Cannabis seeds, buds and cbd oil on dark background with gavel. Legalisation law concept.
A French court has overturned the government’s ban on the sale of CBD flowers, paving the way for a lucrative market that has been held back by strict legislation in recent years.
The French Council of State, which advises the government on legislation and acts as a supreme court for administrative justice, overturned on December 29, 2022, a ban on the sale of CBD flowers in France, stating that a general and absolute ban on the marketing of the product was “disproportionate.”
The sale of CBD flowers has become popular in Europe in recent years. These dried flowers are derived from the hemp plant and contain a THC level below 0.3%, making them non-intoxicating and non-psychoactive.
While the European Union has regulated the cultivation of hemp and has listed the approved varieties, not all member states have regulated the sale of CBD flowers, resulting in a gray area.
France has one of the strictest regulations on cannabis in the EU. However, the government approved in December 2021 the sale of products containing CBD with a THC content of less than 0.3% but simultaneously prohibited the sale of hemp flowers and leaves.
But the Council of State has now determined that a complete and unconditional ban on the sale of CBD flowers was “excessive.”
The Council declared the December 2021 decree invalid due to “excess of power” because it banned the import, export, and use of CBD…
