The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) has announced that treatments for animals which contain cannabidiol are classed as veterinary medicines and will be regulated as such.

Veterinary medicines are defined in the Veterinary Medicines Regulations as:

"any substance or combination of substances that may be used in, or administered to, animals with a view either to restoring, correcting or modifying physiological functions by exerting a pharmacological, immunological or metabolic action, or to making a medical diagnosis."

On this basis, the VMD says CBD products for use in animals require a marketing authorisation before they can be sold or supplied in the UK.

There are currently no CBD based products that have been granted a UK veterinary marketing authorisation which means that under the cascade, veterinary surgeons must prescribe a legally obtained human CBD product.

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