UK Food Standards Agency Reduces Recommended Daily CBD Intake: Based on New Evidence, UK FSA Advises Consuming No More Than 10 mg CBD per Day From Foods

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) is revising its guidelines on Cannabidiol (CBD) consumption from food products. The FSA now advises healthy adults to limit their daily CBD intake to 10 milligrams (mg), which is approximately equivalent to 4-5 drops of 5 percent CBD oil. This updated recommendation is a substantial reduction from the FSA's previous suggestion that 70 mg of CBD per day was safe.

The FSA's stance remains unchanged for certain groups, including children, individuals on medication without medical consultation, pregnant or breastfeeding individuals, and those trying to conceive, who should avoid CBD consumption. It's worth noting that CBD extracts received novel food status in January 2019, and all CBD food products must obtain authorization before they can be legally sold in Great Britain.

The revised precautionary advice is grounded in fresh evidence from the industry and the latest findings of the FSA Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP). The updated advice considers the average lifetime exposure to CBD-containing food products, such as beverages, oils, sweets, baked goods, or drops. Given that many products on the market contain a higher CBD dosage than 10 mg per day, the FSA recommends that consumers check labels and evaluate their daily intake in light of the new guidance.

The FSA emphasizes that while consuming more than 10 mg of CBD per day doesn't pose an acute safety risk, evidence indicates that higher long-term consumption may lead to adverse effects like liver damage or thyroid issues. The level of risk is related to regular consumption, akin to other potentially harmful products like alcoholic beverages.

Acknowledging that this advice change will have implications for products exceeding 10 mg of CBD per serving currently on the market, the FSA intends to collaborate with the industry to mitigate risks and safeguard consumers from potentially harmful CBD levels.

In February 2020, the FSA issued consumer advice suggesting that healthy adults should not exceed 70 mg of CBD per day, based on limited evidence from CBD's medicinal study, where dosage was determined by balancing the drug's benefits with potential side effects. Since that initial advice, the FSA has requested data from the CBD industry to assess the safety of CBD use in food.

A joint subgroup consisting of the Committee on Toxicity (COT) and ACNFP, both independent science committees advising the FSA, has reviewed the safety evidence submitted by the CBD industry as part of novel foods applications. Based on this new evidence, the subgroup has recommended an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 0.15 mg per kilogram (kg) of body weight per day, or 10 mg of 98 percent pure CBD per day for an average-weight adult.

This updated advice reflects a comprehensive review of the evidence provided by the industry and FSA's independent scientific committees.