Are CBD Capsules Legal in the UK?

A great deal of the population has now heard of CBD oil and the health benefits it is purported to offer to those suffering from such conditions as chronic pain, insomnia, stress, anxiety and arthritis where conventional medicine has often failed or only made a limited difference. CBD oil comes in several forms such as tincture and capsules. However, despite the fact that CBD has exploded onto the market, many people still erroneously believe it is illegal in the UK.

Unhelpful Rumours

This myth is perpetuated by many uninformed people talking in hushed whispers of a CBD oil user “taking cannabis” which can lead those wishing to try CBD oil for themselves feeling as though they may be breaking the law, but this is not the case.

No need to hang around on street corners

There is no need for anyone buying or wishing to obtain CBD oil, including capsules, to furtively seek out supply. As CBD, and products containing CBD are in fact legal, anyone wishing to purchase them can do so legitimately either online from a trusted seller, or in many health stores. 

Clearing up the confusion

There is a difference between medicinal CBD and the capsules that are marketed as supplements. The premium CBD capsules you can buy in the UK are NOT of medicinal strength, and you should be wary of any company that markets their CBD products as anything other than a supplement, without having the proper license to do so. 

Medicinal strength CBD oil

The MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency) has recognised CBD as a medicine, but to be sold as a medicine it must be properly licensed. Very few people actually hold a license to possess medicinal CBD oil because the law is extremely stringent.

Food/Nutrition CBD oil

However, CBD capsules are available to buy in the UK because they can currently be sold as food or nutrition supplements as long as they have no promised efficacy or health benefits attached to their use. These capsules do not contain medicinal strength CBD oil, but many people report that they experience immense benefit from taking them.

The real difference is in the plant

CBD is a cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant along with THC. It is these THC compounds that interact with our body's own Endocannabinoid System to produce the positive effects that so many users of cannabis experience, including the psychoactive (mind-altering effects) of THC.
Legal Requirements

THC

To meet legal requirements in the UK, CBD oil capsules that are marketed and sold as food/nutrition supplements must contain no more than 0.2% THC so that these psychoactive effects are not experienced.

Hemp

Hemp is a variety of Cannabis plant that naturally contains less than 0.3% THC oil and so the oil used in the capsules must also be derived from Industrial Hemp and not other strains of the cannabis plant. The THC content is also usually removed in medicinal strength oil but this oil will be derived from cannabis plants instead of hemp, and the CBD compound strength will be much higher than the products legally sold within the UK.

Conclusion

Yes - CBD oil capsules are legal in the UK if they are derived from Industrial hemp, contain no more than 2% THC and marketed as food/nutritional supplements. Many people swear by using CBD oil capsules to improve their physical and mental health, but as there are no guarantees as to the quality, it is important to buy premium CBD capsules to gauge any benefits to yourself.