A Senseless Ban of CBD

Czech Republic considers banning CBD

While Germany is working on a project aiming to eventually legalize cannabis, its neighbor, the Czech Republic, has announced considering a ban on all CBD products. They justify this decision by referring to European regulations. In this article, we will explain in more detail what is happening there.

Despite the increasing popularity of CBD, the Czech Republic has made a decision that contradicts many other countries. The authorities responsible for food safety have announced their intention to prohibit the sale of products containing CBD or other cannabinoids. They cite European regulations and the lack of research on CBD and its effects as justification for their decision.

It is  highly peculiar response from the Czech Ministry of Agriculture, claiming to strictly ashere to and interpret Eu rules. This may seem illogical, considering that Germany, also a member of European Union, is currently taking the opposite approach, as we have seem in our previous article about the potential future legalization of cannabis among our German friends. So there are two different interpretations of the same regulation, but who is right? Furthermore, it is important to emphasize that the EU regulation referred to by the Ministry of Agriculture does not have legally binding effects but is merely a recommendation.

The Safety of CBD Consumers at the Center of the Debate

The Minister of Agriculture defends this position as follows: "I cannot accept that food products are brought to the market whose safety cannot be ensured by the European Food Safety Authority." In 2020, the European Commission ruled that CBD is not a narcotic and can therefore be classified as a food, provided it complies with the provisions of European food legislation. The Minister also admits that this will inevitably have an impact on certain operators in the food industry.

However, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has simultaneously begun examining various forms of CBD to provide them with approval for the European market of novel foods. During their investigations, they concluded that due to a "lack of data," it was difficult to confirm that CBD poses no risk to consumer health. This is despite the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring in 2017 that CBD is safe.

Bad Surprise for Some Advocating Cannabis Legalization

It is clear that this news has not pleased everyone, although no date for the implementation of this decision has been announced. But if there is one person who should have been consulted and informed about this decision, it is Jindrich Voboril, the coordinator of the drug control program who is currently working on a project to legalize cannabis in the Czech Republic. For him, it is evident that this decision, made without any consultation with his department, is nonsensical. This also reminds us of the decision by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) here in Switzerland to devalue CBD oils to discourage consumers from oral consumption. Again, that decision was made without consulting various medical and professional organizations in the industry.

He does not hide his surprise: "We are currently preparing a proposal to create a completely new category of psycho-modulating substances, which would also include CBD hemp and products containing up to 1% THC. I was not informed in advance about this activity by the Ministry of Agriculture. I was a little surprised, and that is not good." A lack of communication that leads to a paradox, with a decision to ban CBD products on one hand and an ongoing project for cannabis legalization on the other. Such division of forces can unfortunately only be counterproductive.

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