Times have changed, and what was once outlawed is now growing in popularity in the UK. Hemp was once banned in the United Kingdom after World War One due to various concerns on the effects of cannabis and the people’s confusion between the forms of cannabis and hemp.
CBD-derived products are now becoming popular, but there are still restrictions regarding their use. The UK has laws that limit access and sale of CBD.
For starters, people are prohibited from growing hemp unless they’re licenced by the Home Office Controlled Drugs Licensing department. Licenced individuals can grow industrial hemp for three years as long as they’ll plant them far away from public places. The licence also covers the cultivation and possession of cannabis.
Companies can sell their CBD products, including CBD capsules, tablets, and oil, as long as they don’t claim that they have medicinal benefits. Any therapeutic claims for CBD-derived products are reserved for those licenced by the Medicine and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. Hemp-based CBD products can be sold as long as the amount of controlled cannabinoids like Tetrahydrocannabinol or THC is within the permitted amount under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
Sale of CBD products may be permitted, but shipping hemp oil sprays and other items are still restricted. Only countries that allow CBD can receive shipments of such products. EU countries have different laws regarding CBD, and some are stricter than the UK’s.
The laws concerning CBD are strict, but it doesn’t mean that it’s entirely illegal. To understand the UK’s CBD laws, see this infographic by Love CBD.