Policy & Regulation
Stay informed about the latest cannabis regulation developments and changes with Business of Cannabis. Learn about new laws, policies and more.
Policy & Regulation · page 10
- Hemp Industry
UK Court Throws Out CBD Case Over Improper Testing, but Operators ‘More Vulnerable Than Ever’
A UK Crown Court has thrown out criminal charges against CBD hemp flower importers after ruling that police mishandled evidence and used improper testing methods, but only after a five-and-a-half-year ordeal that destroyed the defendants’ businesses and forced them to relocate abroad.
- Industry Trends
Bundesrat Backs Tighter Cannabis Prescribing Rules, Rejects Mail-Order Penalties
Germany’s Bundesrat voted on November 21 to support key restrictions on medical cannabis prescribing and distribution, while rejecting proposals to ban prescriptions being sent via mail, a mixed outcome that offers both relief and concern for an industry bracing for regulatory tightening.
- Clinical Research
EU ‘Intoxicating Hemp’ Review Highlights Major Knowledge Gaps Behind Blanket Bans
Last week, the US government voted to impose a blanket ban on all so-called ‘intoxicating hemp’ substances, ending what has been a contentious and long-running battle to regulate the recent emergence of THC substitutes.
- CBD Market
Trump Ends Intoxicating Hemp Era, But Unintended Victims and Repeal Efforts Signal Turbulent Year Ahead
The sweeping redefinition of ‘hemp’ in the US following the passage of the funding bill threatens non-intoxicating CBD processors while pushing consumers toward unregulated markets President Donald Trump signed legislation on November 12 that brought the longest government shutdown in history to an end.
- Hemp Industry
What the US Government Shutdown Means for Cannabis Reform
President Donald Trump has called on Senate Republicans to invoke the so-called ‘nuclear option’ to break the month-long government shutdown, a move that would eliminate the long-standing 60-vote filibuster rule and allow other legislation to pass by a simple majority.
- US & Canada
How New York’s Next Mayor Will Shape the Future of Cannabis in the State
As New Yorkers prepare to head to the polls to vote for their new Mayor tomorrow (Tuesday, November 04), the state’s vast but unsettled cannabis market has become a key battleground for the three hopefuls.
- US & Canada
Countdown to Business of Cannabis: New York 2025, Celebrating Our Pioneering Sponsors
Next Thursday, 6 November 2025, Business of Cannabis: New York returns to The Wythe Hotel, Williamsburg, uniting more than 300 leaders from across the cannabis ecosystem for a day of strategic dialogue, networking, and market insight.
- International Regulation
Drug War 2.0 Puts International Cannabis Reform at Risk
The United States is intensifying its controversial overseas ‘war on drugs’ even as a prolonged government shutdown paralyses domestic policy, a combination that threatens to reshape the outlook for cannabis reform and regulation This morning, news broke that the US military had carried out another series of airstrikes on alleged drug traffickers in the Eastern…
- Industry Trends
New York Cannabis Retailers Push Back on $30m Product Recall and ‘Rent-a-Licence’ Scandal
Oregon-based edibles company Grön has weighed in on the ongoing controversy surrounding New York’s so-called ‘rent-a-licence’ scandal.
- Medical Cannabis
Germany Expands Its Medical Cannabis Import Cap as Australia Moves to Cut Back
Australia and Germany are moving in opposite directions on medical cannabis imports, as both scramble to deal with the runaway growth of their medical cannabis markets.
- Industry Trends
Early Results From Züri Can Pilot Bolster Case for Switzerland’s Federal Legalisation
Zurich’s flagship adult-use cannabis trial, Züri Can, could now run until 2028 after city officials applied this week to extend the project by two years, citing strong early results in reducing illicit sales and promoting safer consumption.
- UK & Europe
‘Significant Variation in Standards’ Found Across UK Medical Cannabis Pharmacies as ACMD Review Call Closes
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) has closed its latest call for evidence into the impact of medical cannabis legalisation, in what will mark the most comprehensive review of the UK’s cannabis-based products for medicinal use (CBPM) framework since it was introduced in 2018.
