UK’s Home Office Delay in CBD Regulatory Framework Draws Criticism from Industry Trade Group

LONDON — The Association of the Cannabinoid Industry (ACI), a key trade group in the United Kingdom, has voiced its concerns over the prolonged delay by the country’s Home Office in establishing a clear regulatory framework for cannabidiol (CBD) products.

CBD, a non-psychoactive compound derived from the cannabis plant, has been available on U.K. store shelves for nearly a decade. Yet, there are no basic regulations in place to specify allowable levels of THC or CBD in these products, reports Cannabis Health News.

This regulatory void, says the ACI, leaves businesses in a precarious situation and erodes consumer trust. The sentiment underpins the ACI’s #SaveOurCBD campaign, which commenced on August 28. The campaign is pressing for an “urgent clarity” from the Home Office to devise a legal structure that ensures businesses can operate securely and responsibly.

Of note, the Home Office has yet to act upon a 2021 report presented by the government’s Advisory Committee on the Misuse of Drugs. This report provided key recommendations on the necessary legal changes and new regulations that the UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) would require to oversee CBD as a novel food.

The FSA currently has jurisdiction over more than 12,000 CBD products available for purchase in England and Wales.

The lack of a clear regulatory pathway is not just an administrative inconvenience. Businesses in the CBD space emphasize that without concrete guidelines on what is permissible, they are venturing into risky territories. There’s a looming threat of inadvertently investing in innovations or expansions that could later be deemed illegal.

The Home Office, for its part, expressed an intent to provide “greater clarity” for the CBD industry concerning established limits on controlled substances, like THC, in CBD products. Yet, in the interim, businesses are left in a lurch, with the Home Office suggesting they seek legal advice for their intended operations.

The delays and ambiguous statements underscore a pressing need for regulatory coherence in a rapidly growing industry. For the moment, businesses and consumers are left waiting for clearer guidelines on a product that has been on the market for nearly a decade.