The UK consumer cannabinoid industry today issued an urgent plea calling on the Home Office to put in place a legal framework to cover the sale of CBD products – something which it committed to doing in January 2021.
CBD products have been sold online and on every High Street for over ten years without legal clarity or formal regulation.
In February 2020 the Food Standards Agency (FSA) unveiled detailed plans to regulate CBD as a food product. Millions of pounds have since been invested in research by an industry eager to meet the highest food safety standards mandated by the Novel Foods process.
In January 2021, the Home Office sought advice from the Government’s Advisory Committee on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) to make necessary amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Act to accommodate the sale of CBD products. After a year-long public consultation and public call for evidence, ACMD submitted a comprehensive report to the Home Office in December 2021 outlining clear recommendations regarding what would constitute an appropriate legal framework to accommodate CBD sales.
Despite this, the Home Office has still not taken any further action or provided any such legal clarity.
The resulting uncertainty now constitutes an existential threat to the future of over 400 companies who supply over 12,000 products consumed by 18 million adults in the UK, jeopardising a market estimated to be worth £690 million.
This lack of legal clarity now prevents the FSA from granting Novel Food authorisations, stalling businesses’ operations and impeding innovation in the sector. Recent actions taken by the Home Office against a well-established CBD company have exposed the vulnerability of every business operating in this sector.
The #SaveOurCBD campaign launched today by industry leaders has a simple ask:
“We call on the Home Office to provide urgent clarity regarding the establishment of a legal framework within which businesses can operate securely, safely, and responsibly.”
CBD products have become a vital part of the lives of millions of consumers, with over 12,000 products permitted for sale by the FSA. The food safety authority regulates over-the-counter CBD products in England and Wales, recommending a maximum daily intake of 70mg.
Steve Moore, a representative of the #SaveOurCBD campaign and Lead Counsel for The Association for the Cannabinoid Industry says: “We understand the complexities the Home Office faces, but businesses have consistently acted responsibly throughout this period. There is no valid reason why the Home Office cannot provide the much-needed legal clarity that the industry urgently seeks.”
The #SaveOurCBD campaign, endorsed by numerous leading organisations and businesses in the CBD sector, calls on the Home Office to address this issue as a matter of utmost urgency. By drawing on the expert advice provided by the ACMD and other stakeholders in 2021, the Home Office can pave the way for a thriving and regulated CBD industry in the UK.
