Hemp is Cannabis sativa grown for its fibre, seeds and CBD, from varieties with so little THC that they do not get you high. Botanically it is the same species as marijuana. The difference is chemistry and law: in the UK, a Home Office licence allows hemp to be grown only from approved seed with no more than 0.2% THC, and EU rules set the limit at 0.3%.
Key facts
- Species
- Cannabis sativa L., the same species as marijuana
- UK rule (as of October 2026)
- Growing hemp needs a Home Office licence and approved seed with a THC content of no more than 0.2%
- Flowers and leaves in the UK
- A UK hemp licence does not cover the leaves and flowers; they are controlled parts of the plant
- EU limit (as of October 2026)
- Raw hemp and hemp seed for sowing must not exceed 0.3% THC
- Where the CBD is
- Mainly in the resin glands (trichomes) of the flowers; hemp seeds contain far less
- EU hemp area
- 33,020 hectares in 2022, up from 20,540 hectares in 2015; France grows more than 60% of EU production
What is hemp? A simple definition
Hemp is the name for Cannabis sativa varieties bred and grown for their stalks, seeds and flowers rather than for intoxication. Farmers grow it for fibre from the stalk, for seed (food, animal feed and oil) and for CBD and other cannabinoids from the flowers.
What makes a plant "hemp" is not how it looks but how much THC it contains. Hemp varieties produce mostly CBD and only traces of THC, the compound that causes a high. Lawmakers turn that chemical difference into a number: a legal THC limit.
Is hemp the same as weed?
No, although they are the same species. "Weed" or marijuana means the dried flowers of cannabis plants bred for high THC. Hemp varieties are bred the other way, for low THC. A breeding study found that a single gene locus largely decides whether a plant makes mainly THC or mainly CBD (de Meijer et al., 2003). A genetic study of 124 samples found that hemp and marijuana also differ across the whole genome, not only in the genes for THC (Sawler et al., 2015).
The gap in THC is large. In US police seizures analysed over two decades, the THC content of illicit cannabis rose from about 4% in 1995 to about 12% in 2014 (ElSohly et al., 2016). UK hemp seed must stay at or below 0.2%.
| Hemp | Marijuana (weed) | |
|---|---|---|
| Species | Cannabis sativa L. | Cannabis sativa L. |
| THC | UK approved seed: no more than 0.2%; EU: no more than 0.3% | About 12% on average in US police seizures in 2014 |
| Main cannabinoid | CBD (as its acid form, CBDA, in the plant) | THC (as THCA in the plant) |
| Gets you high? | No | Yes |
| Grown for | Fibre, seed, CBD | THC-rich flowers |
| UK status | Can be grown under a Home Office licence; leaves and flowers stay controlled | Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 |
For the meaning of each word, see the difference between cannabis, marijuana and hemp.
Does hemp contain CBD?
Yes. Cannabinoids and terpenes are made in tiny resin glands, the glandular trichomes, which sit mainly on the flowers (Livingston et al., 2020). In fibre hemp the main cannabinoid is CBDA, the acid form of CBD (Taura et al., 2007). That is why CBD is extracted from hemp flowers and leaves, not from the stalk or the seeds.
Hemp seeds contain far less. Analysis of ten hemp seed oils still found THC, CBD and about 30 other cannabinoids at trace levels (Citti et al., 2019). Hemp seed oil sold for cooking is not CBD oil. Our guide to hemp oil vs CBD oil shows how to tell them apart on a label, and what is CBD explains the compound itself.
Can hemp get you high?
No. Hemp varieties are bred to contain too little THC to cause the high associated with marijuana. CBD itself is not intoxicating; see CBD vs THC for how the two compounds differ. Products made from hemp can still contain traces of THC, which matters for drug tests, so check the THC figure on the certificate of analysis (how to read one).
Is hemp legal in the UK?
Hemp can be grown in the UK, but only under licence. The Home Office treats cannabis as a controlled drug: "It is unlawful to possess, supply, produce, import or export this drug except under a Home Office licence." Its industrial hemp licence covers approved seed varieties with a THC content of no more than 0.2%, and it "does not allow for use of 'green' material- i.e. the leaves and flowers as these are controlled parts of the plant". Applications to make CBD oils from those parts are not considered under the hemp licence (Home Office, 2025).
In the EU, raw hemp and hemp seed for sowing must not exceed 0.3% THC (European Commission). National drug laws then decide what may be sold, and they differ between countries. For CBD products sold in the UK, read is CBD legal in the UK?
What is hemp used for?
Almost every part of the plant has a use. The European Commission lists textile fibre, food and animal feed from the seeds, building materials such as hempcrete and insulation, paper, and newer uses in the car and cosmetics industries (European Commission).
| Part of the plant | What it becomes |
|---|---|
| Bast fibre (outer stalk) | Textiles, rope, paper, insulation mats, composites for car interiors |
| Shives or hurds (woody core) | Hempcrete, animal bedding, fibreboard |
| Seeds | Hulled seeds, hemp seed oil, animal feed |
| Flowers and leaves | CBD and other cannabinoid extracts, terpenes |
Hemp is also a low-input crop. The European Commission estimates that one hectare of hemp takes up 9 to 15 tonnes of CO2 in about five months, and that the crop has few natural pests, so it needs little or no insecticide, herbicide or fungicide (European Commission). Hemp seed oil is used in cosmetics, and the seeds are sold hulled or pressed.
For more detail on each sector, read the uses of hemp.
Where is hemp grown?
In the EU, the hemp area grew from 20,540 hectares in 2015 to 33,020 hectares in 2022. France grows more than 60% of EU production, followed by Germany (17%) and the Netherlands (5%) (European Commission).
Our hemp is grown in Central Switzerland. For sowing, harvest and indoor versus outdoor growing, read how hemp is grown, and for the plant's past, the history of hemp.
From our production
Many of our customers still believe CBD and hemp products are illegal. Part of the reason is the media: many journalists don't know the difference between cannabis and hemp, and I have seen cannabis flowers translated as "hashish". That misleads consumers. Our hemp grows in Central Switzerland, and we test every batch in Switzerland.
— Robin Roy Krigslund-Hansen, co-founder and CEO
Frequently asked questions
What is the definition of hemp?
Hemp is Cannabis sativa grown for fibre, seed and CBD from varieties with very little THC. In the UK, licensed hemp must come from approved seed with no more than 0.2% THC; EU rules allow up to 0.3%.
Is hemp the same as weed?
No. Hemp and weed (marijuana) are both Cannabis sativa, but hemp varieties are bred for very low THC and mainly produce CBD, while marijuana is bred for THC-rich flowers. The two also differ genetically.
Does hemp contain CBD?
Yes. CBD forms in the resin glands of hemp flowers and, to a lesser degree, the leaves. Hemp seeds contain only traces, so hemp seed oil is not the same as CBD oil.
Can hemp get you high?
No. Hemp varieties contain too little THC to cause a high. Products made from hemp can still contain traces of THC, so check the certificate of analysis for the batch.
What is hemp used for?
Hemp stalks give fibre for textiles, rope, paper and insulation, and the woody core is used in hempcrete. The seeds go into food, animal feed and oil, and the flowers are the source of CBD extracts.
Is it legal to grow hemp in the UK?
Only with a Home Office licence, using approved seed with no more than 0.2% THC. As of October 2026, the licence does not cover the leaves and flowers, which remain controlled parts of the plant.
This article is general information about the hemp plant and the law. It is not legal advice, and laws change. Formula Swiss CBD oils are sold as cosmetics for use on the skin. Read our full disclaimer.
Last reviewed:
Sources
- Home Office. Low THC cannabis (industrial hemp) licensing factsheet. GOV.UK, updated 18 December 2025.
- European Commission, Agriculture and Rural Development. Hemp. agriculture.ec.europa.eu
- de Meijer EP, et al. The inheritance of chemical phenotype in Cannabis sativa L. Genetics 2003. doi:10.1093/genetics/163.1.335
- Sawler J, et al. The genetic structure of marijuana and hemp. PLoS One 2015. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0133292
- ElSohly MA, et al. Changes in cannabis potency over the last 2 decades (1995–2014): analysis of current data in the United States. Biological Psychiatry 2016. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.01.004
- Livingston SJ, et al. Cannabis glandular trichomes alter morphology and metabolite content during flower maturation. Plant Journal 2020. doi:10.1111/tpj.14516
- Taura F, et al. Cannabidiolic-acid synthase, the chemotype-determining enzyme in the fiber-type Cannabis sativa. FEBS Letters 2007. doi:10.1016/j.febslet.2007.05.043
- Citti C, et al. Cannabinoid profiling of hemp seed oil by liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry. Frontiers in Plant Science 2019. doi:10.3389/fpls.2019.00120
- Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, Schedule 2, Part II (Class B drugs). legislation.gov.uk
