Zimbabwe is allowing hemp-based products to be sold for the first time as part of complementary medicines given to patients. The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe has invited all licensed cannabis and hemp producers, manufacturers, importers, exporters and retail pharmacists to apply for approval to sell the products. The regulator requested those interested to provide product samples and also allow its officials to inspect production sites. “Unlicensed sellers of cannabis will be prosecuted for selling…
People of color historically disadvantaged by the nation’s marijuana laws are largely missing out on burgeoning cannabis opportunities and wealth now that legalization spreads across the states—and minority entrepreneurs are pushing for change. “I was the only Black woman for a long time in a lot of rooms—sometimes, still am,” said Iyana Edouard, a 27-year-old cannabis marketing specialist and content creator in California. For five years, she ran Kush & Cute, a small business that…
Thai households can now grow six pots of cannabis each to supplement their income, the nation’s health minister said, as the first country in the region to legalize medical marijuana further eased rules to promote the crop’s commercial use. Families may form communities to grow marijuana and supply the crop to public hospitals and state facilities, or use them to make food and cosmetic products as a fresh revenue source, Thailand’s Deputy Premier and Health…
In marijuana’s march to mainstream acceptance, high-end fragrances are tapping into a desire for earthy, woodsy creations.
“Reeking of weed” used to be a bad thing. Now high-end beauty influencers are embracing fragrances designed to highlight the aroma of cannabis.
There’s one called Dirty Grass, an earthy $185 scent with 500 milligrams of hemp-derived CBD oil in each bottle. It’s the latest release from Heretic Parfum’s Douglas Little, the nose behind Goop’s all-natural fragrances. Another, Chronic ($175), is from Swedish brand 19-69 and contains notes of grapefruit and moss. Both are available at Barneys New York.
They join the likes of Malin + Goetz’s Cannabis Eau De Parfum ($165), which balances white floral notes with spicy herbs, and Maison Margiela’s Replica ($126), an ode to the Woodstock music festival that is described as smelling of “patchouli and fresh bud.”
Despite a history of tough drug laws, it’s set to be a major supplier as the substance goes global.
The forecast for the legal cannabis market in Asia is rosy—it’s expected to swell to $8.5 billion by 2024 from practically nothing today. One of the main questions surrounding this potential market is which country will establish an early lead as a supplier. Surprisingly, Thailand has a good shot.
Although laws on its books can penalize possession of marijuana with up to 15 years in prison and a huge fine, the country was also one of the first in Asia to legalize medical marijuana. Thailand is looking to become the region’s cannabis capital with its potent strains. Yet to claim that title, it must move fast to pass legislation making pot legal for recreational use. Neighboring countries are following suit in legalizing medical marijuana and could cut in on the market.
Investors are pouring money into the race to develop devices that promise precise marijuana dosing. It’s part of an effort by the $10 billion cannabis industry to reach beyond its traditional stoner base to customers who might want to unwind without getting blitzed. Unlike alcohol or Tylenol, there’s never been a standard dosage for THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in pot.
The latest company to join the rush is Indose, a startup that sells disposable vape pens that use a pair of sensors to measure the dose of THC delivered with each draw, down to the milligram. The company recently closed a $3.5 million funding round led by Casa Verde Capital, the cannabis venture capital firm that counts rapper Snoop Dogg as a partner.
