Düsseldorf – The Düsseldorf-based company Hempro Int. is suing the city of Düsseldorf. The reason is a general decree of July 11, 2020, which completely prohibits the marketing of cannabidiol (CBD)-containing foods. From the plaintiff’s point of view, the state capital has thus clearly misinterpreted a legal assessment by the North Rhine-Westphalia State Office for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection (LANUV).
“With this sales ban, the city of Düsseldorf is destroying jobs and creating uncertainty for consumers*” said Daniel Kruse, CEO of Hempro Int. and president of the European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA). “As if we had nothing more important to do in and after the current Corona crisis than to thwart innovative and ecological economic operators.” Hempro Int. is a leading European company belonging to a German group of companies for the cultivation of industrial hemp and the production and distribution of hemp products. In 2019, the group generated a turnover of 17 million euros and employed 53 employees*.
In a letter dated April 09, 2020, the LANUV only prohibits the distribution of products containing cannabidiol (as “CBD isolates” or “CBD-enriched hemp extracts”), but not traditionally produced natural extracts from parts of the hemp plant. This is a subtle but crucial difference for the commercial hemp industry, which is now leading to companies facing “closure” not only in Düsseldorf. With its ban on the sale of foodstuffs containing CBD, the city of Düsseldorf is even putting itself above the assessment of the German government.
By way of explanation, CBD products that exclusively reflect the natural spectrum of the ingredients of the industrial hemp plant do not contain any CBD isolates or CBD-enriched hemp extracts at all. For this reason, these products do not fall under the sales ban. Nevertheless, the city of Düsseldorf has banned their sale.
“In the end, I unfortunately had no choice but to file the lawsuit against my hometown,” Kruse regrets his decision. “Offers of talks have been studiously rejected by our mayor, Thomas Geisel.” Hempro Int. has repeatedly sought talks with the administrative leadership and the responsible Office for the Environment and Consumer Protection – without success. “In parallel, we have contacted the Ministry for the Environment, Agriculture, Nature and Consumer Protection NRW and the LANUV directly. Here we have received an answer and are looking forward to the dialogue with Minister Heinen-Esser,” Kruse remains optimistic.
In view of the local elections on September 13, 2020, Hempro Int. has also informed several candidates for the office of Lord Mayor of Düsseldorf about the lawsuit against the CBD sales ban and the administration’s lack of willingness to engage in dialogue.
Note for the media
Hempro Int. will gladly provide the statement of claim as well as all corresponding documents regarding the Düsseldorf CBD sales ban.
Please direct interview requests with CEO Daniel Kruse to
Contact
Hempro Int. GmbH & Co. KG
Daniel Kruse | CEO (Responsible for content)
Rüdiger Tillmann | Press Spokesman
Fon +49 171 3677028 | r.tillmann@jole-newsroom.com
Hempro Int. GmbH & Co. KG
Münsterstr. 336 | 40470 Düsseldorf
Fon +49 211 6999056-10 | info@hempro.com www.hempro.com
About Hempro International
Hempro International GmbH & Co. KG is one of the leading companies in Europe producing a comprehensive range of raw materials and products from hemp in certified organic quality. Customers are the hemp industry as well as producers of food, cosmetics, textiles and accessories made from hemp.
Hempro Int., based in Düsseldorf, Germany, consistently advances the use of hemp for natural and climate-friendly products. Hemp is one of the oldest useful plants in the world and can be used in many ways as a renewable raw material with high environmental compatibility.
This post was translated from DeepL.