The global industrial hemp market is expected to register a growth of over 16% during the forecast period (2021-2026).
Not only is CBD legal in the UK and Europe, but hemp and cannabis seeds are too, and you can find a vast selection of weed seeds online.
A new market for hemp
The market was negatively impacted by COVID-19 in 2020. Due to lockdown measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, manufacturing and construction activities have reached a standstill. The COVID-19 outbreak also brought several short- and long-term consequences to the construction industry.
The first few months of 2020 saw work stoppages or cancelled projects, resulting in lower demand for “non-essential” projects such as offices, entertainment and sports facilities.
In addition, the lockdown had a negative impact on manufacturing in the country and will have an impact on the ongoing recession in the manufacturing sector as well as trade uncertainties.
In the short term, the key factors driving the market under review are the growing demand for hemp oil and fibre in various end-use industries and the increasing awareness of health-related concerns.
On the other hand, stringent government regulations imposed by various countries on hemp cultivation due to its illegal use and consumption hamper the market's growth.
The legalisation of the cultivation of industrial hemp in various countries is expected to provide lucrative opportunities for market growth.
The food and beverage segment is expected to dominate the market owing to the increasing demand for hemp-based dairy alternatives and edible oil.
Why is hemp booming?
Industrial hemp is one of the cannabis sativa plants explicitly grown for industrial use. The market is segmented based on source, type, application and geography. By source, the market is segmented into Conventional and Mineral.
By application, the market is segmented into animal care, food and beverages, textiles, automotive, furniture, personal care, building material and other applications.
All these new markets help raise interest in hemp products in general!
Hemp legal situation
CBD oils or drops, cosmetic products and even pet food: many manufacturers are now integrating the substance of the female hemp plant, which has been hyped as a “wonder weapon”, into various everyday products.
One thing up front: CBD oils can have a psychoactive effect but do not make you “high”, so they are not considered intoxicants. Instead, the substance is said to have anticonvulsant, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. If CBD is used in cosmetic products, exceedingly impure and flaky skin benefits from the active ingredient. But what is the actual legal situation? Can every manufacturer use CBD as an ingredient?
CBD is generally legal in Europe and the UK as a single substance. This is because the Narcotics Act does not cover cannabidiol. Moreover, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified the substance as harmless. However, this does not mean that all CBD products are legal because most contain other hemp plant ingredients.
• Hemp in general: plants and parts of plants belonging to the genus Cannabis as well as products made from them, are subject to the Narcotics Act. The exception is hemp seeds:
• Hemp seeds: Legal if they are not intended for illicit cultivation. Oils made from hemp seeds are also legal and are classified as food.
All products made exclusively from hemp seeds are, therefore, legal.
All other hemp products (including CBD products) are legal if they meet the following criteria:
• The products come from cultivation in countries of the European Union with certified seeds, i.e. commercial hemp, or the THC content is below 0.2 per cent.
• Abuse for intoxicating purposes must be ruled out, as their traffic is exclusively for commercial or scientific purposes.
• Further criteria for the legal sale of CBD products
In addition to the THC upper limit, it must be taken into account:
• that a product is not to be classified as a medicinal product.
• that a product is not to be classified as a novel food (Novel Foods).
• that the dosage recommendation of the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment is adhered to.
The content of THC can be easily controlled. Manufacturers tend to have difficulties with the intended use. According to the current opinion of the authorities, abuse for intoxication purposes is only wholly ruled out for processed CBD products, but not for unprocessed products such as:
CBD, hemp flowers, cigarettes, tea, hash, pollen, tobacco, and wax.
Conclusion: Processed CBD products with a THC content of less than 0.2 per cent are legal in Europe and the UK. Unprocessed CBD products still need to be legal for consumers to purchase in Europe and the UK.
Buying legal cannabis seeds in the UK
Let's stay straight away with a changeable drug policy. In the UK, too, cannabis laws have varied over the past decades. However, in the early 2000s, the UK was slowly, but with good beginnings, moving towards decriminalisation.
However, if you look at the current legal situation of Great Britain, there is not much left of it. Possession of cannabis in the UK is punishable by a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison and/or unlimited fines. Even for a first-time possession, the police record the offence and the data in the national police computer, which remains stored forever. So anyone caught with cannabis again afterwards is a repeat offender.
When it comes to cannabis seeds, however, the British are also mild:
• All cannabis seeds, such as the ones you can legally buy online at SensorySeeds.com, whether for commercial hemp or THC-rich plants, are legal for purchase and possession.
• The law only prohibits germinating and cultivating all cannabis varieties without an appropriate licence. Such a licence can be obtained for a fee and the presentation of one's police clearance certificate.
• Caution: Cannabis cultivation is punishable by prison sentences of up to 14 years and/or fines of unlimited amounts.
