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German state authority says cannabis flower must be dried where it’s grown, tightening the screws on EU GMP washing

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3 weeks ago

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In Hesse, medicinal cannabis flowers must be dried and cut where the plants are harvested, the Hessian State Office for Health and Care says in a June 8 guidance letter, unless a grower can prove beyond doubt that skipping or splitting the drying does not result in a loss of quality.

The document treats drying under controlled conditions as a critical manufacturing step that affects product quality, which places its parameters within GMP standards rather than the more lenient GACP standard that governs cultivation (source: HLfGP brochure). Annex 7 of the GMP guideline allows coarse cutting and possibly a primary drying step under GACP conditions, but only when the work actually falls within these limits and the quality of the drug is not compromised. The authority says it does not have a process that has allowed flowers that can be classified as GACP material to be transported over long distances, stored, imported and further processed without loss of quality. Either the requirements for GACP flower are not met because the handling goes beyond the initial drying and coarse cutting, or the flower cannot be shown to survive longer storage and transport without degrading before subsequent steps.

© Philiprowe | Dreamstime

What a third country allows does not change that. According to the authority, if the cannabis flower is partially manufactured in a country where the GMP guideline does not apply, the guidelines must still be met for material released and sold as medicine in Germany. The responsibility lies with the Qualified Person under the German Medicinal Products Act who releases the flower for sale, and is responsible, even if partial manufacturing takes place in sites operating under different regulations in other EU states or third countries.

This is the mechanism behind EU GMP clearance, the practice of converting imported flowers through a European facility to obtain certification that the original material would not otherwise carry. The Hesse letter does not use that term. What it does is to close the interpretation loophole that allows a partial dry abroad to be finished and certified in Europe, by calling the dry finish a GMP step that cannot be cleared through a GACP origin.

The policy also restricts reprocessing. According to Chapter 5 of the EU GMP guideline, reprocessing is only possible in exceptional cases, under strictly defined conditions and a full risk assessment, which includes drying or reducing the microbial load. Batches undergoing such steps cannot be sold without proof of suitability and stability, and when rework is applied to most batches, it should become a validated part of the standard process.

A producer active in the supply chain, who asked not to be named, says the Hesse letter is one of two recent moves, covering the second-issued Darmstadt district, in line with the regions already taking a stand against EU GMP clearance in Cologne. In the accounts of this grower, the regions have closed the loophole that allowed partial drought in a country like Colombia to end in Germany, Darmstadt has refused to allow this conversion in its territory.

The most difficult case, according to this producer, is the multi-country chain. The flower partially processed in Colombia, sent to Portugal and converted there according to the EU GMP is still something that Germany completely rejects, although it should be caught by a qualified person who does the job properly, and a chain that goes to a third country, according to the producer’s estimates, approximately ninety percent is not allowed. Qualified people have more responsibility than before, and when they check the supply line and find the chain invalid, the Darmstadt regional authority would look into it.

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Will the top World Cup expert in the fruit, vegetable, and horticulture sector come from Canada, the U.S. or Belgium?

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15 hours ago

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July 20, 2026

By






FreshPublishers 2026 World Cup Group Stage






The World Cup is coming to an end, with the third-place play-off between France and England on Saturday, and the final between Spain and Argentina the following day. It won’t be long until the grand winner of FreshPublishers’ first World Cup pool is revealed.

© Fresh Publishers

As previously reported, Slim Kooli from Courchesne Laros is the favorite to win the €1,000 prize. He has secured a comfortable lead over Nol Batist of North American Interstate Greenhouse Company, while buyer Bjorn Van Ryckeghem of Deprez Construct is currently in third place.

1 Sim School Spain 1–0 2–1 737 9716
2 Nol Batist France 2–1 1–1 674 9433
3 Bjorn Van Ryckeghem France 2–2 3–1 674 9264
4 Christian Anton Smedshaug England 1–2 1–2 659 9134
5 Perry Springintveld Spain 1–1 2–1 647 9105
6 Willem Tijssen Spain 2–0 2–1 710 9098
7 Hans Borsboom Spain 2–1 2–1 528 9058
8 Bart Triemstra Spain 2–1 2–1 737 9052
9 Youness Bensaid Spain 2–1 1–1 722 8954
10 Vijay Dijkstra Portugal 2–0 2–1 382 8953

However, there have been some surprises during the tournament, and bonus points must be added, so we will keep the suspense a little longer. On Monday we will find out who is the main World Cup announcer in the international fruit, vegetable and horticulture sector…



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States Move To Let First Responders Use Marijuana And Psychedelics To Treat PTSD

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15 hours ago

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July 20, 2026

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“When you’re in the fire service, or in any of the first response industries, or especially in the military, things are going to accumulate over time, and what happens is you see a lot of things, crazy things that at least seem normal.”

By Amanda Watford, Stateline

This year more states have looked beyond traditional counseling and medication to help first responders deal with traumatic stress.

Firefighters, police, and emergency medical personnel routinely experience fatal accidents, violent crimes, and other traumatic events that can leave lasting psychological scars.

“When you’re in the fire service, or the first response industry, or especially the military, things just pile up over time, and what happens is you see a lot of things, crazy things that at least seem normal,” said Jason Cerrano, a retired firefighter and paramedic with more than 20 years of experience in Missouri. Cerrano is now director of research and commercial development at IDEX Fire & Safety.

In Ohio, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine signed into law last month a measure that will create the Post-Traumatic Injuries Commission to review requests from first responders to help cover treatment costs.

Maryland took a different approach this year, enacting a law protecting firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics and other rescue workers. employment discrimination for the illegal use of medical marijuana outside of work.

The new law, which will take effect in October, applies to medical cannabis patients who test positive for cannabis metabolites but are impaired while working.

Several other states are exploring emerging therapies.

A new Connecticut law expands a pilot program at Yale University studying psilocybin-assisted therapy Allowing any state resident 18 years of age or older to participate, provided they meet clinical eligibility criteria established by the Yale University Institutional Review Board. Previously, the pilot program was limited to veterans, retired first responders and frontline healthcare workers.

Missouri lawmakers advanced a bill allowing veterans and first responders to receive the psychedelics psilocybin and ibogaine in approved research studies. Under medical supervision for PTSD and other mental health conditions. The legislative session adjourned in May before lawmakers sent a bill to the governor.

This story was first published by Stateline.

Image courtesy of Kristie Gianopulos.

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Standard Wellness expands into Cleveland with dispensary acquisition

Published

2 days ago

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July 19, 2026

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Standard Wellness has entered into an agreement with License in the Flats, LLC to enter into definitive agreements to acquire a dispensary license in the Flats following the required regulatory review period. At the end of that period, the company and License in the Flats intend to execute those agreements and then continue to develop the dispensary into a retail location branded The Forest Cleveland.

Following regulatory approval of the change of ownership by the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control, the new dispensary will become the Company’s first retail location in the city of Cleveland, where the Company is headquartered.

Additionally, the Company announced the divestiture of The Forest Sandusky and The Forest Springfield, its Ohio dispensaries, to Greenlight, again subject to pending regulatory approvals.

“We are excited to expand our presence in the city of Cleveland and serve guests in our hometown,” said Kate Ols, Vice President of Retail for Standard Wellness. “As our business continues to grow, we are focused on building a retail network that will best position us to serve our communities for the long term. At the same time, we are proud of the role our Sandusky and Springfield dispensaries have played in Ohio’s cannabis history, and we are confident that those communities will continue to grow under Greenlight’s leadership.”

Standard Wellness and Greenlight are working closely together to support a smooth transition for staff and guests throughout the transfer process. As established operators in Ohio and Missouri, the companies share a commitment to strengthening the regulated cannabis industry and serving the communities in which they operate.

The new dispensary is expected to serve both local residents and visitors while completing the Company’s Northeast Ohio footprint.

Under Ohio law, a cannabis operator cannot hold more than eight dispensary licenses statewide. The acquisition of the Cleveland license and divestiture of The Forest Sandusky and The Forest Springfield allows Standard Wellness to continue to meet Ohio’s property limits while strategically repositioning its Ohio retail footprint and focusing investments in key markets.

Forest Sandusky and Forest Springfield have played significant roles in the evolution of Ohio’s cannabis industry. Sandusky was the site of the state’s first legal cannabis sale in January 2019, and Springfield became the first part of Ohio’s cannabis industry merger and acquisition transaction when Standard Wellness purchased Pure Ohio Wellness’ dispensary.

For more information:
Standard Wellness Holdings
standardwellness.com/

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