Luisa Pfau

With a record cultivation area in 2024, the industrial hemp sector in Germany is experiencing an ongoing upswing. According to the latest data from the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE), 7,116 hectares of land are now being used for hemp cultivation.

In response to the proliferation of e-cigarettes and similar products and the electronic waste they generate, the German government has introduced new legislation aimed at improving the disposal process for electronic waste, including disposable cigarettes.

While various regulatory bodies around the world are currently trying to establish safe and workable limits for THC levels in agricultural products and animal feed, the Federation of International Hemp Organisations (FIHO) has recently proposed new acceptable levels.

Recently, the Czech Ministry of Justice presented a proposal to liberalise the laws on the personal cultivation and possession of cannabis. This represents a social and legal shift in the way cannabis is handled and opens up new market opportunities for cannabis-related products and services.

Japan has officially revised its THC limits for hemp products. The changes are to come into force from 12 December 2024. Read more about the details of the new regulation in the following text.

The European Union has introduced new reporting requirements for the hemp sector as part of an update to the legislation. The aim of this regulation is to increase market transparency and put hemp on an equal footing with other fibre crops such as flax and cotton.

With the passing of the ‘’Industrial Hemp Liberalisation Act‘’ (NLG), Germany has introduced significant reforms to its industrial hemp sector, opening up the legal framework for farmers and companies and new growth opportunities for the sector.

In Germany, the handling of cannabis has changed considerably since 1 April due to the passing of a new law and the associated removal of cannabis from the Narcotics Act. This has had a significant impact on the economy, particularly on the cannabis-related industries.

The Hemp Feed Coalition (HFC) recently announced the tentative approval of Hemp Seed Meal (HSM) as a feed ingredient for laying hens. This approval is aiming to secure federal acceptance for hemp grain products in animal feed.

The NaturalFIBER BW project was launched to combat climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental pollution—issues threatening ecological balance. Now Signature Products GmbH and Die Hanf-App GmbH have become members of the NaturalFIBER Circle.

Cem Özdemir plans to change the laws for industrial hemp or so-called ‘climate hemp’, as it could be an essential building block for a climate-neutral future.

Here are the most important points to be aware of as employer and employee since the legalisation of cannabis use in Germany from 1 April 2024.