With its incredible medical benefits and high safety profile, CBD is gradually becoming more accepted around the world. In many countries, it has become a popular alternative treatment to medical cannabis and traditional medications such as opioids and antidepressants. But due to its relation with cannabis, CBD laws around the world can be confusing.
Many countries now have separate laws for CBD and cannabis, which makes it more widely available. However, there are still some places where it is illegal, which can make it difficult for those who plan to travel with CBD. Here’s a quick guide on CBD laws around the world.
What is CBD?
For the uninitiated, CBD (cannabidiol) is a chemical component or cannabinoid which can be found in marijuana and hemp plants. It’s often extracted from these plants and infused into oils, edibles, topicals, and other products in order to give users medical benefits.
The medical benefits of CBD are wide-ranging and impressive. It’s often used to treat pain, inflammation, anxiety, depression, seizures, migraines, and many other medical conditions. It also helps protect the brain, improve the skin, reduce stress, and give you better sleep. People often use it as a daily supplement to improve their overall health and wellness.
Most CBD products nowadays are made from hemp-extract. Many places forbid the use of marijuana-based products, and hemp-based CBD products have only trace levels of THC. This makes them very safe to use and free from psychoactive effects. However, some countries still have outdated laws which ban the sale and/or use of CBD.
CBD Laws in Canada
Canadian citizens will have no problem getting their hands on legal CBD. Changes to the law in 2018 made cannabis and CBD products legal across the country for anyone aged 19 or above (18 in Alberta and Canada). Canada also has a long-running industrial hemp program which allows for the use of CBD.
This means you can use CBD products whether they are made from hemp or marijuana. There are many products now available in marijuana stores, including oils and edibles which provide the benefits of both CBD and THC. You’re also able to buy high-CBD cannabis strains, which can be very beneficial for medical use.
If you aren’t able to buy marijuana products, you can still use hemp-based CBD products. These are safe, legal, and carry no psychoactive side effects. You don’t need a medical prescription to use hemp products and they don’t have a legal use age like cannabis. If you want to try it for yourself, you can buy CBD online in Canada.
CBD Laws in America
In the past, America had some very complicated laws when it came to CBD. Due to its association with cannabis, it was previously illegal to use even hemp-based CBD products. In the recent past, it was also illegal to use hemp products in certain states. However, CBD is now widely available in America.
Many states have industrial hemp programs which focus on the cultivation, use, and sale of hemp products. The 2018 Farm Bill makes the widespread growth and use of hemp legal all across the United States.
This means you can now legally buy CBD products in all 50 states. However, the products must be made from hemp and contain less than 0.3% of THC. It’s easier to find in some states than others, but it is widely available online.
The laws are slightly different for marijuana-based CBD products. In order to use these, you must either be an adult (21 or over) in a legal marijuana state or have a medical card/medical prescription which allows you to use medical cannabis products.
CBD Laws in the EU
Although many countries in the EU are still against cannabis, the use of CBD is legal in many parts of Europe. In fact, the EU has regulations for the sale and use of low-THC cannabis products. This covers CBD products which are made from hemp.
France allows the use of CBD products which contain less than 0.2% THC. It can be found in certain stores, although there have been government shutdowns of stores which sell CBD in France.
CBD is often sold in tobacco stores in Switzerland. Cannabidiol is not covered by the Swiss Narcotic Act, and as such is widely available for legal purchase and use. CBD products must have less than 1% THC. Many are labeled as medical cannabis.
The Netherlands has some tricky laws when it comes to CBD. Cannabis is widely available for legal use in Holland. However, there is a law which bans hemp extract which makes hemp-based CBD products less available. Nonetheless, you can still find many CBD products in the Netherlands with 0.05% of THC or less.
Other countries which allow for the legal use of CBD include Austria, Belgium, Denmark, and Luxembourg. Generally, you can find CBD products in health stores, tobacco stores or specialist CBD stores.
CBD Laws in the United Kingdom
The UK still has very strict laws against cannabis- it is seen as a Class B drug and there are strict penalties for the possession or use of marijuana. However, hemp-based CBD products are legal and widely available across the country.
In the United Kingdom, CBD is not classified as a controlled substance and therefore can be legally bought and used. CBD use is growing fast in the UK, it almost doubled in use between 2017 and 2018. CBD use is expected to grow by up to 700% in the next few years.
This can be attributed to the wide availability of CBD in the UK. You can legally buy CBD products in health stores, CBD stores, vape stores, and various other outlets. It’s also available to buy online.
Conclusion
CBD laws around the world can differ widely. While most western countries now allow you to buy and use CBD products, it is still illegal in certain parts of the world. Brazil has strict regulations on CBD, although patients with medical prescriptions are able to use it. CBD is legal in Jamaica, although it’s often harder to find than cannabis. Australia has complicated CBD laws which only recently allowed for the use of certain hemp products. If you plan to travel out of the country with CBD medication, make sure to double check the laws of the country you intend to visit.
