French Court Temporarily Decriminalizes Industrial Hemp Flowers
Recently, a judge at the French Council of State enacted a temporary decriminalization of industrial hemp flowers, allowing citizens to possess, use, and transport these flowers. It is important to note that this applies exclusively to the flowers of industrial hemp, which has already been decriminalized since last year.
Previously, the law specifically restricted the sale of hemp flowers, even though the use of other parts of the plant had been decriminalized due to concerns about their potential recreational use. According to a press release from the Council, “The judge at the Council of State ruled that such a ban makes no sense, since the existing law already permits the cultivation of hemp plants whose THC content cannot exceed 0.2%. Given that this level is even lower than the global standard of 0.3% concentration, it is reasonable to assume that the flowers cannot be effectively used for recreational purposes.”
The press release also stated, “This restriction only hinders the use of such plant flowers for therapeutic purposes, which was also a significant part of the law passed last year.”
Upcoming Changes and Industry Response
It is also worth noting that French authorities are already planning to raise the THC concentration limit in industrial hemp to the standard level by 2023. The provision of the law that was overturned by the judge’s decision had previously limited the production and circulation of plant flowers and the leaves adjacent to them, on the grounds that these parts could be used to make psychoactive products, despite their nominally low THC content.
The news of the decriminalization of hemp flowers has been enthusiastically received by representatives of the local cannabis industry. According to analysts, this move could significantly expand the CBD product market, which already generates up to 1 billion euros in annual revenue. Organizations such as Syndicat du Chanvre and the Union des Professionnels du CBD have long lobbied for reforms regarding hemp flowers in the French parliament, openly supporting the introduction of CBD cigarettes made from industrial hemp flowers as a healthier alternative to tobacco.
The Supreme Court of France, which is a member of the Council of State, will review the judge’s decision and issue a final verdict in the coming days.