CBD-derived products have become popular in recent times, and the sudden surge of interest led to the question of CBD’s legality. The UK has outlawed hemp after World War One due to concerns on the psychoactive effects of cannabis, thanks to the people’s confusion on hemp with the other forms of cannabis.
Growing hemp in the UK is prohibited unless they are licenced to grow industrial hemp. United Kingdom residents must apply for a licence from the Home Office Controlled Drugs Licensing department. The licence covers both the possession and cultivation of hemp, but there are still restrictions on where one can grow them. The licences for growing industrial hemp last for three years.
CBD products are now popular among UK residents, and companies can meet this demand as long as they don’t advertise that such products have medicinal benefits. Any positive therapeutic claims on hemp-based CBD products are restricted unless licenced by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.Items like CBD capsules can be sold as long as the amount of controlled cannabinoids in the product follows what is stated in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
Despite the boom in the CBD industry, shipping CBD capsules, hemp oil sprays, and other CBD items are restricted only to countries that allow such products. The many countries in the EU have different laws concerning CBD products, and some are stricter than the UK. Generally, the CBD product must originate from an industrial hemp strain approved by the EU.
The strict laws on CBD and hemp prohibit any brand from claiming that they have medicinal benefits. Brands must have a thorough understanding of the UK’s CBD laws, shown in Love CBD’s infographic here, to profit from this business.
