UK / EU Cannabis Compliance

Portuguese Govt Finally Signs Off On New THC %’s In Hemp

Published

2 years ago

March 7, 2023

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The rules of industrial hemp have now been changed, once again, with the publication of Ordinance 64/2023 updating the THC limit to 0.3%, as it had been established by the European Commission in December 2021. The Portuguese government’s amendment ignored requests from farmers, traders and the entire hemp sector, proving to be quite conservative: it limited itself to transposing the European directive late, updating only one point. The measure should have come into force on 1 January 2023, but we are in Portugal: the Ordinance was signed by six Ministries and took more than two months to see the light of day.

The Portuguese hemp sector today agreed to a new change in regulations for the cultivation of hemp. Ordinance 64/2023, published in the Diário da República, simply transposed, into national legislation, the provisions of Regulation ( UE ) 2021/2115, which was approved by the European Parliament in December 2021.

On the other hand, the Portuguese Government has shown itself to be conservative in the changes, which failed to contemplate the changes claimed by sector associations, even after of judicial decisions that point hemp as a non-stunned product.

Minister of Agriculture was the last to sign the document

The document, signed by the six ministries responsible for regulation in this matter, makes the second amendment to the Ordinance No. 83/2021, of 15 April, namely with updates on the requirements for examining applications and procedures for granting authorizations for the cultivation of industrial hemp. The document ran through the six ministries for almost two months and changed only one point, precisely because the European Union obliged it to do so. The aim is to align country regulations with strategic plans to be drawn up by Member States under the Common Agricultural Policy ( PAC ), financed by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

However, the hemp sector, which anticipated the publication of an ordinance ( the provisions of the European Regulation are transposed into mandatory national legislation ), thus saw the legislator miss an opportunity to combine the transposition of European regulations with the demands of industry. The Portuguese government ignored the farmers’ demands regarding the imposition of a minimum cultivation area of 5,000 square meters, the restriction of agronomic practices, limitation of sowing densities, the prohibition of the practice of cultivation in greenhouses, the requirement of commercial contracts for farmers and the prohibition of using all parts of the plant, prohibiting access to flowers.

The amendment, carried out by the group of Ministers of Internal Administration, Justice, Finance, Economy and Sea, Health and Agriculture, seems to have been initiated by the Minister of Finance, on January 10, 2023, having followed for the Minister of Internal Administration on February 6. The document only received the opinion of the Minister of Justice on 20 February. From now on, just over a week was enough for the document to gather the signatures of the Minister of Economy, the Minister of Health, with the Minister of Agriculture, the last signature for later publication, which finally took place today.

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UK / EU Cannabis Compliance

Denmark Announces Plans for Cannabis Permanent Legal Framework

Published

4 weeks ago

November 27, 2024

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Business of Cannabis

Denmark’s six-year medical cannabis pilot scheme could soon be expanded into a fully legalised market, following a surprise announcement from the government last week.

The Danish pilot scheme has been running since 2018, and has continued to expand in both scope and patient numbers over the past six years, with four different access schemes now operating.

Following the publication of a comprehensive analysis of these programmes, Minister of the Interior and Health Sophie Løhde last week met with the parties behind the trial scheme to discuss plans to ‘make the scheme permanent’.

Danish medical cannabis oil producer Stenocare tells Business of Cannabis that while the structure of the new framework is not yet clear, it’s likely to see a significant expansion in the market.

“It is going to grow the market. Medicinal products are primarily prescribed by specialists, while the pilot programme allows medical cannabis to be prescribed by GPs, so their’s a larger pool of prescribers out there… I think we’ll see an increase in treatment,” its CEO Thomas Skovlund Schnegelsberg said.

Read the full report

https://businessofcannabis.com/new-era-for-medical-cannabis-in-denmark-as-government-announces-plans-for-permanent-legal-framework/?utm_content=330050794&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin&hss_channel=lcp-42296127

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UK / EU Cannabis Compliance

UK: Celeb Big Narstie To Open Medical Cannabis Office In Essex

Published

3 months ago

September 21, 2024

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High & Polite write

Big Narstie to medical cannabis office in Essex

Hold onto your spliffs, folks—because Big Narstie is making serious moves in the medical cannabis game!

The grime legend, comedian, and all-around UK icon is turning an old Barclay’s bank in South Woodham Ferrers into his very own medical cannabis office.

Yep, you read that right—Big Narstie Medical is officially open for business, ready to deliver “high-quality medicinal cannabis” to UK patients in need.

Now, we know what some of you might be thinking—“Big Narstie? Medical cannabis?”

But let’s be real, who better to bridge the gap between everyday people and the life-changing potential of medicinal cannabis?

Since the UK legalised medical cannabis in 2018, patients suffering from severe epilepsy, chemo-induced nausea, and MS have found relief through legal weed.

Narstie’s move isn’t just about the clout (though let’s be honest, a medical cannabis office is pretty cool).

He’s shining a much-needed spotlight on the benefits of medical cannabis, especially for those who don’ realise it can be legally prescribed.

So, whether you’re a fan or not, this is one groundbreaking move worth keeping an eye on.

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UK / EU Cannabis Compliance

German Medical Cannabis Associations Call For Wider Regulatory Reform

Published

12 months ago

January 14, 2024

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In July 2023, Germany’s federal government commissioned the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) – the body responsible for determining which medical treatments are covered by the country’s statutory health insurance – to amend the current regulations around medical cannabis prescriptions.

The G-BA is in the process of deciding four specialist areas for which the current approval requirement should no longer apply, making it easier to obtain insurance coverage for the medicine.

However, the country’s medical cannabis associations say this does not go far enough and have called for the approval requirement to be removed for all conditions in which cannabis has shown medical efficacy.

Medical cannabis has been legal in Germany since 2017 and can be prescribed by any doctor for patients with serious medical conditions. It is one of the few countries globally where the treatment can be covered under the public health insurance system in certain cases.

But currently, for patients with statutory health insurance, the costs of medical cannabis are only covered if previously approved by the insurance company.

This application process is said to be ‘daunting, lengthy and bureaucratic’ for doctors and patients, with 30-40% of applications being rejected.

https://businessofcannabis.com/german-medical-cannabis-associations-call-for-wider-regulatory-reform/

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