Hong Kong’s crackdown on cannabis oil leads to first arrest under new law

CBD classified alongside cocaine and heroin in Hong Kong under new legislation

Hong Kong has made its first arrest for possession of cannabidiol (CBD).

A 30-year-old man was taken into custody after Hong Kong Customs seized CBD in air parcels arriving from Denmark at Hong Kong International Airport, a statement customs said.

Customs officers found four bottles of CBD and about four grams of suspected cannabis buds with an estimated market value of HK$5,000 ($637).

This was the first arrest that came just days after the city passed new laws criminalising all cannabis-related products, including the possession, consumption and selling of CBD.

The law came into effect on 1 February and classifies the substance alongside drugs like heroin and cocaine.

CBD is increasingly used worldwide to treat pain and anxiety but has been subject to a debate among scientists and law enforcement experts.

This is because of the ease with which CBD can be converted into THC, a psychoactive ingredient contained in cannabis, that has long been illegal in Hong Kong.

Customers sit at tables in Hong Kong's first CBD cafe (AP)

Following the risk assessment, customs declared the air parcel as “skin oil”. The total weight of the parcels was about 60ml.

Customs officers searched the residence of the arrested man in Tseung Kwan O town and found a grinder containing traces of suspected cannabis buds.

The Hong Kong government’s cannabis oil crackdown has come as the city seeks to revive its tourism industry. Hong Kong reopened its international borders after three years of isolation under tough Covid pandemic curbs.

The crackdown has led to the shutdown of CBD-related businesses, including cafes and shops selling CBD-infused products popular among young people.

The law was an extension of mainland China’s ban on CBD that had come into effect last year.

Those convicted of importing, exporting or producing the substance can face up to life in prison and a HK$5m ($638,000) fine. Possession of CBD can result in up to seven years in jail and a HK$1m ($128,000) fine.