UK CBD Users Unaware of New FSA Upper CBD Limits
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The United Kingdom’s Food Safety Agency (FSA) surveyed 384 cannabidiol consumers on their CBD use and knowledge of the current regulations. The results found that 60% of the CBD users were reliant on CBD for wellness, and over half did not know the FSA had recently reduced the safe CBD upper limit to 10 mg per day.
A survey sample of 1,968 adults aged 18-75 in England, Northern Ireland, and Wales found 384 had used CBD in the previous 12 months. The most common reason for using CBD was general well-being at 46%, and managing mental health conditions was the second most common reason for use at 40%. Also mentioned as reasons for using CBD were relief (34%) and addressing physical symptoms (26%).
The survey found that CBD drinks and oils were the most common product forms, but consumers also purchased food, chewables, and supplements. The decision on which CBD brand to choose was based on factors such as brand trust, product potency, value for money, and price.
Also revealed was that 45% of CBD consumers knew the FSA had published a list of foods and food supplements under consideration for authorization. Before the survey, only 42% of participants knew that the FSA had not authorized CBD for use in food and food supplements. New CBD products must undergo a lengthy authorization process before they can be sold.
The survey found that just over half of participants knew the FSA had reduced the safe daily CBD limit from 70 mg to 10 mg, a significant change. People aware of this new limit usually follow the guidance.
The FSA allowed CBD products sold before February 13, 2020, to remain in the marketplace. However, FSA guidance says,
“From the date of our announcement (13 February 2020), no new CBD extracts, isolates, or associated final products using this novel ingredient, including new brands and white label products, should be put on the market until they have the necessary authorisation. A validated application is not sufficient to put new products on the market.”
The authorization process is very slow and is blocking CBD brands from bringing customers new products.
Dr. Mark Tallon, the Managing Partner of Legal Foods, a food law firm, is concerned that the FSA did not ask about side effects experienced by survey participants. He believes asking about side effects would have been a good opportunity to learn about the real effects that CBD users are experiencing. Instead, assumptions about CBD safety are made.
The new FSA daily limit will harm the CBD market and is based more on theoretical, rather than factual, concerns based on data about safety. He recommends that CBD brands include a safety warning on the label rather than limit the CBD to 10 mg.
The struggle to develop CBD regulations is not unique to the UK. This is an issue many countries, including the U.S., are addressing. There is obviously difficulty in developing a comfort level concerning CBD safety, despite thousands of global clinical projects finding it is safe to take, unless an enormous amount is consumed.
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