Cannabis use in Australia spiked during the first COVID-19 lockdown period whilst methamphetamine use fell dramatically, a study has found.

Research led by the University of South Australia (UniSA) analysed wastewater samples taken during 2020. Whilst the use of methamphetamine (ice) significantly reduced during the first lockdown, use of cannabis increased significantly.

The study has been published in Environmental Science and Technology Letters.

Australian medical cannabis company Althea Group Holdings Limited (ASX: AGH) says its Canadian subsidiary has signed a manufacturing agreement with another cannabis company in that country.

The agreement is between Peak Processing Solutions and Delshen Therapeutics Corp’s wholly owned subsidiary 48North Cannabis Corp and involves Peak manufacturing four products for 48North’s Latitude brand. The products are: a CBD body lotion, a 1:1 THC/CBD body lotion, CBD bath salts, and a 1:1 THC/CBD bath salts.

Minimum order quantities under the agreement have a combined value of approximately CAD$1.25 million.

“This agreement with 48North is once again recognition that Peak is becoming a major player in the Canadian legal cannabis market,” said Althea CEO Joshua Feagan.

Australia’s Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has received almost $700,000 to investigate the effectiveness, safe dosage and side-effects associated with THC and CBD.

Around 770 children aged up to 14 years are diagnosed with cancer each in Australia, and sadly approximately 100 children under the age of 15 years die from it annually.

It’s hoped medicinal cannabis can play a role in alleviating children’s suffering in the final stages of their illness.

Researchers at Australia’s Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics at the University of Sydney have defined durations of impairment after THC dosing – but it’s not straightforward.

With more people discovering the benefits of medical cannabis, this raises the important issue of potential impairment while driving. In Australia, any detectable amount of  tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in a driver’s bloodstream or saliva is enough to land the person in legal hot water; even if there is no impairment. With THC remaining detectable for up to weeks after ingestion, this effectively puts patients using legally prescribed medicines containing the compound under a driving ban.

Australia is a legal cannabis market that rarely receives the attention it deserves and is a market that we are bullish on in 2021.

In 2019, we noticed a slowdown in interest in the Australian cannabis market as companies started to focus on the opportunity in Latin America. Since then, the Latin American cannabis market has not grown as much as expected while the Australian market has shown signs of strength. Article originally published on technical420.com

NSW-based Australian Natural Therapeutics Group (ANTG) has been granted a license to produce large quantities of medicinal cannabis oil for commercial use as the industry booms on the back of good news internationally.

ANTG will commence commercial manufacturing of cannabis oil at its Armidale facility following receipt of the license from the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

Founded in 2015, ANTG already produces four strains of medicinal cannabis flower, and will soon add four oil combinations to its product range following.

ANTG CEO Matt Cantelo said the license signifies a big step in the buy-local movement and will mean price drops in medical cannabis as more of the drug is made on-shore.

Australia’s Cann Group Limited (ASX:CAN) announced on Wednesday the Office of Drug Control (ODC) has varied the licences necessary to enable activity at its Mildura medical cannabis facility.

Originally to be a huge single stage project, Cann Group is developing its new medicinal cannabis production facilities near Mildura in Victoria in stages, and even that has been subject to further review. According to the recent AGM presentation, Stage 1a is proposed to include capacity to produce 12,500kgs of dry flower a year. Existing Cann Group facilities currently provide 1,200kg annual production capacity. The expected timeline at this point for the Mildura expansion is:

The recent study was conducted at the St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, and the Emerald Clinics (EMD) in Perth, suggests cannabis is a safe option for patients to integrate into their current pain treatment.

That includes patients who already consume high doses of opioids.

The company administered its ZTL-103, a 1:1 THC/CBD formulation to chronic pain (non-cancer) patients who used at least 60 milligrams of morphine or similar opioids daily. After a two-week dosing period, patients reported reduced levels of pain, stress, depression and anxiety, while experiencing no serious side effects.

Somewhat atypically for a marijuana stock, Cronos Group's (NASDAQ:CRON) latest growth initiative isn't an acquisition -- it's an initial public offering (IPO).

Yes, the company is already listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq, and no, it didn't float a pack of new shares on either. Rather, the company's latest stock market adventure took place far overseas. Here's the skinny about Cronos' recent involvement in an IPO, and why you might not be familiar with it.

Read entire article here