South Korea: Market and legal data analysis of the cannabis sector

1st February 2024: South Korea: Yesterday (31st January) the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety decided to temporarily classify synthetic cannabinoids hexahydrocannabivarin (HHCV), hexahydrocannabutol (HHCB) and HHC-Octyl as narcotics. The classification lasts three years from the designation date (31st January 2024). In December 2023, the ministry also temporarily classified hexahydrocannabihexol (HHC-H) and, in April 2023, THC acetate (THC-O), HHC acetate (HHC-O) and delta-8 THC-O.
11th December 2023: South Korea: The Ministry of Health has decided to temporarily classify hexahydrocannabihexol (HHC-H) as a Group 2 narcotic. The temporary classification is valid for a period of three years from the issue date (8th December 2023). The ministry also temporarily classified, back in April 2023, THC acetate (THC-O), HHC acetate (HHC-O) and delta-8 THC-O as narcotics.
3rd April 2023: South Korea: MPs from the opposition coalition submitted a bill last week that seeks to include hemp seeds, roots, mature stalks and their derivatives within the definition of cannabis, making them subject to the narcotics regime.
25th January 2023: South Korea: The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is planning to ban the use of terms "CBD" and "THC" on the labelling of hempseed foodstuffs to prevent misleading claims – such as "CBD high content" – attempting to highlight the products' efficacy, press reports. The ministry has reiterated that CBD and THC are narcotics that are not completely removed during the manufacturing process and thus they remain in the final product in trace amounts.

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