After almost two months of being on paid leave pending an internal investigation, Akanda’s CEO Tej Virk has handed in his resignation, accusing the company of breaching a service level agreement. Akanda disputes this and has not accepted his resignation pending the outcome of an inquiry relating to CanMart.

Cannabis has been touted as one of the safest psychoactive substances in the world, but that is not to say consumption is risk free. What are the effects of marijuana use on teenage brain development? Are there some people who should not use cannabis even if it’s legal? Dr Richard Friedman of Cornell University provides some cautionary advice.

Vice Magazine’s International Drugs Editor Max Daly spents time with ChatGPT’s asking all the really difficult questions skirting legality and illegality, and finds in some instances, the chatbot is just as confused as humans are about drugs.

Bees are a crucial pollination agent and are in danger the whole world over. A study by Polish researchers has shown honey bees respond positively to CBD, but the implications go further than the health of our pollinators. It suggests that cannabis could be beneficial to antioxident systems in other species too.

Akanda says it has achieved its ‘first significant revenue that is above our initial projections’ after successfully launching its initial supply to German customers. It ascribes this to the success of its Portuguese subsidiary Holigen, but at the same time hinted that it might dispose of the asset as it reconsiders its strategic options.

Malta has introduced the concept of Cannabis Harm Reduction Associations as a Private Cannabis Club model. The Maltese Authority for the Responsible Use of Cannabis announced its guidelines that will determine the nature of the island nation’s adult-use market.

Momentum is gathering pace within the United Nations to recognize the catalystic growth opportunities offered by hemp with all its multiple uses. The European Industrial Hemp Federation says that after 60 years of negativity and prohibition, the tide has turned for hemp at the highest levels of global governance. This will significantly help destigmatise cannabis in general.

Hong Kong’s new Beijing-orientated administration has classified CBD in the same category as heroin and cocaine and has introduced harsh penalties for dealing and possession.

British Columbia is at the forefront of reimagining drugs policy and is taking the brave step of taking libertarian rights beyond just cannabis use. The Canadian province is launching a three-year pilot project to explore the consequences of legalizing more hard-core drugs.

Much of the start-up capital for America’s legal cannabis industry came from Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, newly revealed records show. Here’s a deep dive from 420 Intel as to how billions of dollars of Russian money provided the catalyst for US cannabis businesses to gain market share and the awkwardness that is subsequently arising.

Cannabis tourism is becoming increasingly popular as more and more countries and states legalize the use of cannabis for medicinal and recreational purposes.

Stakeholders warn there’s a “mass extinction event” in the making as the home of US cannabis faces up to years of mounting debt.