US Federal Rescheduling Moves to Final Legislative Stage
One of the most significant actions taken by the federal government in decades came in the form of a push for cannabis rescheduling from Schedule I to Schedule III, which reached a major milestone this week.
On February 12, 2026, developments came out after a presidential executive order was issued, ordering the Attorney General to speed up the rescheduling process, as dictated by the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
Although the House of Representatives tried to prevent this rescheduling in the 2026 federal funding bill, the Senate successfully removed the language in the funding bill in mid-January.
The clean funding bill has now reached the President’s desk, awaiting signature, effectively clearing the last legislative hurdle in allowing the DEA to begin the rule-making process without congressional roadblocks.
The rescheduling of cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III will bring massive tax savings for cannabis businesses in states where they are legal, effectively eliminating the burden of Section 280E.
The current tax code prevents cannabis companies from deducting business expenses, hindering growth and profitability.
The rescheduling will bring a much-needed federal solution for medical cannabis recognition, standardized pharmaceutical studies, and banking access.
However, legal experts warn that this does not mean federal adult-use legalization or immunity for state cannabis companies.
The process will likely continue to face administrative hurdles and possible lawsuits from prohibitionist opposition groups.
Regardless, the removal of congressional roadblocks marks a definitive and historic shift in the federal government’s stance on the multi-billion-dollar industry.
Source: spencerfane.com
Australia’s Medical Market Set to Surpass $1 Billion Driven by High-THC Demand
According to a comprehensive new data report, which was recently made available by Prohibition Partners in mid-February 2026, the medical cannabis market in Australia is officially on track to exceed AUD$1 billion in sales.
The unprecedented rate of growth has firmly established Australia as the largest and most commercially active medical cannabis market outside of North America.
Australia is quickly growing beyond even the likes of Germany and the UK in regards to the rate of sales and patient acquisition.
The rapid increase in the overall market value is being driven by the overall normalization of telehealth prescription practices, which have essentially removed any geographical limitations for patients seeking medical cannabis.
The data has also shown a strong and growing patient demand for high-THC dried flower and fast-acting inhalable products.
The overall rate of consumption is similar to the trends seen in adult-use markets, which is a strong indicator of a shift in the overall patient experience and the way in which patients are choosing to manage their respective medical conditions.
While CBD oils are still a strong and growing part of the overall medical cannabis market, it is undeniable that the overall patient demand for high-THC products is the driving force behind the overall commercial activity in the country.
While many of the countries in Europe are still reliant upon international supply chains, Australia is also experiencing a massive boom in local cultivation.
Local production has seen a massive increase in the past year, with over 40 tonnes of cannabis being produced by licensed cultivators in the country to meet the overall demand.
Australian cultivators are not only catering to the local demand, as the overall production levels are also geared towards exporting high-quality cannabis to Germany, the UK, and other emerging markets, which are expected to double in the coming year.
While the Therapeutic Goods Administration has responded to the rapid growth of the medical cannabis market in Australia by establishing tighter regulations, the overall patient demand is incredibly strong and robust.
Source: businessofcannabis.com
South Africa Proposes Drastic Increase in Personal Possession Limits
In what would be a major landmark for the country to be at the top of the list for personal use and consumption, South Africa’s Department of Justice issued groundbreaking draft regulations recently.
The draft regulations, issued in early February 2026, are a proposal for a significant increase in the amount of legal possession for adult citizens.
The new draft regulations have proposed that adults be officially allowed to possess up to 750 grams of dried cannabis in a private place for personal use.
Industry experts have estimated that this huge amount is equivalent to approximately 2,300 standard joints.
This draft legislation comes after the historic Constitutional Court ruling in 2018 that decriminalized the personal use and consumption of the plant.
But the new draft regulations have finally provided the administrative clarity that law enforcement and citizens have been awaiting for years.
The draft regulations have also proposed that the amount of 750 grams be allowed for the transit of the drug, but this should be concealed and not be inspected during the process.
The draft regulations have proposed this for public comment until early March 2026 before they are codified into law.
The South African government remains firm in its stance against the sale and consumption of the drug for recreational purposes but this move would finally formalize the widespread culture of “grow your own.”
This policy shift is unprecedented in scale globally, signaling South Africa’s definitive intent to treat cannabis consumption as a protected personal liberty.
It firmly repositions the plant as a public health and privacy matter rather than a criminal justice issue.
Source: mixmag.net
Ghana Announces Licensing for Medicinal and Industrial Cannabis
On February 11, 2026, Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) announced an important move forward in the country’s agricultural sector.
The commission announced that it will soon begin accepting formal applications for the medicinal and industrial cultivation of cannabis.
This announcement signals the start of the highly anticipated implementation phase of recent parliamentary approvals aimed at establishing a new framework that will be strictly focused on cultivating cannabis strains that do not exceed 0.3% THC content for lucrative pharmaceutical exports and industrial hemp purposes.
While the recreational use of the drug remains strictly illegal and heavily penalized in Ghana, NACOC’s new licensing initiative is a strategic economic move to position the country as a regional hub.
The government is aiming to be at the vanguard of leading innovation and cultivation in the cannabis sector in West Africa by leveraging the country’s favorable climate and agricultural expertise.
The commission emphasized a strict “security-first” approach during the rollout phase.
They announced that only well-funded applicants that meet rigorous product traceability and quality assurance security requirements will be granted operational licenses.
By bypassing middlemen and encouraging direct business with the Cannabis Regulation Department, the government hopes to ensure a transparent and corruption-free supply chain.
This move is part of a larger pragmatic economic trend in the African continent to capitalize on the lucrative medical cannabis boom in the global sector.
Ghana’s entrance into the new regulatory framework is expected to be met with substantial foreign direct investment from international pharmaceutical giants.
These multinational corporations are constantly on the lookout to source new environments that will provide them with high-quality production environments to source their raw active pharmaceutical ingredients.
Source: english.news.cn
Europe’s First “Whole-Plant” Pharmaceutical Cannabis Drug Near Approval
German pharmaceutical innovator Vertanical announced on February 10, 2026, that their flagship medical cannabis drug has successfully completed Phase 3 of the clinical trials.
This monumental achievement places the drug squarely on track to be commercially launched in late 2026.
‘VER-01’ is poised to become the world’s first-ever ‘whole plant’ multi-compound Cannabis drug to be awarded full ‘traditional’ international pharmaceutical approval.
In stark contrast to other ‘single compound’ Cannabis-based drugs like Epidyolex (CBD) or Nabilone (synthetic THC), ‘VER-01’ utilizes the full ‘natural’ spectrum of Cannabis’ various plant compounds.
The ‘synergistic’ interaction of Cannabis’ various botanical compounds is shown to have vastly superior efficacy in the management of severe chronic pain through the ‘entourage effect.’”
The development of ‘VER-01’ was the result of an unprecedented investment of more than $250 million and an unprecedented seven years of meticulous scientific research.
Vertanical plans to now exploit the ‘mutual recognition procedure’ to quickly roll out ‘VER-01’ across the entire European Union via the EU’s ‘single market.’
The company will then seek to extend this to the UK’s healthcare system as well.
‘This is an incredibly significant announcement as it finally brings together the gap between ‘botanical medical cannabis’ and ‘western medicine.’
The fact that ‘VER-01’ has now successfully completed the grueling Randomized Control Trial (RCT) procedure will provide the medical establishment with hard evidence to put to rest their deep-seated skepticism regarding ‘raw Cannabis flower.’
This will now position ‘whole plant Cannabis’ as a mainstream non-opiate solution to chronic pain management on a massive scale worldwide.
Source: businessofcannabis.com