The European Parliament votes for a 0.3% THC limit in hemp

What consequences will this parliamentary decision have at the European level?

Since 1999, the authorized THC level in hemp was limited to 0.2%. The setting of this threshold was motivated by a political desire to make it impossible to cultivate marijuana in industrial hemp production. In recent years, more and more countries worldwide have legalized the production of different varieties and adopted a limit of 0.3% THC in hemp.

Arguing that there was no proven risk in re-evaluating the rate, the European Industrial Hemp Association has long fought against maintaining the historical 0.2% limit. This represented a real barrier to hemp production in the European Union until now, as the proportion of CBD, for most cultivated varieties, increases proportionally with the THC level.

The use of high-yield hemp species was therefore impossible. This decision by the European Union to raise the authorized THC level from 0.2% to 0.3% will reassure industrialists and open up many opportunities for hemp cultivation in Europe.

A historic vote for the hemp industry

Through this vote, the European Parliament wanted to give Europe the opportunity to catch up in hemp cultivation and to compete with foreign players on an equal footing, as most countries worldwide have already adopted this solution.

This decision was accompanied by a number of provisions and rules aimed at improving the economic conditions for hemp production and commercialization.

A new set of standards is emerging concerning labeling, technical definitions, packaging, production methods, and hemp cultivation sites. This vote brings more precision to the production chain and the sale of cannabis. Hemp in Europe is thus entering the ranks of products that can be regulated by precise marketing standards.

Hemp markets in Europe

The opening of hemp commercialization in Europe offers significant opportunities for the agricultural sector. Distribution channels are plentiful, and the use of hemp in industrial products is constantly evolving.

Hemp seed is widely used in the manufacture of animal feed, especially for birds and fish.

Cosmetics also represent a promising sector for the use of hemp seeds, also known as hemp hearts.

The wood, or hurd, and the fibers of the stem are used for the manufacture of insulating materials in construction, special papers, as well as, to a lesser extent but potentially interesting, in the textile sector. The wood of the hemp stem is also processed into animal bedding, horticultural mulch, or as granules for plant-based concretes.

Green waste and plant dust generated by hemp residues are recycled by the energy sector.

It should be noted that leaves and flowers contain elements used in the manufacture of pharmaceutical products or food supplements. The food industry is not left out; the production of edible oil from hemp is now a reality. Finally, CBD is increasingly favored for treating a large number of various pathologies.

For all these properties, it is easy to understand that the integration of hemp cultivation into agricultural and industrial production at the European level represents significant market interests.

The raising of this limit to 0.3% THC in hemp is perceived by economic players in the sector as a shield to align with foreign competition and to finally develop a prolific and profitable hemp industry in Europe.

Daniel Kruse, President of the European Industrial Hemp Association, believes that this decision represents a green future for all Europeans and a historic moment for his industry, while acknowledging that there is still work to be done.