As many of you will know, natural CBD products are extracted from a variety of Cannabis known as Hemp.
If these products are legal, you'd be forgiven for assuming that the plant they are derived from is also legal.
But is this really the case? Well, yes and no - read on to find out why!
Can I Grow Hemp in the UK?
Hemp can and is grown legally for commercial use all over the UK. However, a costly government license is required and strict rules must be adhered to, such as:
- Using discretion when choosing the grow location.
- Only growing approved hemp strains with a maximum THC content of 0.2%.
- Reporting grow locations to the local police.
- Only using the seeds and stems of the plant.
- Leaving the hemp flowers to rot in the field.
Yes, you read that right. UK hemp farmers are not allowed to harvest the most valuable part of the crop and must watch in sorrow as it rots away in the field.
For those of you who don't know, the flowers are where all of the beneficial cannabinoids such as CBD are produced.
Makes no sense, right? The supposed logic behind this is to prevent the sale of potentially intoxicating substances such as THC.
However, with a maximum THC of 0.2%, this doesn't really stand up to scrutiny. The levels of THC found in industrial hemp are highly unlikely to have any intoxicating effects.
If Harvesting Hemp Flowers is Illegal, How are CBD Products Made?
Currently, apart from a few exceptions, nearly all CBD products in the UK are made with hemp extracts that are imported from abroad.
This is incredibly frustrating for UK hemp farmers who could be fueling the UK CBD industry with home-grown crops.
The range of products that can be made from hemp flowers is immense and permitting them would undoubtedly create many jobs and benefit the UK economy.
Clearly, these draconian rules are outdated, nonsensical, and no longer fit for purpose. Let's hope that change will soon come to allow this wonderful plant to be grown for both commercial and personal use!
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