EU slashes daily CBD limit to near-zero in landmark food safety ruling

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has set a strict provisional limit for CBD consumption in food. The new guideline, announced after a 2025 public consultation, allows just 0.0275 milligrams per kilogram of body weight daily. This equates to roughly 2 milligrams per day for an average 70 kg adult—far lower than limits in the UK and Canada.

The EFSA's recommendation follows its 2023 assessment of CBD as a 'novel food,' requiring scientific review before entering the EU market. Under the new rule, only food supplements with at least 98% pure CBD are covered. The authority also highlighted gaps in data on CBD's effects on the liver, hormones, nervous system, and fertility.

Since 2023, EU member states have aligned CBD product regulations with the EU's 0.3% THC limit for industrial hemp. Germany enforces this alongside novel food laws, while some contexts mention a 0.2% THC cap. No country has yet introduced separate CBD food intake rules.

The EFSA's threshold sits well below the UK's 10 mg daily limit and Canada's 200 mg over 30 days. The agency also warned that CBD's safety remains unproven for those under 25, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and people on medication.

Hemp seeds, long consumed in Europe, are exempt from novel food rules but must still meet the EU's THC limits set in January 2023.

The new limit could push manufacturers to reformulate CBD products, reshaping Europe's market into a low-dose sector. Companies will need to adjust to the stricter rules, while consumers face tighter controls on CBD food supplements. The EFSA's stance reflects ongoing uncertainty about CBD's long-term safety.