Is CBD Coming Back Into Focus In Germany?

With the news that the German government has woken up to biology and declared that CBD is not necessarily a novel food (big victory for the European Industrial Hemp Association if not a high five of success), the market is certainly changing.

If 2018 was the year of the CBD cannabuzz and last year the Anti Hempire Strikes Back (all over Europe), this new decision by the German government will finally begin to clarify things.

In reality, this discussion is about two issues – the source of the plant and how cannabinoids are extracted. If the plant genus is from Europe and regulated extraction processes are followed (as in EU Bio), the entire conversation shifts.

However what it also does, as is clearly the case, is beginning to open the decks for investment capital now hungrily looking again at cannabis options (see the big raise this week in the UK). With the British about to go the same route as the Germans, this means, for the first time, there will be a regulated path for CBD products across the continent. Expect other governments to follow suit.

What Does This Mean For The German Hemp Industry?

This is unbelievably good news for a German-based hemp market that has struggled for respect. First, the medical market blew it away with all the attention and the money. Then governments stepped in. With the dust clearing on the ground on the CBD discussion at least when it comes to novel food, the next step will be what regulatory mandate does this industry fall under?

And there the path is very clear. 

As a result, German hemp farmers will finally be allowed to go into more or less unrestricted business, although don’t expect fast steps. With the German Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) facing off vs the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) don’t expect overnight change. There are lots of big discussions right now about disagreeing German departments when it comes to cannabis. Welcome to the club.

However, in the shorter term, this is good news overall for the industry. There are many hurdles to overcome yet, but in sum? The clouds appear to be clearing a bit on the cannabis storm auf Deutschland.

Make sure you book your tickets for the now rescheduled summer International Cannabis Business Conference! Hemp and CBD policies, as well as regulatory oversight of the industry, is a big topic this year.