Until recently, CBD was only available legally with a
doctor’s prescription.
With the amendments on the Executive Order on
Euphoriant Substances in July 2018, hemp products with up to 0.2 % THC are no
longer regulated as euphoriant substances.
With this change, CBD became legal for other than just
medical purposes — to some extent.
Despite the positive changes in the law, CBD remains a
strictly regulated product.
You can buy CBD
in Denmark — even without a prescription — but it’s essential to understand all
the regulations. We’ll fill you in on all you need to know about the Danish CBD
market and where you can buy high-quality CBD.
Summary: CBD in Denmark
CBD is no longer on the list of euphoriant substances; therefore, you can buy it without a prescription.
Your CBD product should be two things: safe and
effective.
Knowing how and where to buy CBD is essential. There
are plenty of dependable CBD products on the shelves and the internet, but you
can also find many unregulated ones. Companies and retailers wanting to make
easy money may overlook the quality of their products.
While
the law doesn’t prohibit buying CBD bypassing the pharmacy, you could still
bump into some legal obstacles. Local stores that don’t comply with the
regulations of the Danish Medicines Agency, DVFA, or the novel food regulations
are, by default, selling illegal products.
As a patient, you can buy CBD with a prescription from
a licensed pharmacy. However, if you don’t have a patient status, you can always turn to the mighty world of
online shopping.
Tips on Buying CBD Online in
Denmark
Before you buy CBD, make sure the product:
Comes from a high-quality, organic hemp source;
Is third-party tested for safety;
Is not marketed to cure, treat, or mitigate a disease;
This way, you’ll know that you’re buying a
high-quality CBD product that is free of pesticides and heavy metals and has
real benefits.
Is CBD Legal in Denmark?
CBD,as a derivative of hemp, was
legalized in Denmark in 2018. The Danish law differentiates CBD in three
categories:
Medicine
Food supplement
Cosmetic product
The Danish
Medicines Agency considers cannabis products with significant amounts of THC
and CBD that can affect the body via consumption or skin application medicinal.
Manufacturers who wish to produce non-medicinal food
supplements will need assessment from the DVFA to ensure the product complies
with food supplement
regulations.
When it comes to cosmetics containing CBD, it’s legal only if the CBD is synthetic and
does not fall under the cannabis definition of the UN Convention on Narcotic
Drugs (1961).
Before July 2018, hemp products were prohibited from
containing any traces of THC.
Before the amended law on low-THC cannabis products,
it was illegal to possess a “euphoriant substance” unless it has been prescribed
as a medicinal product by a doctor [1].
With the
amendments, cannabis products with 0.2% THC or less became authorized for sale
without prescription.
However, the Danish Medicines Agency says that the
change in THC limit DOES NOT
necessarily make CBD a non-medicinal product [2].
The Agency must
evaluate the concentration of active substances (including THC) in a CBD
product in order to confirm that it’s not medicine.
NOTE: There is no set CBD limit
that determines if a CBD product is medicine. The Danish Medicines Agency
considers cannabis product a medication if:
The product contains active
substances (CBD and THC);
The product is recommended
for disease treatment;
The product is about to be
used for determining a medical diagnosis.
Even if a CBD product not medicinal but instead is
classified as cosmetics or food, the company’s manufacturing conditions must
comply with the food or cosmetic laws.
The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration consults
with the Medicines Agency to decide whether a CBD product is a food supplement or
medicine.
Under the Novel
Foods Regulation, foods or food ingredients that haven’t been significantly
used in the EU before 1997, must pass an evaluation and authorization process
before they reach the market.
In other words, Danish manufacturers and retailers
must contact the DVFA and the Medicines Agency before they place their product
on the market.
However, there is one important exception to CBD.
The exception — or call it a lucky contradiction — is that the
Danish Medicines Agency doesn’t consider CBD products illegal if you’ve
obtained it without a prescription. According to the Agency, the regulations
fall on the company — not on you [3].
This means that you can purchase CBD products online —
including those that are not regulated by the Danish administration — without
violating the law.
NOTE: Buying
CBD oils that have THC content higher than 0.2% is illegal.
How is Hemp Cultivation Regulated in Denmark?
The cultivation of industrial hemp in Denmark has been legal since 1998.
Under EU and
Danish law, the cultivation of industrial hemp is legal only if the plant’s THC
content doesn’t exceed 0.2%.
The Danish Agricultural Agency regulates and reviews
the applications for commercial cultivation of industrial hemp, which takes
approximately six weeks for approval. The permit for hemp cultivation is valid
for one year.
Licensed growers can cultivate, process, and sell
industrial hemp for commercial purposes, including hemp seeds for food and
cosmetics, hemp seed oil, hemp flour, grains, and hemp protein powder.
Growing hemp
for medicinal cannabis is not permitted under this license. Only the Danish
Medicines Agency can issue medicinal cannabis permits.
A Brief History of Cannabis
Laws in Denmark
Early findings of cannabis pollen at archeological
places (Kragehavegård — a rural area in Denmark) indicate that hemp might have
been grown as early as the 5th century.
Commodities found at archaeological sites and Viking
ships dating from the 8th and 9th centuries indicate that both flax and hemp
fibers were used for sails and ropes. The exact date on when Vikings have
started using hemp is unknown [1].
In the 17th century, the Danes had already developed the hemp industry. King Christian IV — ruler of both Denmark and Norway — supplied the farmers with hemp seeds for the production of sails and ropes for his navy. In 1683, King Christian V brought forth a new law under which farmers were obliged to cultivate hemp.
Hemp in Denmark waned during the 20th century; the
synthetic fibers industry took over the market, and hemp was banned due to its
identification with marijuana. Hemp was brought back after the European Union
permitted hemp cultivation in 1998. The Danish government planted several trial
fields to research fiber quality; yet in 2003, there was only one farmer
growing hemp [2].
In 2015, the Department of Environmental Engineering
at the Technical University of Denmark participated in scientific research on
hemp-derived succinic acid. The study proved that hemp could contribute
significantly to the chemical industry, as the succinic acid extracted from it
has uses in the biorefinery [3].
A year later, the Danish government agreed to start a
medical cannabis pilot program. As of January 1st, 2018, Danish farmers are
permitted to grow marijuana for medicinal purposes. Conditions for medical
cannabis are strict, and only farmers licensed by the Medicines Agency can
produce it.
Under EU law, Danish farmers can
cultivate industrial hemp with THC limits of 0.2% or less.
You can also use a mail forwarding service to have products shipped to Denmark
that the original vendor won’t ship to. This will usually cost a small fee, but
this way you can access a wider market.
IMPORTANT: Buying and importing CBD for pets is
illegal, so make sure your CBD product doesn’t have any pet-related claims or
labeling [4].
Pets
don’t fall under the medicinal cannabis pilot program, and giving
cannabis-based products to a pet is not permitted.
Final Notes on Buying CBD in
Denmark
While Denmark strictly regulates CBD, there is more
leniency towards the purchaser of products. As long as you’re buying
hemp-derived CBD with a THC content less than 0.2% for human consumption, you
have nothing to worry about.
The best place to purchase your CBD is online. The
online CBD market has an immense selection of products with access to
Certificates of Analysis to ensure its quality and safety, will typically offer
the best prices, and will ship to your door.