NEWSLETTER | 25 September 2022
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As US Hemp Cultivation Levels Plummet The Established European Industry Continues To Flourish
There are notable similarities between this description of the US market and the Irish market. There has been a dramatic fall in the acreage of hemp grown in Ireland since its peak in 2019. Such decline is likely due to, at least in part, over speculation as to the revenue potential in the CBD market. The lack of fibre and seed processing infrastructure, reported in the US, is also an issue in Ireland.
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Hemp-clad Tigín Tiny Homes offer a way to "escape the rent trap" says social enterprise
An intriguing project consisting of hemp-derived building materials as part of its design. As with other hemp-based structures, namely those made from hempcrete, there is an added environmental benefit to hemp-based homes.
With interest growing in alternative and environmentally friendly housing, it will be interesting to see the traction that these tiny homes gain.
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With Extracts Expected To Achieve A ‘50% Share Of The EU Cannabis Market’ In The Next Few Years, Who Is Currently Leading The Field?
Recent years have seen a global explosion in the popularity and availability of cannabis extracts. Relatively unheard of a little over a decade ago, these extracts are now projected to make up half of the EU cannabis market in the coming years.
Here is and interesting look at the players lining up to be leaders in this space, including SOMAÍ Pharmaceuticals, which operates out of Ireland.
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Hemp could make upwards of €10,000/acre; however, it depends on the end use
One of the most well-known faces in Irish hemp, Ed Hanbidge, provides some practical advice for anyone interested in cultivating hemp in Ireland. It is worth noting that the €10,000 per acre projection is based on various factors such as access to the appropriate processing infrastructure and favourable regulatory updates which are, at present, lacking in Ireland. There is cause for optimism that the coming years will see these hurdles fall away.
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TRIP raises $12m as the viral brand continues to disrupt the global wellbeing landscape and $13 billion CBD industry
An impressive investment round for TRIP, the UK’s leading CBD drinks company. The funding will support the brand's continued growth in the US and worldwide. TRIP benefits from the UK’s Novel Food procedure which allows CBD products, meeting certain requirements, to remain on the shelves. This helps UK market stakeholders avoid the Novel Food headaches that other European stakeholders face.
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Harvesting Hemp Early Maximizes CBD Obtaining, Study Says
A study that will be of interest to hemp farmers and CBD producers, which is particularly relevant as it is based on the hemp strain Finola, the most common strain grown in Ireland for CBD production.
“According to the latest investigations by scientists from York University, in the United Kingdom, and the Khon Kaen University, in Thailand, global levels of cannabinoids, including CBD, peak in the popular hemp variety Finola about nine weeks after sowing, before they begin to decline. However, the best CBD:THC ratios for extraction were achieved in the flowering stage, just eight weeks after sowing.”
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5 surprising ways hemp helps the planet
“Long used to treat maladies from anxiety to inflammation, hemp is now being used to build cars, brew beer, and innovate other sustainable solutions.”
The variety of products that hemp can be used to produce is astonishing. With hemp production going through a renaissance period, it will be interesting to see how well these hemp-based products stack up against those made from more traditional materials.
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'I was drugging myself for the past three years': UFC contender Johnny Walker reveals taking CBD products left him suffering from panic attacks and schizophrenia
The real-world consequences of CBD producers negligently, or intentionally, mislabelling their products as THC-free. The industry has been plagued by producers using substandard test results to misrepresent the THC and CBD content in their products. While this story might be somewhat exaggerated, it should go as notice of the consequences to mislabelling products, especially when its users are potentially sensitive to the contents.
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Hemp was supposed to save Texas farmers during a drought. It hasn’t yet.
“Hemp advocates promised the Texas Legislature the crop was drought resistant. The 2022 drought has proven otherwise. And farmers are abandoning the nascent market.”
Cannabis reporting is often an echo chamber where only the positives are discussed and often exaggerated. It’s important to look at the industry with a healthy level of scepticism and discuss the not-so-great aspects. Reports of how easy hemp is to grow have often left farmers with a substandard crop and underwhelming results overall.
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German Health Minister Openly Supports Cannabis Legalization On TV
“It was pleasant, I have to say. It brings back pleasant memories,” said the Health Minister, who once was against legalization. He recognized that “the safety and security aspects of legalization have changed in the last years, in my opinion. I’m now for legalization.”
There are plenty of examples of politicians taking a pro-cannabis stance earlier in their career, only to reverse it as they climb the ranks in government. Here we see the opposite. We expect to see other politicians across Europe coming to a pro-cannabis realisation, following Germany’s promised legalisation of recreational cannabis in 2024.
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©2022 by The Cannabis Review