We’ve swapped wine o’clock for the ‘warm hug’ of CBD drinks… despite the weird side effects and growing warnings they could be ‘harmful’ to health

After a long, stressful day at work, Katy Walton treats herself to a tall glass of something chilled and refreshing. Something that helps her relax, unwind and even sleep more deeply.

Katy’s favorite drink isn’t Pinot or Chardonnay. It’s sparkling, subtly flavored—and infused with cannabidiol, an oil derived from the hemp plant.

Commonly known as ‘CBD’, this natural ingredient is also found in cannabis or marijuana. But that doesn’t mean Katy will be quietly stoned in the evening. Unlike the psychoactive substances found in illegal forms of the drug, CBD is non-addictive, doesn’t cause a ‘high’ and is said to promote relaxation.

So perhaps it comes as no surprise that canned CBD drinks are proving popular among middle-aged women who previously enjoyed the ritual of “wine time.”

CBD products – which include tea bags, gummies, oils and capsules – have been sold in the country for more than a decade, but only hit supermarket shelves in 2019, sparking a surge in demand among primarily female customers.

Latest data shows that 18 million of us now use CBD in some form, with a market value of around £690 million. According to the British Nutrition Foundation, CBD drinks are consumed by 13 per cent of British women and 9 per cent of British men, with some female customers claiming it helps to clear the brain fog of menopause.

The drinks have a glossy, luxurious reputation and have quickly become one of the trendiest drinks in the world.

Leading brands Trip and Goodrays, with their sleek packaging and cocktail-esque flavours – think peach and ginger, elderflower and mint, or lemon and basil – are sold at Waitrose and boutique online retailers, and have won the support of A-list sellers including Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston and Claudia Winkleman.

The high price (up to £7 for four cans) targets a particularly affluent market. And it doesn’t hurt that a can of Trip, with 15mg of CBD, contains just 20 calories.

Advocates like Katy believe they offer a healthy alternative to both alcohol and Diet Coke. But is this belief misplaced?

In 2022, a report from the World Health Organization concluded that CBD may help treat the symptoms of a variety of conditions, from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s to arthritis and even cancer.

But last year, the Food Standards Agency drastically reduced the recommended daily limit for CBD consumption, from 70mg to just 10mg (less than one can).

The change – potentially a huge blow to the 400 companies that make CBD products for the UK market – came with a warning that regular, long-term consumption of the chemical is “potentially harmful” to the liver and thyroid.

While there will be no outright ban on products containing more CBD than the new limit, the FSA plans to work with manufacturers to reduce the amount of CBD in drinks available on the high street.

Will this put off Katy, 42, a PR consultant from Chippenham, Wiltshire, from drinking it?

Katy, a mother of four boys – two sets of twins aged seven and 13 – admits that for years she would “drink a glass of wine to unwind while cooking after a stressful day”. Two years ago, she started drinking cans of Trip to “consciously change some unhealthy habits”.

“I’ve never been a heavy drinker, but I found myself drinking alcohol to relax. It actually made me feel more anxious and restless,” she says.

‘CBD makes me feel calm and clear-headed. Wine makes you fuzzy. It can also be slightly disorienting. A glass of CBD does the opposite: it makes you feel more present.’

Katy says the drinks even help with her perimenopausal symptoms: ‘They give me a sense of sharpness and break through the perimenopausal fog.’

No doubt music to the ears of Trip’s founders – a British couple with a high flying ability, ex-Goldman Sachs analyst Dan Khoury and former lawyer Olivia Ferdi. They are quick to point out that the CBD in their drinks is not dangerous or addictive and only occurs in small quantities (15mg per can).

Harry Sumnall, professor of substance abuse at Liverpool John Moores University, says more research is needed into the long-term effects of CBD products.

“There is currently no scientific evidence that the doses of CBD in street drinks help people relax or reduce anxiety,” he explains.

‘Not only is the dose of CBD in the most popular drinks already low, but about a third of the dose is broken down by the body before it can do its job.’

In fact, reports of CBD’s health benefits associate it with much higher doses, which should be administered under medical supervision.

Amanda Akien, 45, from Buckinghamshire, founder of copywriting agency Moo Marketing Copy, has been drinking CBD cans three times a week for over a year.

“I like the flavors and the low calories,” she explains. “They make me feel relaxed and calm. I suffer from anxiety and I notice a difference. They’re not addictive—one is enough for me. And I don’t get hangovers from them.”

Amanda describes the feeling she gets after drinking CBD as “like a warm hug,” and it kicks in about ten minutes after the first sip.

“It’s not a tipsy feeling,” she says. “It’s just a relaxed feeling — I’m not sure what’s medical and what’s mindset.”

However, she admits that some have been shocked by her choice, adding: ‘I was at a networking event recently and I was talking to two strangers about how I sometimes had a CBD drink instead of a glass of wine during the week. They seemed shocked.’

Despite being a fan, she says she always checks the CBD content on the can before opening it, admitting the lack of conclusive research is “negative.”

While she herself has never experienced side effects and doesn’t know anyone who has, it’s not unheard of – even for people who drink occasionally.

The experts the Mail spoke to cited stomach upset, diarrhoea and headaches, as well as a small risk of breathing difficulties, skin rashes and fainting in people experiencing a new allergy to CBD.

However, Professor Mike Barnes, a neurologist and expert in medicinal cannabis, says this is no cause for alarm: ‘The overwhelming evidence from published studies is that CBD is safe at doses of up to at least 15mg.’

One area where experts are uncertain is the relatively new market for CBD alcoholic drinks. Manchester-based Aqua Sativa, for example, makes CBD-infused gin, rum and vodka, while Cannabrew sells pale ale with 15mg of added CBD.

But mixing the two can be unpredictable. Not only do CBD’s effects make it difficult for drinkers to control their alcohol intake, but in the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned that the combination can cause drowsiness, impaired coordination and, in rare cases, vomiting.

Amanda Akien says she knows people who mix CBD with alcohol in cocktails, but she wouldn’t do it herself.

“It would defeat the purpose for me,” she explains. “I use them as an alternative, so I wouldn’t even have a CBD drink and then have a glass of wine later.”

But soft drinks aren’t the only CBD product appealing to middle-aged moms.

Sarah-Louise Smith, mother of one from Wirral, Merseyside, has suffered from depression in the past and says CBD tea is a ‘game-changer’.

She started out using a few drops of CBD oil in chamomile tea, and then, four years ago, found CBD tea bags on sale at Holland and Barrett. Initially skeptical, she decided to give it a try—and now buys the bags, which contain around 7-8mg of CBD, in bulk directly from a manufacturer in the Netherlands.

“I drink it like normal people drink Tetley,” explains Sarah-Louise, 47, who works in a call centre and runs her own stand-up paddleboarding business.

‘I have a cup of coffee in the morning and then CBD tea during the day at work. I handed the tea bags out to coworkers one day and everyone said they slept so well that night.

“When I’m feeling agitated, I drink a tea and I feel, not high, but I get back to normal. I had a bad phone call at work the other day, I took a break, had a cup of tea and ten minutes later I felt much better.”

She adds: ‘It makes me feel relaxed – no worries, no problems, just really relaxed. If I had a beer before bed, I would sleep the deepest. If I had a glass of wine, my anxiety would go through the roof.

“The amount of cannabidiol in the tea doesn’t even occur to me. I think there’s more harm in soft drinks.”

It’s certainly a glowing recommendation. But for now, the best advice for women who enjoy a cheeky CBD in the evening seems to be the same as for alcohol: think before you drink.