Cannabidiol: Food or Drug? A Positioning

Products containing cannabidiol (CBD) such as CBD oil, are marketed in Europe as food and dietary supplements. They are also frequently advertised as potential treatments for serious illnesses. Applications for Novel Food Status are currently being processed in Europe. On closer scrutiny however, the basis for classifying CBD as a foodstuff is at best, questionable. The use of CBD in the management of severe disease is based on demonstrated pharmacological and clinical effects, which is clearly the domain of drug use. CBD lacks food-typical properties. Although CBD has a high level of toxicological safety even in high doses, this does not imply that it qualifies to be categorised as (novel) food simply because it has been proven to be safe. Herein, we examine the presentation of CBD-containing preparations with the background of European legislation.