It can be said that no person in the world hasn’t heard about cannabis. We are talking about an exceptional plant and its health benefits consumed by a high number of cultures from all over the globe. Until the 20th century, it had a high position in our world. However, something changed and this topic became taboo. For so many years, it wasn’t a topic that interested many people.
But, in the late nineties, this topic resurfaced once again. In the last two decades, cannabis has been a subject of study for a lot of laboratories from all over the world. In a majority of these, scientists were able to come up with a pattern that proves some compounds that can be found in cannabis actually can offer many health benefits. The most important one being CBD.
From that point, we can see the rise of the whole industry that generates billions every year. In case you would like to take a look at some of the CBD products you can find, be sure to take a look at this website. As you may know, different countries have different CBD regulations. Today, we would like to focus on the case of CBD flowers in the UK. Without further ado, let’s get started.
Table of Contents
What is CBD Flower?
CBD flower is a raw or dried hemp flower bud that has around 15% CBD and less than 1% THC. It is interesting to see that these buds look pretty similar to usual cannabis buds, which have a higher percentage of THC. So, it is no surprise that so many people mix these two. But those who know what is the difference are able to see them clearly.
However, we assure you that a CBD flower doesn’t produce the “high effect” associated with them, simply because it has a low level of THC. Over the years, a lot of different strains emerged. So, you can opt for the one that suits your needs the most. Just take a look at countless online shops where you can find CBD-infused products.
Where Are They Legal?
Their popularity skyrocketed in the US and Canada. These two countries have two of the biggest CBD industries in the world. Still, the situation is somewhat different in Europe. Only a small percentage of European countries legalized CBD flowers. However, there are some speculations that a lot of them consider having complete legalization of cannabis-based products.
Are They Legal in the UK?
Since 1971, and the Misuse of Drugs Act, CBD flowers are not permitted in the United Kingdom. Even though there were some speculations about this country being one of the first ones in Europe that will have complete legalization, there are no updates on this topic. But there are some confusions we would like to address.
What are These Contradictions?
There’s a regulation called “EU approved varieties” that claims that flowers with less than 0.2% THC are legal. At the same time, many people cite Home Office guidance where we can see that it is legal to grow flowers that have less than 0.2% THC. But, for a person to grow them legally it is a must to obtain a hemp cultivation license. Last but not least, all the parts of the plant need to be destroyed besides fibers and seeds. Yet, the official status of these is that they are illegal in this country, and they cannot be sold in retail or online stores.
What’s the Penalty?
We can see that the UK regulation has been changed in the last couple of years. For example, a couple of years ago cannabis became a class B drug, which means that it isn’t at the same level as cocaine and heroin. But that doesn’t mean that you cannot be penalized for possessing it. We can see that you look at the 90 pound fine.
Of course, the penalty can be more severe depending on the amount of cannabis you’re caught possessing. Different from many other regulatory systems in the world, the UK government can fine as much as it wants when you’re caught. Once again, their decision will be based on the amount and other characteristics of your situation. The average prison penalty for this offense is up to five years. It can be said that regulation doesn’t have a difference in the percentage of THC.
Is There a CBD Market In the UK?
Even though flowers are forbidden by the government, we can see that other products, like oil, are available. However, oil and many other products are sold as food supplements. We can see that the UK regulation is widely different from many countries where it is legalized for medicinal uses. Once again, it needs to be said that products with a high level of THC completely illegal. Only in special cases, medicinal cannabis can be prescribed.
Can We Expect Legalization in the Future?
Besides the fact that cannabis is not at the same level as heroin and cocaine, there are no changes in the current regulatory system in the UK. Of course, there are a lot of organizations that are asking for complete legalization of all cannabis-based products, but to no avail so far. Looks like all the trends that we can see in the US, Canada, and some European countries are completely avoiding the United Kingdom.
The Wrap-up
Simply put, the UK’s law doesn’t recognize the differences between those with a high percentage of THC and those with a low percentage. At the same time, we can see that this change is not something that we will see soon despite all the trends and movements in the world. However, the UK does approve CBD oil and some other products.
So, the situation is not as clear as we would expect. Sure, we can expect that some of these regulations will become much clearer in the future, but the complete legalization of CBD-infused products, flowers, in particular, is not something that we can expect, at least for now.