UK CBD industry representatives are urging the Home Office to protect the sector and reassure millions of consumers with greater clarity and stricter regulation.
A new campaign, led by theAssociation for the Cannabinoid Industry (ACI), is asking the Home Office to put in place a legal framework covering the sale of CBD products, which it pledged to do in January 2021.
In the UK, CBD products have been sold online and in supermarkets for over a decade, despite the lack of official regulation. In recent years, they have become popular due to their potential health and well-being benefits, and around 18 million adults are said to consume them regularly.
In February 2020, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) unveiled detailed plans to regulate CBD as a food product. As a result, the industry has invested millions of pounds in research to comply with regulations.
In January 2021, the Ministry of the Interior sought the opinion of theAdvisory Committee on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) of the government to make the necessary changes to the Misuse of Drugs Act (Misuse of Drugs Act) with respect to the sale of CBD products.
After a year-long public consultation and call for evidence, the ACMD submitted a comprehensive report to the Home Office in December 2021, in which it sets out its recommendations on what would constitute an appropriate legal framework to allow the sale of CBD. Despite this, the Interior Ministry has yet to take any action.
A British industry in peril?
The Food Safety Authority currently regulates over-the-counter CBD products in England and Wales, with over 12,000 products authorized for sale by the FSA. The lack of legal clarity would prevent the FSA from granting authorizations for certain products considered novel foods, which would block the activities of companies and hinder innovation in the sector.
The UK CBD industry is estimated to be worth around £690million, but according to ACI the current uncertainty is putting the future of more than 400 businesses at risk.
In July, a Jersey-based CBD company, Jersey Hemp, was forced to close when the Home Office restricted the export of its products to the UK after it was found to contain traces of THC.
Industry leaders say the actions highlight the “vulnerability” of all companies operating in this sector.
The #SaveOurCBD campaign, launched on Monday 28 August, calls on the Home Office to urgently address this issue: “We call on the Home Office to provide urgent clarity regarding the establishment of a legal framework in which businesses can operate safely and responsibly. »
Steve Moore, #SaveOurCBD Campaign Representative and Senior Advocate for theAssociation for the Cannabinoid Industry, commented: “We understand the complexities facing the Home Office, but the companies have always acted responsibly throughout this period. There is no valid reason why the Home Office cannot provide the legal clarity the industry has been waiting for.”
The Ministry of the Interior will provide “more clarity” on the limits of controlled cannabinoids
The government is reportedly still considering the recommendations of the ACMD report.
In a statement to CannabisHealth, the Home Office has insisted it wants to provide “more clarity” to industry regarding the permitted limits set for controlled substances, such as THC, in herbal products. CBD. Businesses are also advised to seek legal advice on the activities they wish to undertake.
A spokesperson for the Home Office said: “This is a complex policy area and we are carefully considering the recommendations in the report of theAdvisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (Advisory Council on Drug Abuse), who asked for advice on the matter. »
“We want to provide more clarity for responsible suppliers by introducing defined permitted limits for the content of controlled cannabinoids in consumer CBD products. This will make it easier for responsible suppliers to produce and supply consumer CBD products.”
