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hong kong
CNN
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Two years ago, cannabidiol was booming in Hong Kong. The precinct, known as the CBD, was popping up with cafes, restaurants and stores, and businesses were eager to join the new market, which was already well established in countries around the world.
That all came to an end Wednesday, when CBD was criminalized in the city and declared a “dangerous drug” on the same level as heroin and fentanyl.
CBD is a chemical found in hemp and marijuana plants. It’s not psychoactive, meaning it won’t get you high. Instead, CBD is often marketed for everything from helping to relieve pain and inflammation to reducing stress and anxiety.
It has grown in popularity globally in recent years, with brands adding it to shampoos, drinks, body oils, gummy bears and dog treats. In the United States and Europe, it is sold in coffee shops and farmers’ markets, mom-and-pop and high-end department stores, and even the drugstore chain CVS.
On January 27, the Hong Kong government announced that a ban on CBD would come into effect within a week, pledging to “severely combat related drug traffickers.”
Under the new law, possession and use of any amount of CBD is punishable by seven years in prison and a fine of 1 million Hong Kong dollars ($127,607). Producing, importing or exporting CBD is punishable by life imprisonment.
Even travelers may face fines, with the government warning people not to pose a risk by “purchasing these products or returning to Hong Kong”.
Similar penalties and conditions apply to cannabis, also known as marijuana.
The ban forced CBD-focused businesses to close, while other brands had to scale back or remove CBD products.
“It’s a shame because there’s definitely a missed opportunity,” said Luke Yardley, founder of Yardley Brothers Craft Brewery, which previously sold four brands. Contains CBD – one lager and three non-alcoholic drinks. “Anything that doesn’t get you drunk and helps you relax is probably a good thing, I think.”
The health benefits and risks of CBD have long been debated. In the US, most CBD products are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which means people can buy the stuff over the counter.
Some studies show that the compound can relieve pain and may be beneficial for people with sleep problems. The FDA has approved a drug with CBD to treat rare and severe epilepsy.
But some experts have raised concerns that there isn’t enough scientific research into how CBD works or what effects it might have.
In January, the FDA announced that it would seek a new regulatory path for CBD products in the US, saying, “We don’t have enough data on how much CBD can be consumed and for how long before it causes harm.”
In Hong Kong, which has strict cannabis laws, the government’s concerns focus on what is possible. The presence of its sister compound THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) in CBD products. THC is also found in cannabis plants and is responsible for the “high”.
In the US and Europe, CBD products can contain up to 0.3% – trace amounts – of THC, but in Hong Kong even this is not allowed. And while CBD products can avoid this trace amount by using the pure form of CBD, most manufacturers mix in other compounds for maximum potency.
In the year From 2019 to early 2022, Hong Kong authorities will hold about 120 “operations” testing CBD products from restaurants and shops to warehouses, Security Secretary Tang Ping-keng said last year. It said more than 3,800 products have been confirmed to contain THC, although it did not provide further details on the amount and percentage of THC in those products.
In a written response to questions raised in the Legislative Council, Tang suggested that the government’s tough stance on THC should be applied to CBD “to protect public health.”
“We have adopted ‘zero tolerance’ for drugs and understand that it is a public concern,” he said. “So the government plans to regulate CBD.”
Narcotics Against Narcotics, a group of representatives from the “social work, education, medical and community service sectors” that advises the government on anti-drug policy, said in a statement last November that it supports a CBD ban and government support. The goal of a “drug-free Hong Kong”.
Ahead of the government’s official announcement this January, many businesses are bracing themselves for regulatory changes in 2022.
Yardley Brothers Craft Brewery stopped making CBD beverages late last year in anticipation of the ban, and all of its remaining products were sold in December, Yardley said.
He CBD drinks were “very popular”, accounting for approximately 8% of the business, offering adults a non-alcoholic option to enjoy while out with friends. At some bars, regulars “come in every weekend for a glass of CBD lemonade,” he said.
“There is less choice for consumers in Hong Kong now,” he said. This is not necessarily a step in the right direction,” he said.
Some companies were forced to close completely.
Opened in 2021, restaurant Med Chef once boasted of offering Hong Kong’s “first fully CBD-infused cocktails, appetizers and entrées.” The restaurant’s founder emphasized the health and wellness benefits of CBD in a news release at the time of the opening.
But in Earlier In the year November 2022 had closed its doors. “Before, we worked hard to present CBD in the most acceptable way and integrate it into our food and beverage concepts,” the restaurant wrote in a farewell post posted on Instagram. “It’s unfortunate that things didn’t go the way we thought they would. The recent policies in power, ultimately we cannot move forward with all of them.
Hong Kong’s first CBD cafe, Found, also made headlines when it opened in 2020. It has sold a variety of CBD products including Mixed coffee and beers, to help oils Sleep, sprinkle flour into food and Pet products to help ease stiff joints.
Closed at the end of September 2022, positive feedback from customers on Instagram shows that “CBD helps to cope with the stress of everyday life.
“Unfortunately, despite the positive impact, it has now become clear that the Hong Kong government intends to introduce a new law banning the sale and possession of CBD,” he wrote.
Yardley argues that the government’s concerns about THC are valid — but they could have implemented better regulations, such as certification or safety standards around CBD samples.
“It’s a very difficult response to completely ban,” he said.
And while the brewery will continue to operate, Yardley hopes CBD will be back on the menu, with alternative non-alcoholic beverages planned to fill the gap. “I hope in the future it will be legal again,” he said.
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