Is CBD legal everywhere?

Easily confused with cannabis, CBD sometimes suffers from a bad reputation with non-users, who associate it with psychoactive drugs. But is cannabidiol legal? If you're wondering about CBD's rules and regulations, read on to find out more about CBD’s legal status in the UK and abroad.

The difference between cannabis and CBD

Is CBD a drug? Misconceptions about CBD's legal status in the UK and elsewhere often come from a confusion between weed and cannabidiol. To better understand the legality of CBD, it's key to understand the difference between cannabis, cannabidiol and THC.

Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, is one of the natural active compounds found in the hemp plant, or cannabis. Contrary to tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, another compound naturally found in marijuana, cannabidiol doesn’t have psychoactive properties. That means THC is what makes you high, while CBD is not considered a drug.

CBD's legal status in the UK

Is CBD legal in the UK? Good news: being non-psychoactive, CBD products such as Cali Greens are completely legal in the UK. Provided they do not contain THC, it is legal to purchase and consume cannabidiol products such as CBD oil. According to the BBC, the only exception to this rule is Sativex, a mix of THC and CBD which has been approved for use in the UK as a treatment for sclerosis.

CBD’s legal status in the EU

Overall, CBD is legal is the EU provided it has been derived from a source of industrial hemp approved by the European Union, and does not contain THC. According to the EU’s novel food regulation, all food and supplements containing cannabis leaves or extracts need a “pre-marketing authorisation” before entering the EU market.

The rules and regulations about cannabis, THC and CBD then differ depending on countries. For instance, in The Netherlands and Czech Republic, the use of marijuana for recreational purposes is also legal. In countries like Portugal, Belgium and Austria, CBD is legal but can only be purchased with a doctor’s prescription. For most European countries where cannabis is illegal, CBD oil is legal as long as it doesn’t exceed a 0.2% to 0.3% threshold of THC content.

CBD’s legal status in the US

In the United States, you have to abide by both federal and state regulations. Is CBD legal in the entire country? Purchasing CBD is legal from a federal point of view, provided it doesn’t contain more than 0.3% THC. At Cali Greens, we extract our CBD from sustainable and legally grown hemp farms in Colorado, USA with no trace of THC. However, keep in mind that some states have put restrictions on buyers. For example, according to PBS, in Virginia, buyers can only purchase and possess cannabidiol products if they have a medical prescription.

So, is CBD legal everywhere I go?

While cannabidiol has been used for thousands of years as a natural remedy, the legal status of CBD-derived products is still quite recent and is subject to changes and updates. If you’re travelling abroad, make sure you check the local restrictions and regulations before bringing or consuming CBD products.

Now you know more about CBD’s legal status in the UK and elsewhere, discover our full range here.