How will European CBD businesses be affected? Recent to the European Union’s Novel Foods Catalogue have occurred regarding the use of cannabidiol (CBD), other cannabinoids and hemp-derived products in food.

As a variety cannabis products are introduced into the medical field, both industry and institutions are facing the challenges of a new, rapidly-evolving policy environment being built on the backbone of an old and strained system of medical regulations.

The past six months have seen an unprecedented rate of change for both the global and European cannabis industry. Today, for the first time, patients across the United Kingdom will be able to be prescribed a range of cannabis-based medicinal products.

The UK government has laid historic new regulations rescheduling cannabis-based medicine, which will come into force on 1st November 2018.

On September 21st the UK government announced how they would define cannabis-based products for medicinal use. Following the conclusion of the two part review by the Chief Medical Officer and the ACMD on July 25th, Home Secretary Sajid Javid committed to swift action on the matter, and promised that these products would be lawful by autumn.

Canada has a unique opportunity in emerging European medical cannabis markets. However, Europe is a complex patchwork of challenges and opportunities that only the most astute will be able to successfully capitalise on. 

The clock is ticking. Canadian provinces have less than a year in which to decide how, where and by whom cannabis will be sold.