Kentish Express Ashford & District
CBD oil is more than smoke and mirrors but regulation and safety remain hazy
pain to inflammation - have in them?
The answer is probably not what you expect.
A study commissioned by the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis (CMC) which examined 30 different products available in UK shops found several worrying issues.
It found 38% of the products tested had less than 50% of the advertised CBD content. One product had no CBD at all.
Perhaps most worryingly, 45% of the selected products had measurable levels of THC (on average around 0.04%) or another compound, cannabinol (CBN), which is thought by some to have psychoactive effects.
As a consequence, they were technically illegal in the UK.
To add to the concerns, one product had 3.8% ethanol - above the level which qualifies it as an alcoholic drink. In addition, seven products had levels of solvents and heavy metals which put them above food safety limits.
In light of the report the CMC has called for robust self-regulation from the industry.
Simon Bell, who owns Kent CBD - an Aylesford-based business selling cannabis products, feels strongly about taking the product seriously and being responsible.
Consumers buying some of his products can trace the batches and see independent lab reports on what they are taking.
He also stays away from CBDinfused products like sweets.
He explains: “At the end of the day when you sell it as sweets you are going down a road you don’t need to go down.
“Some brands are taking away what CBD is for. It’s there to help people, not as a retail product.”
He claims products he stocks have helped customers to cope with arthritis, period pain, and skin blemishes among other ailments.
Despite its reported medical benefits he says he has had to fight to open bank accounts, advertise, and find a premises in the face of stigma attached to cannabis products and their association with illicit drugs.
“It’s been a hell of a battle because it’s got a stigma around it,” he said.
“As soon as I say I’m selling cannabis products the doors are shut and the curtains come down. One day it will be OK but at the moment it is incredibly frustrating.”
CBD is termed a ‘novel food’ by the Food Standards Agency - which means it was not widely consumed prior to 1997 meaning the impact of consumption has not been sufficiently monitored. The agency has launched a consultation with local authorities, businesses, and other government departments to ensure compliance to regulations.
One of the newest companies trying to break into the UK market is Ignite. At a launch event on the terrace of a trendy London hotel, marketing reps poured out sparkling wine to journalists and offered free samples of CBD e-cigarettes, lip balm, and oil in a range of flavours - all packaged like cosmetics.
Caitlin Lockridge, director of public relations for Ignite, which also sells similar products in North America, said: “In this industry regulations seem to change every week - it’s what we expect.
“I foresee a lot of regulations going away in the next couple of years. CBD is going to be the norm.”
For those on the production end, things are just as troublesome.
While producing CBD in the UK is legal, hemp farmers are forbidden from extracting the oil from the the plant’s flower bud meaning CBD oil invariably comes from abroad - depriving growers of potential profits.
And in case you were wondering, the government says it has no intentions of relaxing laws on the recreational use of cannabis.