Maté Jarai rounds up some of the latest CBD products to hit the market and assesses the impact of changing FSA regulations
The popularity of cannabidiol (CBD) products has grown greatly in the UK over the last few years. Preliminary research suggests that CBD, a compound that comes from the cannabis plant, may be beneficial for several health conditions, including symptoms of anxiety, depression and pain caused by inflammation. And, as we’ll hear later, it may also help people conquer sleep problems such as insomnia.
An abundance of CBD products crowd the market, from oils, drinks and food items to topical creams and balms. However, innovation has been halted by the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) decision to change CBD’s status to ‘novel’, and as a ‘novel’ food item the FSA itself must assess any product before it goes to market in the UK. While the FSA of course maintains that this is for safety reasons, the restrictions are far from ideal for those trying to find exciting new ways to utilize this unique plant compound, which has been used medicinally by humans in its raw form for almost 12,000 years.
Carlo Buckley, MD at CBDfx, tells NPN that while the FSA clearly has ‘good intentions’ in ensuring products are safe – something he is ‘wholeheartedly behind’ – there has been a huge lack of clarity surrounding the process, which has ‘regrettably resulted in a lot of confusion within the industry’. “There is the complete inability to innovate and launch new products within edibles, which is by far the largest category of CBD products. So much so that we can’t even launch the same exact CBD oil but with a spray lid instead of a dropper! We of course have a large number of other new products that we would like to launch and would be no less safe than our existing ones. There is no doubt that this has resulted in a stagnation of the market and a lack of competition.”
“There is no doubt that this has resulted in a stagnation of the market and a lack of competition”
Graham Keen, executive director of the Health Food Manufacturers’ Association, agrees that the process of making it onto the FSA’s treasured ‘approved list’ is arduous. But since these restrictions were initially met with an outcry from manufacturers when they were first announced, things have improved. Over 12,000 CBD products are now on the FSA’s list awaiting approval as ‘novel foods’, which is some progress at least. However, as yet only a measly 131 of the 12,000 have ‘full validation’. The rest of them face a long wait in a state of limbo.
Take your pick
Despite these issues, countless CBD beverages are available to sip on. Drinks such as the sugar- and caffeine-free TRIP CBD Infused Cold-Brew Coffee, the all-natural and vitamin D-infused Elderflower & Yuzu Natural 30mg CBD Drink from Goodrays, and Common Water (marketed as ‘your everyday CBD’) all work CBD into natural refreshments. Mee Organic CBD Powder Sachets are water soluble, offering another way of ingesting CBD in liquid form.
Consumers with a sweet tooth can reach for fruity CBD gummies, including Naturecan CBD Gummies and CBII CBD Gummies. Both options are vegan and come in multi-flavour packets. If chocolate is the treat of choice, Cheerful Buddha does a bar of CBD Infused 70% Dark Chocolate that also comes in Mint and Orange flavours.
Most people favour convenience but not everyone wants to consume CBD via food and drink. Enter products like Brains Pure CBD Capsules, which combine 20mg of CBD with ashwagandha, and Goodrays, whose CBD Zen Drops and CBD Night Drops come with a small dropper, making them easier to dose under the tongue.
For consumers who prefer not to take CBD orally, topical products are widely available. Cannaray CBD Muscle Balm can be applied to relieve sore muscles, and combines 250mg of CBD with soothing aloe, arnica, shea butter and eucalyptus. CBD Cream for Muscle & Joint: Cooling Formula by CBDfx is another product designed for muscles, which blends CBD with willow bark, caffeine and menthol for a cooling sensation.
Customers who want a dose of CBD within their daily skincare might turn to Hempe CBD SOS Balm, merging the therapeutic effects of CBD with jojoba oil, squalene, lavender oil and vitamin E. Hempe positions the product to help treat severely dry, inflamed and irritated skin.
If relaxation is the aim, JustCBD’s CBD Bath Bombs are on hand; each soak in the tub provides 150g of CBD and there are five different scents to choose from, each one hand-crafted with plant-based ingredients including witch hazel.
And finally, ‘for the days when your period is cramping your style’, DAYE harnesses the pain-reducing power of cannabidiol by coating its plastic-free, organic tampons in lab-tested, medical grade CBD – ‘designed for a bloody good period’.
Sleep solution
While CBD research is still in its infancy, it provides great promise. Research from Dragonfly CBD, for example, claims that one in five people take a nap most days, and while short naps of 15-20 minutes can have some benefit, on the whole they are likely to disrupt sleep patterns and lead to worse quality sleep at night. The benefits of CBD on overall sleep quality still need to be more deeply researched before definitive scientific conclusions can be made – however, early evidence in support of CBD as a sleep aid certainly isn’t hard to find. The same study from Dragonfly CBD found that 26% of their survey respondents take CBD to improve their slumber.
The brand’s natural health expert Dr Tim Bond, states: “The World Health Organization has recognized that CBD products, such as Dragonfly CBD, may have the potential to help health issues like insomnia, as well as anxiety which can prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep.”
Hopefully the FSA will soon fully approve more CBD products in the UK so that manufacturers can get to work on crafting more innovative ways for the nation to enjoy and benefit from this exciting plant compound.
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Altai Mountain Shilajit
Tel: 07414 446815
E-mail: [email protected]
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Harnessing Nature for Everyday Happiness
Happy Me CBD
Tel: 07557 902373
Email: [email protected]
www.happymecbd.co.uk
Driven by a mission to create happier lives through hormonal balance and support Happy Me’s easy-to-use CBD oils and balms are designed to bring balance and calm to those experiencing symptoms of menopause, perimenopause, PMS and stress. Harnessing the power of nature and supported by science their carefully crafted CBD range uses premium-quality, fully traceable, organic ingredients with 0% THC that stand strong alone or as an integrative support. Valued for their quality, effectiveness, and personalised dosage guidance, Happy Me products aim to ease anxiety, sleep issues, brain fog, low mood, joint/muscle pain, inflammation, and certain skin conditions with simple yet effective products.
CBD & Hemp Patches, Pills, Pastilles, Oils & Cosmetics
Vytabotanicals, Vytaliving LTD
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 01562 752700
www.vytabotanicals.com
Vytabotanicals is a one-stop-shop for all things hemp and CBD. These natural botanical extracts can be confusing, so we’ve taken the complication out of it and made it as easy as possible for our customers to shop Hemp and CBD. As the tag line suggests, “we have it all”. Vytabotanicals is suitable for everyone over the age of 18 years, completing our aim to facilitate mindful and holistic use of these powerful natural resources to all that need it.
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