Is CBD legal in Poland?
Essentia Pura is a Slovenian company working in CBD related business. We strive to provide our customers with factual and up to date information about CBD regulation in member states of the European Union.
In our past articles, we explored the possibilities of setting up a CBD related business in Germany, Spain, France, and Italy.
We also provided our customers with a comprehensive article about the EU, where you can find basic information for each of the member states. Since legal regimes in each country are a bit different, we are continuing with this country by country blog posts, where we explore the regulation in depth. This time we are moving a bit to the east of the European Union, to Poland.
The eastern countries of the EU, including Poland, were until recently a bit more conservative in accepting cannabis-related products. This conservative attitude has been rapidly changing in recent years.
Some countries introduced lower sentences for the cultivation of cannabis and possession of the plant. Poland also legalized medical cannabis, even there are some issues with the supply, so the process did not really take off.
As a result of these developments, the CBD community is rapidly rising in Poland and a lot of people are thinking about joining the CBD community.
If you are interested in the use of cannabis and want to know what legal options are there for CBD products, then this article is perfect for you.
Or maybe you are setting up a CBD business? In this case, comprehensive knowledge of regulations and laws is crucial for your success. We understand that getting trustworthy information about a rapidly changing business can be challenging. This is why we try to keep up to date with the latest developments in the CBD community and inform you about any changes in this blog.
The EU is aiming to achieve a common policy in regards to CBD products. Despite this, it is not uncommon that different member states regulate cannabis and its products differently.
In this article, we will explain the difference between cannabis, hemp, medical cannabis, and CBD products. We will focus on what is legal and what is not. From there on we will clarify how CBD can be used in Poland.
Furthermore, the article will explain your options when buying CBD products in Poland.
We can safely say that Poland is a good place to sell and buy CBD products, but as always there are some obstacles you have to watch out for.
If you want to learn more about regulation in Poland and the legal questions around CBD you are welcome to read the article in full.
CBD and cannabis basics
Cannabis, also known as marijuana is a famous plant, its use has been treated differently throughout history. Without a doubt, it is a plant with numerous effects. Some claim it is responsible for relaxation and health benefits, others prefer recreational use, some see other values in it.
It is important to mention that countries usually differentiate between marijuana and hemp. Both are considered to be Cannabis Sativa, but marijuana contains higher levels of THC (the part that causes you to feel the high feeling), whereas hemp usually contains much lower THC levels. Even when hemp does contain THC it is only in traces, usually bellow 0.2% THC. This number is the threshold for the legal status of cannabis in Poland.
Any Cannabis Sativa plant with levels of THC above 0.2% is considered marijuana and illegal. As shown above, medical cannabis is legal in Poland since 2017.
On the other hand, any Cannabis Sativa with less than 0.2% THC is considered hemp and therefore legal under certain conditions. This rule is commonly found in most of the European Union.
Both cannabis and hemp, contain large amounts of other cannabinoids including what we are interested in - CBD.
CBD is an extremely important part of the Cannabis Sativa plant. In recent years, extensive research has been conducted on the Cannabis plant. This research showed numerous positive effects of cannabidiol (CBD), a phytocannabinoid extracted from Cannabis sativa L.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of 113 cannabinoids that comes from the cannabis plant. CBD is extracted from the cannabis plant in such a way to make it isolated from other cannabinoids. Most importantly, it can be separated from THC, the psychoactive element in cannabis.
Hemp in Poland is nothing new. In fact, Poland has a long history of cannabis use. Industrial hemp has been present for centuries and it was used for many products: clothing, weaving, food as well as medical use.
So are CBD products legal in Poland?
The short answer is yes, they are. But as we dive deeper into the matter, things get, of course, a bit more complicated. In order to comply with the law, your business must follow the regulation of cannabis in Poland. For example, this means getting all the necessary permits for hemp cultivation, or other similar legal papers for your company.
Types of CBD related businesses
CBD production in Poland can be categorized into four major areas:
- Farmers that grow hemp in Poland
- Wholesale of industrial hemp,
- Processing hemp for different hemp and CBD products
- Retail sale of CBD products
In the following paragraphs, we will take a look at each of those steps. We will focus on what you should know before you start your company.
a.) Hemp cultivation
As we stressed before, hemp cultivation is technically legal, but you need a permit from the polish authority in order to grow it. According to the laws of Poland growing hemp is only legal if you use it for textile, chemical, cellulose and paper, food, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, building materials, and seed industries. As you can see this still offers a wide variety of products and services that can be legal in Poland. As we have stressed before, growing your own hemp, for whatever use, is illegal.
b.) Wholesale of hemp and CBD
The same can be said for the wholesale purchase of legal cannabis products. Here to a permit must be granted by the government of Poland. In order to obtain the permit, you must show that you have a contract with a farmer to buy a certain quantity of their crop.
c.) Hemp and CBD processing
If you wish to process cannabis hemp into a different product you need to make sure that you are dealing with - licensed entities. You also need to take care that your business meets all the necessary requirements for such processing. These requirements of course depend on what sort of product you are making - food and pharmaceutical products are naturally more tightly regulated than clothing.
d.) Retail sale of CBD products
As above, conditions for selling CBD products to consumers depend on what type of product you are selling. In this article, we will focus on selling food products. In this case, it is really important that you label your products properly, so a consumer can without a doubt identify that it is in fact a CBD product. You must also meet other sanitary requirements. your
Where to buy CBD products in Poland?
You can freely buy CBD products online as well as offline in Poland.
Online shopping seems to be a popular choice among Poles, most likely due to bigger competition. Consequently, this means that prices are far more reasonable. Most EU online shops offer free shipping to other EU member states, making shopping from the comforts of your home really attractive.
If you prefer shopping face to face you should not worry. You can still find a wide range of CBD related products in stores across Poland. We recommend that you check out your local herb shop or alternative medicine store.
When you are buying CBD products you should always take care that you buy good quality products. In order to make sure that you are getting the real thing look with products with certificates of analysis (CoA) - this is a "purity test".
Furthermore, we recommend that you avoid any stores that make exaggerated health claims. CBD products are beneficial and the use of CBD can help in many situations, but it cannot perform any magic.
If you are starting your own retail CBD product business you should thoroughly check your supply chain. Focus on how well they understand and follow the essential cannabis regulations. This is the most secure way to protect your business.
Firstly you should make sure that you are only dealing with partners that have an appropriate permit. Furthermore, they must always assure that the hemp they use has a THC level below 0.2%.
Last but not least, you should watch out for proper labels on your products. As we have stressed above, consumers in Poland must understand that they are buying CBD products.
If you are looking for a partner to supply your CBD related shop, Essentia Pura is a Slovenian company that offers bulk sale of CBD extracts.
We take pride in ensuring strict compliance with national and EU regulations. We are a trusted wholesale partner for your CBD oriented business. If you have any questions regarding the bulk sale of CBD oil and other products, as well as any legal questions about regulations in Poland or other EU member states feel free to contact us on our email address. We will get back to you with a detailed answer to any question regarding the cannabis business.
Conclusion
So is CBD legal in Poland? Lets quickly review what we have learned.
CBD is legal in Poland if it is derived from hemp with less than 0.2% THC level. Companies growing, selling or processing hemp need appropriate permits from the authorities. Consumers need to be properly informed about the CBD content in the products, as well as about their use.
Cannabis with a THC level above 0.2% is illegal in Poland. Recreational use of cannabis is consequently forbidden. Nonetheless, Poland is making some progress with the use of medical cannabis.
Hopefully, this article answered most of your questions and encouraged you to try yourself in the CBD business.