Hong Kong ban on CBD takes effect, with risk of life imprisonment for selling or producing

Hong Kong’s ban on cannabidiol (CBD), which is derived from cannabis, came into effect on February 1, 2023. Although legal in most countries, people caught possessing or using CBD in Hong Kong can now face seven years in jail, with up to life imprisonment for those selling or producing the now-illicit substance. Starting in 2020, CBD-infused products exploded in popularity across Hong Kong, appearing in everything from coffees to cheesecakes. The public was given three months before the ban to dispose of their CBD-related products, with authorities saying they had collected 77,000 such items