Is Hemp Legal in Vietnam?

Industrial hemp is illegal at the commercial level in Vietnam. The country does not distinguish hemp from marijuana by THC concentration in its statutory framework. Cannabis sativa appears on the Schedule I narcotics list without a hemp carve-out, and the Law on Drug Prevention and Control, Law No. 73/2021/QH14, treats all parts of the plant as controlled. Cultivation, processing, and trade require permissions that the government has not issued for general agricultural production.

Limited pilot activity has been proposed but not normalized. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Science and Technology have discussed research plots tied to fiber and seed varieties, and small-scale ethnobotanical cultivation by ethnic minorities in northern provinces such as Ha Giang and Lao Cai has been tolerated for traditional textile use. None of this amounts to a licensed commercial hemp sector. Unauthorized cultivation falls under Article 247 of the Penal Code, which sets penalties from six months to seven years for growing opium poppy, coca, cannabis, or other narcotic plants.

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