A New Commission Formed in the United Kingdom Plans to Publish Recommendations on How the UK Can Become a Global Leader in Cannabinoid Innovation
A new commission for the United Kingdom (UK), the Hodges Review of UK Public Policy and Regulatory Stewardship of the Legal Cannabis Industry, will analyze its current legal cannabis industry and make recommendations on how to best maximize its growth, consumer satisfaction, and competitive potential on a global scale.
The Centre for Medicinal Cannabis (CMC), the Association for the Cannabinoid Industry (ACI), and First November Group, recently announced the launch of a new wide-ranging commission to review regulation and public policy in the United Kingdom’s (UK) legal cannabis industry called the Hodges Review. Professor Christopher Hodges, Emeritus Professor of Justice Systems, Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, University of Oxford, will chair the commission, which will release its final recommendations in May 2022 (1).
With five guiding objectives, the commission will reportedly consider the UK’s cannabis industry’s entire supply chain from cultivation, research and development to product development and manufacturing and sales. The project’s scope will cover cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) and consumer cannabinoids (CCs), but not the adult-use market. CBMPs were legalized in in UK 2018 and CCs are now subject to novel foods approval by the Food Standards Agency (FSA). The UK is also the first jurisdiction in the world to formally regulate consumer cannabinoids products (2).
The final report will outline how the UK can become a global leader in cannabinoid research and innovation. “The UK is already a world leader in life sciences,” said Paul Birch, Founder, CMC/ACI (1). “We should be able to extend this capability, expertise, and resources to the cannabinoid sector. The report will set out how government can work with the sector to drive the innovation that will deliver health and economic dividend for UK and the world.”
Steve Moore, Strategic Counsel, CMC/ACI added (1), “The UK has the potential to become a world leader in the field of cannabinoids, but to do so it will require more visionary public-private leadership, much more effective public policy stewardship, and smarter regulation. This report will pinpoint exactly what is needed to make this prize attainable.”
“We welcome the review by Professor Hodges of the regulation of the UK’s legal cannabis industry. Such a review is long overdue,” said Jeremy Willcocks, Partner at law firm Arnold & Porter. “The current regulatory regime certainly lacks a coherent strategy. We look forward to participating in the consultation process and to working with Professor Hodges.”
References
Ep 24, Part III: Data Transparency in Cannabis Testing with Yasha Kahn
December 26th 2024In the final part of this episode, Evan Friedmann and Yasha Kahn discuss the need for a national entity to centralize cannabis data collection, moving from snapshot data to continuous updates. They emphasize the importance of accurate lab data and adverse event tracking, suggesting QR codes on packaging to report issues. Yasha suggests harsher consequences for result manipulation and suggests collaboration between state departments and federal entities to support underfunded regulators. They also discuss the potential benefits of off-the-shelf testing and the importance of stability testing. Finally, Yasha shares his top three reading recommendations for the audience.
Ep 24, Part II: Data Transparency in Cannabis Testing with Yasha Kahn
December 12th 2024Evan Friedmann and Yasha Kahn, co-founder of MCR Labs, discuss the discrepancies between current regulations and data on mycotoxins and pesticides in cannabis products. They highlight the need for updated regulations based on new data, emphasizing the importance of accurate testing and labeling. They also discuss the issue of result manipulation, particularly in THC content, and the need for public health officials to address this. Yasha suggests making testing data public to enhance oversight and suggests a national entity to manage this data for better consistency and public safety.
Is Cannabis a Solution to the Opioid Crisis?
January 23rd 2025In this research overview, Ruth Fisher, PhD, explores how cannabis has shown promise in helping individuals reduce opioid use, potentially decreasing overdose deaths. Though its impact on chronic pain and opioid reduction remains evident, limitations exist and flaws in methodologies in ecological studies complicate conclusions.
