The European Commission has changed its preliminary assessment of CBD and decided it is not a narcotic substance. It also referred to the Court of Justice ruling that CBD is not a narcotic under an international drug treaty and is therefore subject to EU law on the free movement of goods between member states.
CBD food supplement producers no longer face the possibility of a sweeping European ban after the Commission revised its preliminary view that CBD should be treated as a narcotic.
The decision reassured processors and producers that edible CBD products would not be banned from the EU market.
Uncertainty resolved
Following preliminary research last summer, the Commission had decided that non-medical CBD and other natural extracts from cannabis flowers should be considered narcotics in the EU. However, the European high court's recent ruling that CBD is not a narcotic binds all EU institutions.
CBD products have been readily available in Europe for years, but unclear rules caused problems for shopkeepers and manufacturers in many countries. With this decision, the EU's CBD industry can continue without fear.
