Peter Reynolds

European Union To Establish Adult-Use Cannabis Pathways For Member States - Business of Cannabis The EU Drugs Agency launches Cannapol, an evidence-based toolkit to guide member states on adult-use cannabis regulation and harm-reduction policies.

With increasing numbers of countries embracing #cannabis, the European Union is launching a toolkit to help national policymakers frame adult-use legislation. #drugspolicy businessofcannabis.com/european-uni...

Thousands of opioid deaths missed off official figures The error - affecting England and Wales - raises concerns about the impact on the government's approach to drug deaths.

More than 13,000 heroin and opioid deaths have been missed off official statistics in England and Wales, raising concerns about the impact on the government's approach to tackling addiction. #drugspolicy www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

When Cannabis Brands Blur Into Youth Culture, Regulators Notice: Lessons From Tobacco’s Past | High Times Cannabis is meant to be enjoyable for adults. But when products start looking like candy or cartoons, the line gets blurry. Tobacco’s history shows that even the appearance of marketing to kids can tr...

#Cannabis can be fun as well as medicine. It's why the narrative is powerful. But it's a problem when it starts creeping into the territory of kid-friendly. That is the line the industry needs to pay attention to, now more than ever. #drugspolicy hightimes.com/business/whe...

The ‘war on drugs’ has failed. There’s another way to solve the US fentanyl crisis | Letter Letters: To defeat the cartels, governments should decriminalise personal use and create legal drug markets, says Richard Branson. And Richard Kilroy decries US military action against suspected drug-...

The #WarOnDrugs has failed. To defeat the cartels, governments should decriminalise personal use and create legal drug markets, says Richard Branson. #drugspolicy www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

UK stakeholders push food safety authority to separate CBD isolates from hemp oils Under UK and European food law, companies can ask regulators to decide whether a product should be treated as a “novel food” through an Article 4 filing.

Peter Reynolds, President of CLEAR, said the FSA’s handling of #CBD has already devastated the UK market with the loss of hundreds of businesses, thousands of jobs and leaving mainly “ineffective” CBD isolate oils on the market. #cannabis #drugspolicy hemptoday.net/uk-stakehold...

What can Boomtown 2025 teach us about responding to drug use? In 2013 Wendy Teasdill’s daughter, Ellie Rowe, died at Boomtown festival as a result of taking a combination of ketamine and alcohol. Neither were taken in excess but the combination was fatal. She di...

Wendy Teasdill says that had the drug checking services of The Loop been available at Boomtown in 2013, as they were in 2017 and 2018, her daughter would still be alive today. #drugspolicy www.drugscience.org.uk/boomtown-dru...

Israel is not committing genocide in Gaza, government concludes A letter from David Lammy, sent when he was foreign secretary, says the war does not meet the criteria, though he calls Israeli bombing ‘utterly appalling’

Contempt for this government will deepen. There is no doubt that Israel is engaged in genocide. The only possible explanation for this travesty is the corrupt ‘sponsorship’ which more than half the cabinet and many MPs accept from Israeli sources. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

How Marijuana Affects The Brain

As expanded access leads to increased pot use, health experts say it’s more important than ever to understand the effects of the drug on mental health. Click the highlighted sections to learn how #cannabis affects the brain. theonion.com/how-marijuan...

"Almost half of UK population believes Israel treats Palestinians like Nazis treated Jews." They are absolutely correct. This is NOT #antisemitism. #StopIsrael #FreePalestine www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/09...

The Guardian view on the ‘war on drugs’: Donald Trump is turning a failed metaphor into a more dangerous reality | Editorial Editorial: The strike on a speedboat allegedly containing Venezuelan drug traffickers may be performative, but sets a frightening precedent

More than five decades ago, Richard Nixon launched the #WarOnDrugs. The drugs won. Now Trump is ramping up the violence using unlawful military action against suspected traffickers without any due process. #drugspolicy www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

After harvesting #cannabis, inside each flower a transformation is underway that defines the quality of the medicine it becomes. Handled well, this stage brings out the plant’s full character, turning raw flowers into rich, aromatic medicine. #drugspolicy dalgetyuk.co.uk/life-after-d...

Dorset coroner urges ketamine review after woman's death Ketamine is increasingly abused by young people who do not understand the risks, a coroner says.

Gemma Weeks, 28, used £500 of ketamine a week for 10 years. Coroner at her inquest suggests upgrading it to Class A. With all sympathy to Gemma's family, this was serious abuse and in any case, evidence shows that classification make no difference to use. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

What is Switzerland's Cannabis Legalisation Plans | Business of Cannabis Switzerland is advancing plans to legalise cannabis through tightly regulated pilot projects, shaping the country’s future market and influencing Europe’s wider cannabis reform debate.

SWITZERLAND. The new bill spans everything from how #cannabis should be packed, to what time of day it can be sold, and how it will be taxed with a focus on non-profit principles, prioritising harm reduction over commercial opportunity. #drugspolicy businessofcannabis.com/inside-switz...

Economic Impact Report | Organigram Global Economic Impact Report

CANADA. New analysis shows #cannabis as a national growth engine, adding $16 billion to GDP in 2024 and aligning with Prime Minister Carney’s One Canadian Economy vision. #drugspolicy www.organigram.ca/eir

Scottish drug deaths fall but remain worst in Europe The number of drug deaths is expected to have dropped slightly, but experts warn that any fall will most likely be a blip.

SCOTLAND remains the drugs death capital of Europe for the seventh year in a row. As usual there is zero discussion by either UK government or media on how #drugspolicy could be adjusted. On any other issue, a policy review would be demanded and debated. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Thailand tycoon who championed cannabis laws takes lead in race for PM Anutin Charnvirakul gets main opposition party’s conditional backing to form interim government

THAILAND. Chaos on #cannabis policy continues. If Anutin Charnvirakul becomes PM we can expect a return to full support for legalisation and #regulation. #drugspolicy www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...

Why the smell of canabis concerns one Dublin doctor At the US tennis open at Flushing Meadows, chaos is part of the charm,screeching New York subways, raucous crowds, celebrity sightings. But now, a different distraction is wafting in - the unmistakabl...

IRELAND's notorious #cannabis hysteric, Dr Ray Walley, describes the smell of cannabis as "toxic", a "gateway into cocaine" and suggests second hand smoke causes "metabolic and heart problems". Fake claims from a discredited, dishonest doctor. www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...

The Benefits of Daily Cannabis for the Middle-Aged Brain Even daily use of low-level cannabis does not have a negative impact on cognition in older adults, recent research finds.

Daily #cannabis use produces cognitive improvement and reduced brain inflammation in middle aged humans leading to improved learning and memory. #drugspolicy www.psychologytoday.com/ie/blog/your...

Cigarette prices to jump by almost 7% amid growing concern about Australia’s booming black market Rise in tobacco excise kicks in Monday as experts warn ‘prohibition style’ approach is doomed to fail

AUSTRALIA. All over the world politicians persist in the delusion that #prohibition reduces harm. If you tax tobacco so heavily it doesn't deter use, it just boosts the illicit market, more harmful products and more crime. #drugspolicy www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Commission opens consultation on cannabis legalization Adults are to have legal access to cannabis in Switzerland in future. The responsible National Council committee has submitted the draft for a future Cannabis Products Act for consultation by December...

SWITZERLAND. Adults are to have legal access to #cannabis in future. The National Council committee has submitted the draft for a Cannabis Products Act for consultation by December 1. #drugspolicy www.bluewin.ch/en/news/swit...

Overdoses Should Be Termed “Prohibition-Related Deaths” Major drivers of overdose fatalities have little to do with drugs and everything to do with our drug laws.

#Prohibition doesn’t eliminate the drug market, it forces consumers to buy from criminal networks. Purity, strength and content are guesswork. No quality control, no list of ingredients. No dosage guidelines. No consumer rights. #drugspolicy filtermag.org/overdose-pro...

Weed’s Next Big Secret: Scientists Just Discovered a New Family of Molecules Hiding in Cannabis Leaves | High Times You know the buzz: THC, CBD, terpenes. But what if I told you that a whole new class of compounds, so rare that even scientists barely recognize them, was

STUDY. A new family of molecules has been discovered in #cannabis leaves, the part of the plant that is usually discarded. These phenolic compounds but may prove to be as significant as cannabinoids. #drugspolicy hightimes.com/health/scien...

Consultation on applications for authorisation of 3 Cannabidiol (CBD) food products as novel foods August 2025 This consultation seeks stakeholders’ views, comments and feedback in relation to the regulated product applications considered in this document, which have been submitted for authorisation. These app...

The Public Consultation on regulation of #CBD products is critical. Very important to contribute if you have been affected by the FSA's incompetent, probably corrupt imposition of Novel Foods regulations. #drugspolicy www.food.gov.uk/news-alerts/...

Cannabis Health Launches ‘Landmark’ Symposium for UK Healthcare Professionals Cannabis Health will host its first expert-led educational event for healthcare professionals later this year.

The Cannabis Health Symposium, at Conway Hall, London on Tuesday 25 Nov, 2025, is designed to provide UK healthcare professionals with expert-led, clinically grounded education on #cannabis-based medicinal products. #drugspolicy cannabishealthnews.co.uk/2025/08/28/c...

The Talent Crunch: Where Will the Next 500 Medical Cannabis Professionals Come From? Dr Sue Clenton, Medical Director at Releaf explores the role that clinics can play in recruiting and training the next generation of medical cannabis professionals.

The UK now has approximately 60,000 prescribed #cannabis patients but there is a shortage of trained specialist doctors, pharmacists and other professionals to meet growing demand. #drugspolicy cannabishealthnews.co.uk/2025/08/28/t...

Largest ever study into cannabis use investigates risk of paranoia and poor mental health in the general population New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London, in partnership with the University of Bath, has found that the reasons why a person chooses t...

More absurd 'research' on #cannabis from King's IoPPN alleges that medical users suffer more "paranoia, anxiety, and depression" than recreational users. Flatly contradicted by the facts of medical records. #drugspolicy www.kcl.ac.uk/news/largest...

Anti-Drug, Law Enforcement And Religious Groups Urge Trump To Oppose Marijuana Rescheduling - Marijuana Moment A coalition of anti-marijuana, law enforcement and religious groups are imploring President Donald Trump to oppose a cannabis rescheduling proposal that he says his administration will decide on withi...

USA. A coalition of anti-#cannabis, law enforcement and religious groups are imploring Trump to oppose a cannabis rescheduling proposal that he says his administration will decide on within weeks. #drugspolicy www.marijuanamoment.net/anti-drug-la...

Why do you smoke cannabis? Qualitative interviews of Japanese cannabis users The number of cannabis-related arrests has been increasing in Japan, accompanied by the implementation of stricter legal penalties. However, there has been little investigation into the motivations be...

JAPAN. The number of #cannabis-related arrests has been increasing despite the implementation of stricter legal penalties. Many are using for "self-care" reasons. #drugspolicy www.drugscience.org.uk/japan-cannabis

SINGAPORE. First clemency in a death penalty case since 1998 came closely after the announcement of the third execution within a period of three weeks – all for drug-related offences. #drugspolicy www.amnesty.org/en/documents...

Addiction service sees cocaine referrals overtake cannabis Motiv8 Addiction Services says cocaine referrals are overtaking cannabis for the first time.

Addiction support charity says a drop in referrals for #cannabis coincided with the legalisation of its medical use on prescription. People are not accessing it through illicit means and getting into trouble with the law for a medical reason. #drugspolicy www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...