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Press

Press resources.

Bios in three lengths, portrait downloads, editorial images, past venues and direct media contact. Use freely for editorial and event listings.

Bios

Three lengths.

50 words

Paul Benhaim is a thirty-year veteran of the global hemp and cannabis industries. Founder of Hemp Foods Australia, co-founder of ASX-listed Elixinol Global, Chairman of The Hemp Plastic Company, and founder of The Happy Clinic and Cannabis Psychedelics. Author of 18 books and a recent witness to the Australian Senate on industrial hemp.

150 words

Paul Benhaim has spent more than three decades building the global hemp and cannabis industries — from food and medicine to materials, policy and regenerative systems. He founded Hemp Foods Australia and led the eighteen-year campaign that legalised hemp food in Australia. He co-founded ASX-listed Elixinol Global and grew it from a startup to a publicly traded company. Today he is Chairman of The Hemp Plastic Company, founder of The Happy Clinic and Cannabis Psychedelics, and an advisor to governments across four continents. In April 2026 he gave evidence to the Australian Senate on the future of industrial hemp.

400 words

Paul Benhaim has worked inside the global hemp and cannabis industries for more than thirty years, across every layer from raw material to retail to regulation. He started in the United Kingdom in the early 1990s, when hemp food was still illegal in most jurisdictions, and led the eighteen-year campaign that ultimately legalised hemp food in Australia in 2017. He founded Hemp Foods Australia, one of the country's first hemp food companies, and co-founded Elixinol Global, which he helped scale from an early-stage startup to an ASX-listed public company with operations across the United States, Europe, Japan and Australia. Today he serves as Chairman of The Hemp Plastic Company, a leading supplier of hemp-based bioplastics replacing fossil materials across multiple industries. His current focus spans four ventures — The Hemp Plastic Company, The Happy Clinic (a doctor-led telehealth platform for plant-based medicine), Cannabis Psychedelics (structured training in cannabis-based altered-state facilitation), and BioSmart Group (a global advisory firm working with governments and large commercial operators). He has advised governments and agencies across the United States, Thailand, South Africa and Australia. In April 2026 he gave formal evidence to the Australian Senate on the future of industrial hemp, and attended COP29 representing the regenerative materials industry. He is the author of eighteen books and an international keynote speaker across the United States, Europe, Asia and Australia.

Portraits

High-resolution downloads.

Click any portrait to download.

Editorial

Editorial & event images.

Click any image to download. Free to use for editorial and event listings.

Venues

Selected past appearances.

Australian Senate
Australian Senate
COP29
COP29
United Nations
United Nations
Hemp Industries Association
Hemp Industries Association
MJBizCon
MJBizCon
Cannabis Europa
Cannabis Europa
Asia International Hemp Expo
Asia International Hemp Expo
World Hemp Congress
World Hemp Congress
Indo Hemp Summit
Indo Hemp Summit
Future Materials Forum
Future Materials Forum
Sustainable Brands
Sustainable Brands
Bio-Based World
Bio-Based World
NoCo Hemp Expo
NoCo Hemp Expo
Natural Products Expo East
Natural Products Expo East
Natural Products Expo West
Natural Products Expo West
BioFach
BioFach

FAQ

Common questions for media.

Who is Paul Benhaim?

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Paul Benhaim is a thirty-year veteran of the global hemp and cannabis industries. He founded Hemp Foods Australia and led the eighteen-year campaign that legalised hemp food in Australia in 2017. He co-founded ASX-listed Elixinol Global and today chairs The Hemp Plastic Company, a leading supplier of hemp-based bioplastics. He is the author of 18 books and an international keynote speaker who has presented across the United States, Europe, Asia and Australia.

What is Paul Benhaim's expertise?

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Paul Benhaim's expertise spans industrial hemp food, hemp bioplastics, medicinal cannabis, cannabis-assisted facilitation, regenerative agriculture, hempcrete construction, and hemp policy and regulation. He has advised governments across Australia, the United States, Thailand, South Africa and Africa, and served as a United Nations representative for hemp.

What companies has Paul Benhaim founded?

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Paul Benhaim has founded several companies including Hemp Foods Australia (one of Australia's first hemp food companies), Elixinol Global (ASX-listed cannabinoid company), The Hemp Plastic Company (hemp-based bioplastics), The Happy Clinic (doctor-led medicinal cannabis telehealth platform), Cannabis Psychedelics (cannabis facilitation training), and BioSmart Group (global hemp and cannabis advisory).

Is Paul Benhaim available for speaking engagements?

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Yes. Paul Benhaim is available for keynote speaking at conferences, trade shows and corporate events across the hemp, cannabis, natural products, regenerative agriculture, and sustainability industries. He has spoken at NoCo Hemp Expo, Natural Products Expo West, Natural Products Expo East, BioFach, MJBizCon, Cannabis Europa, the United Nations, and many others. Media and speaking enquiries can be directed to Paulbenhaim@gmail.com.

How many books has Paul Benhaim written?

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Paul Benhaim is the author of 18 books on hemp, cannabis, nutrition, health and plant-based systems. His books are available on Amazon and cover topics ranging from hemp food and nutrition to industrial hemp economics and medicinal cannabis.

What is The Hemp Plastic Company?

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The Hemp Plastic Company (hempplastic.com) is a leading supplier of hemp-based bioplastics, replacing fossil-derived plastics across packaging, automotive, and consumer goods industries. Paul Benhaim serves as Chairman. The company operates internationally including Hemp Plastics Thailand.

What is The Happy Clinic?

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The Happy Clinic (thehappyclinic.com.au) is an Australian doctor-led telehealth platform delivering personalised plant-based medicine, including medicinal cannabis prescriptions, through compliant clinical systems. It was founded by Paul Benhaim and operates primarily in Australia.

What did Paul Benhaim do at the United Nations?

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Paul Benhaim served as a United Nations representative for hemp, advocating for the recognition of industrial hemp as a sustainable crop and material across international policy frameworks.

Direct

Media contact.

Paulbenhaim@gmail.com