In China, marijuana is not permitted for either medical or recreational use.
In the past, fiber, seeds, oil, and some traditional medicines were all produced from the cannabis plant, which has a long history in the nation. In recent years, the nation has revived its industrial hemp cultivation. However, harsh punishments are still imposed on those who use or grow marijuana for personal use.
China’s Cannabis History
China has cultivated cannabis for many years. Indeed, some of the earliest archaeological proof of hemp use was discovered in China, where some rope imprints on a shattered piece of pottery were discovered.
It was utilized by the ancient Chinese for fighting, clothing, rope, and other purposes. It was perfect for producing bow strings since it was robust and long-lasting, which allowed arrows to fly farther. The first people in the world to invent this were the Chinese, who also used it to make paper.
Cannabis was revered as medicine in addition to its many practical uses. It was referred to as “ma” and was used to cure a wide range of ailments, including malaria and constipation as well as gout and menstrual pain. Even as an anesthetic to lessen discomfort during surgery.
In China, cannabis has been used continuously since the beginning of time. The advantages of cannabis were still being studied in 1949, the year the People’s Republic of China was founded. But over the 20th century, notably in the 1990s, many of the plantations were destroyed as a result of growingly unfavorable opinions.
China Medical Marijuana Laws
China does not permit the medical use of cannabis. Similar to heroin or cocaine, marijuana is classified as a narcotic drug, and depending on the severity of the offense, possession for any purpose is penalized by imprisonment or possibly the death penalty.
Despite being manufactured in the nation and exported abroad, non-psychoactive cannabidiol (CBD) is not permitted for use in food or medicine.
Can You Grow Cannabis In China?
Illegal cannabis cultivation for personal or medical use by Chinese nationals is prohibited in China.
Since becoming a sovereign nation, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has had a strict anti-drug policy. Despite the long history of cannabis production in Yunnan province, China outlawed all hemp cultivation in 1985.
It was once grown for traditional Chinese medicine and used to manufacture textiles like rope. China, however, started allowing the region to begin industrial hemp growing in 2010. China is now the world’s largest producer of hemp fiber as a result of this verdict.
What marijuana products may I buy or use in China?
In China, industrial cannabis is mostly utilized for manufacturing applications, such as the production of construction materials, paper, rope, textiles, canvas, and sails from its fiber. Traditional Chinese medicine can also employ industrial cannabis root and leaf unprocessed. Cosmetics can use a specific extract (CBD) from industrial cannabis. Currently, it is not permitted to use CBD or THC extracts as food additives, tinctures, medicine, or edibles.
Does Quantity Affect How Enforcement Is Carried Out?
Yes, by PRC criminal law, the amount of drugs, including cannabis, used is typically a determining factor in the criminal liability for drug-related offenses.
Anyone who illegally grows, transports, carries, trades, or possesses marijuana may face criminal charges. Depending on the quantity, the punishment could include fines as well as a set term of up to three years imprisonment (or criminal detention or public monitoring), along with other penalties.
Aside from being fined, anyone who cultivates cannabis illegally must remove the plants. If there are more than 5,000 but fewer than 30,000 plants, the offender may also receive a fixed-term prison sentence (or criminal detention or public surveillance) of up to five years. If there are more than 30,000, the sentence could be more than five years in prison. However, uprooting plants voluntarily before harvest will not result in punishment.
A fixed term of jail (or criminal detention or public monitoring) of no more than three years may be imposed as a punishment for unlawfully purchasing, transporting, carrying, or having cannabis seeds that have not been inactivated.
Conclusion
While cannabis with a THC level of more than 0.3% is still prohibited in the country for use in medicine and for recreational purposes, hemp production and sales are permitted for industrial uses.
Under PRC criminal law, marijuana possession, use, or sale carries harsh penalties, in extreme circumstances, including the death penalty. Patients who use medical marijuana shouldn’t bring any cannabis products into China.