Following the news that medicinal cannabis products are to be legalized, Aleksandrina Yotova, Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers her view on the likely impact in the drinks market:

‘‘This change in legislation for medicinal cannabis will spur further growth in the Cannabidiol (CBD) market in drinks, an increasingly popular legal form of cannabis.

‘‘CBD is a marijuana extract, which is not considered a controlled substance in the UK, and is therefore 100 % legal – as opposed to the psychoactive chemical Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

‘‘CBD has recently started to gain traction in the UK market as a functional ingredient in drinks. As CBD is non-psychoactive and there is a widespread belief in its medical value, it will keep rising in popularity, especially among consumers wanting to relax while remaining sober.

‘‘Holland & Barrett has been selling CBD oil as a food supplement since the start of 2018. The retailer has recently reported stable and growing sales of the format. Consequently in June, Holland & Barrett launched Love Hemp Water, a functional spring water infused with CBD. We expect to see more brands moving into this space.

‘‘Cloud 9 Brewing, a craft beer producer in the UK has recently launched its High Flyer Session IPA with Cannabis Oil Extract, marketed as offering “blissfully elevated drinking experience” and containing 0 % THC. A 330 ml bottle contains 10 mg of CBD extract, obtained from organic Cannabis Sativa.’’