The short answer
Yes, CBD is legal in the UK. But that single word — "legal" — masks a considerable amount of complexity. The legal status of CBD depends on what type of product it is, what it contains, how it is marketed, and whether the manufacturer has met their regulatory obligations.
Understanding these nuances matters, because a significant number of CBD products currently sold in the UK are technically non-compliant with at least one applicable regulation.
CBD is not a controlled substance
Cannabidiol itself is not listed as a controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 or the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001. This is the fundamental legal basis for the CBD market in the UK.
However, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBN (cannabinol) are controlled substances. Any CBD product that contains more than trace amounts of these compounds could fall foul of the Misuse of Drugs Act. The accepted THC limit for legal CBD products in the UK is 0.2% — though some retailers and regulators reference a 1mg per product limit as an additional threshold.
This is why extraction and purification processes matter. A poorly manufactured CBD extract could retain enough THC or CBN to render the product illegal, regardless of its CBD content.
The Novel Food requirement
This is the regulatory aspect that most consumers are unaware of, and it has significant implications for which products can legally be sold.
CBD extracts are classified as novel foods under retained EU Regulation 2015/2283. A novel food is defined as any food that was not consumed to a significant degree in the EU before May 1997. Since CBD extracts were not widely consumed as food before that date, they require authorisation from the Food Standards Agency before they can legally be placed on the market.
The FSA's approach has been pragmatic rather than absolutist. Rather than immediately removing all CBD products from sale when the regulatory position became clear, the FSA established a public list of products linked to credible novel food applications. Products on this list with a status of "Validated" or "Awaiting evidence" are permitted to remain on sale while the authorisation process continues.
Products not on the list should, according to the FSA's guidance to local authorities, be removed from the market.
As of 2026, no CBD product has received full novel food authorisation, though several companies have received positive safety assessments and are in the final stages of the process. The FSA has also removed over 100 products from the public list for failing to progress their applications.
The 10mg daily limit
In October 2023, the FSA revised its recommended maximum daily intake for CBD from 70mg to 10mg per day for healthy adults. This was based on an updated safety assessment by the Committee on Toxicity and corresponds to approximately 0.15mg per kilogram of body weight.
This recommendation is advisory, not legally binding. It is not a criminal offence to consume more than 10mg of CBD per day. However, the FSA expects manufacturers to update their product labelling to reflect this guidance, and products that recommend doses exceeding 10mg per day are technically not aligned with the FSA's current advice.
The FSA also advises that vulnerable groups should not consume CBD at all unless under medical direction. This includes children under 18, pregnant or breastfeeding women, those trying to conceive, and anyone taking regular medication.
What you can and cannot do
You can legally purchase and possess CBD products in the UK, provided they contain less than 0.2% THC and are derived from industrial hemp grown from EU-approved seed varieties.
You can buy CBD oils, capsules, gummies, and topical products from UK retailers, though the FSA's guidance is that only products on their public list should be on sale.
You cannot legally purchase CBD flower (the raw buds of the hemp plant) in the UK. Despite some retailers selling it, CBD flower remains in a legally ambiguous position under the Misuse of Drugs Act. A 2023 Court of Appeal ruling reduced the likelihood of prosecution but did not change the underlying law.
You cannot legally buy or sell CBD products that make specific medicinal claims. CBD is sold as a food supplement, not a medicine. Any product claiming to treat, cure, or prevent a specific medical condition is in breach of food and medicines advertising regulations.
You cannot obtain prescribed cannabis-based medicines (which may contain higher levels of CBD and THC) without a prescription from a specialist doctor on the General Medical Council's Specialist Register.
CBD topicals and cosmetics
CBD products applied to the skin — creams, balms, serums — fall under cosmetics regulations rather than food regulations. They do not require Novel Food authorisation. However, they must comply with the UK Cosmetics Regulation, which includes requirements for safety assessments, proper labelling, and notification to the Office for Product Safety and Standards.
This means CBD topicals face a different but overlapping set of requirements. They still cannot contain controlled cannabinoids above permitted limits, and they still cannot make medicinal claims.
CBD and driving
CBD itself does not impair driving ability and will not cause you to fail a roadside drug test. Drug driving tests screen for THC, not CBD.
However, full-spectrum CBD products contain trace amounts of THC. While these amounts are far below psychoactive thresholds, the question of whether cumulative use of full-spectrum products could produce a positive drug test result is not definitively answered. If you are concerned about drug testing — whether for driving or employment — broad-spectrum or isolate products eliminate this variable entirely.
The honest summary
CBD is legal in the UK within a framework of regulations that many products on the market do not fully comply with. The Novel Food process is slowly bringing the industry into compliance, but it is not yet complete. The FSA's daily intake guidance has been significantly tightened. And the gap between what is legally required and what is actually enforced remains considerable.
As a consumer, the key takeaway is that legality is not the same as quality or compliance. A product being available for purchase does not mean it meets all the regulatory requirements it should. Check the FSA's public list. Read the lab reports. And treat bold claims with the scepticism they deserve.