CBD: In the absence of regulation, consumers and companies get organized

While the fact-finding mission on cannabis use has yet to deliver its verdict, and the future of the CBD in France is in the hands of both the European Court of Justice and the French authorities, CBD cannabis or CBD-derived products are still being sold in France. In the absence of regulation, consumers and companies are organizing themselves to separate the good products from the bad, or to ensure that they are represented before the authorities.

On the consumer side, several Facebook groups have sprung up. The biggest, CBD for everyone, which brings together some 6,000 CBD consumers, aims to offer its members consumer feedback for consumers. And even though it maintains partnerships with some of the most visible CBD brands in Europe, «our opinion is always objective» according to Romu, who created the group 3 years ago. Suffering from several pathologies, he created the group after testing a host of CBD products and to offer the best advice to people in similar situations. No medical advice is given, of course, but patients can share their feedback on the products they've tested. And if they don't necessarily agree with each other, the plurality of opinions helps members find their way through the CBD maze.

The Group CBD Scams and recommendations was created pre-confinement and took advantage of this period. Whether it's THC smokers trying to make up for a shortage of cannabis, anxious people turning to CBD in this period, or people with questions about CBD, the group focuses more on the wellness use of cannabidiol and products containing it. The group scans the major CBD brands and gives its opinion on flowers, candies and other products. CBD oils.

On the professional side, the difficulties faced by CBD companies do not seem to discourage them. On the contrary, they are organizing themselves to try and make the authorities listen to reason. A group of CBD stores is planning to appeal to the authorities.

David, the founder of this currently unregistered collective, tells us he's «fed up with the abusive searches and the way we're being treated. We sell CBD, which is legal in France and Europe, and we're trying to be as legal as possible in an area where we're calling for regulations». For him, the absence of regulation is indeed the source of the problems encountered. «Cannabis is a complex subject, but we're not asking to sell THC-based products. We're simply asking to be able to sell products made from legal hemp, i.e. with -0.2% THC, and without the exclusion of flower, which has no scientific or health reason. If manufacturers have the right to chenevotte [editor's note: the woody part of hemp, which is neither a fiber nor a seed], we should have the right to the flower».

David intends to bring these 500-plus stores together before the decision is made. Kanavape of November, the issues raised in the event of a search or prosecution harming contractors, while the majority of prosecutions end in acquittal.

In addition to the Kanavape verdict, which will be handed down on November 19, the current threat is that CBD could be classified as a narcotic at European level. While this too has no scientific basis, and runs counter to WHO and UN recommendations, the subject has been raised by the European Directorate-General for Health. A decision that would short-circuit the entire European CBD sector in favor of dubious products sold online, either from Europe or from the UK, for example.