Another Hemp APPG?
The UK’s hemp and cannabis sector has never been short on good intentions.
Does Parliament Need Another Hemp APPG?
The UK’s hemp and cannabis sector has never been short on good intentions. All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) have long been the favoured vehicle for raising awareness, connecting policymakers with industry, and building consensus on reform. But do we really need another hemp-focused APPG, whether it’s for carbon capture, industrial innovation, or the next buzzword that rides into Westminster?
The Problem with Multiplication
On paper, the creation of more APPGs might look like progress. They signal interest, attract MPs and Peers, and promise fresh platforms for debate. Yet in practice, multiple groups can fracture an already fragile ecosystem. Instead of building momentum, they risk duplicating work, confusing parliamentarians, and creating silos that keep stakeholders apart.
The reality is that rivals within the sector often struggle to work together. Some refuse to share tables, while others hover around like information-gathering vampires, taking data, contacts, and insights before disappearing to “launch their own thing.” Rather than amplifying the industry’s collective voice, this splintering undermines it.
Lost in Translation
Another recurring challenge is the lack of a shared language. Policymakers, industry veterans, and newcomers often speak at cross-purposes. Without alignment on terminology, priorities, and goals, APPGs risk becoming echo chambers. Too often, new players ride in on their white horses, eager to claim leadership without recognising the “OG” crowd who have held the line for years. The result? Initiatives that burn bright for a season before fizzling away.
What Parliament Actually Needs
Parliament doesn’t necessarily need another APPG - it needs clarity, unity, and credibility. An effective group should:
- Speak with one voice: unify the message on industrial hemp, carbon capture, and sustainable innovation rather than fragment into niche causes.
- Build trust with policymakers: show consistent, evidence-based advocacy that is not driven by personal agendas.
- Engage cross-sector stakeholders: from farming and construction to medicine and sustainability, hemp cuts across industries, and so must the advocacy.
- Commit to longevity: too many groups make a splash and then fade away. Parliamentarians need continuity, not revolving doors.
The bottom line
Another hemp APPG will not solve the sector’s challenges. In fact, it risks becoming yet another short-lived distraction. What is urgently required is collaboration, discipline, and the humility to share platforms, data, and influence for the sake of the bigger picture.
Until the industry itself decides to work together, no number of APPGs will move the dial in Westminster. The question isn’t whether Parliament needs another hemp APPG - it’s whether the industry is ready to make the one it already has truly matter.
