The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released a report on the hemp industry boom in Europe, recognizing that the cannabis crop is an increasingly important economic commodity that could also help the region achieve bold climate-related goals.
The USDA report—titled “European Union: Market Trends and Regulations for Industrial Hemp in the European Union” and released late last month—discusses how hemp has been grown and utilized in the region for “thousands of years” and how cannabis products from the non-intoxicating plant are growing in popularity as more countries depart with prohibition.
“All parts of the plant were consumed in European countries since the Middle Age: hemp seeds, leaves, flowers, and extracts,” the report says. “Hemp has also been used in ancient medicines and as a source of fiber for rope making or textiles.”
But, as in the U.S., Europe saw hemp bans in the 20th century, which partly contributed to the region’s increased reliance on less sustainable, “fossil-based alternatives” for industrial purposes. The re-legalization of hemp has created renewed interest in the plant, and the European Union (EU) is currently “evaluating opportunities to expand hemp usage,” USDA said. One of the motivations behind that trend is the region’s interest in reducing “the use of fossil fuels and carbon-intensive products.”
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