UK hemp and CBD industry hits back at regulatory proposals to lower THC limit

29 Mar 2021 --- UK hemp value chain stakeholders are speaking out against new regulatory proposals from the Association for the Cannabinoid Industry (ACI), which include a 0.03 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) limit in products. 

This THC limit to import flowers and leaves would be incredibly restrictive to a domestic industry worth up to £300 million (US$415.3 million) in the UK, note the hemp industry representatives. 

“We cannot support a number of the recommendations laid out by the ACI and CMC in their new report Health Guidance Levels for THC in CBD products: Safety Assessment & Regulatory Recommendations,” members of the hemp consortium jointly detail.

The group consolidates the British Hemp Alliance, Cannabis Trade Association, Northern Ireland Hemp Association and the Scottish Hemp Association.

Hitting back at the new recommendations, the organizations flag that these may “create further red tape around hemp” and hinder the progress of the British hemp industry with “unnecessary bureaucracy and restriction.”

Proposed lowering of THC limit
With the forecasted increase in temperatures and droughts, the THC level is only going to naturally rise in all cannabis varieties over time.

Many of the 0.2 percent European approved varieties currently grown in the UK often end up around 0.35 percent THC, and even higher by the end of flowering season.

Farmers in the US working with a 0.3 percent limit often have similar issues keeping the plants below the limit, the pro-hemp associations highlight.

A 1 percent THC maximum in hemp flowers would establish a secure hemp flower industry in the UK. The pro-hemp consortium describes this as a “logical way forward” to economically boost and support the domestic hemp market, keeping the UK competitive with other global markets.

“We propose a 1 percent THC limit in flowers and leaves, based on the success of the Swiss model, upheld by data from Italy, correlating toward a reduced burden on the healthcare system,” they assert.

The Italian model found that in the areas where 0.6 percent THC flowers were available, organized-crime income decreased by 10 percent. 

Food supplements 
CBD as a food supplement should be more easily accessible, the organizations argue. In addition, they maintain that hemp extracts and foods with up to 0.2 percent THC should be completely removed from the misuse of drugs act and exempt from controlled drug handling licenses.

“While we support serving a maximum daily limit for THC consumption in hemp products, we cannot support 0.03 percent as a maximum in food supplements, nor of the idea of Schedule 5 cannabis medicines for products containing 0.03 to 0.2 percent THC,” they stress.

“The mentions of drug abuse in a report about nutritional supplements – which we know are safe as the UN removed the Schedule IV on CBD – do nothing to improve the public’s perception of the important health benefits of the hemp plant.”

The organizations flag that these new proposals may “create further red tape around hemp” and hinder the progress of the British hemp industry.These recommendations are hugely damaging to a burgeoning industry that is visibly flourishing globally, where there are no restrictions.

The organizations participating in the open letter are involved in the hemp recommendations for an upcoming white paper, by consultant neurologist Professor Mike Barnes, that represents their views for the future of the hemp industry.

“As leaders of the UK hemp industry, it is imperative that we have our opportunity to be represented before any legal decisions are made,” they remark.

We look forward to the upcoming release of this white paper and welcome a discussion about this serious and time sensitive situation arising with industry regulators.”

Hemp market activities
In other recent developments, Members of the EIHA Novel Food Consortium – which includes Europe’s largest independent hemp grower and processor, HempFlax – received confirmation from the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) that their CBD products may remain on UK shelves. 

Meanwhile, Aberystwyth University, Wales, is aiming to make hemp a more valuable crop for Welsh hemp farming through a £1.1 million (US$1.5 million) partnership with TTS Pharma, specialist hemp grower Voase and Son, seed distributor Elsoms Seeds and GrowPura, an expert in controlled cultivation where high levels of control are required. 

In other moves, Truss CBD USA released a line of hemp-derived CBD beverages. In the budding cosmetics arena, Amyris acquired Terasana – a natural skincare brand – to launch a branded clean beauty product focused on sustainably sourced cannabinoids.

Edited by Benjamin Ferrer