Hong Kong brings CBD under dangerous-drug controls

CBD became a dangerous drug in Hong Kong on 1 February 2023. Products previously sold as skincare, edible oils or supplements came under controls carrying up to seven years and HK$1 million for unlawful possession or consumption. Before the change, authorities collected about 77,400 CBD items for disposal.^[1]

Sellers had first been warned about THC

In November 2021, the government said CBD itself was outside dangerous-drug controls, while THC was prohibited regardless of concentration. Importers and sellers were responsible for ensuring their products contained no THC or other dangerous drugs.^[2]

That distinction allowed a CBD market to develop. The government’s 2022 legislative brief described products ranging from coffee powder and oils to skincare and supplements, often promoted with health claims. It also acknowledged that pure CBD was not associated with abuse potential.^[3]

The government chose wider control

The legislative brief cited difficulty removing THC impurities from cannabis-derived CBD and the risk of contamination during production. It also relied on advice from the Government Laboratory about conversion of CBD into THC. These were the government’s stated reasons for controlling CBD itself.^[3]

CBD medicines had already been subject to prescription-only controls since December 2019. The brief said no CBD pharmaceutical product had been registered in Hong Kong by October 2022.^[3]

Products were surrendered before the deadline

The government provided disposal boxes and help with bulk disposal before commencement. Its final announcement warned travellers against bringing CBD products into Hong Kong and set out the existing dangerous-drug penalties that would apply to them.^[1]

Ordinary consumers faced possession and consumption offences. Trafficking and illicit manufacture could carry up to life imprisonment and HK$5 million.^[1]

A traveller later received a prison sentence

In July 2023, a woman received two months overall after convictions for CBD possession, ketamine possession and having injection equipment. She had arrived from the United States in March with two personal-care bottles containing about 5 g of CBD. Officers also found ketamine and ten syringes.^[4]

Customs described it as the first imprisonment since the CBD listing began. The Hong Kong profile follows the rules applying to those products alongside cannabis possession, use, growing and supply.^[4]