Best CBD oil in the UK: the top brands reviewed 2024
Once a completely banned substance, cannabis has made its way into our everyday lives in the form of CBD oil - extracts taken from the plant parts of hemp that may offer relief from a variety of mental and physical health problems without the hard-hitting hallucinogenic dosage of full-blown cannabis.
What was once seen as a controversial substance has become a well-established part of popular health culture – but is it worth the hype? We set out to try "miracle medicine" for ourselves. With trouble sleeping, relaxing and switching off, we hoped it might provide a natural antidote to the constantly switched-on, anxiety-inducing world we live in.
But where to start? There are so many different strains and strengths of CBD on the market, and the UK seems to be in a constant state of confusion over the legality of these products. Even the CBD producers themselves describe it as “a semi-cowboy market” that “somewhat resembles the Wild West.”
Trial and error is a necessary part of the process to find a product that works for you because what works for one person won’t necessarily have the same effect on others.
There are also a few very important things to consider before buying CBD oil. So, let’s start with the basics.
What exactly is CBD oil?
CBD oil (also known as cannabidiol) is made from the stalk, stems, leaves and flowers of the hemp plant, which contain high amounts of active, therapeutic cannabinoids. This is not to be confused with hemp oil used in food and beauty, which is made from the seeds of the same plant.
CBD oil cannot “get you high” as the Home Office "only issues licenses for cultivation of plants from approved seed types with a THC content not exceeding 0.2 per cent".
Gemma Colao, Founder of OTO explains, “CBD is one of the main cannabinoids found in the hemp plant. It is similar to cannabinoids naturally produced in our own bodies, which help to promote homeostasis – or balance – in the body. They also help regulate physiological functions like pain, inflammation, sleep, mood, stress and anxiety - to name just a few.”
