Do you live in the UK and are thinking of trying CBD for the first time?

Are you thinking of trying CBD products for the very first time? You might want to make 100% sure that they are completely legal as well as 100% safe to use not only in the UK but also for your body. For CBD products to be sold to customers they need to meet certain standards in the UK.

When did CBD become legal in the UK?

In 2016, the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said that any products with CBD could be classified as medicine if they were being used for medicinal purposes. In order for anyone to sell, supply or advertise any CBD products as medicines, you must have a license. This licensing helps to ensure that all CBD oil products comply with all safety and quality standards. These regulations assist in making sure that CBD products are safe for people to take when bought from trusted suppliers.

Legislation around CBD in the UK

CBD is 100% legal in the UK; HOWEVER CBD oil law in the UK says that products have to meet a set of criteria in order to be legally sold for human consumption. A lot of the CBD products found on both the Internet as well as the shelf might not always be properly regulated or suitable to be sold. This means that when you come to look to buy CBD products, whether it is for the first time or the 100^th time it is always best to purchase from a trusted website or store to make sure the products you are consuming are completely safe. If you are ever in doubt please consult your doctor and make sure you always read labels, ingredient lists or lab reports before consuming any form of CBD product.

For CBD products to be sold in the UK they must not contain any more than 0.2% THC (As of February 2021). THC is the compound from the cannabis plant that is naturally psychoactive and gets you high. Even though CBD is taken from the exact same plant, CBD should only ever have a minuscule, if any, amount of THC in it in order to be legally sold.

CBD becoming classified as novel food.

The CBD industry was shaken up in January 2019 when it was added to the Novel Foods catalogue in the UK. Even though this novel food catalogue doesn’t have any formal legal status in the UK it does allow authorities to make decisions around CBD products and whether or not they classify as novel foods, meet safety regulations and the legality of sale.

CBD is now classed as a dietary/food supplement and should be taken accordingly. Always remember that although CBD products are to be used as food supplements they should never be used to replace a healthy varied diet.

What does novel food mean for CBD?

CBD products now being classed as novel foods isn’t necessarily a bad thing for the CBD market as novel foods are simply food that hasn’t been available in the UK or Europe to the public before the date of May 1997. This date is important as the foods included are done so because they are considered relatively new to their specific markets so are thought to not have adequate ‘history of consumption’. The FSA (Food Standards Agency) ensures that all of these products are completely safe to eat or drink. Every time a new food is going to be added to the ever-growing list it must undergo a rigorous safety assessment and then has to be authorised before it can be legally marketed to the public in the UK.

Is it legal to travel & drive when taking CBD products?

Because CBD is 100% legal in the UK you shouldn’t ever have any issues when taking CBD products on domestic flights whilst still being in the UK. If you are planning on travelling outside the UK though it is always best to do some research yourself and even possibly contact the company you are flying with to make sure it is going to be ok. If you are travelling by airplane you may want to keep in mind that if you have any CBD products that are in liquid form then they will be restricted to the 100ml hand luggage rule. If you’re traveling long haul then we would always recommend checking the legal status and laws surrounding CBD in the country that you are travelling to.

For CBD products to be sold legally in the UK they need to have extremely low levels of THC content. This means that they aren’t going to get you high, as they don’t have any psychoactive effects. Driving whilst taking CBD products should be completely safe and legal but we still recommend reading full ingredient lists, lab reports or even consulted a doctor before starting your CBD journey.