Ecuador issues rules regulating the amount of THC in hemp products

Before importing and / or selling finished products for human use and consumption, the goods must receive the appropriate permits, which will confirm that the amount of THC in the final product does not exceed the parameters defined in the Rules.

The National Agency for the Regulation, Control and Supervision of Health (La Agencia Nacional de Regulación, Control y Vigilancia Sanitaria, Arcsa) of Ecuador has issued and published the “Sanitary Regulations for the Regulation and Control of the Sale of Finished Products for Human Use and Consumption that Contain Elements hemp or their derivatives ”. 

According to the published document, it is established that the maximum possible concentration of psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in goods is allowed: 

•  medicines, processed natural products for medical use and homeopathic medicines - less than 1% THC;

•  food products and food additives - less than 0.3% THC;

•  cosmetics - less than 1% THC;

•  medical products, hygiene products for industrial use, pesticides for home use, pesticides for industrial use, household hygiene products and absorbent personal care products - less than 1% THC. 

The rules establish that before the import and / or sale of finished products for use and consumption by humans, the goods must obtain the appropriate permits, which will confirm that the amount of psychoactive THC in the final product does not exceed the parameters defined in the above Sanitary and Technical Regulations.

The Regulations specifically state that drugs containing THC concentrations equal to or greater than 1% in their formulation will be considered to be strictly controlled. All forms of advertising for this type of product are prohibited, since the country allows the use of hemp for industrial, therapeutic and medical purposes, but its use for entertainment purposes is not allowed.

Commentary of experts of the Association "Ukrainian technical hemp"

During the training of students of the Hemp University , it is traditionally emphasized that in Ukraine there is a legal mechanism for the use of the therapeutic properties of cannabis, however, the imperfection of the current legislation does not allow the use of the leaves and inflorescences of therapeutic hemp, the industrial areas of which will be grown in 2021 year. In order to regulate the possibilities of using therapeutically active elements of the hemp plant for industrial purposes (as raw materials for food, drinks, cosmetic products, various additives, etc.), the profile Association of Ukrainian Hemp Growers in 2021 plans to initiate the adoption of a document similar to that on which is discussed in this material. The creation of an interdepartmental order regulating the maximum allowable value of the amount of THC in hemp products will open a huge export-oriented sector of modern cannabis growing in Ukraine, therefore, this topic will be given considerable attention during the next training of students of the Hemp University .