As you design your dream home, you’re probably finding ways to create a garden that provides you with health and happiness. Growing your own vegetables is a great way to source fresh and organic vegetables with no hidden chemicals. However, you can go further than this and grow other plants that are good for your health.
Hemp, under some circumstances, is legal to grow in the UK. From this, you can extract CBD which has many proven health benefits. If you’re experiencing any pain, anxiety, or sleep disturbances, then this amazing chemical can help. Here’s all you need to know about growing your own hemp.
THC Content and the Law
While CBD is non-psychoactive, it comes from the hemp plant which contains hundreds of other chemical compounds. One of these compounds is THC which has a psychoactive effect on the mind, producing the high commonly associated with smoking cannabis. In the UK’s Misuse of Drugs Act, almost all psychoactive substances are banned.
However, CBD is legal so long as it contains no more than trace amounts of THC. In practice, this puts the upper limit at 0.2% of the total. If the final product is within this limit, then it can be legally produced and sold. In terms of the hemp plant itself, it should contain no more than 1mg of THC. This tiny amount will not produce a high and so is exempt from UK drug laws.
Cibdol.com offers further information on CBD.
Getting Licenced
Growing hemp for personal use or to sell requires a licence. You can get this from the UK government Home Office by applying online. You’ll have to provide the government with a map of your hemp growing fields as well as information regarding the THC content and type of seed used.
On top of this, a hemp growing licence costs £580. They’re £326 to renew. There will also be a criminal background check via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). This means that anyone with a criminal background may struggle to get licenced. The government also reserves the right to place extra restrictions on where you grow the plant and how much.
Other Regulations
In terms of where you can grow your hemp plant, the government may ban you from locating your farm near sensitive areas. This means any area that is regularly visited by children, such as a school or park. You may have to inform the local police that you plan to grow hemp and have a licence to do so.
The licence, as expensive as it is, only lasts for one growing season. This means that you’ll be paying the renewal fee every year when you plant new crops. So, despite the clear legality of growing hemp, it can be more money and paperwork than it’s worth.
CBD is an amazing product that is widely available. However, you might prefer to grow your own. Doing so is possible but you’ll have to apply for a licence and follow all the regulations to the letter. For many people, the rewards are enough to make this worth it.