

All cannabis sales in Thailand will eventually require a medical prescription, and retailers will be required to have an on-site licensed medical professional at every location. All cannabis products in Thailand will be required to be sourced from licensed suppliers and undergo rigorous testing for contaminants.

In addition to requiring tailored training for all cannabis-prescribing medical professionals, all staffers at the nation’s remaining cannabis dispensaries will also have to complete a required training. An estimated 100,000 dispensary staffers are expected to take the necessary training once it is offered.

Accessing Financial Services In The Emerging Global Cannabis Industry

Written by Johnny Green on July 6, 2025. Posted in Business.

As the emerging global cannabis industry continues to expand in size and scope, the need for sufficient access to international financial services continues to grow with it. Cannabis companies at all levels need access to financial services to effectively operate, including access to banking, payment processing, and investment services.

The legal cannabis industry has made some strides on the financial services front in recent years. However, many hurdles and challenges remain, and entrepreneurs, investors, and industry service providers need to know the best practices and strategies for overcoming the unique financial system obstacles involved.

At the recent International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin, a team of leading industry experts discussed this topic on a panel titled ‘The High Cost of Compliance.’ The panel was moderated by attorney Daniel Haymann of MME Legal. Mr. Haymann was joined by:

Gašper Friškovec, CCO of The Talman Group
John Fowler, President of Muskoka Grown Limited
Erin Butler, CFO of Global Cannabis Exchange LTD
Ricardo Geada, Director of Regulatory Solutions at Lawrence Stephens
Sigfried Legeay, CFO and Co-Founder of Canxchange

You can view the panel discussion via this link here.

Study Determines Best Practices For Cannabis Oil Production

Written by Johnny Green on July 6, 2025. Posted in Business, Science.

Cannabis products and consumption methods come in many forms these days, with cannabis oil being a particularly popular one. Cannabis oil is versatile in several ways, not the least of which is its versatility from the perspective of international transportation.

Oil typically has a longer shelf life compared to raw flower and takes up much less space when being transported. At the most basic level, cannabis in oil form allows companies to ship far more cannabinoids to far-off destinations than if they were to ship raw flower to be processed at their final destination. That is an important factor for an industry that continues to go global.

Additionally, many governments seem to prefer cannabis oil products over other medical cannabis products for various reasons, as reflected by the rules and regulations currently in place in many legal medical cannabis markets. Patient testimonials highlight that cannabis oil is an effective form of consumption.

Earlier this week, SOMAÍ, a leading EU-GMP-certified vertically integrated Multi-Country Operator (MCO) specializing in cannabinoid-based medicines, in collaboration with Lusófona University, the largest Portuguese private university and the main institution of Grupo Lusófona, published a groundbreaking peer-reviewed paper titled “Process Development for GMP-Grade Full Extract Cannabis Oil: Towards Standardized Medicinal Use.”

Key findings from the collaborative study, which showcases the best practices for cannabis oil production, include:

Deep-cooled ethanol extraction and purification preserve the native cannabinoid and terpene profile of the plant throughout the production process
Improvements in taste, color, and overall appearance make these preparations more tolerable and effective for patients
Terpene fingerprint from the flower is remarkably preserved and can be controlled for reintroduction, emphasizing that terpene formulation is a science, not guesswork

“This paper underscores SOMAÍ’s scientific leadership in the cannabis pharmaceutical industry,” said Michael Sassano, Founder and Interim CEO of SOMAÍ. “Our study demonstrates that full-spectrum cannabis formulations can be scientifically structured, reproducible, and pharmaceutically precise—dispelling the misconception that full-spectrum must mean uncontrolled or inconsistent.”

“This research is a step forward in establishing scientific rigor within the medical cannabis field,” said Professor Maria do Céu Costa of Lusófona University. “Our findings show that with the right methodology, it is possible to preserve the integrity of the plant while achieving consistency, safety, and improved patient acceptance. It’s a meaningful contribution to both science and therapeutic innovation.”

“Unlike unrefined crude extracts or formulations created without standardized methodology, SOMAÍ’s approach is rooted in pharmaceutical science and controlled processes. This ensures a consistent cannabinoid and terpene profile that meets rigorous regulatory requirements while enhancing both the therapeutic efficacy and patient experience.” the company stated in a press release about their cannabis oil production.

A recent market analysis conducted by DataM Intelligence 4 Market Research LLP found that the “global hemp extracts market reached US$ 3.81 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach US$ 6.75 billion by 2032, growing with a CAGR of 7.41% during the forecast period 2025-2032.”

UK Announces Updates To CBD Novel Foods Approval Process

Written by Johnny Green on July 5, 2025. Posted in Business, Policy.

A growing body of peer-reviewed scientific research and consumer and patient testimonials has demonstrated that cannabidiol (CBD) is safe for human consumption, and in many cases, that CBD provides several wellness benefits.

Unfortunately, governments and public policies are often not on the same page as researchers, consumers, and patients. Various governments around the world either still prohibit CBD products or greatly hinder their legal availability.

One government that has notably moved slowly on modernizing CBD policies and regulations is the United Kingdom, although regulators in the UK did recently announce some changes and upcoming timelines pertaining to CBD products.

“The changes, published today, encourage businesses to meet a CBD provisional acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 10 mg per day of CBD (equivalent to 0.15 mg/kg of body weight per day of CBD for a 70kg adult) and the THC safe upper limit of 0.07 mg THC per day (equivalent to 1 µg/kg of body weight per day of THC for a 70kg adult).” the United Kingdom’s Food Standards Agency stated earlier this week in a news alert.

“The safe upper limit for THC has been agreed based on advice from our independent scientific advisory committees (Opens in a new window), also published today.” the government agency also wrote in its news release.

There are CBD companies in the United Kingdom who were in the middle of the process of gaining government approval to bring their products to the marketplace. Those companies are being afforded the opportunity to reformulate their products in an effort to bring them into compliance with the updated limits.

“The change to guidance encourages compliance with novel food regulations while prioritising public health. Allowing businesses to reformulate their products at this stage will make the authorisation process more efficient, while consumers will benefit from safer CBD products on the market.” stated the UK Food Standards Agency.

“Our pragmatic approach allows businesses to do the right thing for consumer safety while progressing towards full regulatory compliance. This flexibility creates a clearer path forward for CBD businesses while ensuring products meet our safety standards.” said Thomas Vincent of the Food Standards Agency.

A recent market analysis by The Research Insights estimates that “the global cannabidiol market size is projected to be valued at USD 9.14 billion in 2024 and reach USD 22.05 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 15.8%.”