The industrial hemp regulation requires that importers of industrial hemp, in seed form, be licensed by Health Canada. In addition to having a license, they must also obtain a permit from Health Canada for each shipment. For more information, contact the Health Canada Industrial Hemp Unit. It is illegal to carry cannabis across the Canadian border, whether you are entering or leaving the country.
You could be charged with a criminal offence if you try to travel to other countries with any amount of cannabis in your possession. This applies to all countries, regardless of whether cannabis is legal there or not. For more information on cannabis and international trade, contact Eric Foster, Paul Lalonde or Sean Stephenson. Industrial hemp is different from cannabis, which the Liberal government announced would be legalized in Canada in October.
One of the important next steps in the globalization of the cannabis industry is international trade, which will allow cannabis companies to take advantage of the competitive advantage of differentiating themselves from markets around the world. The thing is that from time to time I keep seeing people who claim that it is 100% legal to import seeds and, according to my interpretation of the Cannabis Act, it seems that it is clearly illegal to do so. In particular, industrial importers of hemp can only import pedigree seeds approved and recognized under the seed schemes of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, or by the Association of Official Seed Certification Agencies (AOSCA), or grains from countries participating in the Organization for Seed Programs for Economic Cooperation and Development or is a member of the AOSCA. If you try to travel abroad with any amount of cannabis in your possession, you could face severe criminal penalties both at home and abroad.
It is your responsibility to know the laws, including the legal status of cannabis consumption and possession, in your destination country. With the continuing trend of liberalizing cannabis laws around the world, global cannabis trade opportunities and barriers are changing at an accelerated pace. Keep in mind that catnip seed is not a recognized species, but rather is the end use of several possible species, such as wheat, barley and oats. In accordance with the UN drug control treaties, the Act specifies that licenses and permits that authorize the import and export of cannabis can only be issued with respect to cannabis for medical or scientific purposes.
The international trade in cannabis is governed by three core UN drug control treaties and, more generally, by international trade and investment legislation. With respect to the seed mixtures included in Table XIV, where the label describes that the seeds are suitable for shaded places, they must contain no less than forty percent (40%) by weight of chewing fescue, creeping red fescue, or rough blue grass seeds. According to them, cannabis seeds don't work, but luckily overseas seed companies don't care and will continue to try to send them to them. In addition, investments in cannabis operations abroad are equally protected by investment treaties, which provide protection to foreign investors and allow direct recourse to international arbitration in the event that the host state treats investments in a manner that violates a treaty.
Since legalization, imports and exports of cannabis into and out of Canada have been very small, but they are increasing rapidly.
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