THC and CBD: which product should you choose for your use?

The wellness CBD market mainly offers hemp flowers and resins complying with the 0.30 % THC threshold, sublingual oils based on a plant oil, topical cosmetics listed in the European CosIng database, and e-liquids for electronic cigarettes. Each of these formats is aimed at a different use: inhalation, local application, or sublingual use. None is intended to produce a psychoactive effect comparable to the one sought with a product containing active THC.

Full spectrum retains all the natural cannabinoids of hemp, including traces of THC within the legal limit. Broad spectrum removes the THC by filtration while keeping the other minor cannabinoids. The isolate, a crystal of CBD that is 99 % pure or more, contains neither THC nor terpenes. The choice depends on sensitivity to the risk of testing: professional drivers and athletes in competition generally favour a certified isolate.

Medical cannabis, rolled out across France since the notification to the European Commission of 20 March 2025, contains THC at an active concentration, up to 22 % depending on the formulation. It is prescribed by a hospital doctor for five specific indications, including refractory neuropathic pain and certain severe forms of epilepsy, and dispensed exclusively in pharmacies. It has nothing in common, in regulatory terms, with the wellness CBD sold in shops, apart from the plant it comes from.

A reliable product sheet always states the CBD content, the THC content, the nature of the spectrum (full, broad or isolate), and the presence of a certificate of analysis from an independent laboratory. The absence of any one of these details should ring alarm bells. A product claiming a psychoactive effect or a THC content above 0.30 % falls under narcotics law, whatever the way it is sold. To go further into the applicable legal framework, see our comparison of THC and CBD in regulatory terms.

A wellness CBD product never replaces a medical treatment, including when it is presented as a natural alternative. A THC product bought outside the prescribed medical cannabis channel falls under narcotics law, whatever its packaging or appearance. CBD is not a medicine: if you have a health question, consult a professional.

Can I legally buy a THC product in a shop in France?

No, apart from residual traces below 0.30 % in a finished CBD product. Any product designed to deliver a psychoactive dose of THC is a narcotic.

What is the difference between a full-spectrum CBD oil and an isolate in practice?

Full spectrum keeps the aromatic profile and the minor cannabinoids, with a residual risk of a positive THC test. The isolate, free of THC, reduces that risk but loses the natural terpene profile.

Is medical cannabis available without a prescription?

No. It is prescribed exclusively by a hospital doctor for specific indications and dispensed in pharmacies, with no over-the-counter equivalent.

How can I check that a CBD product is compliant before buying?

Ask for, or consult, the certificate of analysis for the specific batch, recently dated by an independent laboratory, stating the THC content and the absence of banned cannabinoids.