Know the facts: Cannabidiol (CBD) products

• CBD products are classed as novel foods
• Authorisation is required before sale
• Precautionary advice applies to vulnerable consumers
• A daily intake limit is recommended for healthy adults

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a cannabinoid that can be extracted from the cannabis or hemp plant and added to food and food supplements. CBD has no psychoactive properties. In Scotland, foods and supplements containing CBD are regulated as novel foods and must meet strict legal and safety requirements before they can be sold. 

1. CBD products are classed as novel foods 

In Scotland, foods and supplements containing CBD are regulated as novel foods and must meet strict legal and safety requirements before they can be sold. 

Novel foods are classed by law as foods that don't have a ‘significant history of consumption’ by people in the United Kingdom or European Union (EU) before 15 May 1997.   

2. Authorisation is required before sale 

Like all novel foods, CBD products must undergo a safety assessment and be authorised by Scottish Ministers before they can be legally sold. 

Although no CBD products are currently authorised in Scotland, we recognise that consumers can still purchase them. 

3. Precautionary advice applies to vulnerable consumers 

Food Standards Scotland (FSS) advises that CBD is not recommended for vulnerable groups unless under medical direction. This includes:

•  children and young people under 18
• pregnant or breastfeeding women
• people trying to conceive
• people taking medication
• those who are immunosuppressed

4. A daily intake limit is recommended for healthy adults 

Based on updated safety evidence, FSS recommends that healthy adults should limit their consumption of CBD from food and drink to no more than 10 mg per day, which is 4-5 drops of 5% CBD oil. 

We are responsible for consumer food safety advice in Scotland, including guidance on CBD products and their status and enforcement as novel foods.