Following the announcement of the Government’s legislative agenda in the Kings Speech this week, Cannabis Industry Council Co-Chairs Jamie Bartley and Dr Callie Seaman commented: “The Government has said that economic growth is a top priority for their period in office. Cannabis has the potential to grow the UK economy

CIC has launched a new Rare Diseases Working Group, which aims to: Raise awareness in the use of pharmaceutical cannabinoids in rare diseases (engagement with rare disease charities etc…) Help create robust innovative clinical trials for pharmaceutical cannabinoids through life sciences Look to how we can incentivise industry to invest

Following Labour’s general election win on 4 July, new ministerial appointments have been made across Government. Notable positions for the cannabis industry include: Prime Minister – Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer MP Chancellor – Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP Home Secretary – Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP Health Secretary –

With the UK General Election set for Thursday 4 July, the main political parties are now releasing their manifestos. Below is a summary of their manifesto policies with direct and indirect links to cannabis (all text copied direct from the manifestos): Labour (manifesto here) As part of Labour’s life sciences

A manifesto for change in the cannabis space has been published by the Cannabis Industry Council (CIC), the voice of the UK sector. The manifesto contains a number of policy proposals for the Government, which will improve patient access to medicines, increase foreign direct investment to the industry, and boost

Medical cannabis prescription patient numbers could reach 62,960 by the end of this year, according to new analysis from CIC member Prohibition Partners. The figure includes anyone who received at least one prescription for medical cannabis during 2024. Prohibition Partners say the average patient spends £3,261 on their cannabis medication

A new guide to marketing and promotion in the cannabis space has been published by the Cannabis Industry Council (CIC). Entitled ‘Promoting cannabis: current rules & regulations’, the report aims to demystify the regulatory landscape around how prescription medicines and consumer CBD products can and cannot be promoted. A section

New Home Office proposals to increase the permissible THC levels in hemp seeds to “at least 0.3%” have been backed by the Cannabis Industry Council (CIC). Currently, THC levels in hemp seeds cannot exceed 0.2%. Due to increased temperatures in the UK, this can lead to stresses in the crop,

An online crowdfunder has been launched to raise funds to kickstart a key campaign to generate awareness of prescription cannabis and cannabinoid therapy with the public. The crowdfunder, being run by the Cannabis Industry Council (CIC), aims to raise £20,000 initially to undertake public relations and promotional activity around the

The Cannabis Industry Council (CIC) has taken on the Secretariat of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Industrial Hemp and CBD Products. The decision was formalised at the APPG’s annual general meeting, held today (13 March) in Parliament. CIC has succeeded Tenacious Labs as Secretariat, who had been in

We are pleased to announce the launch of CIC Platinum Membership, which is aimed at larger organisations (those in the higher two fees categories). Platinum Membership includes a range of benefits, such as free exhibition space, speaking slots, exclusive events, and much more. You will also receive the benefits of

A new report entitled ‘Extracting Opportunities’ has been published by SW4 Partners, in collaboration with CIC member Lawrence Stephens and Artemis Growth Partners. The report focuses on the evolving extract-based cannabis medicines market in Europe, and combines detailed analysis with engaging content to highlight the opportunities and complexities of this

The CIC is pleased to announce that Paul North has become our new Advocacy Representative. Paul will also sit on the CIC’s Executive Committee. Paul is the Director of CIC member Volteface, a leading organisation in the cannabis industry – which both provides commercial services, and manages one of the

The new European Pharmacopoeia monograph on Cannabis flower (3028) has reportedly been officially published in Ph. Eur. Supplement 11.5, according to GMP-Compliance. The monograph had been pre-published in October 2023 on the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM), Council of Europe website. GMP-Compliance notes a number

A commitment to supporting the UK’s military community and veterans – known as the Armed Forces Covenant – has been signed by the Cannabis Industry Council (CIC). The signed pledge states: “We commit to uphold the Armed Forces Covenant and support the Armed Forces Community. We recognise the contribution that

Highly experienced and innovative business leader Stef Kulik has joined the Board of the Cannabis Industry Council (CIC) as a Non Executive Director. Stef is currently managing director of the health division of a well-known British brand. He has previously worked in the consumer goods industry, in private equity, venture

Expanding the prescription cannabis market will lead to improved outcomes for ethnic minorities, women, and the LGBT community, according to a new report from the Cannabis Industry Council (CIC). The report, entitled ‘ESG Benefits of an Expanded Medicinal Cannabis Market’, highlights how the current situation results in many potential patients

The total number of prescription cannabis patients has now reached 32,000, according to CIC Honorary President Prof. Mike Barnes. Prof. Barnes gave the latest estimate during his speech at this year’s Patient Conference, held on 3 November in London. Commenting later on X (Twitter), Prof. Barnes clarified the process for

A patient survey has been launched by the Cannabis Industry Council, to coincide with Medical Cannabis Awareness Week (1-7 November). Both current and former prescription cannabis patients can complete the survey here. The survey results will better enable the Cannabis Industry Council to understand the challenges patients face, and to

Drugs Minister Chris Philp MP has stated that the amount of medical cannabis imported into the UK in 2023 has more than tripled, when compared to last year. Responding to a Parliamentary question, Mr Philp said that up to 19 September this year, the UK had imported 23,890 KG of

A draft Bill to enable general medical practitioners (GPs) to initiate cannabis medicine prescriptions has been published by the Cannabis Industry Council (CIC). The CIC and its lawyers believe that the most straightforward process would be to make three simple amendments to section 4 of The Misuse of Drugs (Amendments) (Cannabis

The Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society is now offering CIC Members access to their exclusive monthly CPD-accredited medical cannabis training for just £99. In this 3-hour online session led by Prof Mike Barnes, clinicians and non-clinicians alike can deepen their understanding of the treatment. Topics covered include the history of CBMPs,

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has released new guidance recommending consumer CBD dosage limits of 10mg / day in foods and food supplements. FSA announcement – https://www.food.gov.uk/news-alerts/news/food-standards-agency-and-food-standards-scotland-update-consumer-advice-for-cbd Position paper from FSA subcommittee – https://acnfp.food.gov.uk/JointpositionpaperfromACNFP%26COTonestablishingprovisionalADIforpureformCBDinfoods CIC CBD (wellness) Working Group Chair Damien Bove commented: “The Cannabis Industry Council will review the

A survey to understand the scale of UK cannabis industry banking challenges has been launched by the Cannabis Industry Council (CIC). This follows ongoing anecdotal concerns across the industry about accessibility issues for bank accounts and other financial services. Without a business bank account, not only are company operations impacted,

The new European Pharmacopoeia monograph on Cannabis flower (3028) was pre-published last week on the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM), Council of Europe website. The monograph will be officially published in Ph. Eur. Supplement 11.5 in January 2024, and is due to come into effect