Purchasing cannabis seeds is something that varies in terms of its legality from country to country, and this can make it incredibly hard to know when you can purchase cannabis seeds, and when you cant. As part of this, you should also think about how many seeds you are allowed to purchase at any one time; after all, just because you might be allowed to purchase seeds in some regions, this does not mean that you are legally allowed to purchase as many as you would like either!

So, before you start looking into whether or not you are ready to buy your own cannabis seeds, it’s important that you understand the legality of purchasing cannabis seeds worldwide. Always remember to check your facts with your country or state’s current guidelines, too, as cannabis possession and usage rules are always evolving and this means that the guidance also needs to change rapidly to keep up with these changes!

What Are Cannabis Seeds and Why Are They Illegal Sometimes?

Before looking into this topic, it is important that you understand cannabis seeds and why they can sometimes be illegal. In general, most cannabis seeds cost between $10 and $20 each and of these seeds, female seeds will mature into plants that produce harvestable cannabis buds. These buds can then be used in a number of different applications for medicinal or recreational cannabis usage reasons!

Because cannabis is still illegal for use in many parts of the world, these countries have almost always outlawed the possession and use of cannabis seeds as well. However, the rules regarding cannabis seed usage can still be incredibly strict even in countries that have legalized cannabis use; therefore, you should always do your research before buying cannabis seeds to check you’re not breaking any laws in your country when making a purchase!

Legal Status of Purchasing Cannabis Seeds Worldwide

United States of America (USA)

On a federal level, it is still considered to be illegal for United States residents to purchase cannabis seeds due to the fact that cannabis is still a Schedule I drug. However, the rules regarding the usage of cannabis and the purchasing of cannabis seeds are actually different from that of federal law when you get down to a state-level; therefore, if you are looking to buy cannabis seeds in the United States, check the rules of your specific state for both whether or not buying and cultivating cannabis is legal, as well as for how many cannabis plants you are legally allowed to germinate yourself.

It is worth noting here that some activities actually bypass this ban on buying cannabis seeds, such as for bird food or additives to fishing bait.

Canada

The rules regarding cannabis use and cultivation in Canada are among the most straightforward and easy to understand. In Canada, both recreational and medicinal marijuana use is legal. The same act which enabled this – The Cannabis Act of October 17^th, 2018 – also allows Canadians to grow up to 4 cannabis plants in a single household. Seeds can be purchased from a number of licensed distributors and seed banks in Canada, so make sure you are buying from a reputable choice.

United Kingdom (UK)

The United Kingdom is a tricky case in terms of cannabis seeds, due to the fact that current legislation allows for the possession of cannabis seeds – but the tricky bit is that cultivating these seeds is not legal, except for a handful of registered companies and businesses which specialize in supplying pharmaceutical products for medicinal cannabis and hemp production.

Therefore, while it is legal to buy and own cannabis seeds in the UK – these are generally sold as collectors’ items, birdseed, or fish bait – actually germinating the seeds is still very much illegal. It is for this reason that the majority of British seed banks stress and emphasize greatly the fact that their seeds are not for germinating.

Australia

In Australia, the possession of cannabis seeds is legal for medicinal purposes, however, not for recreational purposes; with that being said, though, the Australian National Drug Strategy is notably lenient when it comes to sanctions and penalties for the possession and germination of cannabis seeds for non-medicinal use, too, so it could be interesting to see how the laws regarding the use of cannabis and cannabis seeds evolve in the coming years.

Don’t forget to check the specific rules of your state or province before buying any medicinal cannabis seeds, as the number of plants that you are allowed to grow will vary between them.

Spain

Rules regarding the use of and cultivation of cannabis seeds in Spain are similar to those in the United States of America (USA) in that the specifics vary from region to region. For example, in Catalonia and Barcelona, the use of cannabis is regarded leniently and even in a positive light; contrastingly to this other regions are far more strict on the use of cannabis, and this will also impact on the rules when it comes to buying cannabis seeds.

So, if you’re looking to buy cannabis seeds, make sure you do your research and consider your region’s laws. Indeed, while the Spanish systems are notably lenient in terms of cannabis, Spain is still involved with the prevention of large scale mass trafficking of cannabis seeds and so their stance on the topic is a complicated one, to say the least.

With that being said, buying and selling cannabis seeds and hemp products is legal in Spain, which is why Spain is often the base for many European seed banks and seed provides.

Italy

The Italian law has a key loophole which makes the sale and possession of cannabis seeds legal, which is that only cannabis products or derivatives containing 0.6% THC or greater are illegal; since the seeds are free from THC prior to cultivation, they are therefore officially legal for purchase.

Furthermore, this rule also means that cannabis seeds can even be cultivated so long as they will not contain more than the specific 0.6% THC content; therefore, opt for a strain of hemp seeds if you’re looking to grow legal cannabis in Italy, or otherwise make sure your plants are not allowed to flower (due to the fact that immature cannabis plants will have a greatly reduced THC content than mature ones).

France

An industrial hemp industry does exist in France, with producers growing 20 different strains which all provide a THC content of under 0.2%, however buying cannabis seeds in France is a little trickier. Indeed, cannabis use, possession, cultivation, and sale are still illegal in the country; with that being said, it is potentially technically legal to import cannabis seeds from elsewhere due to the free trade laws of the EU. However, you should always err on the side of caution with this, and preferably, don’t risk it!

Germany

The rules in Germany are pretty clear and easy to understand regarding the use of cannabis and the cultivation of cannabis seeds; in short, as cannabis is classed as an Annex I drug under the BtMG narcotics law, it is completely illegal to use it, have possession of it, or cultivate cannabis seeds. This also means that buying and selling cannabis seeds is illegal in Germany! With that being said, though, cases have been seen in the German Federal Administrative Court which made an exemption for the rule for individual cases for the cultivation of medicinal marijuana; therefore, while growing cannabis seeds is illegal, there could be the potential for Germany to legalize cannabis seed cultivation at some point in the future.

Belgium

Belgium is a tricky case in terms of buying and selling cannabis seeds, as doing so is a legal grey area in that it is neither classified as being legal or illegal by the government and laws. On that score, though, THC itself is an illegal substance, so cultivating the seeds is likely to be classified as being illegal as well. As a result of this, most cannabis seed sellers tend to avoid having a base in Belgium and instead choose other European countries.

The Netherlands

The Netherlands is well known for being progressive when it comes to cannabis use, purchase, sale, and possession. As a result of this, cannabis seeds are legal to buy in the country and can even be purchased in some coffee shops – not something you see often around the world! Of course, there are still regulations that must be adhered to, and foreign tourists are also only able to purchase cannabis seeds in certain cities that have avoided passing the Weed Pass rule (which prevents tourists from purchasing seeds). Do your research to check where you can buy cannabis seeds from, then, if you are traveling to the Netherlands as opposed to a resident.

Czech Republic

Since cannabis seeds, as they are, do not contain THC, it is legal for buyers to purchase cannabis seeds in the Czech Republic. Furthermore, the 2010 amendment allowed residents to cultivate up to a maximum of five cannabis plants per household.

India

India has actually excluded cannabis seeds, as well as cannabis leaves, from their list of banned substances; this thus means that it is legal to have possession of cannabis seeds in India, and as part of this, the dish Bhang is actually a popular one which is prepared with these ingredients.

Therefore, it is legal to possess cannabis seeds in India; however, it is important to prevent the plant from flowering if you do cultivate the seeds, as the flower of cannabis plants is still illegal and mentioned in the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. Make sure you check the specific state’s rules for further guidance on this.

Final Thoughts

Cannabis laws vary around the world. There are a huge number of different countries that have legalized the use of cannabis for recreational, medicinal, or both purposes. However, it is important that you check the rules for your country before purchasing because these can change on a regular basis, and not every country will allow its residents to grow cannabis seeds in the first place! Always do your research to make sure you’re staying on the right side of the law!