Does CBD Oil Need A Prescription?

One of the issues we’re working to try and resolve in our industry is that the information available to the public is confusing and often misleading.

We write articles like this because we can see that people are asking these questions online, and we find that many potential customers don’t know the differences between cannabis and hemp.

To put it simply, medical cannabis products and CBD products are not the same things.

Medical cannabis products have been developed in laboratories, and put through medical trials in order to be approved as treatments for specific ailments.

CBD products available on the high street are not subject to these studies,  and so are permitted to be sold only as food supplements.

That means that we, and other companies in the industry, cannot make any claims about the benefits of CBD products, so if you come across a company doing so, it’s best to avoid them completely.

What is CBD Oil?

CBD (or cannabidiol) is one of the many compounds of the cannabis plant, and it is widely used across the world as a food supplement to support good health and wellbeing.

Despite deriving from the cannabis plant, which is well-known for making people “high”, CBD is a non-psychoactive element of the plant, meaning it does not cause any intoxicating effects.

It has been deemed wholly safe to use and well tolerated by the majority of people by the World Health Organisation.

What Does CBD Do?

CBD has been shown to interact with the human endocannabinoid system (ECS), a fairly recent discovery, which is found throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems.

The ECS helps to regulate homeostasis, which is the body's ability to maintain good health regardless of any activities we're doing, or the external factors such as the ambient temperature.

As the system was only discovered within the last couple of decades, scientific studies are still being conducted to identify any benefits CBD might have to offer.

Who Can Get Cannabis On Prescription?

Following legislative changes, cannabis-based products for medicinal use (CBPMs) can only be prescribed by doctors on the General Medical Council's Specialist Register.

However, it's uncommon for doctors to prescribe these products, and very few people in England are likely to get a prescription for medical cannabis.

In the very rare instances when CBPMs are prescribed, the products are not the same as any products you can buy on the high street or online.

Can You Buy CBD Oil?

First of all, it’s worth clarifying again that CBD Oil is not a medicinal cannabis product, but simply a food supplement.

Because of this, CBD products are available over the counter in the UK, so you’re free to try it as part of your own wellbeing programme.

In fact, there are now hundreds of products available in a wide range of health food shops, as well as on ecommerce sites online, giving users plenty of options to choose from.

We would always recommend that you do your research before you buy, so look for a trusted, reputable provider, that can provide lab reports to back up the contents of their products.

If you’re looking for CBD products, make sure the label explains how many milligrams of CBD there are, as we’ve seen many instances where hemp seed oil with no CBD content is being sold as CBD to unsuspecting users.

The Bottom Line

The simple fact is that it’s very simple to buy CBD oil in the UK - you don’t need a prescription, and you can simply purchase products online or over the counter. 

If you are looking to add CBD to your diet as part of your wellbeing routine, there are plenty of products to choose from, just make sure you’re buying from a trusted retailer.

Medical cannabis, on the other hand, is only prescribed in the UK in very rare circumstances, by specialist Doctors, meaning you won’t be able to get your GP to prescribe them to you.