RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia’s agricultural scientists have the green light to study the industrial properties of hemp — but only from seeds that are kept under lock and key and closely monitored under Drug Enforcement Administration standards.

A federal law giving the go-ahead to study hemp for industrial purposes has been in place since 2014. But Virginia scientists were unable to do so until a state law was enacted last year that allowed the plant’s cultivation for research.

Three of Virginia’s public universities — Virginia State, Virginia Tech and James Madison — have submitted applications to the state to study the commercial benefits of hemp this year.

The universities must get the seeds from the Virginia Department of Agriculture, but first had to land a permit from the DEA.

An additional requirement is that hemp grown for research contain no more than 3 percent tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. Private farmers may grow the crop only in conjunction with university studies and with state licenses.

But universities must do more than get all their paperwork approved. While the kind of hemp they’re studying won’t offer much of a buzz, universities must take security measures “because thieves may not know that,” says Elaine Lidholm, a spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Agriculture.

The main concern isn’t someone sneaking onto plots — it’s accounting for the pellet-sized hemp seeds. They are required to be kept in locked boxes accessible only to principal investigators.

Continue reading on StyleWeekly.com, to find out more about this process and when the research will start.

EDITOR’S NOTE: WTVR.com has partnered with Style Weekly and sometimes features excerpts from their original reports. This story was reported by journalist Leah Small.