New Caledonia classifies CBD as a narcotic

New Caledonia has placed CBD on the list of narcotics. Despite its legality in France and the scientific community's growing recognition of its therapeutic virtues, New Caledonia has banned CBD via the annex to the April 10 decree published in the Journal Officiel.

How to a recognized non-psychotropic and therapeutic product found its way onto the list of narcotics in 2018, when the global trend is the opposite? New Caledonia has its own legislative and financial institutions, as well as a high degree of autonomy. The decision therefore came from the archipelago's deputies. Chronologically, this decree comes between «The »buzz" of CBD e-liquids last December and the «Mildeca's »reminder of the law" on CBD in June.

Moving backwards

The Journal Nouvelles-calédoniennes relayed the words of Madame Ducrocq-Montblanc, a doctor of pharmacy and inspector with the Department of Health and Social Affairs on the subject: «What has been clear since 2015 is that cannabidiol has a psychoactive effect, which has been acted upon by the Narcotics Commission of the Medicines Agency.».

She therefore refers to a text three years ago, which states that CBD has a psychoactive effect, but also that it is too early to rule on these effects and that further studies are needed. Three years on, numerous studies have corroborated the fact that the therapeutic spectrum of the CBD molecule is extremely broad, and that side effects, harmful or toxic effects and psychotropic effects are non-existent. Last December, the WHO agreed, declaring CBD safe and non-addictive.

In the same report, the Medicines Agency's Narcotics Commission acknowledged CBD's analgesic effect, the absence of toxic or addictive effects, and referred to an ongoing US study on a CBD treatment for metastatic cancer.