In recent years, the use of CBD has been booming worldwide. However, not many are aware of what CBD is. CBD or Cannabidiol is different from Marijuana. CBD is very different from the actual marijuana plant. It is a component of medical marijuana and does not contain the THC, or Tetrahydrocannabinol, which causes a “high.” It is a non-intoxicating ingredient that has effects on the molecular structures in the human body.

What does all this mean?

According to research published by Harvard, it refers to CBD having no actual effect similar to the drug itself. Instead, CBD has the potential to relieve pain symptoms in patients, as well as to aid with mental health issues like depression and anxiety. After various studies over the years, scientists have confirmed with evidence that CBD helps topics ranging across a spectrum. However, even with the number of benefits, it has shown, people are still apprehensive about the ingredient due to its link to marijuana.

Even though there are no declared health risks by the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are still challenges of using CBD in Europe.

1. In some EU countries, there is no actual classification on who can be prescribed CBD. In countries across Europe, such as in Germany, CBD is legit for patients who severely need it. However, an issue faced in this situation is that there is no actual legal document stating who comes under this category. The only thing said in people using CBD is that they must be “seriously ill.” In this case, CBD for medicinal purposes is accessible.

2. The amount of THC in CBD products must be limited. Countries such as Denmark only allow the use of CBD if the THC value is 0.2% or less. Only in this case is the use of CBD as a medicinal drug approved.

3. The legal situation of cannabis in some countries makes owning it difficult, even as medicine. Some countries across the EU have stringent drug laws. While CBD does not contain much of the drug, it still comes under these restrictive laws. Sweden does not classify CBD as medicinal and regards it as a drug. It is not as progressive as its neighboring countries in this regard, and therefore, people using CBD for therapeutic purposes must go through a court procedure to clear themselves for use.

4. Food containing CBD is “novel food” in the EU and can be a risk to use. Medicinal foods are everyday use when it comes to people who use CBD regularly. However, in 2019, the EU Food Safety Authority declared that foods containing CBD must be approved by a national food authority which can take up to three years to do.

5. What is legal in one EU country may not be permitted in another. In some nations around the EU, regulations allow for the open sale of CBD and products containing CBD. However, this can be an issue when it comes to traveling around the EU. Travel from country to country is relatively more relaxed, and many people tend to do this regularly. However, when entering an EU country that does not permit the use of CBD or carrying it, it could lead to legal complications.

6. The laws around CBD are uncertain and subject to change. Currently, strict rules are in place around Europe, ranging from one country to another. However, since these laws are new and regularly being updated, chances are they are subject to change. This uncertainty makes it difficult for people using CBD to know what to expect next. Regulatory authorities around the region have not outwardly accepted the use of CBD, and it seems as though they are momentarily confused about where they stand with its use. CBD infused items are, in some countries, readily available and sold openly whereas, in others, they remain undocumented and illegal. It can be an issue for users as they do not know when or if the law is subject to change.

7. Users can find it difficult knowing which products to trust. With so much conflict going on in the region when it comes to CBD, users can find it challenging to know who to trust when it comes to finding the product. Many people are open to the idea of trying CBD for health or medicinal concerns; however, they do not want to use THC infused products. Since the laws do not state that CBD product producers need to include what they are selling on their labels, there is no guaranteed way for a user to know what they are ingesting or using. It also means that companies making products are not held accountable for quality.

Products can just as well be contaminated, and there is technically no authority to report this to as there is no legal bind to whether they even need to tell consumers what they are using in their products.

Shift Frequency © 2019 – Educational material