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Hemp-Based Plastic Shows Promise As Environmentally Friendly Alternative To Traditional Packaging Materials, Study Finds

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2 weeks ago

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CBD is widely used for personal wellness. In the not so distant future, it could be used for the well-being of the environment.

By Phillip Smith, American Hemp Monitor

Many of the ubiquitous plastics we use for everything from water bottles to food containers to substrates for flexible electronics are made from petroleum-based materials such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which not only consume large amounts of fossil fuels, but also break down into tiny particles called “microplastics.” These particles leach chemicals, including PET, into the air, water and food, and are linked to inflammation and cell damage.

Hemp, or more specifically, the hemp-derived cannabinoid CBD, may offer a viable alternative. In a recent study published in the journal Chem Circularity, a team of scientists and engineers demonstrated a hemp-derived thermoplastic that can stretch 16 times its original length. The material has a high “glass transition temperature,” a quality that allows plastics to remain dry and durable when boiling hot water.

Scientists have been looking for green alternatives to PET, but most plant-based polymers cannot match hemp’s glass transition temperature and are more expensive to produce. Additionally, the production of bio-based plastics typically requires high-temperature catalysts, and large-scale production is impractical due to challenges in catalyst removal and final product purification.

“Few plastics made from natural resources have this quality,” they said. he said Gregory Sotzing, analyze author and professor in the UConn Department of Chemistry.

“Today’s polycarbonate is made with bisphenol-A, a known endocrine disruptor. The hope here is that cannabidiol (CBD) will replace the bisphenol-A found in today’s processed plastics,” he added.

“Our work has established CBD-based polycarbonates as a sustainable replacement for used thermoplastics such as PET,” said co-author Mukerrem Cakma of Purdue University. “We have developed a rigorous processing science framework that combines molecular architecture with melt processability, orientation development and extensibility without compromising manufacturability.”

To compete with PET, substitutes need medium- and high-temperature stability and melt processability, or the ability to easily melt, deform and shape a material, which the team has achieved for the first time in a hemp-based polycarbonate. To do this, by testing the processing parameters that provide the appropriate structure and properties for wide use and establishing guidelines for the industrial processing of the material.

“This polycarbonate, as a smooth film, has a very high contact angle with water. We didn’t expect our polyCBD-carbonate to have a higher contact angle than most polyolefins,” Sotzing said, adding that materials with this property could be used as nanoparticles for drug delivery and catheter coatings.

And they can be recycled.

“We can chemically recycle it with a base, where the polyesters can be depolymerized using a base to break them down to the starting materials. We don’t need enzymes,” Sotzing said. “What happens is it will hydrolyze or break the polymer chain, and the CBD can be recovered.”

There is currently not enough CBD produced worldwide to completely replace PET for plastics, but that only means that more hemp would need to be grown to supply the demand when it emerges. It would be one more application of this incredibly versatile plant that already provides oils, fibers, seeds and cannabinoids, intoxicating and otherwise.

“We came together on this project to try to replace conventional petroleum-based plastics with something found in nature. We’re finding new ways to use the whole plant. That’s what was done with oil, because they found a way to use every little drop, even down to the sludge that turns into asphalt,” Sotzing said. “Now, we’re doing that with hemp as well. There’s a lot of useful things inside that plant.”

This story was first published by the American Hemp Monitor.

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Massachusetts CCC pauses license applications

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7 hours ago

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June 17, 2026

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The Cannabis Control Commission, the government body that oversees the marijuana business in the state of Massachusetts (USA), has decided to temporarily stop accepting new license applications for growing marijuana, both indoors and outdoors. This hiatus officially began on June 16, 2026.

Anyone planning to apply for a new marijuana cultivation license after June 16, 2026 will not be able to do so while this suspension is in effect. The Commission will not accept such requests during this period.

There are two groups that can continue normally. First, anyone who submitted an application before June 16, 2026, will continue to review and process applications as usual. Second, applicants for specific programs designed to help communities historically affected by drug laws, known as the Social Equity Program and the Economic Empowerment Program, are exempt from this suspension if they apply for a smaller-scale “Microenterprise” license.

The suspension will be in effect for 120 days from June 16, 2026, which is currently scheduled to be lifted around mid-October 2026. However, the Commission has the power to terminate earlier or extend further, depending on market conditions.

Source: Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission










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Federal Marijuana Rescheduling ‘Does Not Appear To Apply’ To Washington Businesses, State Officials Say

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7 hours ago

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June 17, 2026

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Marijuana regulators in Washington say the Trump administration’s move to re-regulate cannabis at the federal level “doesn’t appear to apply” to the state’s businesses.

US Department of Justice in April He issued an order that immediately reclassified the state’s licensed medical cannabisas well as marijuana products approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under Schedule I through Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). A trial scheduled for this month will take place consider marijuana III.

“Washington does not issue licenses to producers, processors or retailers of medical cannabis,” the state’s Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) said in guidelines released Tuesday. “Instead, Washington has a single recreational market and within that market producers/processors can manufacture (DOH) compliant products, and certain retailers can sell DOH-compliant products to adult patients and all designated providers.”

“Therefore, Washington cannabis licensees do not appear to qualify as ‘state medical marijuana licensees’ and therefore may not be eligible for registration under the final Rule,” the agency said, referring to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Registration process for legal marijuana businesses in the state to take advantage of the federal benefits that come with the reform.

That said, the LCB “does not take a position if licensees decide to apply for federal registration,” the guidance continues. “If a licensee is seeking federal registration, we would be interested in learning about their experience and federal decisions.”

However, “based on our analysis, the federal reorganization in its current form does not appear to apply to cannabis licensees in Washington, primarily because of the legal framework governing recreational cannabis,” the LCB said.

The agency emphasized, however, that while it has consulted with the Cannabis Regulatory Association, the National Governors Association and industry stakeholders, its current opinion does not represent Washington’s formal opinion and “may not be our final interpretation as information is evolving and the decision may not rest with the state.”

“We await additional guidance from the federal agencies involved, new or updated federal agency processes and/or other federal procedures,” he said. he saidreferring to the next administrative hearing and Ongoing litigation calls into question the rescheduling of cannabis.

“The LCB recognizes that there are many cannabis growers, processors, and retailers actively involved in the production and sale of medical cannabis in Washington. These businesses may or may not be eligible to use the 280e tax deduction, and may also register with the DEA III. Ultimately, they have no input into whether their licensees meet the criteria for “state medical marijuana licensees,” as that determination can be made unilaterally by the DOJ within the meaning of the Final Rule. to reasonably interpret and determine that Washington cannabis licensees qualify as “state medical marijuana licensees.”

The US Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said they plan to issued new tax guidelines for the marijuana industry after reprogramming. The reform will benefit state-licensed marijuana businesses by allowing them to take federal tax deductions that are currently prohibited under IRS Code Section III, known as Section 280E.

In California, regulators recently approved emergency rule changes to the state’s marijuana licensing process. to make it easier for companies to receive benefits In line with the Trump administration’s latest move to federally regulate medical cannabis.

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How New Zealand showed up in London’s cannabis industry

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1 day ago

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June 16, 2026

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The medical cannabis market is expected to grow from $47 billion to $149 billion by 2031, and New Zealand has a real role to play in that story. And thanks in large part to New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), the government’s international business development agency, Puro is starting to play.

At Cannabis Europa 2026 London, NZTE hosted an evening event at the City Arts Bar with Puro, New Zealand companies Bluelab, Rua Bioscience and CannFX. Puro called it The NZ Room.

Beyond all things Kiwiana – including Puro brand kiwifruit, Kiwi’d – the room was filled with some pretty amazing people: Ivy League scientists, company founders, patients, advocates, industry players, government officials, Maori tribal leaders and a tough Scotsman. All in the same space with the same true passion for where this industry is going.

It was one of those rooms where conversations went well when they had to end. That’s usually a sign of something well done.

Made possible by NZTE
For Puro, the NZTE relationship has been formative. With ongoing support, Puro has entered the Australian market with 47 unique product SKUs and signed a £7 million supply agreement with UK distributor IPS Pharma.

NZTE understands the potential of the New Zealand cannabis industry. The willingness to support this nascent industry and put New Zealand in the spotlight at events like Cannabis Europa is very significant. New Zealand is a small country and the country’s credibility in international markets is built from relationship to relationship, room by room. NZTE helps build those rooms.

© Cigar

what’s next
For the first time, patients in the UK have access to medicinal cannabis grown in New Zealand. That’s the direct result of years of work by Puro’s team, but it’s not worth much if you can’t connect with buyers globally. Creating international relationships that events like Cannabis Europa make this possible.

“We are grateful for the extensive support from the New Zealand Government that drives our progress, including the Ministry of Primary Industries’ support for our genetic breeding, product innovation and market access goals. This collective effort from agencies such as the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, NZTE and the New Zealand Export Credit Bureau ensures that Mail that started in London will continue to grow in Puro’s international goals,” he said. a statement

For more information:
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www.puro.co.nz

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