How much do you know about the ever-growing European CBD flower market?
CBD flowers have been rapidly gaining popularity across Europe over the last couple of years. In this feature we take a look at a few of the different types in circulation. Also known as
cannabis light, many of these varieties are grown in Switzerland, where any cannabis plant below 1% THC is considered legal as hemp. Varieties that are not on the approved EU hemp variety list can be grown on private or industrial property, but not on land registered for agricultural use. Switzerland raised the 0.2 - 0.3% European THC limit up to 1% several years earlier. This wasn't to accommodate new CBD varieties but to make it simpler for farmers, as common varieties such as Finola can reach 0.6% THC under certain growing conditions, especially if the flowers go unpollinated. Italy has likewise increased its hemp growing limit to 0.6% THC.
New
strains have emerged from this change in Swiss regulation, most are attempts to refine hemp x cannabis hybrids over several generations, to improve the terpene profile and CBD level while keeping THC low. Swiss growers have also imported new varieties from the USA as seeds or clones