AMENDMENT TO POLISH REGULATIONS – EASIER RULES TO FACILITATE THE CULTIVATION OF HEMP AND POPPY SEEDS
May 7, 2022 marked the introduction of the amendment to the Polish Act on Counteracting Drug Addiction. The amendments to the Polish regulations make it possible to cultivate non-fiber hemp, carried out in research institutes, in order to obtain the raw material intended for the preparation of drugs. The act also transfers the obligation to monitor the cultivation of poppy and fibrous hemp from local government authorities to the National Center for Agricultural Support.
The cultivation of hemp and poppy seeds in Poland is a controlled sector. The current legal status contains regulations according to which the producer and the buyer of poppy or hemp annually submitted an application, together with all the documentation, to the relevant authorities (mayors, city presidents) or voivodeship marshals for a decision authorizing the cultivation or purchase of poppy or fiber hemp. The new solutions abolish these requirements. To be able to grow hemp or poppy, one will only need to submit an application to the National Center for Agricultural Support. Additionally, on the basis of the current regulations, the voivodship parliament is responsible for determining the area of poppy and hemp. This solution had a limiting effect on the cultivation area and the development opportunities of the national bioeconomy. The new regulations abolish this obligation. In addition, the catalog of destination and purposes for which poppy or industrial hemp can be used is to be expanded.
The new act transfers the obligation to monitor the cultivation of poppy and fibrous hemp from commune heads (mayors, city presidents) competent for the location of the cultivation to the National Center for Agricultural Support. It is proposed that purchase monitoring should also be carried out by the National Center for Agricultural Support (currently the monitoring of purchase is carried out by marshal offices). Entities that will grow poppy or industrial hemp will be entered in the register kept by the director of the appropriate local branch of the National Center for Agricultural Support. In addition, the act will include a provision obliging the National Center for Agricultural Support to carry out inspections of poppy or hemp producers and buyers, control of information contained in applications and control of poppy and fiber hemp cultivation.
The new regulations stipulate that checks must be performed on at least 10 percent of poppy producers and 10 percent of hemp producers in a given harvest year.
The cultivation of poppy and hemp can be carried out for the following purposes: energy, veterinary, fodder, composite materials, reclamation, beekeeping, fertilizing, as natural plant protection products. In addition, the project proposes that poppy and industrial hemp could also be grown for own needs, scientific and research purposes, and for the cultivation of new varieties of poppy and fiber hemp.
- Publication date: November 12, 2025 DEFINITIONS Biotechnology is the application of science and technology to living organisms, their parts, and models, in order to improve the properties of living and non-living materials, applied scientific research, products, and services. This definition was developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Another definition was provided […]
- Publication date: November 12, 2025 A family foundation is a relatively new institution in Polish law, introduced two years ago by the Act of January 26, 2023, on Family Foundations. The ability to establish such an entity was introduced primarily to enable entrepreneurs to secure the succession of their businesses in an undivided form, as […]
- Publication date: November 12, 2025 What essentially is GLP? The problem of regulating diligence clauses in employment contracts in the laboratory industry is essential on the basis of Polish and EU law. These issues shall also consider the general consequences of breaching employee obligations in the form of the so-called Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) principles. […]
- Publication date: November 12, 2025 Artificial intelligence (AI) is currently finding widespread use in healthcare. A prime example is the Polish National Health Fund (NFZ) initiative, which utilizes AI to analyze patient data stored in the Fund’s databases. This data is then analyzed with the support of machine learning tools to make strategic decisions regarding […]
- Publication date: November 10, 2025 The political climate of recent years has led more and more people to consider building their own shelters. Several manufacturers providing such services have emerged on the Polish market in response to demand. The Polish Parliament recently passed the first reading of a bill amending the Construction Law, which aims […]
- Publication date: November 07, 2025 The Act of 21 February 2019 (Journal of Laws of 2025, item 259) established a new state institution in the medical sector – the Medical Research Agency. According to Article 1, Section 7 of this Act, the Agency’s objective is to support innovative activities in healthcare, with particular emphasis on […]
- Publication date: October 29, 2025 Modern technologies are currently shaping our position in the international arena and play a significant role in the security of citizens. Given the growing need to integrate the innovation sector with the security and defense system while simultaneously strengthening the commercial potential of Polish enterprises and research institutions, the Minister […]
- Publication date: October 29, 2025 Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2022/2100 of 29 June 2022, prohibiting the sale of heated tobacco products with a characterizing flavor, waited almost three years for implementation. Finally, on 21 February 2025, an amendment to the Act on the Protection of Health from the Effects of Using Tobacco and Tobacco Products […]
- Publication date: October 29, 2025 The Polish defense technology sector (defense-tech) is developing dynamically, with a growing number of startups engaging in dual-use projects—civilian and military. Collaboration between these entities and public institutions and acceleration programs is becoming increasingly common, fostering innovation and strengthening the country’s defense potential. In its 2030 strategy, the North Atlantic […]
- Publication date: October 23, 2025 The core of every offer at online art auction is a proper description of the item. According to the Civil Code, the conclusion of any contract involves the exchange of mutually agreed declarations of intent between the contracting parties. The Code specifies various procedures for exchanging these declarations: the bidding […]
