Breaking with the global approach, Hong Kong decided to ban CBD and classify it as a dangerous drug. The ban on its consumption and marketing has now been enacted.
From now on, stiff penalties and huge fines – usually associated with narcotics like heroin – will be applied to those caught in the act of possessing, producing or smuggling CBD into Hong Kong.
In the wake of measures put in place in mainland China, the ban on CBD in Hong Kong was announced last year, when government officials cited the difficulty of distinguishing pure CBD from THC and the possibility of contamination. during the production process. They also cited how CBD can be converted into THC – for example for the production of delta-8 THC or other minor cannabinoids.
According to Hong Kong Free Press, the Hong Kong authorities began to crack down on CBD businesses in August. Residents had three months from October 27 to dispose of their CBD products in special boxes set up in the city.
Public bins for CBD in Hong Kong
“From February 1, cannabidiol, aka CBD, will be considered a dangerous drug and will be supervised and managed by the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance,” Customs Intelligence Officer Au-Yeung Ka-lun said during of a press briefing.
“From then on, the transportation of CBD for sale, including import and export, as well as the production, possession and consumption of CBD, will be illegal,” Au-Yeung said.
Anyone caught importing, exporting or producing CBD could face life imprisonment and a fine of 5 million Hong Kong dollars (€650,000). Those caught in possession of CBD face up to seven years in prison and a fine of one million Hong Kong dollars (€130,000).
“We will attack all types of dangerous drugs from all angles and from all sides, and intelligence-based law enforcement is our primary focus,” Chan Kai-ho, division commander, told reporters on Friday. within the Department’s Airport Command.
Chan said authorities will apply the law on a case-by-case basis and “seek legal advice from our Department of Justice to determine what further actions will be.” »
the South China Morning Post reports that since 2019, the department said it had seized more than 4,100 CBD products containing traces of THC. Between January 2018 and December 2022, authorities arrested 38 people for their alleged links to 68 cases where CBD products were believed to contain THC.
In January 2022, Hong Kong customs officers arrested nine people and seized 25,000 items of CBD worth HK$14.6 million for the same reasons.
Yet in 2020, Hong Kong’s first CBD cafe opened, selling a full range of CBD products, including bottles of CBD oil for personal use, powders to add to food such as oil and butters, and other products, including pet pain relief products.
