The county of Limerick is one of Ireland’s busiest and as such, the demand for CBD oil has dramatically increased over the last few years. The status surrounding CBD oil is complex and so it is important to be fully aware of the best CBD oils on the market before buying.

Whether you are from Limerick or a tourist just visiting Ireland, please read on to get the low down on quality CBD supplements and where to buy them in Limerick.

CBD Oil as a Dietary Food Supplement in Ireland

Breakthrough research put CBD (Cannabidiol) into contention to be one of the ‘formerly outlawed, now accepted’ products of this modern century. Both clinical researchers and anecdotal evidence given by Irish men and women claim that CBD may make a difference to the health of your body and/or mind.

However, further research is needed to confirm this as fact. The ingredients of your CBD food supplement determine its accepted status in Ireland and also the strength of certain cannabinoids in the oil. Why you may ask? Well, let’s take a look at the history. 

Most European countries including Ireland have a long history of growing cannabis. This was however stopped in the 20th century, a period when cannabis was getting a bad name on a global scale. This led cannabis to be classed as a controlled substance under the Misuse of Drugs Relations.

Hemp as a Sustainable Resource

The year 1995, saw the Irish authorities begin an assessment of hemp (Cannabis Sativa) as a source of sustainable fibre and oil. Ireland is a member of the European Union, so to comply with EU regulations on the subject, it is now legal to farm approved varieties of the hemp plant by the EU in the country.

This variety is one that contains not more than 0.2 per cent of THC. THC is the main psychoactive compound found in cannabis. It is responsible for the ‘high’ you feel when you consume marijuana.

CBD from Hemp is Legal in Limerick

In Ireland, CBD oil supplements are allowed to contain 0.2 per cent of THC. CBD from hemp should not be mistaken for THC cannabis strains. Cannabis with high levels of THC is illegal while CBD from EU approved hemp is permitted. In 2016, the Minister for Health in Ireland directed the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) to conduct a study on the health benefits of Cannabis and particularly, the benefits of CBD oil for those who use it daily. 

The study, which came after public backlash from citizens and parties who supported the use of CBD oil, led the government to soften their resolve on the sale and use of CBD oil. This, however, doesn’t lead to CBD being authorized as a medicinal product in Ireland. Doctors cannot prescribe the product as a health treatment option as it is not considered one by the HPRA in Ireland.

You can, however, buy CBD oil and other CBD products in Ireland as long as it contains less than 0.2 per cent of THC and they are marketed as a food supplement. 

If you want to know if the CBD you are buying is high quality make sure to ask for proof of lab testing to ensure there is less than 0.2% THC. In truth, any physical store selling CBD will be ok as they would not last long otherwise. Online CBD is more of a tricky one but there are quality sources of CBD oil found through Irish CBD stores.

For example, all of Dr. Hemp Me’s CBD food supplements are backed up by lab test reports which are available on their website for consumers to view. Dr Hemp Me boast an array of 5 star reviews on their Trustpilot account from both men and women who have chosen to add CBD health food supplements to their everyday diet.

Any Irish CBD brand worth your time should offer a variety of strengths to suit all customers. Delivery of orders is very quick within Ireland and often next day. 

The Novel Food Problem

What is a Novel Food?

Novel foods are foods or food ingredients that were not available on the European Union Market to a considerable degree before the 15th of May, 1997.

CBD Oil as a Food Supplement

As almost everyone these days takes vitamins and minerals as part of their daily food intake, CBD oil and other products made from cannabidiol can be added to your food diet as a food supplement. People may take Vitamin D for their immune system or calcium for a bone health reason while others now take CBD which has been extracted from the cannabis plant to provide extra nutrients to their food intake. 

Some forms of CBD oil are not allowed to be sold as food supplements in the EU however. This is related to the process of extracting the oil. Generally, if hemp oil is obtained through the cold pressing of the seed or parts of hemp’s plant, authorization is not required. Authorization is not required because hemp oil was consumed in the European Union before 1997.

The Cannabis Trade Association who view CBD oil as a product that has been in use all over the world before 1997 is hotly contesting this issue, therefore CBD should be exempt from the novel food authorisation.

If CBD does have to be novel food authorised this will literally shut the industry down for 18 – 24 months which is not ideal for the industry as a whole and also consumers who now rely on CBD for everyday use.

At the moment this issue is not being enforced and CBD oil companies are still allowed to trade.

Where to Buy CBD Oil Supplements in Limerick

There are lots of physical stores that sell CBD oil in Limerick that offer great prices and different CBD products. So let’s take a look at these stores in no particular order.

On Thomas St, there are a couple of physical stores like Eats of Eden and Milagro CBD oil.

The physical stores in Limerick employ a team of experts who verify the percentage composition of THC in the CBD oil they sell to help you avoid any trouble with law enforcement. They also sell products in different forms like capsules, CBD vapes, and edibles.

Buying CBD Oil Online in Limerick

If you are looking to buy online, a very reliable CBD brand is Dr. Hemp Me. All our products are tested by a third party to ensure exactly what is stated is in the oil. Currently, the CBD industry is very unregulated as such it is up to the consumer to do their due diligence before buying CBD. We are HPRA compliant and rated “Excellent” by Trustpilot.

We are based in Dublin, Ireland, and we are regulated by the Cannabis Trade Association.

So there you have it, a comprehensive guide on how to purchase CBD in Limerick, Ireland.