CBD: France's inconsistency is at an all-time high

Edito. The «recent authorization» of CBD e-liquids, or at least their discovery by the general media, is a great opportunity to highlight the inconsistencies that result from this.

CBD E-Liquid vs. Sativex

The general public now has access to a wellness product: CBD e-liquid. Whether you’re looking to reduce insomnia or stress, achieve a sense of calm, or simply enjoy the taste, anyone can vape CBD without fear of breaking the law. But we tend to forget that people who are sick still do not have access to Sativex, an oral spray containing CBD and THC that could relieve spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis in 5,000 people in France.

A business opportunity for farmers outside France

The CBD in these e-liquids comes mostly from industrial hemp plants, whose THC content complies with European regulations—that is, less than 0.2%. Is this a positive development for our agriculture? If only! French hemp farmers currently have access to only 22 varieties of hemp, with CBD levels not exceeding 6%, whereas Swiss varieties with less than 1% of THC can yield CBD levels as high as 20%.

In addition, the ban on the use of hemp flowers, which account for the vast majority of cannabinoids The ban on the plant—and therefore on CBD—is forcing French hemp farmers to destroy their flowers, effectively throwing millions of euros down the drain.

The result? There’s a good chance that the CBD you’re vaping comes from abroad.

The ban on the use of hemp flowers also raises an interesting contradiction: CBD sold in processed products is okay, but when sold as flowers? That’s a no-go.

A Positive View of Cannabis

A cornerstone of cannabis prohibition, the ban on portraying cannabis use in a favorable light has, among other things, the effect of skewing information about cannabis. As a principle subject to judicial discretion, it could, for example, be applied to anyone who implies that cannabis has certain benefits.

Will this restriction on freedom of expression last much longer, given that we are seeing more and more hemp-based cosmetics, hemp seed powder, CBD e-liquids, and that Many studies highlight the potential of cannabis to treat dozens of medical conditions?

It is worth noting that the glorification of drug use or trafficking is currently punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of 75,000 euros.

THC Limit for Driving

The current THC limit for driving is extremely strict: 1 ng/mL. This threshold is low enough that even the slightest trace of THC will trigger the test and result in a positive reading. However, the Ministry of Health has announced a maximum THC level of 0.2% in CBD e-liquids. This means that many users of CBD e-liquids will soon test «positive for cannabis» without having actually consumed it and without being under the influence of drugs.

A brain teaser, you say?