70% Of German Physicians Can Now Prescribe Reimbursed Medical Marijuana, More Cannabis Updates From Italy And Japan

Japan: Updated Guidelines On THC Limits Don't Address All Gaps, Says Expert

Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's (MHLW) Narcotics Control Division updated its guidelines on THC limits for CBD products as it prepares for new rules expected to take effect in December 2024. However, some industry experts suggest that the updated guidelines don't address all the gaps.

Dr. Yuji Masataka, MD, Japan's first specialist in medical cannabis, told Business of Cannabis that in addition to specific THC thresholds for various product categories such as oils, powders and aqueous solutions, there should be categories for raw materials and revised definitions for oils.

Among key updates, oils are defined to contain more than 90% glycerin and fatty acid compounds, which potentially restricts CBD oil concentrations. Also, the guideline suggests 10 ppm threshold for CBD oil, hemp seed oil, comsetic oils, CBD powder and protein powder.

Masataka said that this 1ppm threshold is likely to apply to a raft of CBD raw materials.

"However, most cannabinoid raw materials are highly viscous, and it is expected that only a limited number of products, such as CBD isolate powder, will be able to stably maintain the particle size below 850 μm, as stipulated in the latest guidelines," Masataka said. "If the intention of adding the ‘powder' category was to ease restrictions on cannabinoid raw materials, this design is insufficient."

He also suggested that the definition for oils is problematic because if the cannabinoid content exceeds 10%, the products will no longer meet the definition of oils, and the 1 ppm restriction would automatically apply.

To address some of these issues, Masataka suggested adding additional categories, such as "solid raw materials," for example.

Continue reading on Business of Cannabis.

Read Also: Japan Criminalizes Cannabis With 7-Year Prison Sentence, Medical Marijuana Remains Legal

Italy: European Commission To Investigate Efforts To Ban Hemp Products

The European Commission (EC) has launched an investigation into Italy's efforts to ban trade in CBD and hemp flowers, writes Hemp Today.

In July, the joint Constitutional Affairs and Justice committees of the Chamber voted to add an amendment prohibiting cannabis flowers of all types to the Security Bill. If the amendment passes into law, it would classify all cannabis and hemp flowers as narcotics regardless of THC content.

Shortly after the Constitutional Affairs and Justice Committee proposed an amendment effectively killing the hemp sector, cannabis trade groups, including Canapa Sativa Italia (CSI) and Federcanapa, sent a letter to the EC contesting the amendment. They argued it could "violate European Union law on free competition and the free movement of goods." The groups said the sector employs more than 15,000 workers and has a turnover of 500 million euros ($546 million).

Read More: ‘Grotesque Crackdown’ On Hemp In Italy Puts 11K Jobs At Risk, Experts Cite EU Law Violations

Italian Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Valentina Palmisano confirmed that the EC will issue an opinion after the investigation. She said the proposed amendment, under consideration in the Italian Senate after being approved in lower house, "completely wrongly equates ‘cannabis light' to drugs, contradicting, among other things, a ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ)."

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Germany: Medical Marijuana Now More Widely Reimbursed

The law enabling more than 70% of physicians to prescribe reimbursed medical marijuana without prior approval from statutory health insurance companies took effect last week in Germany, reported Business of Cannabis.

Partial cannabis legalization took effect in Germany on April 1, allowing adults over 18 to legally possess up to 25 grams of dried cannabis and cultivate up to three plants at home. One of the biggest breakthroughs under this law is simplified medical cannabis use, or medical marijuana being regulated like ibuprofen.

The proposal concerning reimbursements for medical marijuana prescriptions under Statutory Health Insurance (GKV) that covers around 90% of the population came from the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) was approved on July 18.

A new report on Germany’s cannabis market by Prohibition Partners shows that medical marijuana sales are projected to reach €420 million in 2024 ($260.66 million) reaching €1 billion by 2028. The document notes that while historically 60% of patients have been private payers, and 40% were expensed by statutory health insurance, after partial legalization took effect, private prescriptions rose to 80%.

Despite legalization, only about 2500 to 3000 pharmacies are dispensing medical marijuana; those that are report to be making a healthy profit, some as much as €50,000 per month.

It is said that this change could raise rates for insurance companies, but overall it would benefit patients who cannot pay for private prescriptions. A formal evaluation of the law's impact is set for 2025.

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