The vagueness and complexity of the law governing CBD in the UK have led to a competitive, lucrative, and largely unregulated CBD sector with major revenue growth and a vast array of retail products. Agencies looking to regulate the UK’s CBD market should consider it as a permanent landmark of the wellness sector that is likely to grow in the future. They need to improve their understanding of the market, the business practices of CBD companies, and the habits and motivations of UK consumers.
CBD is legal in the UK. It is not classified as a controlled substance. However, a lot of CBD retailers in the UK are working according to a folk domestic law interpretation governing controlled substances that is erroneous. This is hardly a surprise given how vague and complex the law is. No legal clarity (or very little) has been provided, though sought repeatedly.
Common misinterpretations of the law governing CBD are a widespread and big problem in the UK. These can mislead users and serve to undermine the industry.
To counteract this trend, suppliers like Reactiveplus.com are trying to offer an ethical and high quality CBD range into the NE and UK market place. Such suppliers never make medicinal claims for their products and provide only the highest, pure, filtered golden oil without any contaminants and residue. Guaranteeing top quality every time is the only way to create customer loyalty and a good reputation for the sector in general.
It’s very important to be affiliated with organisations like cannapro-uk.org. This is one of the UK’s strictest Trading Associations for the CBD marketplace. It offers laboratory analysis services and advice for cannabinoid and terpene profiling, potency testing, heavy metals, residual solvents, pesticides, and microbial screening in order to make sure that consumers have access to legal and safe products. Reactive Plus believes that rigor, quality, and traceability are the key factors to establishing a well-respected and thriving industry. They have lobbied heavily within the industry for better sales literature to more accurately describe the oil types being sold. You can read about that here.
What Responsibility Does Each Supplier Have?
Every supplier has an important role in the global effort to raise awareness, educate, and break down the stigma around cannabis. Be Cann is active in support and lobbying for sensible policy and cannabis regulation.
The industry needs to become more ethical and honest to boost consumer trust. A test by the Centre of Medicinal Cannabis showed that almost half (45%) of products sold in the UK had measurable levels of THC or CBN, making them technically illegal in the country. One of the samples had absolutely no cannabinoid content at all – a High Street pharmacy product (30ml) being sold for £90. The authority detected dichoromethane in 7 products (3.8-13.1ppm) and cyclohexane in one product (27.9ppm). One product had 3.8% ethanol. To put that in perspective, 3.4% qualifies as an alcoholic beverage. These percentages of heavy metals and solvents are above food limit safety levels. This is why lab reports are very important for consumers to see exactly what they are buying, in terms of both strengths and content. Many companies are selling their products as Full spectrum oils, (Premium, filtered, Golden Oils are Full Spectrum), when really they are selling cheaper Broader Spectrum Distillate oils