Is Hemp Legal in Ukraine?

Industrial hemp is legal in Ukraine and the country is one of Europe's significant hemp producers. The Law on Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Precursors (Law No. 60/95-VR of 1995) and Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 770 of 6 May 2000, as amended, set out the licensing framework for cultivation of cannabis varieties with a THC content not exceeding 0.08 percent in the dry weight of the upper third of the plant.

Licensed growers must use seed varieties listed in the State Register of Plant Varieties Suitable for Distribution and obtain a cultivation license from the State Service on Medicines and Drugs Control. The Institute of Bast Crops in Hlukhiv (Sumy Oblast) anchors variety development, and oblasts including Sumy, Poltava, Chernihiv, and Zhytomyr historically lead production. The war has reduced acreage and disrupted processing, but hemp remains a strategic crop for fiber, seed, oilseed, and pharmaceutical extraction. Finished food products containing hempseed and hempseed oil circulate freely through Ukrainian retail, and exports to EU markets continue under DCFTA preferences.

Penalties for unlicensed cultivation align with Article 310 of the Criminal Code for narcotic-plant cultivation.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Verify current law with qualified counsel before making compliance decisions.