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European Industrial Hemp Association Announces Leadership Change

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

The European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA) is one of the most established, respected, and important organizations on the planet. EIHA is the only pan-European membership organization in the industrial hemp sector and represents the common interests of hemp farmers, producers, and traders working with hemp fibers, shives, seeds, oil, leaves, and cannabinoids.

The organization’s main task is to represent, serve, and protect the hemp sector in the European Union and international policymaking. EIHA focuses on the different areas of the application of hemp, including its use for textiles, construction materials, paper, cosmetics, feed, food, and supplements.

EIHA recently announced a big change in the organization’s leadership. Below is more information about the leadership change via a press release from the organization:

The European Industrial Hemp Association announces an important leadership change: Lorenza Romanese will be stepping down as Managing Director, and Francesco Mirizzi, currently Senior Policy Advisor at EIHA, will take over the role.

Mr Mirizzi has been part of the EIHA team for the past five years, where he has worked closely with members and stakeholders on all policy files. His expertise spans key dossiers such as feed, construction, food, and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is especially timely, as these dossiers are currently in active development at the EU level. His leadership comes at a crucial moment and positions EIHA strongly for the next phase of advocacy and growth.

Ms Romanese, who has led EIHA since 2019, was instrumental in establishing the association’s Brussels presence and building up its influence at the EU level. Her strategic vision and relentless commitment over the past six years helped position hemp as a serious and growing sector in Europe. “It has been a privilege to lead EIHA through these transformative years. I am proud of what
we’ve achieved together. Francesco’s leadership comes at the right time—his topics are hot and his expertise unmatched. I’m not going far—I’ll continue to support Francesco, the board, and all of you as an advisor, especially on the Novel Food Consortium.” – she states.

While stepping back from the day-to-day role, Ms Romanese will remain involved with EIHA, as a senior advisor, continuing to support the Novel Food Consortium. She will stay on board part-time to advise on strategy and the next steps for the Novel Food applications in the EU and in the UK.

This announcement comes after the EIHA General Meeting on the 11th of June. While negotiations were already underway, Ms. Romanese was still in the middle of the transition process and no formal announcement was made. With everything now confirmed, we are pleased to share the news.

Monica Solano Leon will remain a central point of contact for members, continuing to handle administration, Consortium coordination, and general support. Monica’s continuity ensures stable operations and consistent communication for the entire EIHA network.

We welcome this change with optimism and trust you will receive it with the same enthusiasm as we do. Mr Mirizzi has our full confidence – his dedication, insight, and collaborative spirit have already proven invaluable, and we are eager to see his leadership in action. “I am honoured to step into this role and build on the incredible work Lorenza has done. As the policy landscape
evolves, EIHA must stay proactive, informed, and united. I look forward to working closely with our members and partners to strengthen our voice and impact in Brussels.” – Mr Mirizzi affirms. “In the coming year we will focus on clarifying once and for all the legal status of all parts of hemp, accelerating the Novel Food applications and further increasing awareness of the potential of hemp in the bioeconomy sector” – he adds.

We thank Ms Romanese warmly for her remarkable contributions over the past six years, and we look forward to continuing this journey with Mr Mirizzi leading the way.

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Youth Cannabis Consumption In Frankfurt Is At An All-Time Low

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Policy.

According to a preliminary evaluation of the 2024 Monitoring System Drug Trends (MoSyD) study, cannabis consumption among young people in Frankfurt has reached an all-time low. The study’s findings provide insight into consumption rates in a post-legalized Germany.

“According to an initial analysis of the Drug Trend Study 2024, only 22 percent of 15- to 18-year-olds have recently tried cannabis at least once in their lives. This means that the number of users has halved over the past ten years and fallen to its lowest level since the study began in 2002.” the City of Frankfurt wrote in a press release on its website (translated from German to English).

“Frankfurt is on the right track,” says Elke Voitl, Head of the Department of Social Affairs and Health. “We have strengthened the city’s prevention and counseling services, especially to inform young people and support them with problems related to cannabis use.”

Germany implemented the first provisions of the nation’s CanG law on April 1st, 2024, as part of a multi-phased adult-use legalization model. The first phase of the model involved permitting adults in Germany to cultivate, possess, and consume personal amounts of cannabis. Starting on July 1st, 2024, adults in Germany can apply to launch a noncommercial cultivation association.

The remaining component of Germany’s legalization model, often referred to as ‘Pillar 2,’ involves launching regional adult-use cannabis commerce pilot research projects. The launch of pilot projects has experienced various delays, although 49 applications have been submitted so far.

“The fears that partial legalization would be accompanied by an increase in consumption among adolescents and young adults have not been confirmed. According to our representative survey, all consumption figures have decreased. This applies to both lifetime prevalence and data on current and frequent consumption.” states the Frankfurt study’s leader Professor Bernd Werse.

“Ever since the traffic light coalition announced its intention to partially legalize cannabis at the end of 2021, the prevalence of the drug among young people has fallen to new lows, a trend that has continued after the introduction of the cannabis law. Fears that legal status would send the ‘wrong signal’ to young people have therefore not been confirmed—quite the opposite,” Professor Werse also stated.

“We welcome the fact that partial legalization for adults has not led to an increase in consumption. Our focus remains on education, dialogue, and destigmatizing users,” emphasized Oliver Müller-Maar, Acting Head of the Drugs Department.

“Decriminalization and controlled distribution offer the opportunity to better reach users and reduce the risks of consumption. The goal remains a responsible approach to cannabis that takes into account both health protection and social reality.” stated Health Minister Voitl, according to the City of Frankfurt’s press release.

Professor Dr Karl Lauterbach BMG Thomas Ecke photo

Former German Health Minister Continues To Promote Regulation Over Prohibition

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Policy.

Professor Dr. Karl Lauterbach is a German physician, epidemiologist, and health economist who has served as a Social Democrat (SPD) lawmaker since 2005. Dr. Lauterbach also served as Germany’s Federal Minister of Health from 2021 to 2025 before being succeeded by Minister Nina Warken last month.

During his tenure as Germany’s Health Minister, Dr. Lauterbach led the effort to lobby the European Union to allow his country to legalize cannabis for adult use. He advocated for Germany to be able to adopt and implement a legalization model similar to Canada’s recreational legalization model, including national recreational cannabis sales to adults.

Unfortunately, the EU did not allow Germany to proceed with robust nationwide adult-use cannabis sales, citing current European Union agreements that prohibit such commerce. However, Dr. Lauterbach and other German lawmakers did succeed in approving and implementing a scaled-back version of adult-use legalization, the initial provisions of which took effect on April 1st, 2024.

Former Minister Lauterbach continues to advocate for cannabis industry regulation over prohibition in Germany, as evidenced by comments that he made during a recent podcast. The comments were reported in the German Cannabis Business Association’s (BvCW) recent newsletter.

“It would of course be much better if the cultivation associations could offer it [cannabis]. On the other hand, you also have to say the following: a lot of these people who get something prescribed there also have some kind of medical problem and, if that is the case and they have to pay for it themselves, then I prefer that the person with a medical problem gets the cannabis from the pharmacy. […]” BvCW credited Dr. Lauterbach as saying (translated from German to English).

So it’s not perfect, of course, but you have to look at the alternatives. Those who get high-quality cannabis using this prescription […] are otherwise supplied by […] criminals.” Dr. Lauterbach also stated.

Germany’s legal medical cannabis industry continues to expand at a staggering rate, as demonstrated by new medical cannabis import numbers. In the first quarter of 2025, Germany imported over 37.223 metric tonnes of medical cannabis products.

To put that figure into perspective, the total imports for Q1 2025 increased by roughly 14.8% compared to the Q4 2024 total (32.419 metric tonnes), which was itself a record at the time. Q1 2025’s import total is an increase of over 457% compared to the same period one year ago. Germany imported 8.143 metric tonnes of medical cannabis products in Q1 2024.

Since the launch of initial sales in 2017, safe access to medical cannabis via Germany’s pharmacies has increased significantly, as evidenced by statistics previously provided by the German Cannabis Business Association.

“Patients can order cannabis online with a private prescription and have it delivered to their home. Nationwide, around 2,500 of the 17,000 pharmacies now offer medical cannabis,” BvCW stated (translated from German to English). “The industry’s revenue is now estimated at around half a billion euros.”

A recent newsletter by leading international cannabis economist Beau Whitney, founder of Whitney Economics, provides additional German market data. In Beau Whitney’s newsletter, Whitney Wire, he described how Germany has traditionally had a strong legal medical cannabis market. Even before the adoption of the nation’s CanG law in April 2024, which removed cannabis from Germany’s Narcotics List, Germany was already home to the largest legal medical cannabis market in Europe.

But after the CanG law’s adoption, safe access greatly improved for German medical cannabis patients, and thanks in large part to the rise of medical cannabis telemedicine, Germany’s legal patient base has increased exponentially.

“There has been a consistent number of between 200k – 300k medical patients.” Beau Whitney writes. “As a result of this new innovation, there is now an additional 500k – 600k self-paying consumers participating in the legal market.”

“When combined with 100k cultivation association members, there is approximately 800k legal consumers in the German market right now. For perspective, 800k consumers represents between 10% and 20% of the total market, while the supply and capacity at the end of 2024 represented nearly 15% of all of the supply that the market needs.” Whitney stated.

(The featured image for this article is from BMG/Thomas Ecke)

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New UN Drug Report Demonstrates Cannabis Prohibition’s Ineffectiveness

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Policy.

The United Nations has published its 2025 World Drug Report. Included in it is the statistic that an estimated 244 million people are cannabis consumers. While the United Nations Drug Report is saturated with drug war rhetoric, that single statistic demonstrates how ineffective cannabis prohibition policies are when it comes to deterring cannabis use.

Humans have consumed parts of the cannabis plant for thousands of years, and there is no evidence demonstrating that prohibiting cannabis has stopped humans from using cannabis. Conversely, there is considerable evidence that cannabis prohibition policies have harmed a massive list of human lives.

In addition to determining that the world is home to 244 million cannabis consumers, the report also lists the following about cannabis:

  • 76% of cannabis consumers are men, 24% are women
  • 5,749 tons of cannabis flower were seized in 2023, down 8% compared to the previous year
  • 1,236 tons of cannabis ‘resin’ were seized in 2023, up 4% compared to the previous year
  • Africa accounted for 44% cannabis seized worldwide in 2023
  • Cannabis has increased by 34% over the past decade
  • Cannabis use remains highest in North America

“Trafficking in cannabis herb remains mostly an intraregional issue in Western and Central Europe; there continue to be, however, substantial imports of cannabis resin into the subregion from North Africa.” the report stated.

The report places a heavy reliance on the number of people in drug treatment for cannabis as a measurement for ‘growing concerns’ about the substance. However, the report does not mention how many of those people are voluntarily in drug treatment for cannabis versus being forced to go to drug treatment for cannabis against their will.

As part of prohibition penalties in many jurisdictions, people caught with cannabis are forced into drug treatment, whether they truly have a cannabis use problem or not. Using my father as an example, one of the times that he was caught with cannabis, he was forced into drug rehab even though he wasn’t a cannabis consumer for many years at that point.

Despite the rehab staff never finding cannabis in my father’s system via their ongoing drug tests, my father was determined to have ‘problematic cannabis use disorder’ and he was forced to continue with weekly rehab appointments, with each appointment involving a hefty fee to both the rehab facility and the government.

This is important context that needs to be considered whenever cannabis-based drug treatment data is reported, like what is included in the UN report. Cannabis prohibition does not work and harms lives. Regulation is a much more sensible approach to cannabis policy.

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Nearly Half Of Australians Support Cannabis Legalization

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Policy.

Nearly half of Australian adults (48%) now support modernizing the nation’s policies to permit adult-use cannabis activity, according to a recent poll conducted by Roy Morgan. The poll found that support for recreational cannabis legalization in Australia has increased by 15% over the last ten years.

“Opposition has fallen to 41%, also down 15 points since 2015 (from 56% and 49% in 2019), while 11% remain undecided. The latest figures reflect a decisive shift in national sentiment towards legalisation.” the pollsters stated.

“Over 69,000 Australians were asked: “In your opinion should the smoking of marijuana be made legal – or remain illegal?” from April 2024 to March 2025.” Roy Morgan also wrote on its website regarding their poll.

Similar to polls conducted in other regions, younger adults were more likely to express support for legalization. Fifty-four percent of Australians aged 18-24 indicated that they support such a policy change, and 58% of Australians aged 25-34 support legalization. For the 25-34 year old category, support has increased by 24% compared to a decade ago.

Only 36% of polled Australians aged 65 and over support legalization. However, that is an increase compared to 2019, when 33% in the age category expressed support. Forty-eight percent of polled Australians aged 50-64 support legalization, which is a 19% increase since 2019.

“Analysis shows support for the legalisation of marijuana now varies clearly by region, with both Australian territories in favour. The N.T leads with 57% in favour (35% opposed), closely followed by the ACT (which decriminalised personal possession and cultivation on 31 January 2020) at 56% in favour (36% opposed).” Roy Morgan stated. “Tasmania shows strong backing at 52% (36% opposed), and Queensland records majority support at 51% (39% opposed). It’s worth noting that these are the only two states where the regional population is larger than the urban population.”

“Australia’s debate on marijuana legalisation continues to evolve. With nearly half of Australians now in favour, the national mood has shifted significantly over the past decade. While younger adults lead the charge for change, notable opposition remains, especially among older and teenage groups. International trends (including further US state legalisations) and local policy discussions, such as the ACT’s earlier reforms, continue to influence public attitudes. These results highlight how attitudes are diversifying across age cohorts as Australia considers its next steps.” Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine said.

In New South Wales (NSW), a recent parliamentary report recommended that the government decriminalize cannabis possession and use by adults. The report has yielded calls by lawmakers in NSW to enact the policy change.

“NSW government members have suggested cannabis reform is inevitable in the state after a parliamentary inquiry found the current regime is discriminatory because people with means can obtain medicinal cannabis legally while others are criminalised.” The Guardian reported in its original coverage.

“The NSW upper house inquiry released its landmark report into the effectiveness of cannabis regulation last week. The recommendations to decriminalise and consider legalisation were backed by six of the seven committee members – including Labor, Liberal and crossbench legislative council members. One Liberal member voted against the recommendations.” the outlet also reported.

A recent analysis by Research and Markets found that “the Australia legal cannabis market was valued at USD 126.32 million in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 420.33 million by 2030, rising at a CAGR of 22.16%.”

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Thailand Is Moving Backwards On Cannabis Policy

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

Thailand adopted a historic measure in 2022, which involved the removal of cannabis from the nation’s narcotics list, making it the first nation in the region to do so. However, that policy change is proving to be short-lived, with the nation’s Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin confirming this week that he signed a measure that will place cannabis back on the narcotics list.

“Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin said on Tuesday he had signed an order restricting cannabis use to strictly medical purposes.” reported the Bangkok Post in its local coverage. “People wanting to purchase cannabis would in future have to present a doctor’s prescription and a medical certificate detailing their condition, Mr Somsak said.”

“The director-general of the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, Somlerk Jeungsmarn, said on Monday that authorities would allow a grace period before changes come into effect, so the parties concerned could prepare for it.” the outlet also reported.

The announcement was expected, albeit unfortunate, with government officials in Thailand having repeatedly indicated in recent months that they would implement the regressive approach to cannabis policy and regulation. The recently signed order will take effect when it is published in the Royal Gazette, although the exact date of publication is still unclear. Thailand’s emerging cannabis industry is currently estimated to be worth over $1 billion.

Part of the shift in regulations will involve the requirement that all shops have a licensed medical professional on their staff, and that shops must complete and pass monthly inspections. Any cannabis shops in Thailand found to be out of compliance two times will lose their license to operate.

As we previously reported, a ramp-up in cannabis shop inspections has already begun in Bangkok, Thailand, where the Ministry of Public Health, the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, and the Office of the Narcotics Control Board collaborated to deploy over 100 officers in a coordinated sweep of 20 shops.

“A group of cannabis advocates said Wednesday that the change in regulations was politically motivated. The group said they will rally at the Health Ministry next month to oppose the change and the attempt to make it a criminal offense again to consume or sell cannabis.” reported the Associated Press regarding pushback by local cannabis advocates.

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A Big Win For Hemp In The United States

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

Consumable hemp products containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) have increased exponentially in availability and popularity in the United States after the adoption of the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized hemp production nationwide in the U.S.

Unfortunately, a byproduct of the rise of intoxicating hemp products in the U.S. is political and regulatory turmoil as states have scrambled to regulate the products, and in some cases, shut down the sector entirely. Arguably, ground zero for the ongoing hemp THC product battle in the U.S. is Texas.

Lawmakers in Texas introduced and approved Senate Bill 3, which would have banned hemp-derived THC products and related activity in Texas. The measure was one signature away from becoming law. However, at the last minute, the legislation was vetoed by Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

“Texas Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed a bill Sunday to ban all THC consumables, allowing the booming market flush with THC-infused vapes, gummies and other products to continue to be sold across the state.” reported the Associated Press. “Abbott, a Republican, waited until the final moment to veto the bill in what would have been one of the most restrictive THC bans in the country and a significant blow to the state’s billion-dollar industry.”

“The law would have made it a misdemeanor to own, manufacture or sell consumable THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, products and was the latest push by states to regulate THC after a 2018 federal law allowed states to regulate hemp, a similar plant to marijuana that can be synthetically processed to produce THC, the compound giving marijuana its psychoactive properties.” the Associated Press also reported.

“SB 3 would have banned widely used, federally legal hemp-derived products, pushing consumers toward unsafe alternatives and threatening public health and choice. Governor Abbott’s veto protects the hundreds of thousands of farmers, veterans, small businesses and adult consumers across Texas who rely on hemp for wellness and their livelihoods.” stated the Texas Hemp Business Council in a press release.

“Texas already has strong hemp regulations under HB 1325, such as strict rules on THC limits, full panel testing, licensing, labeling and accessible certificates of analysis. We continue to advocate for sensible additions, such as limiting sales to those 21 and older, requiring child-resistant packaging, and establishing setbacks from schools, all of which were rejected by proponents of SB 3 in both the 88th and 89th Legislatures.” the Council also wrote.

“Polling consistently shows that Texans do not support a ban on hemp-derived products. We commend Governor Abbott for his leadership and for listening to the more than 150,000 petition signers and thousands more who shared their stories through handwritten letters. We remain committed to working with lawmakers and stakeholders to support a safe, well-regulated hemp industry, not just for Texas, but as a model for the nation.” the Council concluded.

Between $19.1 and $22.4 billion in economic activity is generated by the Texas hemp-derived cannabinoid retail, manufacturing, and wholesale sectors, according to the Texas Hemp Business Council.

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Modernized Cannabis Policies In France Could Benefit Millions Of Patients

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Policy.

France is currently home to a very limited medical cannabis program that only serves a small fraction of the nation’s suffering patients, according to a report that was released today by Augur Associates and leading French cannabis media outlet Newsweed.

The report, titled “State of the Medical Cannabis Industry in France – 2025“, determined that France’s permitted medical use of certain pharmaceutical cannabis products, combined with the nation’s medical cannabis pilot program, has resulted in safe access for only a microfraction of what a modernized medical cannabis program would provide.

“In France, and if allowed to be prescribed in first indication, the introduction of a legal framework for therapeutic cannabis could potentially ultimately benefit an estimated 2,311,626 patients with the conditions and symptoms currently included in the trial (refractory epilepsy, refractory neuropathic pain, MS, oncology and palliative care).” the report stated.

“If other conditions listed by the International Association for Medical Cannabis are included, the estimate could rise to 21,157,547 people likely to be affected by an illness or symptom that can be treated with therapeutic cannabis, i.e. ten times the number currently considered.” the report also stated.

France’s current medical policies and regulations got their start in 2013, when French legislation first authorized the use of cannabinoids in medicine. Another milestone occurred in January 2014 when Sativex received its French marketing authorization as a ‘last resort’ treatment for spasticity arising from multiple sclerosis. Although, as noted in the recent report by Augur Associates and Newsweed, “due to a pricing dispute between Almirall and the French Economic Committee for Health Products, the product has never been prescribed in France.”

Epidiolex has been available in France since 2018 after receiving temporary authorizations for use. Epidiolex also obtained a European marketing authorization in September 2019.

In addition to limited cannabis pharmaceutical access, France is also home to the previously mentioned medical cannabis pilot project. The French medical cannabis experiment received initial approval from the federal Senate back in 2019. However, the launch of the trial was delayed until the spring of 2021 due to various reasons.

Initially slated for two years, France’s medical cannabis experiment was eventually granted a one-year extension and was set to end in 2024 before receiving yet another extension, pushing the estimated end of the trial to July 31st, 2025.

According to the Augur Associates and Newsweed report, a total of 3,209 total patients have participated in the trial, although only 1,849 patients are currently active, with the report noting that “1,297 patients have left: 379 for lack of efficacy, 298 for adverse side effects.” Additionally, 2,291 healthcare professionals were trained as part of the pilot program.

As of 2022, the European Union Drugs Agency estimated that France had the greatest cannabis consumption rate of any of its member nations, with a reported 10.6% of France’s population having consumed cannabis at least once within the last year.

According to a recent newsletter sent out by leading international cannabis economist Beau Whitney of Whitney Economics, France is home to the largest total addressable cannabis market in the European Union, with a value of $11.3 billion (midpoint).

A previous study by an economic advisory board within the nation’s prime minister’s office determined that the French government spends roughly €570m annually on cannabis prohibition enforcement. The study recommended that France adopt adult-use cannabis legalization and launch a regulated recreational industry.

Emmanuelle Auriol, a professor at the Toulouse School of Economics who authored the study’s report and findings, estimated that such a policy change could create as many as 80,000 new jobs and generate €2.8bn in taxes annually.

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Cannabis Shop Inspections Ramp Up In Thailand

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

A series of cannabis store inspections reportedly occurred in Bangkok, Thailand, today as part of the government’s increased industry enforcement efforts. The inspections come amidst calls by cannabis opponents to repeal Thailand’s modernized cannabis policies and regulations.

“The Ministry of Public Health, in cooperation with the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), and related agencies, deployed over 100 officers in a coordinated sweep of 20 cannabis shops across Bangkok on Sunday (June 22).” reported The Nation in its original coverage.

“Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin said the operation follows a direct order from the Prime Minister, mandating a nationwide crackdown on unauthorised psychoactive drugs such as Rohypnol and Alprazolam, which are classified as controlled substances under medical regulations, along with precursor substances like kratom and cannabis.” the outlet also reported.

Reported violations from the inspections included ‘failure to properly record transactions and provide product details,’ as well as stores allegedly allowing on-site consumption. The reported violations resulted in some stores being ordered to close for between 10 and 14 days.

The Assistant to Thailand’s Public Health Minister, the Director-General of the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, and the nation’s Deputy Secretary-General of the Food and Drug Administration all participated in the inspections.

Separately, officials in Phuket recently met with members of the local business community to discuss their complaints about cannabis shops in the area. Phuket is home to an estimated 1,500 specialty cannabis stores.

“The Phuket Tourist Association said tour agents in many countries have told its members that Thailand is now associated with high use of cannabis, which is not desired by family travellers.” reported Bangkok Post in its local coverage. “The private sector proposed that authorities improve control of the plant by limiting the number of spots for using cannabis.”

“In May, Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin said cannabis users in Thailand would be required to have medical certificates, ensuring its use for medical purposes only, if the ruling Pheu Thai Party’s version of the law is passed.” the outlet reported.