These were the 50 most-read cannabis stories of 2022. The TGA's advertising crackdown sent shockwaves through the industry, deals collapsed and new ones emerged, the Cronos Australia boardroom drama eventually settled down, and the Legalise Cannabis Party had a year it won't forget…
50. Epsilon future uncertain as half-year losses climb by 94%
Epsilon Healthcare moved to secure its future through a capital raise after a turbulent six-month period. The company subsequently raised A$1.65m, with chief operating officer Sonny Didugu and former chief executive Jarrod White among those participating.
49. Cronos executives survive removal vote; company prepares to rebrand
Cronos Australia chief executive Rodney Cocks and executive director Guy Headley kept their positions after shareholders voted decisively to retain the leadership team, comfortably defeating the attempt to remove them.
48. Zelira's Health House acquisition called off
Zelira Therapeutics' planned purchase of Health House International was abandoned in June after both parties agreed to terminate the deal, citing the "substantial change in market conditions" that had occurred since the acquisition was announced in February.
47. When it comes to evidence, Australia's medicinal cannabis industry is rising to the challenge
Industry consultant Fiona Wilson examined the companies working to dispel ongoing scepticism about medicinal cannabis from parts of the medical profession that continued to restrict patient access.
46. ECS Botanics announces major shake up
ECS Botanics put its Tasmanian operations and hemp food and wellness division on the market while overhauling its management structure. Founder and managing director Alex Keach was replaced by executive general manager Nan-Maree Schoerie, with Keach moving into the head of corporate relations role.
45. What's behind the cannabis stock market fall?
Chief correspondent Steve Jones spoke to industry experts to understand why investor enthusiasm for cannabis stocks had cooled so sharply.
44. Cann Group looks to raise another A$10m for Mildura, puts Southern facility up for sale
Cann Group announced a share purchase plan (SPP) targeting A$8 to $10m to expand GMP manufacturing capacity at its Mildura facility, while also listing its Southern facility for sale. The SPP ultimately raised $8.18m from 1,254 investors.
43. Cronos plots doctor growth as firm eyes A$100m of revenue in FY23
Cronos reported growing doctor willingness to prescribe medicinal cannabis as it outlined plans to expand its CanView platform and chase A$100 million in FY23 revenue. Writing exclusively for the publication, chief executive Rodney Cocks said "the runway for the entire industry" would be built as more doctors came onboard.
42. Retail pharmacy data shows record number of medicinal cannabis users with Cannatrek leading the way
NostraData figures showed a 130% increase in pharmacy-dispensed medicinal cannabis patients in the final quarter of 2021 versus the same period in 2020, with prescriber numbers up 47% and dispensing pharmacies up 35%. Cannatrek held the top market position with a 25% share.
41. AMCA and MCIA tell industry: 'put your own house in order'
Two industry trade associations warned the sector to get its compliance house in order on advertising regulations, cautioning that failure to do so risked alienating stakeholders and drawing the TGA's attention. Subsequent events showed just how right AMCA and MCIA were.
40. Flower boom continues as imports outweigh exports
Office of Drug Control data confirmed Australia remained a net importer of medicinal cannabis, with dried flower imports in 2022 forecast to reach double the volume recorded in 2021.
39. Penington Institute: Australia's cannabis policies are out of date and costing the country a fortune
Harm-reduction organisation the Penington Institute concluded that Australia's cannabis policies trailed those of the US, Canada and Germany and were costing taxpayers as much as A$1.7 billion annually.
38. Ananda Clinics goes local as it seeks to persuade 'middle Australia' that cannabis is a medicine
Byron Bay-based Ananda Clinics announced it would only prescribe cannabis sourced from domestic producers with a demonstrated commitment to medical research, as part of a broader effort to push back against the rise of a de facto legal recreational market. Ananda said its prescribing model would work to shift public attitudes toward cannabis and build awareness of its therapeutic potential among people who remained uninformed on the subject.
37. Cann Global set to countersue Medcan as court battle looms
Cann Global announced it would countersue Medcan Australia after a three-year commercial agreement broke down, with each company alleging the other had breached the contract terms. Medcan had already filed a statement of claim with the Queensland District Court seeking A$333,000 in unpaid invoices.
36. Power battle looms at Cronos as Jansen family plans second shareholder resolution
In the lead-up to what promised to be a contentious Cronos Australia AGM in November, the wife of former chief medical officer Dr Ben Jansen formally signalled her intention to seek her husband's reinstatement as a company director.
35. Queensland launches drug-driving review
Queensland's Department of Transport and Main Roads began reviewing the state's drug-driving laws, though the process was not scheduled for completion until the end of 2024.
34. Administrator appointed to Queensland cultivator as sales fail to cover operating costs
Administrators were called in to Queensland medicinal cannabis cultivator Tikun Oceana, formerly trading as Medifarm, after the company acknowledged its sales revenue was insufficient to cover operating costs. A rescue package was subsequently assembled to keep the firm afloat.
33. Avecho chief warns of placebo dangers as firms roll out CBD clinical trials
Avecho chief executive Paul Gavin cautioned that the high placebo effect tied to subjective endpoints in clinical trials could undermine the path to over-the-counter CBD registration. He said sleep and pain studies faced the greatest exposure, as companies would need to demonstrate credible patient-reported outcomes before regulators would approve products.
32. Albo, can you rule out a cannabis referendum as well please?
When it seemed there was little more to write about the Queen's passing, co-founder Martin Lane found an unexpected connection between the public response to that event and the question of cannabis legalisation in Australia.
31.'Our first crop failed, but we learned along the way'
Chief correspondent Steve Jones sat down with ECS Botanics' Nan-Maree Schoerie to discuss the formative years of Murray Meds and why greenhouse cultivation is no longer a viable model in Australia.
30. TGA's delta-8 crackdown leaves patients in limbo
Without any formal policy change, TGA confirmation that chemically converted delta-8 products derived from CBD were illegal in Australia caught patients, doctors and pharmacists off guard. Those products had been accessible through the Special Access Scheme since late 2021.
29. Two studies find cannabinoids could help end the pandemic
Research from the US and Canada pointed to a possible role for cannabinoids in combating Covid-19. In retrospect, the headline may have promised more than the science delivered.
28. What the TGA's medicinal cannabis list really tells us
After its overhaul of the Special Access and Authorised Prescriber schemes, the regulator published a categorised list of Australian medicinal cannabis products by active ingredient. Rhys Cohen examined the detail to put those figures into context.
27. Three cannabis firms hit with fines of A$1m after 73 alleged advertising breaches
In what became the year's defining story, Little Green Pharma, Cannatrek and MGC Pharmaceuticals received a combined 73 advertising infringement notices and fines approaching A$1m from the TGA.
26. Most patients still using illicit cannabis, but prescription numbers soar
The Lambert Initiative's CAMS20 survey found the majority of Australian patients were still self-medicating with illicit cannabis, even as the number accessing prescription products rose sharply.
25. Left and right unite in vote to legalise cannabis
Legalise Cannabis Australia's strong showing at the federal election was driven by solid regional support and preference flows from some unexpected corners of the political spectrum. The party's election strategist Craig Ellis spoke to put to rest a number of myths about the cannabis vote.
24. SAS-B figures show patients are getting younger, 'maler' and more anxious
An analysis of the TGA's medicinal cannabis access data dashboard covering the first four months of 2022 found patients were skewing younger, more male and increasingly anxious, though a strong preference for flower products was not yet sufficient to displace oil at the top of the market.
23. Montu launches probe into Reddit allegations
Montu opened an internal investigation after a user on Reddit alleged the company had been offering free services in exchange for product reviews, in possible breach of TGA regulations.
22. Five cannabis industry trends to look out for in 2022
At the outset of 2022, then editor-at-large Rhys Cohen set out his predictions for the year ahead. Whether the forecasts held up was a matter for readers to judge.
21. It's been a long road, but Cann Group's Mildura gamble might be about to pay off
Rhys Cohen visited Cann Group's widely discussed cultivation facility in Mildura and came away impressed — so impressed, in fact, that he later joined the company in a communications role.
20. Cannatrek withdraws flower batch following complaints from patients
Cannatrek pulled an Israel-sourced flower product from the market after a surge in patient complaints.
19. Zelira to acquire medicinal cannabis distributor Health House International
Zelira Therapeutics announced in February its intention to acquire medicinal cannabis distributor Health House International. When that transaction later fell apart, Creso Pharma stepped in with an all-scrip offer valuing the business at A$4.6m.
18. ANTG-Asterion merger hits the rocks but Canadian firm chases fresh Australian deal
Plans between Australian Natural Therapeutics Group and Vancouver-based Asterion to build one of the world's largest medicinal cannabis facilities unravelled after both companies withdrew from the agreement. The two had intended to jointly develop a A$400m site in Toowoomba, Queensland, with a production capacity exceeding 500,000kg of cannabis per year and the potential to create 1,000 regional jobs.
17. Companies behind Tikun Oceana rescue revealed
Two companies were identified as the parties behind the Tikun Oceana rescue deal, one of which held a partial stake in the soon-to-launch Islamic Bank of Australia.
16. How to interpret the TGA's Authorised Prescriber figures
After the TGA released its medicinal cannabis authorised prescriber data dashboard, Rhys Cohen examined the numbers closely and arrived at one clear takeaway: the industry was experiencing strong growth.
15. Yes we cann! Our definitive guide to the cannabis policies of those who want your vote on Saturday
In the lead-up to the May federal election, every party fielding candidates was contacted to establish their positions on cannabis. The willingness to engage varied considerably.
14. No sales, no funds, no investors: administrator lifts lid on Tikun Oceana turmoil
A report from administrator Cor Cordis — appointed by Tikun Oceana in July — painted a grim picture of the Queensland cultivator's finances: a surplus of product, negligible sales figures, and no available funding after shareholders pulled out.
13. Althea launches soft-gel capsule and high-THC flower to 'meet patient needs'
Althea released a CBD soft-gel capsule alongside an "ultra-high" THC dried flower product in response to evolving patient dosage patterns. The company said the capsule, produced by FoliuMed, had the potential to be sold over the counter.
12. CDA Health co-founder plots move to oust Rodney Cocks and Guy Headley from Cronos board
CDA Health co-founder Dr Matua Jansen lodged a formal notice to seek the removal of Cronos chief executive Rodney Cocks and director Guy Headley. The move was the opening shot in a prolonged boardroom dispute, but failed at the November AGM.
11. Drug-driving bill voted down in NSW
The Liberal-National and Labor parties combined to defeat a NSW Greens bill aimed at reforming the state's drug-driving laws. Introduced by MP Cate Faehrmann, the legislation would have given medicinal cannabis patients a defence against drug-driving charges provided they were not impaired and had used their medication as directed at the time of testing.
10. Battle lines drawn as details emerge of feud between Cronos and CDA founders
Further details came to light regarding the dispute between Cronos Australia and members of the Jansen family, co-founders of CDA Health, as both sides girded for a fractious shareholder meeting in November.
9. Flower battle hots up as Little Green Pharma brings three high-THC strains to Australia
LGP introduced three new high-THC cannabis flower products from its Danish facility to the Australian market as competition for domestic market share intensified.
8. 'It's not legal in Australia': TGA boss pulls no punches on delta-8 THC
TGA head John Skerritt delivered an unambiguous message about delta-8 THC. While conceding the compound does occur naturally in cannabis plants in trace quantities, Skerritt made clear that products containing delta-8 chemically converted from CBD had no legal standing in Australia.
7. Cannabis risks becoming a 'borderline supplement' unless it evolves, warns Emyria chief
Emyria chief executive Michael Winlo said in an interview that medicinal cannabis would stay on the periphery of mainstream medicine unless more companies committed to drug registration and product innovation. Winlo said the industry had become stuck in "medicinal cannabis 2.0" and had failed to evolve.
6. Hi-tech Victorian facility will 'raise the cannabis cultivation bar'
Melbourne-based Gemkom announced plans to break ground the following year on a 20-tonne capacity cultivation facility in regional Victoria, with ambitions to build one of the most technologically advanced cannabis growing operations in the world.
5. Several cannabis firms under 'active investigation' as TGA pledges to maintain tough stance on industry
Weeks after issuing close to A$1m in fines for alleged advertising breaches in September, it was revealed the TGA had additional companies in its sights, with multiple licensed medicinal cannabis businesses and clinics under active investigation. The sector was put on notice that further substantial penalties would follow if advertising compliance did not improve — and that warning proved well-founded.
4. Cannatrek quits AMCA after facing suspension for alleged advertising breaches
Cannatrek walked away from the Australian Medicinal Cannabis Association just ahead of a looming membership suspension, as the fallout from the TGA's record advertising fines continued to reverberate across the sector.
3. TGA defends itself as fines backlash gathers pace
The regulator found itself defending its enforcement actions as criticism mounted following a new round of heavy fines for alleged medicinal cannabis advertising violations. The crackdown triggered widespread anxiety across the industry, with companies urgently reviewing their websites, social media accounts and marketing materials for potential compliance issues.
2. TGA issues more heavy fines as advertising crackdown gathers pace
Shortly after issuing close to A$1m in penalties, the TGA returned with a second wave of enforcement action, levying fines totalling more than A$250,000 against two clinic operators and an unnamed GP.
1. Industry told to 'wake up' as TGA finally bares its teeth in cannabis advertising crackdown
The TGA's advertising enforcement push was described as a "wake-up" call for an industry that had underestimated the regulator's willingness to act. Teresa Nicoletti, a partner at law firm Mills Oakley, said: "The industry appears to have had the [false] impression that the TGA was turning a blind eye to medicinal cannabis advertising or was focused on other areas. The issuing of these hefty fines now demonstrates otherwise."