Czech Republic to authorize products with 1% THC

The Czech Republic is about to make official the controlled sale of low-THC cannabis (up to 1 %) and its derivatives from July 2025.

This policy is part of the law on mood-altering substances, which aims to regulate psychoactive substances considered to present minimal risks to public health.

What do the regulations cover?

The regulation focuses on substances classified as presenting a low risk on the basis of scientific evidence. For the time being, these are the following substances:

• Low-THC cannabis flowers (1% max)
• Cannabis extracts and oils (1% max THC)
• Kratom and kratom extracts

The HHC (hexahydrocannabinol) and its derivatives are currently under review, but are not among the substances that can be sold under this regulation.

In the Czech Republic, the cannabis containing less than 1 % THC was previously classified as «technical hemp». This classification created a grey area in which cannabis with 1% THC was already being sold in stores or online. The Psychomodulatory Substances Act aims to regulate these products and their sale to adults.

Sales will be limited to specialty stores who will apply strict age restrictions to ensure that no minors have access to these products. Visit online retailers will have to have a physical storefront, and automated sales via vending machines will be prohibited.

The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the’National Institute of Public Health, will oversee the classification and evaluation of these substances. The European Commission's review of the framework, scheduled for completion by mid-2025, will ensure compliance with EU regulations.

This policy reflects the countries like Switzerland, where cannabis with 1% THC and its oils and extracts have been on the market since 2016.