The benefits:
- Hemp is the most planet- and human- friendly crop there is.
- It is one of the most adaptable, productive & synergistic tools available to resolve key environmental challenges, such as CO2 & land contamination.
- Hemp is nourishing the soil. It bio-remediates contaminated soil, improves soil structure & nutrient levels, leading to greater yields in follow on crops, such as wheat.
- Hemp is a very robust plant & can grow without the need of pesticides or herbicides & needs minimal water. It’s one of the most effective CO2 offsets, as it can grow up to 5 metres in only 3-4 months.
- Hemp is an endlessly versatile crop. Every part of a hemp plant can be used in some way, shape, or fashion & has over 25,000 different environmentally responsible & bio-degradable uses, including food, building supplies, plastics, fuel, textiles, skincare products, oils, & more.
- Most importantly Hemp can empower small local communities by providing local manufacturing & industry.
Hemp has a long history in Cyprus.
Hemp was cultivated in Cyprus since ancient times. A first mention is found in 450 BC. in Herodotus. It was throughout the ages, one of the main export products of the island. Cultivation of Hemp was of particular economic importance because it significantly increased the agricultural income of many families, since it was a basic raw material with the processing of which several members of the family, especially the women, were engaged.
Hemp is not marijuana.
Although coming from the same plant species, Hemp and Marijuana, are genetically distinct. Cannabis Sativa L., /Hemp actually refers to the industrial, non-drug variant. It contains only trace amounts of THC, the psychoactive chemical in marijuana. Hemp products can NOT get you high. Hemp-derived cannabidiol or CBD has been declared by the World Health Organization’s Expert Committee on Drug Dependence, as safe and tolerated in humans and animals. Supplements obtained from hemp contain many health promoting compounds, including particularly the phytocannabinoids/CBD and also provides important nutrients to maintain, support and optimise our mental and physical well-being.
CURRENT HEMP SITUATION IN CYPRUS
The production and trading of Hemp is permitted since 2016, and regulated through the highly welcomed Law on The Production and Marketing of Industrial Hemp. No derivatives of cannabis including oil, fall within the scope of the law, thus making it possible to buy and benefit out of CBD oil.
