The European Commission has unexpectedly concluded that CBD should not be considered as a drug opening up the path to a regulated EU market for the cannabinoid as a novel food.

The European Commission thinks that CBD might be a narcotic, after all. What should companies be doing while it decides? In this exclusive interview, regulatory expert Greer Deal – director at Global Regulatory Services – suggests that companies that haven’t already done so should consider filing Novel Food (NF) applications with both the European Commission and the UK Food Standards Agency.

Legal experts say the EU already prohibits cosmetic use of CBD sourced from hemp flowers, and it now appears that food supplement use could be held to the same standard. The World Health Organization has recommended changes to the half-century-old international treaty governing narcotic controls, which could help to resolve the situation, but there are reports of UN pushback.