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12th December 2024
Hemp
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Global business and regulatory news covering the cannabis industry
Daily regulatory updates of legal changes in the cannabis sector, including monthly compilations
18th December 2024
- US - Federal: Congressional House leaders have introduced a continuing resolution to fund the government that includes a one-year extension of the 2018 Farm Bill, press reports. The resolution would fund the government until 14th March but would leave the current Farm Bill in place for at least another year. The status quo would be a boon for the cannabinoid hemp industry, as both parties have previously introduced drafts of a new Farm Bill that would have changed the definition of hemp to reduce the amount of THC that may be contained in hemp. A new Farm Bill is normally passed about every five years, but this would be the second one-year extension after the five-year period.
17th December 2024
- US - Ohio: Ohio lawmakers are unlikely to pass a bill restricting delta-8 and synthetic hemp products before the legislative session ends, according to Senate president Matt Huffman. He said the House isn’t interested in the proposal, leaving little time to reach an agreement. Huffman believes the bill is unlikely to move forward, as he said the House showed little interest in a similar effort last December to address issues with the “marijuana initiative”, media reports.
17th December 2024
- EU: Yesterday (16th December), the European Council formally adopted the proposal for a regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (a revision of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive). The proposal aims to make packaging easier to reuse and recycle, to reduce unnecessary packaging and waste, and to promote the use of recycled content. The regulation is expected to affect packaging requirements for cannabis and hemp-derived products and will next be published in the EU’s official journal. The regulation will be applied 18 months after the date of entry into force.
12th December 2024
- Germany: The Federal Office of Agriculture and Food (BMEL) has issued regulations on cannabis research projects, which will examine research applications of cannabis consumption and industrial hemp. The focus of these investigations is to better protect young people, reduce activity in the black market and organised crime, and increase consumer protection through lower-risk forms of consumption. Applications can be submitted on the authority’s website. The BMEL emphasised that this is not the “second pillar” of cannabis legalisation, which would introduce cannabis specialist stores, as that is the responsibility of the Ministry of Health.
9th December 2024
- Germany: Last week, in response to a statement from the Federal Council, the federal government issued a comment about the Industrial Hemp Liberalisation bill. The bill permits indoor cultivation of industrial hemp and eliminates the “intoxication clause”, which states that the use of industrial hemp for commercial purposes must exclude the abuse of intoxication. The federal government emphasised that the bill focuses solely on industrial hemp, leaving other matters, such as recreational cannabis, outside its scope. The Federal Council did not oppose the removal of the “intoxication clause”.
4th December 2024
- South Africa: Legislation for the legal trade of cannabis is likely to be tabled in Parliament early next year as a part of initiatives to regulate the industry, according to the press. The government’s plan has been moved to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Competition due a strategy review at the Cabinet level. Among the plans to regulate the industry are revised levels of THC allowed in hemp and a medical cannabis revision. It is not clear whether recreational cannabis will be part of the planned changes.
19th November 2024
- US - Federal: Senate Democrats on the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry have released a draft of the Farm Bill that would introduce changes to federal hemp laws and eliminate most intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoid (IHDC) products. The bill proposes a change to how hemp is defined. Currently, hemp is federally legal if it contains no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC by dry weight. The new bill would revise this by requiring hemp to be tested for “total THC” content, which includes cannabinoids like delta-8 THC and tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), rather than only delta-9 THC. The draft bill introduces a definition for “industrial hemp”, which includes fibre, stalks, grain, oil, seeds and other components of the plant that “will not be used in the manufacturing or synthesis of natural or synthetic cannabinoid products”.
18th November 2024
- Moldova: The federal government has passed an amendment to the regulation on the cultivation of plants containing narcotic or psychotropic substances, allowing cultivation of hemp varieties registered in the catalogue of plant varieties of Moldova. The amendment has changed the definition of hemp, so industrial varieties are distinguished from others and allows the growing of the former for industrial and horticultural purposes. While production of hemp seed, fibre and oil will be allowed, flower will remain restricted.
14th November 2024
- US - Texas: House Bill (HB) 1113, which would control the production and regulation of hemp in Texas, has been introduced. The bill would further establish a permit that would be required of hemp researchers and would create a criminal offence for cultivating hemp without a licence.
14th November 2024
- Lithuania: In Lithuania, the Cannabis Hub.LT 2024 conference exhibition gathered fibre hemp growers, processors and scientists from Lithuania and beyond, media reports. Among other discussions was a proposal to launch the Hemp for Victory 2.0 international initiative, which aims to ease EU administrative restrictions on the fibre hemp business and support its development in Ukraine. Hana Gabrielová from the European Industrial Hemp Association emphasised the need for regulatory changes to address the challenges of growing fibre hemp and combat its stigma.
13th November 2024
- Belgium: The Federal Public Service for Health, Food Chain Safety, and the Environment has updated its positive list of notified herbal products for smoking, which includes hemp flowers and other smokable cannabinoid products. Products not on the list may not be placed on the Belgian market without notification.
12th November 2024
- Germany: Last week, the Bundestag’s Committee on Agricultural Policy and Consumer Protection, Committee on Internal Affairs, Legal Affairs Committee, and Finance Committee published their recommendations on the Industrial Hemp Liberalisation Act. Although the bill does not address recreational cannabis, the committees recommended neutral packaging for all cannabis products (such as seeds) and reduction on the quantity given to members of cultivation associations, among other measures. Regarding industrial hemp, they recommended the retention of the “intoxication clause” and consideration of the alleged potential for abuse in the trade in industrial hemp. The plenary of the Bundesrat will vote on the proposal on 22nd November, although the bill does not require Bundesrat approval.
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