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Hong Kong police have proposed banning CBD products this year, as cannabis-derived welfare items have recently gained popularity in the city.
The change will make the substance illegal under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, which means those who buy or consume these products can face up to seven years in prison.
CBD, or cannabidiol, is one of more than 100 chemical compounds found in the marijuana plant. CBD is currently legal in Hong Kong as long as it has no traces of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), another active ingredient found in cannabis that gives users a “high” feeling. THC is included in the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance.
What you need to know about CBD
Known for its calming effect, CBD can be found in various products such as food, beverages, beauty products and even pet food. Industry actors also claim that it can help clients regulate their anxiety and relieve stress.
Most CBD products sold in Hong Kong are imported from overseas, including the United States, Britain, and Europe. CBD oil, depending on its use and quantity, is priced between HK $ 150 and $ 480.
Authorities said it was “almost inevitable” that CBD products would contain THC, as current technology could not remove it from the compound and could also decompose naturally into the illegal active ingredient.
CBD can even be used to treat anxiety in pets. Photo: Nora Tam
As of 2019, about a third, or more than 4,100 items, of CBD product samples tested in the government lab contained THC, the main psychoactive substance found in cannabis, according to figures quoted in a document presented to the Legislative Council. proposing to include CBD under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance in 2022.
In addition, CBD could be converted to THC with the use of readily available acidic materials, such as vinegar or battery acid, in the home kitchen.
The proposed legislation would prohibit the manufacture, import, export, supply, sale, possession and shipment of any product containing CBD in the city.
Staff writers
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Requests for questions
What is your general opinion about the presence of CBD in food, beverages, beauty products, and pet food, and why?
What reasons are given in the context of the proposed ban on CBD?
News: Retailers call for alternatives to CBD ban
CBD stores have urged the government to explore alternatives to the absolute ban that is currently on the table.
While most lawmakers in the city supported the proposed amendment, industry players expressed reservations, arguing that they should be allowed to sell these products as long as the items have been subjected to laboratory testing and they are verified to be safe for use.
“Legislation is a cross-cutting approach. I think there is still room for discussion. The current regulations are sufficient. [to protect residents from THC]said Keith Wong Tsz-wai, executive director of the Community Drug Advisory Board.
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Wong suggested an alternative law that would require companies to perform laboratory tests to ensure that THC is not included in their products.
The licensed social worker said he had not heard of cases where CBD use would lead people to use cannabis as well. He added that it was a “myth” for cannabis users to turn to CBD to help reduce the health effects of the drug.
Anthony To, one of the owners of Cannable, a spa and CBD treatment store in Sheung Wan, said there was no alternative to his store but to stop using CBD products if the proposed amendments were approved.
CBD products available at Cannabis CBD Spa & Treatment in Sheung Wan. Photo: Nora Tam
The CBD items used by his store had passed laboratory tests certifying that they did not contain THC, he added. “We were pretty surprised,” he said. “Many countries have legalized the use of CBD.”
Another owner of a store that sells CBD oils said the proposed ban was bad news for the industry.
“CBD products have been helping people with sleep problems as they can be used instead of painkillers to help them sleep naturally,” said the owner, who wished to remain anonymous.
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The store had been cleaning up its stock of CBD products by selling them at discounted prices and had already stopped importing them. If the amendments were approved, it would send the remaining products to suppliers.
Despite protests, lawmakers who support the measure say banning CBD will help prevent drug abuse.
“Cannabis use has increased in recent years. To prevent future long-term abuse, we will take a hard line against all dangerous drugs and cannabis, “Narcotics Commissioner Kesson Lee told Security Panel lawmakers earlier this month.
Staff writers
Requests for questions
Why might some people choose to use CBD as a painkiller or to sleep, unlike medicine?
Some argue that it is hypocritical to allow the sale of drugs such as alcohol, but prohibits CBD. To what extent do you agree with this argument and why?
Many people use CBD oil to relieve stress and anxiety. Photo: Shutterstock
Issue: Hong Kong police warn that more than 21-year-olds are using cannabis
Younger people have been found in Hong Kong using cannabis, and authorities believe they may be ignoring the dangers because recreational drug use has been legalized in some countries, such as Canada and some US states.
According to the Narcotics Division of the Security Office, the number of children under the age of 21 who were reported to have used cannabis increased by 48%, from 326 in 2020 to 483 last year. The number of children under the age of 21 involved in cannabis-related crimes also increased by 35%, from 191 in 2020 to 257 last year.
Superintendent Theodora Lee Wai-see of the police force’s narcotics office said more than half of the city’s known under-21 drug users used cannabis last year, reflecting a growing trend of this abuse among adolescents.
CBD comes from the marijuana plan, but it does not contain the active ingredient that leaves people high. Photo: Shutterstock
According to Sam Szeto Kam-san, a social worker at the Hong Kong Playground Association, many young people use drugs to treat or distract them from their problems. He led a youth outreach team in Yau Tsim Mong District and met about 50 young people who had abused drugs. Four out of five had used cannabis for a few months and a few years.
Szeto urged parents to communicate more with their children and be alert to whether they have emotional issues or show interest in cannabis. Parents could also look for cannabis leaf prints on their children’s clothes, references to the number 420, the street code of the substance, and be aware of its distinctive smell.
Professor Tang Wai-kwong, of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of China, warned that cannabis could be harmful to the physical and mental health of users.
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According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, marijuana use, especially frequently (daily or almost daily) and in high doses, can lead to disorientation and unpleasant thoughts or feelings of anxiety and paranoia.
People who use marijuana are more likely to develop temporary psychosis (not knowing what is real, hallucinations, and paranoia) and long-term mental disorders, including schizophrenia (a type of mental illness where people can see or hear things which are not there). .
The association between marijuana and schizophrenia is stronger in people who start using marijuana at an earlier age and use it more often.
Staff writer
Requests for questions
Do the opinions presented in the issue match or conflict with those of News? Explain your answer.
Identify ONE issue mentioned in the number on the growing trend of marijuana use among teens and explain ONE way the government can reduce the rate of drug use.
Do high school students have to take drugs?
Cartoons
Requests for questions
What does the term “space lettuce” refer to, and why? Why can the police use a phrase like this? Explain using Context and Glossary information.
What does the cartoon suggest about how the government views marijuana and CBD? How can you use Context to support this view? Explain your answer.
Glossary
cannabis: a tall plant with a rigid vertical stem, split dentate leaves, and glandular hairs. It is used to produce hemp fiber and as a drug.
cannabidiol: better known as CBD, it is one of more than 100 chemical compounds found in the marijuana plant or its close relative, hemp. CBD oil is obtained by extracting CBD from the cannabis plant and diluting it with a carrier oil, such as coconut oil or hemp seed oil. It can be found in a variety of products online and in stores, including dietary supplements, baths, drinks and food. Although CBD is being studied as a medical treatment, more research is needed to determine the other benefits and safety of CBD, as it also carries certain risks and side effects.
Dangerous Drugs Ordinance: A law that says possession of a dangerous drug is punishable by up to seven years in prison and a fine of HK $ 1 million in Hong Kong. Anyone who traffics, including the sale or gift of any quantity of dangerous drugs, is subject to a fine of HK $ 5,000,000 and life imprisonment.
tetrahydrocannabinol: abbreviated as THC, this is the main psychoactive ingredient found in cannabis that causes the feeling of being drugged. Unlike THC, CBD is not psychoactive.
420: a slang phrase that refers to smoking marijuana around 4:20 p.m., or being open to smoking the plant in general. It also refers to the cannabis-related celebrations that take place annually on April 20 for people involved in culture.
