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Cannabis and hemp laws
China
Cannabis fully illegal (zero-tolerance); hemp restricted to licensed Yunnan/Heilongjiang cultivation
Adult use
Illegal
Medical
Illegal
Last reviewed
May 28, 2026
China
Cannabinoid status board
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China
Latest news and analysis
FAQ
Common questions
Is marijuana legal in China?
No, cannabis is completely illegal in China, under one of the world's strictest zero-tolerance regimes. Marijuana is a Category I narcotic alongside heroin and methamphetamine, with no recreational or medical exception anywhere in mainland China.
Is CBD legal in China?
CBD is banned in cosmetics and restricted for all consumer products in China as of 2025. China's NMPA banned CBD as a cosmetic ingredient in 2021, and the 2025 enforcement environment has tightened further for cross-border e-commerce.
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.
Can you travel to China with cannabis or CBD?
Importing or exporting cannabis in any form is criminally prohibited and prosecuted as drug smuggling under Article 347 of the Criminal Law. China exports hemp fiber, seeds, and industrial biomass legally.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Seed Legality
Trading or possessing viable drug-cannabis seeds is a criminal offence; hemp seed only under provincial licences.
Hemp seeds
Restricted
Marijuana seeds
Illegal
Sale
Illegal
Transacting
Illegal
Gifting
Illegal
Article 352 of the PRC Criminal Law penalizes buying, selling, transporting, carrying or possessing un-inactivated seeds or seedlings of mother drug plants, including cannabis, so any private trade or gifting of viable marijuana seeds is a criminal matter. Industrial hemp (under 0.3% THC) may be cultivated and processed only under provincial licensing, principally the anti-drug regulations of Yunnan and Heilongjiang, with planting seed governed by the Ministry of Agriculture's 2018 hemp planting-seed standards. There is no lawful channel for individuals to acquire viable cannabis seeds.
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This section is provided for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Seed laws change frequently — verify current law with qualified counsel before making decisions.