A touching obituary and commentary on the farewell of Marcel, a seriously ill Lower Austrian who chose assisted suicide after long, painful suffering, and the societal debates surrounding the healthcare system.
Read Article >An in-depth conversation with 39-year-old Marcel shortly before his assisted suicide. He speaks about his relentless battle with chronic pain and the restrictive stance on medical cannabis in Austria.
Read Interview >The tragic fate of Marcel moves all of Austria. The report highlights the overwhelming public reactions and the growing demand for more humane pain management and facilitated access to medical cannabis.
Read Article >Following a severe work accident and 13 years of unsuccessful pain management, Lower Austrian Marcel sees no other option than assisted suicide. The report raises pressing questions about the Republic's cannabis policies.
Read Article >A sound economic analysis by the Momentum Institute shows that a regulated legalization of cannabis could bring around €500 million annually to the Austrian national budget through new taxes and savings in the justice sector.
Read Article >Report on the landmark ruling of the Federal Fiscal Court (BFG) against the customs office. The decision classifies the seizure of hemp flowers as illegal and strengthens the position of the Austrian Cannabis Association.
Read Article >The Federal Fiscal Court (BFG) has ruled the seizure of hemp flowers by the customs office as illegal, strongly reinforcing the legal position of the Austrian Cannabis Association. The ruling clarifies that tax liability for CBD flowers does not automatically subject them to the tobacco monopoly.
Read Article >The Federal Fiscal Court has ruled a customs raid and seizure of CBD flowers from a Salzburg vending machine operator to be illegal. This legal success reinforces the hemp industry's position that arbitrary state intervention without a factual legal basis is unacceptable.
Read Article >In the Kronen Zeitung debate show "Club 3," ÖCB President Klaus Hübner, WKW Vice President Hans Arsenovic, and a tobacconist representative discuss the conflict surrounding the new Tobacco Act. In this context, WKW Vice President Arsenovic calls for a sensible regulation and legalization of cannabis.
Watch Debate >In this video interview on oe24, ÖCB President Klaus Hübner explains the far-reaching changes and consequences of the new Tobacco Act for 2026. He emphasizes the existential need for an independent and fair Cannabis Act in Austria.
Watch Interview >The Austrian Cannabis Association (ÖCB) has announced its intention to challenge the government's plans to subject legal hemp to the tobacco monopoly before the Constitutional Court (VfGH). The proposed law to restrict sales exclusively to tobacconists by 2029 threatens hundreds of specialized businesses and over a thousand jobs.
Read Article >The Austrian Cannabis Association (ÖCB) is legally defending itself against government plans to place legal CBD hemp under the tobacco monopoly. President Klaus Hübner describes the planned sales restriction from 2029 as an inadmissible trade ban for specialized retail stores.
Read Article >ÖCB Press Release: The Federal Fiscal Court rules the arbitrary classification of CBD products under the tobacco monopoly as illegal. The tax authorities fail in their attempt to completely eliminate specialized retail shops.
Read Press Release >Subject: CBD: Monopoly destroys diversity – Austria loses jobs and millions in taxes! Our official questionnaire sent to the Federal Government, ministries, and political party leaders regarding the CBD monopoly and the preservation of 1,500 jobs.
Read Open Letter >A detailed financial analysis of the €66.95 million annual deficit caused to the public budget by forcing specialty CBD stores out of business. Banning specialized retail destroys local structures without generating new public tax income.
Fiscal Analysis >Legal assessments regarding violations of the free movement of goods (Art. 34 TFEU) and commercial establishment liberties inside the European Union.
A concrete five-point regulatory plan proposed by the ÖCB: separate cannabis legislation, batch testing by independent labs, and adjusting the THC limit to 1%.
Analysis of product expertise and consumer safety. Why specialized retailers with deep product knowledge remain essential for local patients.
A constitutional legal opinion by Prof. Heinz Mayer has sparked a new dispute between the Cannabis Association and the Finance Ministry over the legal sale of CBD flowers. While the opinion classifies a sales ban on hemp shops as unconstitutional and contrary to EU law, the Ministry holds to its restrictive interpretation for now.
Read Article >Supported by the constitutional legal opinion of Prof. Heinz Mayer, numerous Austrian CBD shops have resumed the sale of legal cannabis flowers. The report highlights the acute existential crisis of the sector after incorrect regulatory interpretations led to severe revenue drops.
Read Article >In this video statement, ÖCB President Klaus Hübner explains why CBD hemp is factually and legally not tobacco. He argues strongly against the plans to subject this natural product to the rigid tobacco monopoly.
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