Hemp

Updated: November 2009

Hemp has been cultivated for centuries as a source of fibre for rope, sail, and clothing, and the seed crushed for oil, food and feed. In Canada, hemp was outlawed in 1937 under the Narcotics Control Act. However, hemp varieties with low THC levels have since been developed, and in March of 1998 the ban was lifted, permitting the production of hemp under license. Canada has adopted a THC level of 0.3 per cent as the concentration that separates non-narcotic from narcotic cultivars.