Is CBD legal in Luxembourg?
CBD (cannabidiol) has been causing massive disruption around the western world, the rapid rise in demand for CBD products is changing the cosmetic industry and has a great potential to change the medical and food industry. But the fast innovation of the market has caught the governments by surprise. Even when the government machine started to respond, the market was already light years ahead and the regulation could do more good than bad. Nonetheless, Luxembourg is actively looking around the world for different views and the best solution on how to best regulate CBD to help consumers, businesses, and last but not least the state. This is why, we at Essentia Pura, believe that Luxembourg deserves a closer look.
It seems that Luxembourg recognises the extraordinary potential CBD oil and other similar products can have. The Health Minister of Luxembourg even went as far as saying that both CBD and THC have been shown to have a positive effect on treating certain medical conditions, such as pain treatment, and should be authorised for wider use. What a difference compared to some other European Union member states!
In this article, we will take a closer look at what exactly makes Luxembourg unique. You can explore these topics:
- What is CBD?
- What is the difference between marijuana and hemp?
- How are they regulated in Luxembourg?
- Where can you buy or sell CBD products in Luxembourg?
- What are the plans for the future in connection with the CBD industry in the country?
- What can other European Union member states learn from Luxembourg?
If you are interested in those topics, please read the piece in full.
CBD in Luxembourg
To start the conversation about CBD we must first explain what CBD is. We believe that some of you are very familiar with it, but we also recognise that a whole lot of you might be trying to find out what exactly your neighbour is so excited about.
CBD is an acronym for cannabidiol which is a cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant. This does not tell you a whole lot, does it?
Let us try to explain it in another way. You should think of CBD as a component of the cannabis plant. Cannabis consist of a lot of components similar to CBD, each one of those has its own function. Recently scientists have shown a lot of possible health benefits that might come from CBD use, which sparked great commercial interest in CBD oil and similar CBD product.
You might be asking yourself on how you can get a CBD product from a cannabis plant? Does this mean that you have to use the whole plant? Isn’t cannabis a drug that gets you high? Is this even legal according to the law in Luxembourg?
Let’s tackle these questions.
Cannabis in Luxembourg
There is more than one type of cannabis plant and not all of them get you high. Most importantly you have to differentiate between hemp and marijuana.
Marijuana
Marijuana (also known simply as weed) is the type of cannabis plant that is rich in both CBD and THC. The latter (THC) is another cannabinoid, the one responsible for the intoxicating feeling you get if you use marijuana. But it also does other things, which is why in some countries, marijuana can be consumed for medical purposes. On the other hand, you can easily think of a country that still treats cannabis use as dangerous and where it can be punished with prison sentences.
Where do Luxembourg drug laws stand on the matter?
Since 2001 marijuana is considered a category B substance, which means that recreational consumption is only punished with a fine. The fine depends on the amount of cannabis, individuals are found with and it ranges from 250 to 2.500 Euros. So technically speaking cannabis consumption and possession are not criminal but are not legal either. This is similar to other countries in Europe, like Belgium. Nonetheless, we urge you to be cautious and not do anything illegal. Drugs are still treated seriously in the country. For example, using a cannabis product with high THC levels in front of minors can bring you into major trouble.
Luxembourg however, took a step forward. The Prime minister in the country promised to legalise cannabis in late 2021. The date of legalisation is not known yet, but we will keep you posted.
What about medical cannabis?
We should explain that patients can get the drug Sativex for almost a decade. On top of that, according to the prime minister, the cannabis legislation in Luxembourg made medical cannabis legal in 2017, although the program is still in a pilot scheme and has not been widely implemented. We hope that more treatments will include cannabis products in the future.
Hemp in Luxembourg
The other major type of cannabis is hemp. Hemp cannabis production had been an important part of the economy in Europe for centuries, but it slowly died out in the 20th century. All the signs are here that cannabis cultivation is making an important comeback in Europe. For example, you can see the number of growers rising in Luxembourg, as well as in Belgium.
How does hemp differ from marijuana? Well, the most important difference is that hemp has virtually no THC but is still rich in CBD. This means that if you use cannabis products from hemp you can avoid the intoxicating feeling of THC while you can still retain all the health benefits of CBD.
We stated above that hemp does not contain THC, actually, according to the law, THC levels in hemp cannot be higher than 0.3%. This is slightly higher than the usual limit in Europe, which is set at 0.2%. We expect further changes in the law so that the laws will become even more liberal in the future. Perhaps the government laws will even allow cannabis coffee shops.
So is CBD allowed in Luxembourg?
The short answer is yes, CBD is completely legal in Luxembourg. You can freely shop for cannabis CBD products all around the country.
Moreover, you can also set up your own CBD-related shop, this is much easier than in most places around the EU.
There are, however, a couple of conditions you should know before you enter the market. If you want to ensure that your CBD product is legal you have to be certain that it is derived from hemp. As we described above, marijuana will most likely be completely legal for the recreational purpose by the end of this year. However, in May 2021 it is still only decriminalised. This means that you should still rely just on hemp, with less than 0.3% THC content for your CBD products. Furthermore, CBD products are only legal for adults, this means that you have to be at least 18 years old to buy CBD.
Police also clarified that people are allowed to drive if they use CBD products. Nonetheless, police can do a quick drug test. You should probably not be worried about it, but if you use a lot of CBD products, then it can show signs of THC, despite the low THC content in cannabis products. So we advise you to be careful about that.
Last, but not least, CBD products cannot be advertised as medical products, but rather cosmetics or food supplements. If customers are looking for treatments, you should advise them to seek medical treatment, so to see their doctor.
Selling CBD
We want to offer you some further advice if you are thinking of starting your own CBD business or selling CBD.
As stated above, CBD can be legally sold both online and in-person shops according to the laws.
In both cases, we recommend that you structure your business around clear, consumer-friendly information about CBD that is in line with scientific research.
We recommend that you thoroughly examine your supplier beforehand. Focus on whether they follow all essential cannabis laws so that you avoid any legal troubles. You should only work with accredited shops and dealers of CBD products. Your supplier should show you that CBD products contain less than 0.3% of THC and are extracted from hemp. Check that they follow other legal guidelines issued by the authorities.
If you are looking for a partner to supply your CBD-related shop, Essentia Pura is a Slovenian company that offers the bulk sale of CBD extracts. We take pride in ensuring strict compliance with the law. We are a trusted wholesale partner for your CBD-oriented company with plenty of experience.
If you have any questions regarding the bulk sale of CBD and other products, as well as any legal questions about cannabis regulations in Luxembourg do not hesitate to contact us. Our staff will get back to you as soon as possible.
What can the European Union learn from Luxembourg?
Europe can draw many important. In our opinion, the most important lesson is that the cannabis market and customers need certainty and predictability in order to organise and grow. A clear, bold, and straightforward approach in regards to cannabis, such as the one taken by the coalition government allowed the Luxembourg CBD market to become one of the leading powers in Europe when it comes to CBD. Regulation of low THC cannabis products sold in Luxembourg protects consumers, public health, and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Conclusion
So is CBD oil legal?
Luxembourg has a vibrant cannabis market that the whole of Europe can strive towards. Let us quickly recap the most important points:
- CBD is derived from cannabis plants.
- There are two important types of cannabis: marijuana and hemp.
- Marijuana is considered part of narcotics due to its high THC content, but consumption and possession are decriminalised.
- Medical cannabis is legal but still in the trial phase for pain treatment.
- The government is introducing legislation that will make it legal to use marijuana for recreational purposes.
- Selling, possessing, or cultivating large amounts of high THC marijuana can land you in jail.
- Hemp is legal and you can cultivate it yourself.
- You can buy CBD both online and in stores all around the country.
- Selling CBD products to customers is straightforward and much easier than in other countries.
If you are interested in CBD laws in other countries around the world you are welcome to read our articles about:
