From lip balm to gummies and even beer, CBD – or cannabidiol – has captured the wallets of millions. Once controversial, CBD is now touted as a cure-all, from helping to calm nerves to fighting depression and anxiety. And it’s made its way into our coffees, lunches and moisturisers – with an overall market estimated to hit nearly PS1 billion by 2025.
CBD is a compound that’s found in the cannabis plant but doesn’t make you high – so it’s legal and widely available on the UK high street and online. It’s used by an estimated quarter of a million regular users to help ease symptoms of chronic pain, anxiety and sleep problems.
Despite the huge popularity, some are concerned that CBD products may not be as effective as they claim to be. The industry has attracted “CBD cowboys” – opportunists who are selling unregulated and often ineffective products, according to experts. And lab tests from the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis in June revealed that 62 per cent of products on the high street didn’t have the amount of CBD advertised on their label, and some actually contained traces of THC, which is a controlled substance.
The most popular form of CBD is in oil, to be dropped under the tongue or added to food and drink. But you can also get it in capsules, muscle gels, sprays and e-liquids for vaping, with a range of flavours. Typically it’s sold at high street health stores such as Holland and Barrett, and online. A 500mg bottle of oral drops can cost up to PS45, and a jar of edible oils or creams could be more than twice as much.
In addition to CBD products, it’s also possible to buy cannabis-based medicine on prescription as medicinal cannabis if you have a severe medical condition such as rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis. But specific cannabis-based medicines only have a small chance of helping, and can have side effects including dizziness, dry mouth, nausea and tiredness.
As a result, many people choose to use non-medical cannabis and CBD products for the symptomatic relief of their symptoms – with some evidence that they can help reduce anxiety, insomnia and pain. Others may find it helps them to relax or sleep better, and can help with other conditions such as inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, or the effects of epilepsy.
The results of this survey are based on the responses from 1,415 UK residents aged 18 and over who have bought and/or consumed CBD (Cannabidiol) wellness products in the past two years. Of these, the vast majority of respondents were in the age bracket 35-54 years and most were female.
Please note, the majority of current over the counter CBD wellness products require Novel Foods validation to be sold in the UK. However, this is changing from April 2021. We have therefore asked respondents whether they believe that over the counter CBD products will continue to be more or less expensive than the authorised medical cannabis via prescription charge from NHS England, following the introduction of this change. UK CBD