Is CBD resin legal?

Consuming CBD has been legal in France for several years. Free of THC, this hemp-derived product is nonetheless governed by strict rules, both for sale and for consumption. Cannabis resin has become legal, but what exactly do the rules say? Let us take a look.

CBD resin in a few words

CBD is short for cannabidiol. It is a substance obtained from hemp, and it therefore contains no THC, or only a very low level of it. The authorities do not class CBD as a narcotic, because they do not regard it as producing psychoactive effects. That is why the resin is legal. A number of studies are also cited in support of health effects, although none is named.

Those who sell it say that CBD resin limits stress and anxiety, that it makes pain easier to bear and that it helps with addiction and sleep disorders. These are claims made by the trade, not established facts. For occasional cannabis users, it is presented as an option without the psychoactive effects.

French law and CBD

CBD products and their derivatives may be sold and consumed throughout the country. CBD flowers were banned for a time, but that ban was overturned by the Conseil d'État, France's highest administrative court. As long as the CBD comes from the Cannabis sativa L. variety, every derived product is authorised. Since the authorities do not class CBD among narcotics, French legislation does not prohibit the resin.

In other words, the sale and the consumption of CBD flowers and resins are entirely legal as long as the THC content stays below 0.2%. To make sure of it, every product on the market is tested and certified by an independent specialist European laboratory, which guarantees the level. That has removed the legal uncertainty that used to surround CBD resin. You can therefore buy it in specialist shops, from tobacconists and online.