Government
Could the U.K. Eliminate Novel Food Regulations for Cannabis?
A Parliamentary group has proposed what so far has been the unthinkable in Europe—removing cannabis from the ongoing regulatory hell of “Novel Foods” approvals—as more delay looms for the industry.
In what would be a major boon to the regulated cannabis industry in the U.K., a Parliamentary group has now suggested that products containing cannabidiol should no longer be subjected to Novel Food regulations. Firms who wish to manufacture CBD-containing food products to date across Europe have all had to submit such applications to prove that cannabidiol is not hazardous to human health.
In both the U.K. and the E.U., this has been rocky territory.
On the British side, in March, the Food Safety Authority (FSA) gave 3,536 products preliminary approval before complaints caused the agency to expand that list to 6,000 with more to be added. Critics have said that the system is complex, costly, anti-competitive, and has no benefit for consumers.
Those wishing to amend that path to market also argue that submitting every CBD product to this process is like using an elephant gun to shoot a mouse. Here is why. Novel Food applications are usually required only of large corporations with international reach. There is almost no chance that smaller firms would have the wherewithal to perform such processes.
The British group has also suggested that the manufacturers of such products should be required to submit COAs—or certificates of analysis—to prove that they are not hazardous to human health.
This move would drastically speed up the development of this part of the industry, with implications for THC as well. COA analysis is also the standard used routinely in the backend of sourcing for the industry. People looking for bulk cannabis flower, distillate, or isolate share COAs before purchase agreements are signed—on both the medical and non-medical side.
These recommendations, as a result, are incredibly good news indeed, especially given the unbelievably bureaucratic and frustrating lack of progress so far on both sides of the Brexit divide.
In the U.K. at least, politicians appear to be listening.
The news is not so good on the E.U. side of the discussion. The fact that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) broke the news on Tuesday that they were delaying 19 pending applications is probably not coincidental. Even if it is, their decision puts the entire discussion about the process firmly in the spotlight within the E.U. too.
What Is Novel Food and Why Does This Matter to The E.U. Cannabis Industry?
For those outside of Europe, the idea of “Novel Foods” has never blighted the discussion about the acceptance of any cannabinoid. In fact, foreigners do not know what the fuss is about. This is also why edibles are now about half of the total U.S. market. They simply are not subjected to this analysis.
Those in Europe have had to face a bizarre series of regulatory hurdles—beyond the “normal” issues of legalization and certification—because CBD-containing products have been subjected to a regulation adopted at the beginning of the European Union. Novel Food regulation was implemented in 1997. The idea was to prevent food that is “foreign” and potentially hazardous to human health from entering distribution within the block. Approvals are an exceedingly long, arduous, and expensive process. On the U.K. side, after Brexit, the same structural regulatory process was also applied; it was just moved under the purview of a domestic agency, not a European one.
On one level of course this regulation (sans cannabis) makes a world of sense. In fact, similar regulation exists in the United States and Canada (as it does in most countries). Cannabis products, however, have not been subjected to this kind of scrutiny in either country because of the trajectory of cannabis reform. In Canada, the edibles business did not lead the discussion. In the United States, there has been no federal regulatory environment that applied to anything in the industry because so far, legalization has only existed on a state level.
In Europe that conversation has been very different.
This is unbelievably frustrating considering that hemp, much less extracted CBD, is not “novel”. It was widely consumed in the region long before there was an E.U.
Regulators, however, don’t share that perspective. Yet.
More Delays in Europe for Pending Applications
The new stance from the British Parliament is even more refreshing given current events on the ground.
On the E.U. side, as more delays were announced this week, according to Professor Dominique Turck, the chair of the Novel Foods and Food Allergens panel for the EFSA. “We have identified several hazards related to CBD intake and determined that the many data gaps on these health effects need filling before these evaluations can go ahead. It is important to stress at this point that we have not concluded that CBD is unsafe as food.”
The specific reason for the newest approval delay on the E.U. side is that the committee claims that there is insufficient data on the effect of CBD on the liver, gastrointestinal tract, endocrine, nervous system, and people’s psychological well-being.
As a small sop to companies with pending applications, Ana Alfonso, Head of Nutrition and Food Innovation at the agency said, “Stopping the clock on a novel food assessment is not unusual when information is missing. It’s the responsibility of applicants to fill data gaps. We are engaging with them to explain how the additional information can be provided to help address the uncertainties.”
The agency will hold an online session on June 28 which is open to applicants and other interested parties to discuss how applicants might provide information the agency claims is incomplete.
Source: https://hightimes.com/news/could-the-u-k-eliminate-novel-food-regulations-for-cannabis/
The Sambhal district administration has cancelled four government land leases issued more than three decades ago after an official investigation found alleged irregularities in the classification and allotment of Ganga river land.
The action follows an inquiry that concluded approximately 31 bigha of land in Surpur village of Gunnour tehsil was leased after its original revenue classification was allegedly altered, allowing land categorized as riverbed to be treated as agricultural property.
Inquiry Reveals Alleged Record Manipulation
The decision was taken by the Additional District Magistrate (ADM) based on an investigation conducted by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Gunnour.
Officials found that while the current revenue records listed the land as transferable agricultural property, older consolidation documents identified it as Category-6(1) submerged river land, making it ineligible for such allotments.
Following the findings, the administration ordered the cancellation of all four leases and directed revenue officials to restore the land’s original classification in official records.
Leases Issued in 1991 Declared Invalid
According to the inquiry, the disputed leases were granted on November 17, 1991, in the names of Shrinivas, Sher Singh, Shakuntala, residents of Surpur village, and Prakash Chandra of Patei Kayasth village.
Authorities stated that the allotments did not comply with the provisions of Section 128 of the Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code, 2006, prompting their cancellation.
Officials said corrective entries are now being made in the revenue records to reflect the land’s original legal status.
Wider Probe Into Ganga Riverbank Land Allotments
The latest action is part of a broader investigation into alleged irregularities involving government land located along the Ganga riverbank in Sambhal district.
Earlier investigations uncovered suspected illegal allotments involving nearly 845 bigha of government land in Sukhailla village under Gram Panchayat Asadpur, where 162 leases are also under scrutiny.
Investigators believe a similar pattern may have been followed in multiple cases, with riverbed land allegedly reclassified as agricultural land before being leased to individuals.
Field inspections reportedly found that much of the land was unsuitable for conventional farming and was instead being used for activities such as sand mining.
Government Land Worth ₹18 Crore Under Review
District officials estimate that approximately 850 bigha (around 71.5 hectares) of government land, valued at nearly ₹18 crore, is currently under investigation.
Authorities have launched a comprehensive review of historical land leases issued across villages situated along the Ganga river in the Rajpura, Gunnour, and Junawai blocks.
The objective is to determine which allotments were made legally and identify cases where land records may have been manipulated.
Officials’ Role Also Being Examined
The investigation has also raised questions about the possible involvement or negligence of officials from the revenue and consolidation departments.
District authorities said responsibility will be fixed after the inquiry is completed, and legal or departmental action will be taken against anyone found to have violated land allotment rules.
Officials indicated that the ongoing review could reveal additional cases involving unauthorized occupation or irregular leasing of government land.
The administration has reiterated its commitment to restoring government property and ensuring transparency in land management across the district.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has issued a warning to NEET UG 2026 candidates and their parents against submitting fake, altered, or AI-generated OMR sheets while raising objections related to examination results.
The examination authority said that candidates found providing fabricated documents or misleading information during the verification process could face legal consequences.
The warning comes after several students approached the agency with complaints alleging discrepancies between their expected scores and the marks published in the final results.
NTA Finds Suspicious Documents During Verification
According to the NTA, some candidates submitted OMR sheets while requesting score verification, but officials found that certain documents appeared to be manipulated or artificially generated.
The agency clarified that only original OMR sheets issued during the examination process will be accepted for reviewing complaints.
NTA officials said they are examining all grievances carefully and will consider only verified examination records while deciding on score-related concerns.
Students Raise Questions Over NEET UG Results
After the announcement of NEET UG 2026 results, several candidates reported differences between their estimated marks based on the official answer key and their final scorecards.
Some students claimed that their expected scores were significantly higher than the marks awarded in the results.
In some reported cases, candidates alleged that uploaded OMR sheets did not match their original answer sheets or that the displayed scores were inconsistent with their calculations.
The complaints prompted several students and parents to seek clarification and request a detailed review of the evaluation process.
AI-Generated Fake Records Create New Challenge
The NTA has highlighted the growing misuse of artificial intelligence tools to create fake examination documents.
Officials said digitally altered OMR sheets and fabricated records could create difficulties in identifying genuine grievances and may affect the integrity of the complaint resolution system.
The agency advised candidates to avoid using unofficial documents or modified materials while submitting objections.
Candidates found involved in producing false evidence may face action under applicable laws, the NTA warned.
NEET UG 2026 Conducted Again After Paper Leak Allegations
The NEET UG 2026 examination process faced controversy after allegations of a paper leak led authorities to cancel the original exam held on May 3.
A re-examination was conducted on June 21 for affected candidates, following which results were announced on July 16.
After the controversy, the government announced plans to move future NEET UG examinations from the traditional pen-and-paper format to a computer-based testing (CBT) system.
Verification Process Continues
The NTA said the review of complaints submitted by candidates is still underway and further decisions will be taken after completing the verification of all documents.
The agency has urged students to rely only on official communication channels and submit genuine records while seeking clarification about their results.
The Goa government has initiated a detailed investigation into alleged irregularities in Public Works Department (PWD) tenders worth nearly ₹1,000 crore, following complaints of document manipulation and misuse of contractor eligibility credentials.
The probe focuses on claims that certain construction firms may have secured high-value infrastructure contracts by submitting falsified or altered work completion certificates to qualify for top contractor categories.
Allegations of Fake Experience Certificates in Tender Bids
According to complaints filed by engineers and contractors, several companies allegedly used questionable documentation to obtain Class IAA contractor status, a designation that allows participation in large-scale government infrastructure projects.
Investigators are examining whether manipulated work completion certificates were used to falsely demonstrate prior project experience, thereby inflating eligibility during the tender evaluation process.
One of the key concerns involves references to infrastructure projects executed under Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited, including the “Mudi Tank Filling Scheme.” Authorities are verifying claims that duplicate or inconsistent completion certificates may have been issued for the same project.
JV Structure Alteration Under Scrutiny
Officials are also investigating alleged changes in joint venture (JV) agreements submitted during tender applications. In one case under review, a 2019 JV reportedly listed Amrita Constructions Private Limited as the lead partner, with another firm as a supporting entity.
However, documents submitted to Goa PWD allegedly reversed these roles, naming Bagkiya Constructions as the lead partner. This change is suspected to have significantly enhanced the company’s technical eligibility and past performance record.
Authorities believe such alterations may have allowed firms to qualify for contracts they would otherwise not have been eligible for under standard procurement norms.
Allegations Linked to Karnataka Project Documentation
Another complaint under review concerns the “Akka Mahadevi Memorial Project” in Shivamogga, Karnataka, valued at over ₹51 crore. It is alleged that the project, executed in phases, was incorrectly represented as a single completed contract to meet eligibility requirements for higher-value tenders.
Investigators are verifying whether such representations were used to gain unfair advantage in experience-based qualification criteria.
Government Launches Comprehensive Inquiry
Following the emergence of these allegations, the Goa government has ordered a preliminary inquiry into all related contracts, approvals, and supporting documentation.
Officials have stated that every stage of the tendering process—including eligibility checks, certificate validation, and contract award decisions—will be examined in detail.
If irregularities are established, possible actions may include contract cancellation, blacklisting of firms, recovery of funds, and legal proceedings against those involved in submitting false documentation.
Concerns Over Procurement Transparency
The case has raised broader concerns about transparency and verification systems in public infrastructure procurement. Experts point out that reliance on manual documentation without robust digital verification increases the risk of fraud in large-scale government contracting.
Transparency advocates have called for stronger auditing systems, centralized contractor databases, and real-time verification of project credentials to prevent misuse of public tender processes.
Probe Continues
Authorities have confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and a detailed report will be prepared after reviewing all evidence and documentation. Further action will be taken based on the findings in accordance with applicable laws and procurement rules.
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