Is Hemp Legal in China?

Industrial hemp cultivation is legal only in Yunnan and Heilongjiang provinces under strict provincial licensing, and only for fiber, seed, and approved research uses. All other provinces prohibit hemp cultivation entirely, and consumable hemp-derived products are banned nationwide.

Licensed Yunnan cultivars must test below 0.3% THC in dried flower; Heilongjiang enforces a stricter 0.3% ceiling with mandatory destruction of non-compliant crops. Growers must obtain a permit from the provincial public security bureau, with annual inspections and GPS-tagged plots. Unlicensed cultivation is prosecuted as illegal narcotics planting under Article 351 of the Criminal Law, carrying up to five years imprisonment for plots of 500 or more plants.

In 2021, the NMPA banned cannabidiol from cosmetics and personal-care formulations, removing CBD from the approved cosmetic ingredient inventory. Hemp seed oil and dehulled hemp seed remain permitted as food ingredients under GB standards, but hemp flower, extracts, and tinctures cannot be sold to consumers. A 2025 NNCC bulletin reaffirmed that hemp-derived smokables, vapes, and edibles fall under the cannabis prohibition regardless of THC content.