Reforms to current hemp licence regulations are set to be introduced, making it easier for regulated farmers to grow the crop and maximise its economic potential.

“Hemp” is a variety of cannabis with “low-THC” levels, which is currently defined as a maximum of 0.2%.

The plant is grown for strictly lawful purposes, such as for use in the construction and textiles industries, and only farmers with a licence are allowed to plant it.

The government has agreed to several reforms, developed in collaboration with experienced growers, to the licensing system which will help boost the industry.

Under the changes, licence holders will now be able to grow hemp anywhere on a licensed farm, reducing the unnecessary burden on farmers who currently have to set out the exact field where they will grow the plants within a farm. This change is expected to come into effect for the 2025 growing season.

Ahead of the 2026 growing season, two further changes to the regulations are planned. The first will see an extension of the maximum period for a licence from 3 to 6 years, subject to compliance with the licence terms.

The second change will allow those applying for a licence to defer its start date by up to one year, helping farmers to make business planning easier.

Minister for Crime and Policing, Dame Diana Johnson said:

These reforms will bring an important boost to this industry and cut down the unnecessary burdens that have been placed on businesses.

This government will always listen and engage with industry experts, and we want to make it easier for licence holders to capitalise on the economic potential of legally growing hemp.

Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, Daniel Zeichner said:

These improvements to the licensing regime for industrial hemp are a positive step for farmers.

Recognising that industrial hemp is a field-grown agricultural crop, these reforms will simplify the license application process and provide greater flexibility within the crop rotation, enabling farmers to fully realise the economic and environmental benefits of the crop.

The government recognises cannabis is a harmful substance and expects police to take action against its misuse and supply. As a Class B substance, being caught possessing cannabis carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison, a fine or both.

Supplying the drug is also a serious criminal offence and carries a maximum sentence of up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both.

1906 sells two different “drops,” or pills, with low doses of THC and higher amounts of caffeine marketed as “Go” and “Genius” in small cylinder containers.

The firm’s “Go” drops contain 80 milligrams of caffeine and 2 mgs of THC-extract and 5 mgs of cannabidiol [CBD]/ weed extract and other plant-based or herbal ingredients. Go is marketed as an energy stimulant.

Its Genius pills contain 20 mgs of caffeine mixed with 2.5 mgs of TCH and 5 mgs combined of CBD and Cannabigerol (CBG), also found in the marijuana plant, and other herbal or plant extracts. It’s touted as a “brain power” supplement to boost focus and memory and calmness.

The 1906 cannabis pills have been marketed in New York since February of last year.

But OCM regulators issued a “quarantine,” or stop order, for the 1906 tablet July 24 after inspecting the 1906 combined cannabis-caffeine mix products at the Hudson Cannabis facility.

“Evidence supports that ingredients used in product are not allowed to be used in cannabis products,” said the quarantine order signed by inspectors Natalie DeLong and Matthew Hinken.

The order said the mixed ingredients “may jeopardize public health or safety.”

The company marketing 1906, which has been sold in seven states including New York, is appealing the ruling banning the sale of $1 million of its inventory in New York.

“Hudson Cannabis and our production facilities fully follow New York State’s cannabis regulations,” said Melany Dobson, co-founder of Hudson Cannabis, in a statement to The Post on Sunday.

“We are surprised by this decision from the State to quarantine products that have been on the market for over 18 months, are sold legally in States across the nation, and as far as we know have had zero reported adverse effects.

“This type of arbitrary and capricious behavior, preventing the sale of safe and tested products readily available across the country, only serves to benefit the illicit market Governor Hochul claims to care about shutting down,” Dobson said.

A lawyer for 1906’s parent firm Nuka Enterprises, Matthew Schweber, said OCM cited what he described as a wacky decaffeination rule that forbids infusing pure caffeine into cannabis products but allows “naturally occurring caffeine.”

The rule states,  “A processor is prohibited from processing any products which… contain any non-phytocannabinoid ingredient that would increase potency, toxicity, or addictive potential, or that would create an unsafe combination, known or unknown, with other psychoactive substances. This prohibition shall not apply to products containing naturally occurring caffeine, such as coffee, tea, or chocolate.”

OCM claims that caffeine increases “potency, toxicity, or addictive potential or… create(s) an unsafe combination [with cannabinoids],” Schweber said.

“But OCM can’t say which prohibition exactly caffeine triggers? Does caffeine increase cannabis’ ‘potency?’ Does it increase its ‘toxicity’ or its ‘addictive potential?’  Does it create ‘an unsafe combination?’ ” Schweber said.

“They can’t say. Do they have documented evidence of any of the dangers of combining caffeine and cannabis? No, of course not,” the lawyer said.

Schweber said the “crazy” part is that state regulators don’t explain why “naturally occurring caffeine” is OK but added caffeine is not.

Read more https://nypost.com/2024/10/27/us-news/ny-bans-sale-of-caffeine-infused-cannabis/

Green Market Report

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Friday appointed medical business executive Amelia Mapp, the wife of Plainfield Mayor Adrian Mapp, to replace an outgoing member of the state Cannabis Regulatory Commission.

Mapp is taking over for Commissioner Charles Barker, who is departing the agency after serving on the panel since 2021, where he developed a reputation for being critical of the Murphy administration’s efforts on social justice within the cannabis sector and of the outsized role that large corporations have taken in the state’s marijuana trade, NJ.com reported.

Read full report at 

Shakeup at New Jersey cannabis commission

Also see 

https://www.nj.com/politics/2024/09/murphy-boots-leading-critic-of-big-weed-corporations-from-nj-cannabis-commission.html