With only two months to go before a deadline for novel food applications, CBD brands are feeling “anxious and let down” as the industry is said to be taking further steps to place large hurdles on grassroots businesses.

As of March 31, the government will be implement new regulations for Cannabidiol, known as CBD, under EU Novel Food legislation.

The most popular and effective type of CBD oil to consume is ‘full spectrum’ oil which is extracted using the CO2 extraction method in the same way that herbs, spices, dairy and essential oils are extracted. CO2 extraction is considered the safest way to extract food for human consumption.

Businesswoman, Nic Hewitt, from West Lakes Hemp, said: “We’ve worked tirelessly for three years making sure we sourced the very best quality products for our customers, and we have voluntarily regulated ourselves following our seed to shelf tracking policy.

“Although a novel foods licence is free, the testing that comes with it would cost near quarter of a million pounds and as a small business we just haven’t got that kind of cash. I truly feel like we are being unfairly targeted by the government and big pharma who have realised that the Cannabis industry is worth millions and they’re making it impossible for us to trade and putting up red tape everywhere so they can come in and profit from it themselves.

I have used CBD for nearly four years and it really is a life-or-death situation for me, without I probably wouldn’t be here, and I intend, along with the rest of Smaller CBD companies to fight for what is right and fight for our customers and I would implore all CBD users to unite and help us. These new regulations make us feel extremely anxious and significantly let down.”

The decision to label CBD as a novel food back in 2017 originally ignored CO2-based extractions and focussed solely on CBD isolates as they come in powder form and are far removed from a full plant extract. There are now an estimated six million users of CBD in the UK today, many of them swapping long lists of various prescribed medications for the therapeutic full spectrum oils.