The consumption of hemp seeds has been given the green light in New Zealand and Australia under a new agreement.
Photo: 123rf
Ministers at the Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation in Adelaide today approved a standard to allow safe levels of low-THC hemp seed as food.
THC is one of the psychoactive components of cannabis.
Australian Assistant Health Minister David Gillespie said he was satisfied that hemp seeds were suitable for consumption and would not lead to positive drug tests.
"The body of evidence ... is reassuring that roadside testing and drug-testing wouldn't be falsely positive by virtue of ingesting low-THC foods."
New Zealand Food Safety Minister David Bennett said growing hemp seed would lead to job creation and an exciting new industry for New Zealand.
It could take up to 18 months before legal changes were made to allow the new standard to take effect.