Is CBD Legal in France?

Want to enjoy CBD’s subtle and soothing effects while strolling the French countryside or in the city of love? Here is everything you need to know about legal use of CBD in France.

The confusion around CBD laws in France

When unraveling the laws on CBD in France, there has been a great deal of back and forth with policies. This makes it unclear what is considered legal or not. This primarly stems from the regulatory changes between December 2021 into January of 2022.

The initial laws followed some of the same regulations set out by the EU. They declared CBD legal, so long as it contained less than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). However, the laws voted into order also included a second portion that prohibited the production and sale of hemp flowers specifically. 

With hemp flowers being the primary source of high quality CBD extracts, this was going to negatively impact France’s product quality, severely limiting their own industry within the country. This law had the potential to not only harm France’s hemp industries profits but would leave a mark on France’s reputation in the CBD and hemp global industry. 

Thus, by January 24th of 2022, the French Council of State suspended the decree agreeing that the law to prohibit hemp flowers was too harsh. This would leave CBD and hemp flowers in France protected by EU’s laws as it once was before.

How to navigate French CBD laws with ease

To keep out of trouble, it’s best to stay up to date on the most current laws in any European country you travel to, including the laws on CBD products. To keep it simple, we’ve included a list below of all the most recent regulations when it comes to buying and consuming CBD in France legally. 

1. All products must be below 0.3% THC.
2. Do not carry more than 9 grams of CBD Flower material on your person at a time.
3. Do not consume CBD while driving (a drug test via saliva may test positive for THC).
4. If you are traveling with medicinal CBD products, always have your recommendation card or a signed note from your doctor available for reference. 
5. All CBD is classified as a food supplement product, there are no medical grade products in France. It is illegal to purchase products that make medical claims on their product packaging. Any health effects on packaging must be approved by the French authorities. 
6. Smoking CBD products is treated similarly to tobacco products; it is only legal to consume them in designated smoking areas and never in enclosed public spaces. 

How to buy CBD in France?

Buying CBD flowers or infused goods in France can be fairly easy. But it is good to know how regulations may impact the sale of certain ingredients or brands. Ultimately, it is a safe bet to go to a local CBD retailer in France. You can assume all of the products on the shelf meet all of the EU and French laws to be available for purchase. 

Though, France is a relatively young market. There, you may not be able to find the same diversity of products as you may be able to find in other parts of Europe. Online retailers are now selling legal CBD products from the UK and beyond. It is fairly simple to check ingredient listings, test results, and confirm that products meet the EU laws. This is a great way to sample products from all around the world – supporting the global movement towards plant-based wellness.