CBD is a molecule extracted from hemp. It is known to have many beneficial properties. However, it is a highly regulated product due to the other cannabinoids (THC) contained in cannabis. The regulation of CBD also applies to the places where products containing the molecule are sold. What about the sale of CBD in pharmacies? Find out the answer in this article.
What is a pharmacy?
A pharmacy is a place where you can purchase medicinal products. These purchases can be made with or without a prescription. Medicines are sold by pharmacists. This role gives them the authority to advise customers on the products they purchase.
What CBD-based products are available?
CBD comes in several forms, giving users a wide range of choices. CBD is available asCBD oil. This is one of the most well-known forms. It also comes in resin form. Users can also use CBD flower. The molecule is incorporated into certain foods such as chewing gum and candy. Infusion is also a form that many people enjoy.
However, due to the molecule's various properties and the experiments conducted, it is incorporated into certain medications so that it can be used directly to treat certain diseases. This is the case, for example, with Epidiolex.
What does French legislation say about CBD?
Legislation regarding CBD is constantly changing. However, these are laws that regulate the manufacture, marketing, and consumption of the molecule. CBD remains a legal substance since the law (the decree of February 22, 1990) does not recognize it as a narcotic. This is justified in view of its various effects. CBD is not a psychotropic substance like THC. It is recognized as having many beneficial properties. It helps to calm the nerves. The use of CBD to sleep is also possible.
It also provides relief from many illnesses. Its use has almost no side effects. Those that are reported are minor and last only for a specific period of time.
Although CBD was recognized as a non-psychotropic substance back in 1990, it wasn't until 2018 that the first CBD-based drug was legally authorized. Following market authorization, the ANSM approved Epidiolex, a drug for people suffering from epilepsy. This authorization was granted even though the therapeutic benefits of CBD are not officially recognized. However, this authorization did not go unchallenged. Several people filed an appeal with the Court of Cassation.
With regard to the restrictions imposed on CBD in UK, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that the restrictions imposed on the product were excessive. These various bans constituted a violation of the principle of free movement of goods. However, numerous decisions are being made with regard to CBD and its use.
Some rulings concerning CBD
Several decisions are made regarding the use of CBD.
In fact, in its ruling of June 15 and 23, 2021, the Court of Cassation recognized the legality of CBD sales. With this ruling, the Court of Cassation also allowed the sale of cannabis flowers. However, the condition imposed in this regard was that these CBD flower must contain a small amount of THC. Furthermore, this authorization was only granted to cannabis flowers that were produced in accordance with European standards. The use of CBD in UK was therefore possible in the form of flowers.
On December 31 of the same year, a new decision was made that added to the existing legal framework governing CBD. However, this time it was not a court ruling, but a decree issued by the Ministry of Health. This decree amended and replaced the decree of August 22, 1990. This standard only authorized the processing and marketing of hemp flowers and leaves for industrial use. It was this standard that served as the basis for the closure of certain businesses.
With the ruling of December 31, 2021, CBD can be marketed in the form of oil, and many other forms, if the THC content of the product does not exceed 0.3%. This is a major change, since in the past, the permitted THC content was 0.2%.
The legality of CBD has therefore not been called into question. However, this is not the case for CBD flower , the marketing of which was still being questioned.
This ban is justified by the difficulty of determining whether the flower contains the legally permitted level of THC. However, it should be noted that cannabis flowers are not banned in other countries. To address the issue of THC levels, law enforcement agencies are equipped with a device designed to determine the THC content of the flower in a short period of time.
However, very early on, certain provisions of this law were challenged by the order of January 24, 2022. In fact, this challenge mainly targeted the general ban imposed by the law. Thus, the order would suspend the application of the law that is being challenged. As a result, the provisions of the January 15 and 23 ruling are still in force. Only the THC level is no longer the same. The sale of CBD can therefore be sold in the form of flowers.
Is CBD sold in pharmacies?
The numerous legislative and judicial provisions listed above prove that CBD is not a prohibited product. The only requirement is the THC threshold that CBD must contain in UK. In light of this authorization, there should be nothing to prevent pharmacies from selling these products. However, the situation is not that simple. A distinction must be made between two categories of products. The regulations applicable to medicines containing CBD are not the same as those applicable to other CBD derivatives.
Are CBD-based medicines sold in pharmacies?
In UK, there are two CBD-based medicines that have been granted marketing authorization. This authorization means that they can be sold in pharmacies. These medicines are Sativex and Epidiolex.
Sativex is a medication intended for people suffering from multiple sclerosis. Its role is to reduce the pain that these people may experience. It is also a medication that contains THC and CBN. It has been approved for sale in 17 European countries. However, it is not yet available in UK because laboratories and government authorities cannot agree on the price at which the product should be sold.
Epidiolex is already available in pharmacies. However, it is a prescription-only medication. Its sale follows a marketing authorization dating back to 2019. It is a medication used to relieve drug-resistant epileptic seizures.
The absence of CBD-containing products in pharmacies
While Epidiolex can be found in pharmacies, this is not the case for other products containing CBD. However, there is no law prohibiting this. The problem is mainly related to the various restrictions surrounding the sale of these products in pharmacies. Before proceeding with the sale, authorization from the Department of Health is required. This authorization follows a request submitted by the pharmacy to the relevant authorities.
Therefore, when presenting the products, the therapeutic aspect should not be emphasized. This is understandable, since CBD is known for its benefits, but there is a lack of experience in this area.
In addition, pharmacies must also ensure that they only offer patients products with a THC content of less than 0.3%.
Pharmacists must not present these products as medicines. They must also be able to provide information on dosage and the role that the product can play.
These are all constraints that prevent pharmacists from marketing CBD-based products. Added to these factors are the constant changes to French legislation regarding the product.
For pharmacists, this legislative instability does not provide security, either legally or financially.
But the trend is not the same with online pharmacies. The latter sell many more CBD-based products. The reason why online pharmacies are so much more popular is that they have fewer legal constraints than physical pharmacies. Online pharmacies are subject to less scrutiny than traditional pharmacies. The pharmacists' association ensures that physical pharmacies comply with regulatory standards and frequently requires them to justify their activities.
In practice, these online pharmacies are similar to drugstores. In fact, they meet the criteria for drugstores much more than those for pharmacies. These establishments are run by pharmacists. However, they do not necessarily dispense prescription drugs. In fact, their sales focus is much more on beauty products, wellness products, etc. These are products that are sold without a prescription.
Where can you buy CBD products in UK ?
You get the picture. CBD in UK is not sold in pharmacies. To purchase it, you simply need to go to stores that sell it. There are both physical stores and online stores.
Despite the rather complicated legal context surrounding CBD, stores selling CBD products have continued to grow. These businesses have not been intimidated by the various legislative standards. Some have even found themselves operating illegally following the provisions of the December 31, 2021 ruling due to their sale of CBD flowers.
However, the subsequent ordinance quickly recognized the legality of these sellers' activities. There are therefore few requirements for these shops. They are only required to sell products authorized by law and comply with the THC threshold of 0.3%. In addition, shops may only sell to customers who are of legal age.
However, it should be noted that buying CBD online has many advantages over buying it in physical stores. First, with online stores, you can place your order remotely. You can also have the product delivered to your home.
In addition, the option of purchasing online makes it easier for you to choose and allows you to buy high-quality CBD.
In reality, with the diversity of stores that exist in this field, it is quite difficult to distinguish those that sell quality products. The internet offers many ways to check this. You can therefore easily compare several stores. To do this, base your decision on reviews left by previous sellers to determine the reliability of the store. However, not all reviews should be taken into account. It is important to only rely on reviews that are recognized by independent organizations.
Don't hesitate to compare the products offered by different sellers. It's important not to be swayed by cheap CBD. cheap CBD. Some sellers use poor-quality products for extraction. This allows them to offer a cheaper product, but one that is of poor quality and contains residues.
The latter therefore reduce its quality. It is therefore essential to pay attention to value for money. The manufacturing standards that the product meets should not be overlooked either. The cultivation method should also be taken into account when making your choice. Organic CBD such as organic CBD flower is the most recommended because it is pure and respects nature.
