Cannabis is still banned in most countries around the world. However, that could change soon as several states have legalized the drug recently.
But the bans are already being ignored on a large scale, and many people see sowing some cannabis seeds in the comfort of their home as a harmless hobby.
The legal situation is often contradictory. For example, buying seeds is allowed in some countries, but germinating is forbidden.
In other countries, buying seeds is a criminal offence, while growing them is tolerated. Elsewhere, cultivation is legal as long as the plants don’t bud. This article explains how different countries deal with the issue of cannabis cultivation—and what the legal situation is in Europe.
Long story short: cannabis seeds are legal, and you can buy the best autoflowering seeds on SensorySeeds.
Where to legally grow your cannabis seeds?
Cannabis lovers in the new world clearly have it easier, in Canada and Us for instance you can buy weed online Canada here. There are three countries where adults can buy cannabis seeds and grow them in their homes without any problems.
Canada and Uruguay have legalized this practice. And in Mexico, in 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that cannabis prohibition was unconstitutional.
Growing marijuana for personal use is also legal in several US states. However, the drug is still banned at the federal level, so caution is advised.
By the way, if you think you have to convert your flat into a huge hemp plantation, you will also have problems with the law in the countries mentioned above because the number of plants per household is strictly limited. Another country that has recently legalized the cultivation of cannabis in South Africa.
Is the consumption of cannabis punishable in Europe?
Despite the strict criminal law regulations that define—and mainly prohibit—everything from hemp seeds to the tip of the leaf in Europe, one thing remains legal: the consumption of cannabis. Legally, this is referred to as “punishable self-harm”.
So, anyone who receives cannabis for immediate consumption, for example, being handed a joint in a round and consuming it immediately, is not liable to prosecution.
There is no possession of cannabis. That’s the theory, but even here, you can’t rely on one hundred per cent in an emergency. In court, even briefly holding or just passing a joint can ultimately be interpreted as possession.
According to the judge, a positive drug test can also imply possession, even if the law defines it differently. The interpretation of the legal situation is also significantly influenced by one’s own consumer behaviour. If you are proven to be an occasional user, you are more likely to be dismissed than if you are proven to be a regular user.
The interpretation of the decisions is at the discretion of the judge and the prosecutor.
However, if you are intoxicated at a traffic stop, consumption will undoubtedly lead to a criminal investigation, including the suspension of your driving licence.
These countries allow the purchase of cannabis seeds
Most countries in Europe allow their citizens to buy cannabis seeds. Accordingly, there is a lively trade in different cannabis seeds on the internet.
Online seed shops are often based in the Netherlands, but Italian companies are now some of the best online cannabis seeds suppliers and often stock a variety of speciality strains.
These include, for example, feminized seeds, which deliver a huge yield, or autoflowering seeds, which grow remarkably quickly.
Buying cannabis seeds is legal in most European countries, the United Kingdom, Italy, Holland, and France.
Where is cannabis cultivation tolerated?
Buying cannabis seeds is legal in many European countries. However, this only applies if the roots are not germinated. As soon as you use the seeds for cultivation, you are liable to prosecution … This also applies in the UK.
However, some countries tolerate the cultivation of cannabis. It is officially forbidden to grow cannabis in your own home, but the authorities usually refrain from prosecution or only impose a small fine.
Such regulations exist, for example, in Spain, Holland or the Czech Republic. The authorities in these countries must show no mercy when cultivation is for commercial purposes. Hobby growers should therefore limit themselves to a few plants.
The example of Poland
Poland is one of the countries with arguably the strictest cannabis laws. There is not even medicinal cannabis here. In 2014, the constitutional court asked the then government to deal with the legalization of medical cannabis, but this has so far been unsuccessful.
Under the current Polish government, one can expect an even stricter cannabis policy than a mitigating one. Therefore, possession, consumption, and trafficking of cannabis will continue to have criminal consequences in Poland in the future.
Before the current government, owners of even small amounts of marijuana were sentenced to prison terms.
Under the current political situation, it is better to make your visit to Poland cannabis-free. Depending on the quantity carried, the penalty is graded as follows:
Pure consumption will not be considered a crime and will not be tolerated
- Possession of cannabis is punishable by up to three years imprisonment.
- In cases where the amount is “significant”, it can be up to ten years.
If the amounts involved are minimal, the maximum penalty is one year in prison.
When it comes to growing cannabis, the laws in Poland are pretty strict, as there is no distinction between growing cannabis and producing opium or cocaine. Each of these offences carries a penalty of up to three years imprisonment, with more significant amounts being imprisoned for eight years.
But the legal situation is better for the British and most Europeans who want to collect the best cannabis seeds with SensorySeeds.com.
If you want to know more about legal issues, you can find relevant information at defencesolicitorslondon.co.uk.