International Cannabis News

Australian researchers found a 14-25 percent reduction in chemotherapy side effects in patients who received cannabis capsules during a recent study.

Pakistan has approved a government-controlled hemp production plan that will allow hemp farming for industrial and medical purposes.

Cannabis advocates dropped hundreds of small plastic bags of cannabis from a flying drone on Thursday afternoon in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Eight Canadian cannabis brands sent a joint letter to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police requesting law enforcement action against Weedmaps, who they say is hindering the legal industry by listing unlicensed dispensaries.

The island nation of Malta has officially run out of cannabis, both for medical patients and on the unregulated marketplace.

Indonesian officials reversed a decree designating cannabis as a “medicinal plant” after an Instagram post of the original decree went viral. Cannabis remains illegal in Indonesia, even for medical patients, though it was designated “medicinal” for research purposes.

New Zealand company Sustainable Foods plans to launch a hemp-based burger next year through its Craft Meat Co. brand.

The United States spent $1.49 billion on cannabis research between 2000 and 2018. Most of the funds were directed at understanding the potential harms of cannabis use.

More than half of all cannabis sales in Canada still take place in the unregulated marketplace despite having federally legalized almost two years ago.

Federal prosecutors in Canada have been directed to avoid prosecuting drug possession cases unless the crime poses a major public safety risk.

United Kingdom Anti-Doping has announced it will shorten bans for athletes who fail drug tests for non-performance enhancing drugs, including cannabis.

South Africa Cabinet officials have advanced a bill legalizing the adult use of cannabis; the measure comes three years after a High Court ruling declared that cannabis prohibition was unconstitutional.

Officials in Thailand have approved a draft law that would allow farmers, health professionals, and medical patients to cultivate, produce, and export cannabis products.

Thailand is allowing hospitals to produce traditional medicines that contain cannabis, as long as an expert in traditional Thai medicines is on duty to prepare them.

The European Commission is considering labeling foods that contain hemp-derived CBD as “narcotic-related.” In the meantime, the commission has suspended applications for novel food products containing non-synthetic CBD.

A new policy approved in France over the weekend will see police issue on-the-spot fines of €200 for drug use, particularly for cannabis.

With the opening of a new congressional year, Colombia’s opposition party has introduced legislation to decriminalize cocaine and regulate the drug’s production.

Jamaican officials have unveiled new medical cannabis control standards that are aimed at positioning local businesses for success in the global cannabis market.

Australia’s National Drug Strategy Household Survey found that just 3.9 percent of Australians who used medical cannabis last year obtained it legally via a prescription.

Argentina officials are moving forward with a planned overhaul of the country’s medical cannabis system; the new rules would provide free options for medical cannabis patients and allow anyone who registers with the government to grow for personal use.

Cann Group in Victoria, Australia has secured a government-funded jobs grant for $1.97 million to upgrade its cultivation/production facility, which could generate 150 local jobs.

Despite legalizing more than 18 months ago, the UK National Health Services has yet to issue a single government-funded prescription for medical cannabis.

Israeli lawmakers have advanced two cannabis legalization bills to the country’s top legislative body.

The Bermuda government wants public feedback on its cannabis legalization proposal, which includes new business licenses and the creation of a regulatory body dedicated to the new industry.