CBD: This is the Situation in Europe and Ireland

CBD is one of the main components of the hemp plant, better known as cannabis. Many people, not knowing the subject well, associate this active principle with the general concept of marijuana and tend to think it is a doping substance and consequently something to be banned without ifs and buts.

This is not the case at all, as CBD has no psychotropic action. On the contrary, it is an entirely natural substance that acts on our endocannabinoid system, causing a sense of both physical and mental relaxation and no psychological consequences.

It is why many CBD products are very popular worldwide. If you want to try them, discover the best CBD weed in the UK on JustBob, the online shop where you can find a wide range of CBD-based products for your relaxation and well-being.

Therefore, is it legal to consume these products in our country and in Europe? What does the current legislation say about it? Let’s find out together in the following paragraphs of this article.

CBD in Europe

One of the events that most prompted the legalization of CBD-based products is that in 2020 the European Court ruled that this substance can freely circulate in the Union. It also means that no State can forbid CBD and cannabidiol trade when these products are made within the EU!

But where does this decision, taken in 2020, come from?
It arises from many studies conducted on this substance that have given excellent, very encouraging results. CBD is continuously tested and used in the medical field – now, its benefits are beyond doubt.

Therefore, if it is recommended and prescribed by doctors, why not use it to relax and feel good after a long stressful day, even more so if it comes from entirely legal production and marketing.

So, CBD is now legal throughout the European territory if it is legally produced in one of the member countries.

CBD is now legal: the position of associations from all over the world

According to hemp associations around the world, CBD is already industrially legal. The claim stems from the international regulations and conventions already in force, which would implicitly support the legality of cannabidiol. Here are all the details.

International hemp associations united in favour of CBD

Eleven international associations related to the hemp sector have agreed on a common position on CBD, supporting its international standardization and legalization, which, according to them, would be implicit in existing international conventions. The position is fully explained in a shared document.

The International Drug Control Conventions, the leading international conventions on drug control, including the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, were analyzed. Those conventions impose strict rules for growing cannabis for research and the pharmaceutical sector. However, according to the associations, the provisions should not apply to the plant’s industrial hemp and non-drug-related uses.

The legality of CBD: the analysis of the texts of the Conventions

In particular, the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 came under the microscope, which in its preamble states that the set of rules enacted aims to protect the health and well-being of humanity, guaranteeing access to drugs to alleviate pain and suffering but fighting health risks, drug abuse and addiction, as well as illicit trafficking.

Furthermore, in the Convention, cannabis is defined as “the flowering or fruiting tops of the hemp plant (excluding seeds and leaves not accompanied by the top), from which no resin has been extracted, whatever their use”. Therefore, seeds and leaves, as well as their derivatives, do not fall within this definition and should not be regulated by this Convention.

Cannabis in Europe in a few words

In European countries, the laws on cannabis are very different. For example, since December 2021, Luxembourg has been the first and only EU state to have legalized the domestic production and personal use of recreational cannabis for those over 18 years of age.

Marijuana is illegal in Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Greece and Finland.
In the Netherlands, the sale of cannabis is only allowed in authorized places, such as coffee shops, while possession, sale, transport and cultivation are decriminalized.

In Spain, it is legal to grow or smoke cannabis indoors, while transportation and consumption in public places remain prohibited. In Portugal, since 2001, the use of drugs for personal use has been decriminalized, but there is an arrest for possessing any narcotic substance in quantities greater than individual needs.

In Switzerland, the sale and use are illegal, but possession and cultivation are decriminalized in some cantons. In Belgium, it is unlawful, but the cultivation of the female plant is decriminalized.

Cannabis around the world

The first country in the world to have legalized cannabis is Uruguay, which has been legal since April 2014.

In the United States, it is legal in Colorado, while its use has been decriminalized in 14 states. Cannabis is illegal in Canada, but the government can authorize its therapeutic or industrial research use.

In China, all drugs are completely illegal and in Japan too. However, in India, the consumption, transport and sale of cannabis and its derivatives are permitted in specific and authorized cases.

In Colombia and Mexico, the use of cannabis and derivatives is decriminalized. In Chile, only therapeutic use is allowed, while consumption and possession are illegal in Bolivia and Paraguay.

So the best way is to stick to CDB products as you can now legally buy in the UK, and you can then lawfully and easily enjoy CBD products online from the best specialized stores throughout the UK and the EU.