Embassy HEADLINES Issue 427
TOP STORIES
The TGA reveals why data on medical cannabis is so hard to access
Have you ever wondered why data on medical cannabis is so difficult to access in Australia? The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) may have accidentally revealed the answer during an interview with Health Europa’s Medical Cannabis Network (MCN).
It’s one year since the ACT legalised weed. Here’s how it’s gone
According to data supplied to Hack by ACT police, there hasn’t been any meaningful increase in drug arrests or drug-driving charges.
AUSTRALIA/NZ
New Zealand’s vote on marijuana may spark law reform debate in Australia
According to Harm Reduction Australia, New Zealand’s upcoming referendum on legalising cannabis could significantly impact drug law reform in Australia and may even trigger marijuana tourism when borders between the two countries reopen.
Jacinda Ardern admits cannabis use in heated New Zealand debate
Collins said she would vote no to legalising cannabis, and had never used the drug, while Ardern – for the first time – said she had: “A long time ago.”
NZ’s ‘Say Nope To Dope’ campaign using fear-mongering tactics against cannabis
The Say Nope To Dope campaign are blinded by their own mission. A mission which does not benefit New Zealand. And which certainly does not benefit the people of New Zealand.
Drawbacks of the TGA’s cannabis changes for listed pot stocks
The path to the pharmacy is likely to be harder than they think, with an emerging supply glut pushing prices to record lows.
Tension grows over TGA audit as LGP lab ‘stands by all results’
Little Green Pharma has shifted its laboratory testing to the in-house lab of the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) following the contentious publication of a TGA report identifying products which failed a potency audit.
GW Pharmaceuticals cannabis drug gets regulatory OK in Australia
GW Pharmaceuticals’ plant-derived CBD drug Epidyolex received approval from Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to be used in treating seizures related to Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome for patients 2 and older.
Sign the petition! Legal Vaping in NSW
A strong vaping ally in the NSW parliament is fighting for your right to vape, but he can’t do it alone! Michael Johnsen, MP, has recently launched a petition to Legalise Vaping in NSW. As a former smoker who used vaping to quit for good, he knows how important this technology is for those who want to quit and stay off cigarettes. So, what can you do to help?
Mother Flower Collective gives voice to medical cannabis push
A new country music collaboration is supporting change in accessing medical cannabis.
NORTH AMERICA
Canadian family harvests largest cannabis crop in history
This year, the Geen family will make history as they harvest a crop of 60,000 cannabis plants on their 60-acre property.
Petition Pushes for National Medical Cannabis Insurance For Canadians
Quebec Police celebrate Cannabis Plant Eradication Day
Yesterday (Wednesday September 16th) was Cannabis Plant Eradication Day in Quebec, and the SQ were in the field with choppers and chain saws. Illegal pot production remains an offence under the criminal code, and the SQ remains committed to disrupting the harvest period. Police note that while cannabis consumption is legal, you should be buying from legitimate vendors and not supporting Quebec’s underground economy.
Alberta legal cannabis sales to exceed half billion dollars this year: analyst
Those rising Alberta earnings are driven mainly by a proliferation of stores — 524 have been approved.
Sticky Bush Farms Awarded Michigan’s First Cannabis Microbusiness License: The Starting Line
The vertically integrated license, meant for smaller craft operators, will allow the company to grow up to 150 plants that can be processed into oil, edibles and other products for sale in an adult-use storefront.
Recreational Marijuana In PA: Gov Wants It, But How Likely Is It?
Gov. Wolf says legalizing marijuana would bring Pennsylvania hundreds of millions of dollars. State GOP leaders say it’s not so simple.
WORLD
With Some Interesting Regulatory Omissions, Poland Overwhelmingly Passed Medical Cannabis Bill
Rushing into the market is becoming commonplace, sort of like shoot first, ask questions later, with the cleaning up of regulatory errors, mishaps, and loopholes done in the aftermath. Chances are, what Poland left out will be filled in, in the coming months or years.
New CBD product available under prescription in Peru
With this new option, patients in Peru have access to two medicinal CBD products: One is imported from the United States and sold through a pharmacy; the other is Khiron’s product imported from Colombia.
If CBD oil is illegal in India, how is it being sold online?
Ever since reports emerged that actress Rhea Chakraborty administered drugs, especially cannabidiol (CBD) oil, to her late boyfriend and actor Sushant Singh Rajput without his knowledge and consent, people have been wondering if CBD oil is legal in India.
Recreational Cannabis is Legal in Georgia – But Who Knew?
There are certain locations that stand out when it comes to cannabis, mainly for their wonky, disconnected sets of laws – and Georgia is one of those places. As a smaller country which doesn’t get as much press attention, it tends to go under the radar.
Lebanon’s economy is going to pot — in a good way, it hopes
Cannabis Garden Planted Next to Mexico’s Senate Building
Jose Rivera, a cannabis activist, told Reuters that the garden is a tool to educate and offer “human rights.”
Ecuador eyes hemp grain to replace corn in feed for shrimp
One of the latest Latin American countries to legalize low-THC cannabis, Ecuador, is looking to hemp grain as a cheaper alternative to corn for its large shrimp industry.
Thailand is 1st Asian Country to Legalize Medicinal Cannabis and Enter Global Market
The legalization of medicinal cannabis, and the opening of a global export market did nothing to change the laws around recreational cannabis in Thailand. Cannabis still remains a category 5 narcotic under Thai drug laws and illegal possession of the plant can garner a person up to 15 years in prison.
Hong Kong Welcomes ‘Found’ – the Region’s First CBD Cafe
Some cannabinoids are legal in Hong Kong – such as cannabidiol – otherwise known as CBD. This is what the owners of the newly established ‘Found’ café are bringing to the city, with the first establishment of its kind.
SCIENCE & TECH
Decarboxylation: How to Activate Cannabis
Curious to learn more about this key chemical reaction? Read on to discover the science behind decarboxylation and learn how to decarboxylate your own cannabis for optimal results.
Automation & Artificial Intelligence Revolutionize the Cannabis Industry
AI applications for cannabis will be similar to other wholesale or medicinal crops – it’s just that the research is in its infancy. It will take time for AI to synchronize with specific plant genetics – but honestly, this is the same for all agricultural products.
PGR: The Toxic Chemicals in Your Marijuana
Cannabis grown with carcinogenic Plant Growth Regulators / Plant Growth Retardants (PGRs) have flooded the Australian black market in recent years. Hydroponic PGR grows are common due their high profitability and low cost of operation for criminal syndicates. Colloquially, PGR goes by many names – scag, dirt, ‘Brisbane/Melbourne Red’ and ‘Canberra/Adelaide’ Gold, to mention just a few.
HEALTH
Eight in 10 migraine sufferers report cannabis helped beat back pain levels: study
Almost a third of polled migraine sufferers in the U.S. have turned to medical marijuana for relief and the vast majority of those who did report that cannabis and cannabinoids have helped to reduce related pain levels.
Cannabis use for menopause symptom management
A new study indicates that a growing number of women are either using cannabis or want to use it for the management of bothersome menopause symptoms.
Treat the Aches & Pains of Aging with Cannabis Topicals
Topicals and edibles are offering pain management solutions for seniors seeking relief for arthritis.
Does cannabis help or hurt the immune system?
As awareness around cannabis grows, consumers are becoming better versed in the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids in the treatment of specific autoimmune diseases, inflammation, and gastrointestinal disorders.
THCV: The Cannabinoid That Can Help With Weight Loss
What sets THCV apart from the other cannabinoids is it has the ability to suppress appetite, as studies are demonstrating.
POLITICS & LAW
Top 9 arguments in support of marijuana legalization and regulation
CULTURE & HISTORY
New Children’s Book Seeks to Teach Kids About Marijuana
“What’s Growing in Grandma’s Garden” depicts a boy learning about cannabis from his grandmother.
BUSINESS & INDUSTRY
Tobacco consumers more likely to convert to smokable hemp in coming year
Entrepreneurs in the smokable hemp sector have reason to hope that tobacco consumers may convert at least partially to hemp products within the next year.
Hemp Fashion: The Latest Releases from Big Brands
Despite seeing a fall in popularity and manufacture owing to the ongoing stigma associated with recreational cannabis, hemp’s environmental attributes have seen the crop begin to make a resurgence in the fashion world.
Australia’s Largest Database of Cannabis Companies
CBD Oil to hemp, producers to importers, retailers to non-profits, and more. If they work with the cannabis plant and conduct business in Australia, you’ll find them here.
With more than 420+ cannabis companies across 50+ categories, The Green List helps hemp and cannabis companies to promote their products, services, and events online.
EVENTS
Medical Cannabis Live Series – AU & NZ Panel [Online]
Thursday, 1 October 2020 7:00 pm AEST: Join an esteemed panel of industry leaders as they discuss key commercial insights about the Australian and New Zealand cannabis markets.
Cannabis and Mental Health – Dr. Jamie Rickcord [Online]
Thursday, 8 October 2020 7:30 pm AEDT: Join Dr. Jamie Rickcord as he discusses his insights into using cannabis as a treatment for mental health during COVID-19.
Understanding South Korea’s Medical Cannabis Market [Online]
Thursday, 15 October 2020 7:00 pm AEDT: Understanding South Korea’s Medical Cannabis Market.
Drug Policy Public Discussion Forum [Sydney]
Nimbin Hemp Embassy’s New Online Store
Inquiry into the use of Cannabis in Victoria
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Michael Balderstone’s Submission to Victoria’s Cannabis Inquiry
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The Help End Marijuana Prohibition (HEMP) Party’s Submission to the Victorian Inquiry into Cannabis