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Watchdogs have issued a major safety warning for CBD products promoted by celebrities such as Claudia Winkleman to promote health and wellbeing.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has warned that regular long-term consumption of cannabidiol, which is derived from the marijuana plant, is “potentially harmful” to the liver and thyroid.
As a result, the recommended daily intake limit for the chemical was drastically reduced from 70 mg to just 10 mg.
It is the first time that a government food control agency anywhere in the world has set such a limit for CBD.
The FSA’s move will raise concerns among the millions who regularly consume CBD, as it is claimed to ease anxiety and depression, promote sleep and relaxation and ease joint pain.
Boxer Anthony Joshua has a partnership with CBD brand Love Hemp
TRIP is one of the leading brands of CBD products and is best known for its cans, each containing 15 mg of the substance
It will also be a hammer blow to the fast-growing industry, worth £690 million a year, with more than 400 companies supplying products to 18 million adults in the UK.
Leading brands include the TRIP drink, which contains 15 mg of CBD per can, but the product is also available in capsules, oils, and gummies, some of which contain up to 50 mg in a single serving.
Ms. Winkleman is the brand ambassador for Cannaray. Gummies manufactured by the company can contain up to 30 mg.
Naturecan’s investors include former cricketer Freddie Flintoff, while sports presenter Laura Woods, former footballer and pundit Jamie Redknapp and TV presenter Lisa Snowdon have endorsed the products.
The company said its products were safe and the FSA accepted there was “no acute safety risk” from taking more than 10mg of CBD per day.
Boxer Anthony Joshua has a partnership with Love Hemp and former England rugby star George Kruis is the founder of CBD brand four five.
Although the FSA does not ban high-potency CBD products, it plans to work with manufacturers to address their concerns.
Professor Robin May from the FSA said: “The more CBD you consume over your lifetime, the more likely you are to develop long-term side effects such as liver damage or thyroid problems.”
“The extent of the risk depends on how much you take, just as it does with some other potentially harmful products such as alcoholic drinks.”
The Association for the Cannabinoid Industry said: “Our scientific panel will examine the scientific evidence to better understand how the FSA reached its conclusion.”