Is CBD legal in France & Where to Buy it

Here are our key findings

• Industrial hemp containing less than 0.2% THC can be legally cultivated in France. CBD can only be extracted from the stems or seeds of the plant.
• Industrial hemp-derived CBD products must contain 0% THC.
• The sale and processing of hemp flowers and leaves is prohibited in France.
• Companies selling CBD are prohibited from making any therapeutic claims not recognized by France’s medical regulatory agency, the ANSM.

France is one of the hemp and CBD powerhouses of Europe, producing approximately 70% of the region’s hemp supply. Industrial hemp, or chanvre, as it is known in French, is legal in France provided that it contains less than 0.2% THC. All hemp grown in France must also be cultivated from government approved breeds.

CBD products derived from industrial hemp, however, must contain zero THC. This rule is stringently enforced: shops selling CBD with THC content may see their goods confiscated, or be closed down. That being said, a wide array of high-quality CBD isolate and broad spectrum products (free of THC) are available in France. There are several categories of product that are off-limits, however: dried hemp flowers and leaves containing CBD are illegal. CBD edibles are also off the menu, due to prohibition under the Novel Food Regulation, which extends throughout Europe.

This Leafreport guide will reveal some of the highest-quality CBD brands that are available in France. We’ll also unpack some of the complexities of French laws concerning the retail of CBD, so you can purchase and consume CBD with ease of mind. Let’s dive in!

Is CBD oil legal in France?

Like many countries in Europe, CBD law in France can be somewhat cryptic. However, the country has recently undergone some landmark court cases in relation to CBD that are helping to clarify the country’s stance in relation to CBD products. France is also expected to make some new legislative proposals regarding CBD in the near future.

Industrial hemp, from which CBD is derived, can be legally grown in France on the condition that it contains less than 0.2% THC content. All industrial hemp must also be cultivated from approximately 20 government-approved cultivars.

French citizens may also grow their own CBD-rich hemp provided it meets the above conditions, but only the seeds, stalks,and fibers of the plant can be used–not the flowers.

CBD products derived from industrial hemp, however, must contain zero THC content. Products containing THC are viewed as a narcotic, while CBD isolate and broad spectrum products without THC can be legally purchased and consumed throughout France.

Any stores that sell products containing THC may have their goods confiscated, or be closed down. French consumers who order CBD products online that contain THC may also find their packages confiscated by customs. It’s also important to note that the sale of dried hemp flowers or leaves containing CBD is illegal. The ANSM, (L’Agence Nationale de Sécurité du Médicament et des Produits de Santé), which is responsible for regulating health and medical products in France, has also prohibited any companies that sell CBD from making therapeutic claims.

While not explicitly stated, edibles also exist in an area of legal ambiguity in France. The European Commission added cannabinoids to the EU Novel Food Catalogue in January 2019. Under this regulation, edibles containing CBD are considered Novel Foods and can only be sold if they have been authorized by the European Commission.

The best CBD products in France

France has among the widest array of CBD products available in Europe. A vast number of both European and North American brands ship to France and can be purchased in specialized stores.

We’ve created a list of the top five CBD brands for French consumers. These brands have been evaluated using our comprehensive Leafreport rating system.

Here are the details on our scoring categories, and our pick of the top five CBD brands in France.

Leafreport’s scoring categories

Leafreport gathers data such as third-party lab test results, prices, hemp quality, manufacturing processes, additional ingredients, and extract types to calculate scores according to the five criteria listed below. We then add up these scores to arrive at a total score out of 100.

Here are the five criteria that we evaluate:

• Transparency, Accuracy & Reputation assesses the brand’s potency and purity results, verifying the accuracy of their CBD levels and whether contaminants are found in their third-party tests.
• Hemp quality checks whether the ingredients used in the CBD formulations are organic, vegan, non-GMO, USDA, and derived from sustainable sources.
• Variety of products assesses the range of products the brand has on offer and different variants of each product–such as extract concentrations or flavors.
• Customer experience explores how user-friendly the brand’s website is, and checks for educational information for consumers, ease of navigation, the detail of the product information supplied, and the availability of consumer support if needed.
• Price and discounts evaluates value for money by calculating the price per milligram of CBD, and how the brand’s pricing compares to industry averages.

Elixinol

Elixinol publishes Certificates of Analysis for each product. You can easily locate the certificates on the brand’s website by searching for the individual batch numbers.The brand has also achieved GMP certification, and U.S. Hemp Authority certification.

Elixinol sources its hemp from Colorado or Northern Europe using sustainable, organic farming techniques. The hemp, however, is not certified organic. To source the CBD a CO2 extraction process is used–which is one of the cleanest, safest ways to extract CBD.

Elixinol’s product range includes capsules, oils and topicals. However, they don’t offer a wide variety of potencies within the tincture or oil product lines.

Elixinol offers its customers a 30 day money-back guarantee on all products. If the box is damaged you may contact them within 72 hours of receipt to request a refund.

The brand’s average price is less than $0.13 per milligram of CBD, which is a moderate when compared to the other brands in the market.

Elixinol operates in both North America and Europe, shipping to diverse locales around the world–including France. The brand prides itself on upholding high standards of transparency. The labels on Elixinol’s products clearly outline dosage directions and ingredients in a very easy-to-read format. Third-party tests checking CBD and THC concentrations show that their potency falls within accepted limits of variance. The certificates of analysis are easily located on the website, and can be found via the product description and batch number. The third party lab results are also regularly updated on the website. The Elixinol website is aesthetically engaging and easy to navigate–and if you’re looking to learn more about CBD and how it works, there’s an abundance of informative articles on the body’s endocannabinoid system and other educational topics.

Unfortunately, when Leafrerport ordered from Elixinol, the package took a long time to arrive, and confirming some of the CoAs was difficult. For those who like to know who they’re buying from and what they’re supporting, there’s very little information supplied about the brand’s backstory or founders. As a result, transparency is slightly compromised.

Green Gorilla

There’s abundant information about the company’s founders and employees, and the vision underpinning Green Gorilla. All Green Gorilla products are subjected to third-party purity and potency testing.

The brand uses USDA certified organic hemp, and extracts its CBD using a proprietary CO2 extraction method.

Green Gorilla offers a good range of topicals, tinctures, drops, pet products, and edibles.

Green Gorilla offers three options for customers looking to make contact: phone, email and a quick query form. The brand offers diverse resources for customers looking to learn about CBD, including how to dose CBD, and even recipes containing CBD.

Green Gorilla has moderate pricing in comparison to other organic CBD products. Prices range from CBD-$0.02 – $0.4 per milligram of CBD.

Green Gorilla is a US-based CBD brand that also has a presence in Europe. Founders Sir Steven Saxton and Katherine Guevara Saxton established Green Gorilla in 2013 with a vision of sharing the wellness they personally experienced from using CBD. The USDA certified organic industrial hemp from which the brand’s CBD is derived is cultivated in farms in

California, Colorado, Nevada, and Oregon. Some products have earned USDA certified organic status, while others have organic status. All CBD is extracted from the hemp using a proprietary CO2 extraction method, which is among the cleanest and safest extraction methods available. The product lines are all third-party tested, made in the USA, and have earned GMP recognition. Green Gorilla offers a wide range of CBD products, with the CBD isolate and broad spectrum products clearly labeled and ideal for French consumers looking to avoid products containing THC.

The website is visually engaging but there are swathes of information, making it a little difficult to find common elements such as the FAQ page, or Third Party tests page, which were both under the Learn tab.

CBDmd

There’s not a great deal of information about the founders of the company, or their vision for the brand. Extraction GMP certification is provided on the site though, and independent third-party test results can be easily located via batch number.

The cbdMD website states that the brand solely uses US-grown hemp. There’s a lack of detailed information regarding how the hemp is sourced, or the specific processes that are used to extract CBD. For French consumers who appreciate reassurance about product provenance, this may represent a problem.

The brand has a very diverse selection of CBD products including tinctures, gummies, topical CBD, bath bombs,capsules, and pet products. All broad-spectrum products are guaranteed to be THC-free.

Purchasing cbdMD products is quick and convenient, and there are multiple avenues available to contact customer service if you have any questions.

cbdMD offers a wide range of products that are available at the competitive price of $0.05/mg to $0.10/mg. Compared to competitors, cbdMD offers products of identical strength, size, and quantity, at a similar or cheaper price.

cbdMD is a North Carolina-based company that ships CBD products across the United States and the wider globe, including France. There’s a diverse array of products, including broad-spectrum CBD that is suitable for individuals who are looking to avoid THC completely. cbdMD is targeted specifically at athletes looking to integrate CBD into their regimen, so guaranteeing products with zero traces of THC is of the utmost importance to the brand. There are a number of helpful features on the cbdMD website, including a table indicating which CBD product is most appropriate for treating specific conditions. The certificate of analysis results (which show the third-party test findings) are located on a dedicated page that is super simple to use–just enter the batch number, and you’ll be taken directly to the results.

However, the website is loaded with information and structured in a way that means it’s not intuitive to navigate. Finding details about specific manufacturing processes, or extraction techniques was very challenging. Additionally, it’s not clear whether the brand uses organic hemp or not.

Palm Organix

Palm Organix subjects all its products to independent third-party testing to verify potency and purity. However, there’s a lack of detail about the vision behind the brand, or the founders and team.

All Palm Organix hemp oil products are sourced from the nutrient-dense soils of Colorado (an area known for high-quality hemp cultivation). The brand states that the hemp is organically grown and processed in a GMP-certified facility–but on the website, there’s no evidence provided that the hemp is certified organic.

The brand offers a diverse selection of products, including tinctures, softgels, edibles, topicals, skincare, and pet products. The oils can be purchased in different flavours, such as mint and orange.

Palm Organix offers prompt customer service and same day shipping from their in-house processing center if you order before 2:30 p.m. EST. Most critically, customers have the reassurance of a 30-day return policy if they’re unsatisfied with the product.

Palm Organix veers towards the pricier end of the spectrum. Products range from $.07, which is average compared to comparable brands, up to $1.00 per mg of CBD.

Palm Organix is a US-based brand that derives its CBD from hemp grown in Colorado. The brand ships all over the world, including France. There’s an abundance of information supplied for each product, which is ideal for customers who are new to CBD and looking to learn. There’s also a comprehensive FAQ page with a wealth of useful information, facts, and information about CBD in general. The majority of Palm Organix products are broad-spectrum CBD, which means there is an entourage of beneficial terpenes, cannabinoids and flavonoids captured in the mixture, but without any THC. Third-party lab testing results are easily found on a dedicated page, with products able to be tracked down by batch number.

Curiously, there’s no information available on the website about the organic status of the hemp–which would be expected, given the brand’s name. It is worth pointing out, however, that many CBD brands use organic hemp but choose not to undergo USDA organic certification, since it can be costly and challenging to acquire.

Leafwell Botanicals

Leafwell publishes potency and purity tests from independent third-party testing laboratories. These results can be easily accessed via the brand’s website.

This US based company partners with career organic farmers to offer premium quality broad and full-spectrum CBD derived from their phytocannabinoid rich, Colorado and Kentucky hemp. The brand is in the process of working towards achieving full organic USDA certification.

The brand offers a relatively diverse range of products including CBD tinctures, topicals, softgels, and even pet tinctures.

Leafwell Botanicals offers its customers a 30-day money back satisfaction guarantee. The website has plentiful educational resources that enable curious consumers to learn more about CBD and its applications.

Leafwell’s prices range from $22.99 up to $67.99, which equates to an overall average price point of $.07 per mg of CBD. Their tinctures and softgels average $.03 per mg, which makes their prices lower than comparable brands in the market.

Leafwell Botanicals is a Colorado-based CBD brand that ships to diverse regions around the globe. The brand has a fascinating backstory, with the founders emphasizing their mission to make CBD available to enhance wellbeing for both humans and animals. Leafwell has some curious products in its range: it’s one of the only CBD brands we’ve encountered that offers CBD-infused peanut butter! In addition to this more unique product offering, the brand has a range of tinctures, softgels and topicals, and helpfully separates its offerings into full-spectrum and broad-spectrum products. Third party potency tests show that Leafwell Botanicals products fall well within the 10% variance range permitted. Their products also passed all standard purity testing for residuals, solvents, pesticides, heavy metals, and other contaminants.

French consumers will not be able to order from their full-spectrum range as it contains THC. Unfortunately, there are only 6 products in their broad-spectrum range–so the diversity of products on offer is restricted with respect to tincture flavors, concentrations, and product types.

CBD brands that ship to France

There’s a diverse selection of reputable North American and European CBD brands that currently ship to France.

These include:

• Cibdol
• Coastal Clouds
• Diamond CBD
• Drop of Sunshine
• Elevate CBD
• Elixinol
• Endoca
• Envy CBD
• Erth Hemp
• Evolution CBD
• Fab CBD
• Farmacy Bliss
• Formula Swiss
• Four Five CBD
• Funky Farms
• Green Garden Gold
• Green Gorilla
• Green Lotus
• Green Path
• Half Day CBD
• Hemp Bombs
• Hemp for Pets
• Hemp Fusion
• Hempland USA
• Hemp Meds
• Hempura
• Honest Paws
• Ignite
• Irwin Naturals
• Joy Organics
• Jupiter
• Just CBD
• Kanibi
• Karibo
• Kats Botanicals
• Kushly
• Lazaros Naturals
• Leafwell Botanicals
• Lily Hill CBD
• Made By Hemp
• Max CBD
• Medical Mary
• Medterra CBD
• Minted Leaf
• Mint Wellness
• Nanocraft CBD
• Naternal
• Nature and Bloom
• Nature Can
• Nordic Oil
• Nuleaf Naturals
• One Farm
• Palm Organix
• Penelope’s Bloom
• Penguin CBD
• Phenopen
• Plant People
• Plant Power
• Premium Jane
• Provacan
• Pure Hemp Botanicals
• PureKana
• Pure Elix Wellness
• Reakiro
• Root Wellness
• R+R Medicinals
• Seabedee
• Smile CBD
• Smilyn
• Social CBD
• Steve’s Goods
• Stigma Hemp
• Tommy Chong
• Tonic CBD
• Transcendlabs
• Tree of Life Seeds
• Uncanna
• Verified CBD
• Veritas Farms

Where can I purchase CBD in France?

French citizens can purchase a range of CBD products online and from physical stores.

If you prefer to browse for CBD in person, you’ll find specialized stores throughout France’s major cities. Paris, in particular, has an abundance of CBD retailers. Included in some of the more iconic CBD stores are Le Lab Paris, which is open late and perfect for night owls, Green Vallée which has two stores, and Deli Hemp which prides itself on curated, high-quality botanical products of impeccable provenance.

That being said, many French consumers prefer to shop for CBD online. Online platforms are uniquely poised to offer competitive pricing because they’re free of overheads. Online shopping also allows the buyer to shop at their own pace, and take their time researching and comparing brands and price points.

If you do decide to purchase CBD online in France, it’s essential to clarify whether you’re buying isolate, broad spectrum, or full spectrum products. Full spectrum topical products will contain THC levels–which is a no-no under French law.

Whether you’re buying CBD products online or in store, it’s also critical to know how to evaluate quality and safety. Opt for CBD brands that use organic hemp (preferably certified), and subject their products to independent third-party potency and purity testing.

Potency testing assesses whether the product contains the levels of active cannabinoids that are stated on the label. Purity testing reveals whether contaminants such as heavy metals or pesticides are present in the formulation. It’s also vital to check the brand’s extraction method. Look for brands that use ethanol or supercritical CO2 extraction, as both represent safe methods of extraction.

Lastly, Leafreport publishes extensive independent reviews about diverse CBD brands that can guide you in making your choice.

Summary

Buying CBD in France is relatively straightforward as long as you stick to the rules. Do your due diligence before you purchase, and avoid buying CBD products containing any concentration of THC. Remember that hemp flower, hemp leaves, and edibles are also prohibited.

A vast selection of reputable European and North American brands ship to France, and within the country, you’ll also find an abundant CBD stores retailing a wide range of products. Bon shopping!