Hong Kong Prohibits CBD Products: 7-Year Imprisonment and Heavy Fines

Jan.12.2023

Hong Kong Prohibits CBD Products: 7-Year Imprisonment and Heavy Fines

Hong Kong bans all CBD products, adding them to its Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, with the possibility of severe punishments.

Hong Kong, China recently announced that all products containing cannabidiol (CBD) will be banned starting February 1st. CBD will be added to the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance (DDO), which already includes over 200 substances such as fentanyl, ketamine, heroin, and various psychoactive compounds like MDMA.

CBD will now be included in the existing list of "cannabinol and its tetrahydro derivative (THC); as well as 3-alkyl homologues." As a result of this change, anyone who possesses or consumes CBD will face a maximum of seven years in prison and a fine of up to HKD 1 million (approximately RMB 870,000).

According to Lexology, manufacturers of CBD may also face life imprisonment.

Although many users around the world have been touting the anti-anxiety and pain-relieving properties of CBD, the Hong Kong Security Bureau believes that these claims "lack authoritative scientific evidence." This directive appears to be consistent with China's ban on the use of CBD in cosmetics implemented last year.

Currently, it is unclear whether other cannabinoids such as CBG, CBDV, CBC, etc. will be included in the ban. However, based on a memorandum from the Narcotics Division in November 2022, the Hong Kong government appears to be primarily concerned about the possibility of CBD products containing trace amounts of THC, either through breakdown or conversion, and the lack of international regulations specifically for these products.

Article Related Reading: Hong Kong plans to completely ban the sale of CBD products by the end of 2022.

#CBD #Products #Hong Kong #Hong Kong, China #Product

This document has been generated through artificial intelligence translation and is provided solely for the purposes of industry discourse and learning. Please note that the intellectual property rights of the content belong to the original media source or author. Owing to certain limitations in the translation process, there may be discrepancies between the translated text and the original content. We recommend referring to the original source for complete accuracy. In case of any inaccuracies, we invite you to reach out to us with corrections. If you believe any content has infringed upon your rights, please contact us immediately for its removal.

China Tobacco Regulation Shift：Policy Updates and Market Impact

China Tobacco Regulation Shift：Policy Updates and Market Impact

Fifth Circuit Upholds FDA’s 2021 PMTA Rule, Citing Statutory Health-Study Requirements

Fifth Circuit Upholds FDA’s 2021 PMTA Rule, Citing Statutory Health-Study Requirements

A Fifth Circuit panel upheld the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s 2021 final rule requiring companies seeking premarket authorization for new tobacco products to include information on health-risk investigations. In a published opinion, the court found FDA satisfied the Regulatory Flexibility Act’s procedural requirements and reasonably relied on the economic analysis from the 2016 “deeming rule” as a factual basis to certify limited impact on small businesses.

Feb.27 by 2FIRSTS.ai

UK’s North Yorkshire Council plans up to £477,000 spend on e-cigarettes to support quitting smoking

UK’s North Yorkshire Council plans up to £477,000 spend on e-cigarettes to support quitting smoking

North Yorkshire Council in the UK is set to spend up to £477,000 on e-cigarettes to support residents quitting smoking. Since e-cigarettes were added to the council’s Living Well Smokefree service in July 2023, 487 people have used them to quit, with about a third remaining smoke-free after a year.

Mar.03 by 2FIRSTS.ai

Multi-agency crackdown targets vape and convenience stores across Wirral, seizing illegal cigarettes and non-compliant pods

Multi-agency crackdown targets vape and convenience stores across Wirral, seizing illegal cigarettes and non-compliant pods

A multi-agency, intelligence-led enforcement operation took place on January 27, 2026, targeting vape and convenience stores across Wirral, including West Kirby, to disrupt the supply of illegal tobacco and vaping products. Six premises were inspected, with approximately 10,500 illegal cigarettes seized along with vape pods that were not in original packaging or did not meet UK regulatory requirements.

Feb.05 by 2FIRSTS.ai

BAT rolls out VELO nicotine pouches in Argentina as social media buzzes about ZYN distribution

BAT rolls out VELO nicotine pouches in Argentina as social media buzzes about ZYN distribution

BAT Argentina says it has launched VELO nicotine pouches in Argentina, positioning the product as an adult alternative that contains no tobacco and involves no combustion. At the same time, social media discussion and media reporting indicate that Philip Morris International’s ZYN nicotine pouches are also being distributed through Argentine channels.

Jan.12 by 2FIRSTS.ai

Virginia appeals to the Fourth Circuit over partial block on flavored vape ban enforcement

Virginia appeals to the Fourth Circuit over partial block on flavored vape ban enforcement

Virginia has asked the Fourth Circuit to overturn a district court order that partially blocked enforcement of the commonwealth’s flavored vape ban. In a notice, the state told U.S. District Judge David J. Novak it seeks to upend his December ruling that Virginia’s Chapter 23.2 statute is preempted by the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act.

Jan.12 by 2FIRSTS.ai

San Francisco reaches $1 million settlement with nicotine pouch retailer Lucy Goods

San Francisco reaches $1 million settlement with nicotine pouch retailer Lucy Goods

In the United States, California, San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu announced a $1 million settlement requiring online tobacco retailer Lucy Goods, Inc. to stop shipping illegal tobacco products into San Francisco.

Jan.09 by 2FIRSTS.ai

Related Topics

News

Related Read

Fifth Circuit Upholds FDA’s 2021 PMTA Rule, Citing Statutory Health-Study Requirements

Fifth Circuit Upholds FDA’s 2021 PMTA Rule, Citing Statutory Health-Study Requirements

UK’s North Yorkshire Council plans up to £477,000 spend on e-cigarettes to support quitting smoking

UK’s North Yorkshire Council plans up to £477,000 spend on e-cigarettes to support quitting smoking

Multi-agency crackdown targets vape and convenience stores across Wirral, seizing illegal cigarettes and non-compliant pods

Multi-agency crackdown targets vape and convenience stores across Wirral, seizing illegal cigarettes and non-compliant pods

BAT rolls out VELO nicotine pouches in Argentina as social media buzzes about ZYN distribution

BAT rolls out VELO nicotine pouches in Argentina as social media buzzes about ZYN distribution

Virginia appeals to the Fourth Circuit over partial block on flavored vape ban enforcement

Virginia appeals to the Fourth Circuit over partial block on flavored vape ban enforcement

San Francisco reaches $1 million settlement with nicotine pouch retailer Lucy Goods

San Francisco reaches $1 million settlement with nicotine pouch retailer Lucy Goods