Is CBD in the UK Legal?
CBD products are legal if they satisfy certain requirements like having zero THC. CBD products are legally permitted to sell in 'high street shops' as long as they meet EU regulations and the Misuse of Drugs Regulations.
Not all online and high street sellers sell reliable and safe products. This guide from CBD RAIDERS will give you more information about what to look out for.
Legality
The UK CBD market has grown significantly due to the availability of high-quality non-psychoactive marijuana. However there are a variety of concerns regarding the legality of CBD. The most popular type of CBD is oil, which is found in a variety of different products, such as health supplements and cosmetics. These products are sold in retail stores and on the internet. CBD contains cannabidiol which offers a variety of medicinal properties. It also contains other phytocannabinoids, such as CBG, CBN, and CBC. These phytocannabinoids could help regulate the effects THC, the compound that is responsible for the euphoric sensation that marijuana users experience. THC induces euphoria by activating specific receptors in the brain. These receptors are referred to as the endocannabinoid systems.
The CBD present in consumer products like vape juice and gummies originates from the low-THC cannabis, or 'hemp' plant. The hemp plant is grown under licence to produce fiber and seeds for commercial purposes, such as hemp oil and clothing. The license states that farmers must destroy any parts of the plant that have high levels of THC. This includes the buds and flower.
The cannabis industry has found ways to circumvent the Misuse of Drugs Act. Some companies claim that their products are exempt from the law under an exemption category referred to as 'exempt product.' This exemption permits the presence of up to 1% THC, however, only if certain conditions are fulfilled.
This is causing a great amount of confusion in the marketplace. For instance, some shops believe the THC limit for CBD vape juice is 0.2%. This is not the case. The legal limit for THC in CBD vape liquids is 1mg per bottle/container.
Source Webpage has recently published a report on the legality of CBD. It cites peer-reviewed scientific research, government reports (UK and international), a call for evidence conducted by the ACMD and a previous ACMD recommendations. It concludes that the current scenario is not sustainable and suggests that a legal framework for CBD for consumers CBD should be formulated.
Benefits
The UK CBD market is growing and there is increasing consumer curiosity about the potential health benefits of this cannabinoid. It is a nonpsychoactive cannabinoid that can be found in edibles, capsules, and drinks as well as in vaping liquids. It is also available in hemp oil, which is sold on the high streets and in a few health food stores. The popularity of hemp oil has led to some untrustworthy manufacturers making false claims about its benefits. It is crucial for consumers to know the distinction between different kinds of CBD.
The CBD that is used in many of the UK's CBD products originates from a cannabis plant called Industrial Hemp or Cannabis Sativa L. This plant is grown under the permission of a low-9-THC cannabis, which is used to make fibres and seeds. It is also widely employed in paper, clothing rope, building materials. Farmers are required to remove the plants that contain more than 1 mg of THC. This is a requirement of the license since tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is psychoactive and can lead to an 'high' sensation.
CBD extracted from the plant does not have psychoactive effects but still contains phytocannabinoids such as CBN, THC, and CBC. These phytocannabinoids don't cause any physical or mental effects, but they do aid in regulating the body's balance of neurotransmitters. This can help promote calm and lowers the risk of anxiety or depression.
Contrary to THC which is illegal for general sale, the phytocannabinoids in CBD are not regulated and so they can be sold legally. The UK hasn't fully embraced this yet, and it could take some time before regulations change and the market expands.
Trading Standards monitor the market and may revoke any product that makes medical or health claims that does not have an authentic Novel Food Authorisation from the FSA. The Chartered Institute of Trading Standards is also examining the market and may conduct laboratory testing of CBD products that are sold in shops.
Dosage
Industrial hemp, also referred to as Cannabis Sativa L, is cultivated mostly for its fibers, seeds and a small amount of psychoactive THC. The plant is only cultivated with a Home Office license, which permits it to be used for preparations that include the mature stalk, fiber or seeds but not leaves or flowers. To produce CBD for use in consumer products the entire plant has to be processed including the flower as well as leaves. This produces a product which is known as CBD isolate', but it has different amounts of other phytocannabinoids in the plant.
The concentrations of these other phytocannabinoids can vary among different varieties of cannabis and even between plants grown under the same conditions. There is limited data on the psychoactive effects that these other phytocannabinoids exhibit at levels likely to be found in CBD products for consumers. It was therefore determined to limit the levels (9-THC) and its precursor (9 -THCA), in the consumer CBD products to a level which is unlikely to cause significant psychoactive effects.
The other phytocannabinoids controlled by the FDA were also not subjected to a limit because they are hard and expensive to quantify. Limits can also impose unnecessary restrictions on the producers. There is also little evidence to suggest that other phytocannabinoids are clinically significant.
In conclusion the Working Group recommends that the maximum limit for the amount of 9-THC and 9-THCA in the consumer CBD product should be set at 50 micrograms per unit of consumption. This limit should be examined every two years. The Working Group also recommends Dstl to examine the controlled phytocannabinoids found in consumer CBD products to make sure that the limits are in place.
The recommendations of the Working Group are based on literature as well as government reports (UK & international), an ACMD call for evidence (ACMD 2020) and a previous ACMD report. The Group has also had discussions with representatives from industry, and with personnel at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory and Government Chemist's Team.
Safety
The CBD that is available in CBD products in the UK mainly comes from the Cannabis sativa L plant (hemp). In the UK hemp is mainly grown for its fibres. These are used to make clothing, rope, and building materials. The flowers and buds of the plant are not consumed. Farmers are required to destroy or leave the bud and flowers to decay on the farm. They are allowed to harvest only the stalks and seeds to make hemp oil, tinctures and other CBD-containing products.
The majority of CBD products for consumer use contain a combination of other phytocannabinoids that are in addition to CBD. These other phytocannabinoids include trans-dimethyl-tetrahydrocannabinol ( 9 -THC) and other cannabinoids controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The amount of these phytocannabinoids that are controlled in the final product isn't known as it is difficult to isolate these from consumer CBD products.
In the absence legislation that would require testing for these phytocannabinoids controlled, the The level of 9-THC in CBD products for consumers can vary widely. A Defence Science and Technology Laboratory study of 43 commercial CBD products found 16 (37%) contained more than 5mg of 9-THC. This amount can cause psychoactive effects comparable to standard alcohol units (Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, 2020a).
A THC limit is in place in the UK but there are many other regulations to be adhered to by the producers of CBD products. For example, food and drinks that contain CBD must comply with novel food regulation, which means they must be approved by the authorities before they can be sold. This could take up to a year, and cost hundreds, or even tens of thousands of pounds.
In 2023 the legal CBD oils will remain legal to purchase in the UK provided they contain at least 1mg of THC per bottle. However, there are certain products that are not regulated and will not remain in the market for long, considering the evidence of their harmful effects. The products that are not regulated will be confiscated by the police. To avoid this, consumers should only purchase their products from reputable producers.