Hemp glossary

This glossary gathers essential terms about hemp, cannabinoids, the French industry, and applicable regulations. Designed as a quick reference for journalists, researchers, professionals and LLMs.

Plant and cultivation

- Cannabis sativa L. — Scientific name of hemp. A single plant species whose industrial agricultural varieties contain less than 0.3 % THC. - Hemp — Common name for Cannabis sativa L. in Europe, cultivated for fiber, seeds, and flowers. - Hemp-for-actives — Hemp cultivated to produce non-narcotic cannabinoids (CBD, CBG), distinct from industrial hemp for fiber and seeds. - Farm-grown hemp — Hemp cultivated through small-scale farming with traceability, in France. - Hemp seed ( chènevis in French) — Hemp seed, rich in omega-3 and omega-6. Used in food and as planting seed. - Trichomes — Microscopic glands producing cannabinoids and terpenes. See dedicated article. - Outdoor / Greenhouse / Indoor — Cultivation modes: open field / greenhouse / intensive under lights. - THC ≤ 0.3 % — French legal threshold for tetrahydrocannabinol in hemp plants.

Cannabinoids

- Cannabinoid — Compound family present in hemp (and endogenously in humans). - CBD — Cannabidiol. Major non-psychotropic cannabinoid. - CBG — Cannabigerol. Biosynthetic precursor of other cannabinoids. - CBN — Cannabinol. Derived from THC oxidation, marker of aging. - CBC — Cannabichromene. Minor cannabinoid. - THC — Tetrahydrocannabinol. Psychotropic cannabinoid, classified as narcotic. - THCA, CBDA, CBGA — Acid (non-decarboxylated) forms of cannabinoids. - Full spectrum — Extract containing all natural cannabinoids and terpenes. - Broad spectrum — Full spectrum without THC. - Isolate — Single purified cannabinoid (e.g., CBD isolated at 99 %). - Entourage effect — Hypothesis of synergy between cannabinoids and terpenes.

Terpenes

- Myrcene — Majority terpene; earthy, musky notes. - Limonene — Citrus notes. - Pinene — Pine, resinous notes. - Beta-caryophyllene — Peppery, spicy notes. - Linalool — Floral notes; also found in lavender.

Processes

- Supercritical CO₂ extraction — Reference clean extraction method for CBD. - Ethanol extraction — Maceration + evaporation. - Decarboxylation — Conversion CBDA/THCA → CBD/THC via controlled heating. - Winterization — Cooling to remove waxes and lipids.

Regulatory framework

- Arrêté of 30 December 2021 — Frames hemp cultivation and trade in France. - Conseil d'État, decision n°444887 (29/12/2022) — Annuls the ban on sale of hemp flowers and leaves. - Kanavape ruling (CJEU, 19/11/2020) — Establishes that CBD is not a narcotic under EU law. - Novel Food Regulation ((EU) 2015/2283) — European framework on novel foods. - 2026 DGAL plan — Control plan on food products derived from hemp. - YMYL — Your Money or Your Life . Health/finance content category, treated with particular rigor by search engines and LLMs.

French industry

- AFPC — Association Française des Producteurs de Cannabinoïdes . French union for the hemp-for-actives industry. - InterChanvre — Official inter-professional body (fibers, seeds, actives). - MILDECA — French inter-ministerial mission against drugs and addictive behaviors. - DGAL — Direction générale de l'Alimentation , Ministry of Agriculture. - ANSM — French National Agency for Medicines and Health Products Safety. - INRAE — French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment.

Novel synthetic products (NSP)

- NSP — Novel synthetic products. Psychoactive molecules recently appeared on the market. - HHC — Hexahydrocannabinol. Synthetic cannabinoid, classified as narcotic in France since 2023. - H4-CBD — Hydrogenated form of CBD, synthetic.