What is CBD, the latest wellness trend sweeping across Hong Kong? It stands for cannabidiol, which is a non-psychoactive compound that is found in cannabis and is legal in Hong Kong. As long as the product doesn’t contain THC, which is a psychoactive compound found in weed/marijuana/cannabis and deemed illegal under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, CBD products are perfectly legal to sell, buy and consume in Hong Kong, according to this government press release.
CBD can promote relaxation by binding to receptors in the body’s natural cannabinoid pathways. Studies have found CBD to be helpful for anxiety and depression, and medical uses of CBD include the effective management of epilepsy. 25-year-old Elisha spoke to us about the benefits that CBD has brought for herself and her family on a regular basis. “When I feel like I CBA, I just CBD,” she quipped. “My parents, given their old age, are susceptible to junk sleep, and CBD really helps them kick start a good night’s sleep.”
Ever since Found opened in Hong Kong as the city’s first-ever CBD cafe (CBD mooncakes, anyone?) last summer, awareness of CBD’s benefits has been gaining traction- it seems a new CBD shop is opening around the corner every other week in the city’s biggest malls. From Lane Crawford to Landmark to K11, a range of high-end brands has been touting a plethora of CBD products, from skincare with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits to stress relief gummies.
This is the issue, though: while everyone can benefit from CBD, the prices of CBD products are not always accessible to everyone. The best way to compare brands and see how much bang you’re getting for your buck is to divide the price by milligrams. Take this tincture from Found (HK$600 for 600mg), for example. For each milligram, you have to pay HK$1, and if you take 20mg twice a day, the bills can quickly rack up.
CBD doesn’t have to break the bank. For the CBD-and-budget-savvy amongst you, we’ve curated a list of the best locally available CBD brands and products with great quality and value.
1. Empress CBD
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Value product: HK$1000 for a 3000mg tincture (HK$0.33/ 1 mg CBD)
About the brand: Empress CBD was founded in 2020 with a mission of making the tension-tackling benefits of CBD more accessible to Hongkongers. “As experienced CBD users from the United States, we compared pricing across the two markets and realized that many CBD products in the Hong Kong market are quite expensive,” said Jackson Tse, COO and co-founder of Empress CBD.
“Many Hong Kongers do not even have the opportunity to try and benefit from CBD, having been priced out of the market,” Tse told Shroffed. “At its core, our mission is fundamentally about democratizing CBD use in Hong Kong.”
The brand aims to provide premium, high-dose CBD products at 40-60% of the market price. Costs and prices are kept low by establishing long-term partnerships with family-owned farms in the US, having pop-up events instead of a brick-and-mortar store and relying on word-of-mouth. Their tasty gummies in particular have been a hit.
Where to find them:
- Their latest pop-up from September 22 to October 5 on 42A Hollywood Road
- The Empress CBD website
- The Calioo app
2. Neurogan
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Value product: HK$2680 for a 12000mg tincture (HK$0.22/ 1 mg of CBD)
About the brand: Neurogan is a family-owned US brand with Scandinavian values of quality, honesty and integrity. Their third-party-lab-tested products are increasingly being distributed in Hong Kong. The 12000mg tincture bottle may be deceptively small, but the dollar per milligram value of this product is the best value by far- provided that you measure the drops carefully, of course. The brand also offers other dosages such as 500mg, 1000mg and 2000mg.
Where to find them: BeWell CBD website
3. Calmed & Co
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Value product: HK$720 for a 2000mg tincture (HK$0.36/ 1 mg of CBD)
About the brand: Calmed & Co was founded in Hong Kong by Gianne, a mental health warrior who personally discovered the benefits of CBD in LA and decided to create a brand of her own. She focuses on affordable and effective products, forfeiting the expensive and low dosage products that are prevalent on the market but offer low value.
Where to find them: Calmed & Co website
4. Andas CBD
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Value product: HK$680 for a 1500mg tincture (HK$0.45/ 1 mg of CBD)
About the brand: The local brand curates a range of CBD products that are third-party-lab-tested and THC-free from the US.
Where to find them: Andas CBD website
5. Former CBD
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Value product: HK$180 for a 500mg tincture (HK$0.36/ 1 mg of CBD)
About the brand: Former CBD is a local brand with a US-based laboratory and factory. Their mission is to make CBD more widely accessible to Hongkongers with affordable prices, with the goal of making CBD a household necessity that improves Hongkongers’ quality of life.
Where to find them: Former CBD website
Shroffed.com is not affiliated with any of the brands featured in this post. Features are based on the writer’s personal experience and research findings.