French Police Threaten To Prosecute British Company For Marketing Hemp ProductsSeptember 3, 1998 - Paris, FranceBody Shop International remains under investigation in France after law enforcement seized a line of beauty products containing hemp seed oil. Although police readily returned the items -- which included lip conditioner, hand oil, and body lotion -- the company could face charges of encouraging drug use, a Body Shop spokeswoman told Bloomberg News Wire Sunday. "I know the French have perfected the art of irony in the past, but right now I'd like to see them get a better grip on the future," Body Shop founder Anita Roddick said. She added that the hemp seed oil used in the products targeted by police came from France. The country is one of Europe's leading producers of hemp fiber and goods. A spokesman for The Body Shop denied charges that the products promoted marijuana use, and said that they emphasized the differences between the two plant species. A spokesman for the prosecutor's office in Aix-en-Province countered that advertisements for the products depicted the hemp leaf because of its associated with marijuana. The Body Shop launched their new hemp product line in France only two weeks ago after enjoying success in Britain and America. In Britain, the hemp accessories accounted for 5 percent of the company's total sales one month after they introduced the series. Although U.S. federal law allows for the sale and use of hemp-based products, local law enforcement have occasionally tried to seize hemp accessories by claiming they violate marijuana laws. In almost all cases, the police later returned the merchandise.
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