Is Hemp Legal in France?
May 29, 2026
Industrial hemp is legal in France in 2026 at up to 0.3% THC. Conseil d'Etat allows flower sales; HHC and neo-cannabinoids banned by ANSM. Full guide.
Industrial hemp is legal in France in 2026 at up to 0.3% THC. Conseil d'Etat allows flower sales; HHC and neo-cannabinoids banned by ANSM. Full guide.
Industrial hemp is legal to cultivate, process and sell in France provided the plant variety is registered in the EU Common Catalogue and the standing crop contains no more than 0.3% Delta-9-THC. The threshold was raised from 0.2% to 0.3% via amendment of the Arrete du 30 decembre 2021 in 2025, aligning France with EU Regulation 2021/2115 (CAP).
Following the Conseil d'Etat ruling of 29 December 2022 (n.444887), the blanket ban on the sale of raw hemp flowers and leaves was annulled: CBD flower and leaves below 0.3% THC may be lawfully sold to consumers. Synthetic and semi-synthetic neo-cannabinoids - HHC, HHCO, HHCP, HHCPO, H4-CBD, H2-CBD, THCP, THCA - were classified as stupefiants by ANSM (arretes of 12 June 2023 and 3 June 2024), with a further arrete of 16 January 2026 extending the list to additional derivatives.
Hemp seed, fibre, hurds, oil and CBD extracts meeting the 0.3% THC ceiling remain freely commercialised; novel food rules apply to ingestible CBD per EU Regulation 2015/2283.
Legal
Ministere de la Sante / ANSM / ANSES / DGCCRF
0.3% Delta-9-THC (raised from 0.2% in 2025, EU alignment)
Arrete du 30 decembre 2021 (modifie 2025) relatif au Cannabis sativa L.; Reglement (UE) 2021/2115
Intra-EU movement of compliant hemp products (less than or equal to 0.3% THC, EU-catalogue varieties) benefits from free movement under TFEU Articles 34-36 as confirmed by the CJEU Kanavape judgment (C-663/18, 19 Nov 2020). Imports from third countries must meet the 0.3% THC ceiling, provide certificates of analysis, and - for ingestibles - hold a Novel Food authorisation. DGCCRF and customs (DGDDI) actively seize non-compliant flower, HHC products and undeclared cannabinoid isolates.
