The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that after careful review, a new regulatory pathway for CBD is needed that balances individuals’ desire for access to CBD products with the regulatory oversight needed to manage risks. The agency is prepared to work with Congress on this matter. The FDA also denied three citizen…

Orange Photonics LightLab 3 cannabis analyzer was selected by the U.S. Customs Border and Protection Agency to be used as a field-deployable cannabis testing solution. “Previous to this award, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Laboratories and Scientific Services conducted a multi-phase assessment of LightLab 3 cannabis analyzer,” said Orange Photonics President Stephanie McArdle. “Unlike…

Halo Collective Inc. announced that its first superstore — its Budega Hollywood Dispensary — is expected to open in 2022 and passed its Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation (DCR) inspection. Given the larger square footage, the company anticipates, after a ramp-up period, Budega Hollywood to be the company’s top grossing retail store with up…

Brightfield Group released “CBD: FDA Impact & the Path Forward” — its 2022 mid-year U.S. CBD report. It includes forecasts for two scenarios — with and without Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation — to help prepare clients for what to expect if FDA guidance delays continue and for changes in the market that would…

Flora Growth Corp.’s newly acquired JustBrands LLC (JBL) has been selected as a director to the US Hemp Roundtable, a non-profit lobbying organization designed to exclusively work toward “enhancing, advancing and improving economic and business conditions for the hemp industry.” JBL houses wellness brand JustCBD. “We are honored and humbled to have JBL named as…

  With the U.S. Food & Drug Administration avoiding the regulation of CBD-hemp products, the role of independent, third-party laboratories in verifying the content of those products is especially important. Consumers will want to have confidence in a CBD product before purchasing and using it. In any relatively new industry, providers must overcome consumer doubt.…

Although CBD has been legalized to sell and distribute for over three years, thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has still not addressed or regulated the industry, leading to a sub-optimal environment for both consumers and brands. With that said, consumers are then left with many questions and…

Designed to help businesses the financial industry deems “high risk,” such as CBD and hemp product retailers, Tasker Payment Gateways’ new High-Risk Resource Guide contains specific product guides and information for many site builders and shopping carts, as well as general tips and advice for high-risk e-commerce, including search engine optimization (SEO). Updated for 2022,…

Georgetown Hemp and other hemp industry businesses in Maryland announced the industry’s opposition to state bills SB0788 and HB1078. The bills, if passed, would effectively devastate the hemp industry in Maryland, increase expense and inconvenience for those currently using the Delta 8 THC products to relieve pain and suffering, and further solidify a medical marijuana…

  Boston-based law firm Burns & Levinson announced two additions to its team to strengthen its nationally-known cannabis business and law advisory group. Joining the firm are partner Max Borg and associate Douglas Ginn. Both have strong cannabis industry legal expertise. Burns & Levinson was the first major Boston corporate law firm to develop a…

  Colorado hemp seed genetics company Trilogene Seeds has introduced what it’s calling the world’s first hemp cultivar engineered to prevent THC production. A cultivar is a plant or group of plants of a naturally occurring species whose breeding is manipulated to enhance or suppress certain characteristics. The transformed plants are nearly always the result…

The cannabis industry in the U.S. could reach $45.8 billion by 2025 with compound annual growth rates (CAGR) between 2-8% annually, according to Headset, a cannabis industry data and analytics firm. “The opportunities presented in the U.S. cannabis market have been consistently increasing year over year since the inaugural states of Colorado and Washington voted…

Bipartisan House lawmakers recently introduced a bill to require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to develop regulations for food and beverages containing hemp-derived CBD and allow for their interstate commerce. The CBD Product Safety and Standardization Act would require the FDA to develop rules and hold a public comment period on the maximum amount…

The SuperNet payment network cleared a financial hurdle on its way to introduce a cannabis credit card in 2022. Billing itself as the only payment network that officially accepts and grants permission to process transactions from cannabis merchants, SuperNet closed on financing an undisclosed amount in its series A funding round aimed at helping launch…

Denver-based Akerna Corp., a leading enterprise software company and the developer of the comprehensive technology infrastructure, ecosystem and compliance engine powering the global cannabis industry, this week issued a statement in Q&A form to help inform members of the cannabis industry and those interested in investing in it about recent news of so-called “Cashless ATM”…

New data from market research company Brightfield Group confirms 2021 has been a positive year for the cannabis industry, with new U.S. states legalizing the substance, plus other countries across the world considering cannabis reform, from Mexico to Germany. Thanks to the industry’s growth and the effects of the pandemic, Brightfield Group is outlining opportunities…

  Thomas Mulloy, senior editor with CBDRetailTrends.com and CStore Decisions magazine, welcomes Jeff Ragovin, chief commercial officer with Fyllo, a company whose mission is providing compliance-first solutions for highly regulated industries. Ragovin discusses the difficulties for CBD manufacturers and retailers in navigating a continually shifting regulatory landscape, as well as mainstream companies entering the CBD/hemp…

Four U.S. House members introduced a bipartisan bill Dec. 2, that would require the Food and Drug Administration to regulate CBD as a food and beverage ingredient. Sponsors say the legislation will establish federal standards for CBD food and beverage products to protect consumers and provide marketplace stability for farmers, producers and retailers. Rep. Kathleen…

Cannabidiol (CBD) sales in the convenience and petroleum channel are set to hit $171 million in 2021 — up 49% from 2020, according to market research firm Brightfield Group’s “US CBD Market Industry Update, October 2021.” The market is forecast to reach $449 million by 2026, representing a 21% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from…

Fyllo, a leader in compliance-first software as a service (SaaS) solutions for highly regulated industries, this week announced the addition of key executives to its growing leadership team. The appointments come during a period of rapid growth for Fyllo and the cannabis industry as a whole as operators, product manufacturers and dispensaries are quickly scaling…

The National Industrial Hemp Council (NIHC), the hemp industry’s only Washington, D.C.-based trade association, has named Patrick Atagi as its new president and CEO, the NIHC board of directors announced. Atagi currently serves on the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee (ATAC) on Cotton, Tobacco, Hemp and Peanuts at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which advises…

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) on Thursday restricted the mailing of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), or e-cigarettes to consumers, per the Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act (POSECCA), including products containing THC as well as hemp or CBD products in electronic delivery systems. Specifically, POSECCA: subjects the sale and delivery of these…

Charlotte’s Web Holdings Inc. is expanding its retail distribution in California following the Oct. 6, passage of Assembly Bill 45, which formally permits retail sale of products containing hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD), including dietary supplements, topicals, over-the-counter and pet products. Following AB 45’s passage, the company expects California retailers to expand or begin receiving product shipments…

The Council for Federal Cannabis Regulation (CFCR) has launched a new monthly webinar series in which regulators and industry professionals will participate in moderated conversations regarding responsible cannabis regulation. The first session, “Understanding the Regulatory Impact of Groundbreaking New CBD Study” featured Vicki Seyfert-Margolis, chairwoman of the Science & Regulatory Affairs Committee, Council for Federal…

When I began in this business many years ago, a typical convenience store was pretty simple — no matter what part of the country I was visiting. Whether it was a convenience store chain, like Total (remember them?) or an independent, the assortment was universal, particularly when it came to categories. Every store was focused…