Written By Dave Barton

In this second part of a deep dive into the relationship between cannabis and his native UK, Dave Barton, co-founder and creative director of thermidor – a cannabis-focused, content-led creative agency – unravels a little more of his country’s complex relationship with everyone here’s favourite plant. Find the first part, “Decline of the British Hempire” online.

In Modern Britain, cannabis is at best tolerated and at worst yet *another* target for moral outrage. While high-strength THC flower – or ‘skunk’ – remains the illicit weed of choice for the British public, despite the UK being one of the world’s biggest producers of legal cannabis, Little Englanders of a certain age and status still clutch scornfully their pearls at a mere sniff of the ‘Evil Weed’. But a new type of cannabis is being embraced across Britain – in the form of CBD. Yes, more open-minded, health conscious consumers are emerging here. But will a drive towards more mindful, intentional living pave the way for, and legitimise ‘therapeutic cannabis’? Or are we Brits so hellbent on hedonistic indulgence that only super strong cannabis can compete with the copious amounts of alcohol we consume?

Big Drink Energy

Let’s start with a quick look at a few other favoured UK vices. Britain’s binge drinking is well-documented – and only seems to be getting worse. In fact, alcohol-related deaths reached a 20 year high in 2020: right when everyone was stuck at home during the pandemic (which itself negates the argument that drinking’s purely a social activity). It’s not just lager; craft beer is becoming more popular here too – microbreweries seem to be cropping up all over the place. Spirits have always been a staple of a British night out too: gin, in particular, seems to be enjoying a more sophisticated renaissance right now. We haven’t even mentioned wine, whisky, and vodka yet (until now); or the assortment of flavoured boozy concoctions that promise ‘impact’ over ‘enjoyment’. We probably don’t need to. But that rationale in itself tells much about why skunk has such an impact, where cannabis is concerned.

Putting Out The Fire

And then there’s smoking. Honestly, it’s pretty rare to see people with cigarettes nowadays. The 2007 public health initiative that saw smokers ostracised to the outdoors, was a relief to many British pub-goers – who no longer had to endure the indignity of their fine threads stinking like an ashtray after an evening on the pop. However, 15+ years on and it seems public opinion still favours further restrictions on tobacco use; with government policy apparently lagging behind on these issues. Yup, it’s clear smoking really isn’t cool anymore. But that said, no-one’s going to get arrested for sparking up a Marlboro Light – although the secondhand smoke is far more damaging. However, should the smell of a combusting cannabis joint waft across to your neighbour’s perfectly pruned garden on a summer’s evening, then they (apparently) have every right to alert the police.

Cessation Sensation

A lot of us Brits (myself included) have tried pretty hard to quell their tobacco cravings; which is undoubtedly why vaping has dutifully presented itself as a viable alternative over the last decade or so. But it’s not without its own issues. Often marketed as a ‘smoking cessation’ option in healthcare settings – with pharmacy shelves brimming over with them – the use of e-cigarette devices is hugely popular here in Britain. Head to any social setting and you’re almost certain to be engulfed in a cloud of Mojito-Watermelon-Basil vapour – probably emanating from a neon-coloured, sweet-smelling, nicotine salt/e-liquid device. But the backlash has already started. The ubiquitous Elf Bar is facing a blanket boycott from major UK supermarkets, following a trading standards violation against the 600 series device (which have been found to contain more that 50% more than the legal limit for nicotine e-liquid). And that’s even before we get into concerns about appealing to kids, single use devices, and links to chronic lung disease. And yet, when it comes to medical cannabis, qualified healthcare professionals are advising patients to vape (rather than smoke) their prescribed flower – which is, more often than not, issued under the cultivar name – which seems totally at odds with everything else we’ve been told.

Naughty, Naughty…

So – what’s a British cannabis advocate to do? Well, if we were to consider all of these issues with a sincerity that’s characteristic of intoxication, we’d quickly conclude that none of this matters to your casual cannabis consumer. Why? Because – I’d wager – a lot of British people like the fact that street cannabis is illegal: both Little Englanders and habitual tokers. Its status as a Class B ‘drug’ cements its standing as ‘divisive’. Even if we knew nothing of its medicinal properties, we know it can’t be worse than any of the legal vices at our disposal. We *know* drinking excessively is bad. We also know that smoking, vaping, and substance inhalation are not conducive to a healthy lifestyle. We’ve also been told all of these things about cannabis too; but the puckish part of the British psyche embraces the naughtiness that comes with all of it. If we truly want a recreational market to flourish here in Britain, then we need a way to legitimise cannabis; and so far, it seems that the stigma isn’t being suppressed by our medical market.

A Hit On The High Street

While you don’t have to venture too far down your average UK high street to get a whiff of skunk (the name stands for good reason); another, much more socially palatable, kind of cannabis is clear and present in pretty much every health and wellness store. I’m talking about CBD of course; which – provided it contains just the tiniest trace of THC (less than the presumed 0.2%) – is widely accessible in all of its various incarnations: oils, capsules, gummies, balms, sublinguals, transdermals, cosmetics, beverages. CBD flower, however, remains prohibited. But is it just hype? No sir/mam. According to research commissioned by the Association for the Cannabinoid Industry, the UK’s CBD market was valued at £690 million in 2021, up from £314 million in 2019; making Britain the world’s second biggest consumer market for CBD, after the US. While it’s easy to assume that sales are being driven by the more affluent ‘yoga set’ for whom mindfulness and intentional action are de rigueur; CBD is actually much more mainstream than that: which makes sense, given that it’s used for everything from pain relief to anxiety to sleep. And Little Englanders can sleep soundly too; safe in the knowledge that, while CBD is unashamedly cannabis; it’s ‘the bit that doesn’t get you high’ so that’s ok.

Thriving. Not Surviving.

To round this off, I’d like to say that, as a nation, I reckon the UK would thrive if cannabis were to be legalised recreationally: presuming we get a robust-yet-workable framework in place (thanks Germany!). But, right here and now, it feels a long way off. This interplay of public health concerns, illicit activity, and cultural demonisation; set against medical necessity, therapeutic benefit, and de-stigmatisation are nothing new. But all of these issues have a critical role to play in driving awareness, advocacy, and acceptance of cannabis at large. Sure, it’s gonna take time for the cannabis cause to evolve into more of a political issue, but right now – despite the best efforts of many patient-led groups (like NORML) and professional trade associations (such the Cannabis Industry Council) – it’s not on anyone’s radar. For now we have the twin Trojan Horses of CBD and medicinal cannabis to contend with openly; while deep within these wooden equine bellies, recreational forces bide their time – waiting to strike. But perhaps that’s no bad thing; there’s a lot to get right. Timeline? 8-10 years, I’d say. Watch this space… but don’t hold your breath.