The EU has set a lower income threshold for CBD than in the UK

On Monday, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) set a safe daily intake level for cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive substance found in cannabis, for the first time. This is the first official recommendation of its kind at the EU level. The limit set is lower than in some countries.

CBD is now found in a wide range of foods and beverages, such as sweets, cookies, cakes, honey, tea, and coffee. Unlike marijuana, it has no intoxicating effects and is often associated with potential effects in relieving anxiety, pain, or inflammation.

The EFSA has set a preliminary safe intake limit of 0.0275 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day. In practice, this represents approximately two milligrams of CBD per day for an adult weighing 70 kilograms.

By comparison, the recommended limit in the United Kingdom is ten milligrams per day and in Switzerland twelve.

The agency applied an additional safety margin in its assessment due to incomplete scientific knowledge. People under the age of 25, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and people taking medication were excluded from the assessment. According to the agency, uncertainties remain, particularly regarding long-term consumption of CBD and its effects on the liver, nervous system, reproductive system, and immune system.

Safe levels may be reassessed in the future based on new data.

(reuters, max)