CBD oil: definition, spectrums and French law in 2026

A CBD oil combines two things. The first is an extract of hemp flowering tops, most often obtained with supercritical CO₂ or ethanol. The second is a vegetable oil that dilutes it to the desired strength: MCT oil, made from coconut, hemp seed oil or olive oil. Cannabinoids are fat-soluble, which is why a fatty carrier is used. Our article on how CBD oil is made covers each step.

Do not confuse it with hemp seed oil. That oil is pressed from the seeds, which contain no significant amount of CBD, and remains an authorised food oil. The differences are set out in our comparison of CBD oil, hemp seed oil and cannabis.

Strength is given as a percentage or in milligrams per bottle. On a 10 ml bottle, "10%" means about 1,000 mg of CBD, or 100 mg per millilitre. The number of drops per millilitre depends on the dropper; counting 20 drops per millilitre, one drop at 10% holds about 5 mg.

These figures make sense next to the only official reference. On 9 February 2026 EFSA set a provisional safe intake level of 0.0275 mg per kilo of body weight per day, about 2 mg for a 70 kg adult. It applies to CBD at least 98% pure, and safety is not established under 25, during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or for people on medication. A single drop already exceeds it, whatever the strength in the table.

Our article on EFSA's reference dose explains how it was calculated and where its limits lie.

Oils differ by what the extract keeps from the plant.

Full spectrum is often sold in the name of the "entourage effect". The term comes from a 1998 study by Raphael Mechoulam's team, which concerned molecules made by the body, not by the plant. Extending it to terpenes and minor cannabinoids remains a hypothesis: our article on the entourage effect takes stock, and our comparison of full spectrum and isolate helps you choose.

This is what has changed most. On 20 May 2026 the Ministry of Agriculture published a statement titled "Foods containing cannabidiol (CBD): illegal products that must be withdrawn from the market". It relies on the EU novel food regulation: CBD is not authorised under it, since its safety has not been demonstrated. An oil presented as a food supplement or to be swallowed is therefore covered, like capsules and gummies. The ANSM and ANSES had already written in June 2025 that foods containing CBD, oils included, are not authorised for sale in the European Union.

An oil sold as a cosmetic falls under a different text, Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. It is meant for the skin, for massage or care, and its label must carry the cosmetic items, including the INCI list. Swallowing it goes beyond the use the maker intended. Our article on labelling a CBD product details these items, and our overview of the 2026 rules covers the rest of the framework.

In every case, the finished product must not exceed 0.30% Δ⁹-THC. And no oil may claim an effect on a disease: the only authorised CBD medicine is Epidyolex, available on prescription.

Before buying, six lines can be checked on the label and on the batch certificate of analysis:

1. The amount of CBD in mg per bottle, not just a percentage.
2. The type of spectrum and the carrier oil.
3. The batch number, identical on the bottle and on the analysis.
4. The measured Δ⁹-THC, at 0.30% or less.
5. The absence of HHC, H4CBD and THCP when the lab tested for them.
6. The regime under which the oil is sold, cosmetic or other, and the use the label states.

There is a reason for these checks. In the 2023 report funded by MILDECA, ten products bought in pharmacies, mostly oils, were analysed: one in ten exceeded 0.3% THC, and the CBD content matched the label in only half the cases. Our guide to the certificate of analysis explains each section. Our products are listed in the CBD oils category.

On 21 March 2025 ANSES proposed classifying CBD as presumed toxic for reproduction (category 1B), based on animal studies. Pregnant or breastfeeding women, and people planning a pregnancy, therefore have a specific reason to abstain. Use is also not advised for minors.

The ANSM and ANSES point out that CBD taken with some medicines can reduce their effectiveness or increase their side effects: ask a doctor or pharmacist if you take any treatment. A full-spectrum oil contains THC, which can be enough to make a roadside saliva test positive.

For storage, light, heat and air degrade cannabinoids: keep the bottle closed, away from light and heat. Our article on storing CBD oil gives practical guidelines.