France 2025 CBD Regulation Landscape: What’s Changed?
France’s regulatory framework for CBD and related cannabinoids underwent significant changes in 2025, aligning more closely with broader European Union standards. From stricter oversight on product content and import documentation to a wave of bans targeting new synthetic and semi-synthetic cannabinoids, both domestic businesses and international importers must adapt their compliance strategies to operate legally and sustainably in France.
THC Threshold at 0.3%: EU Alignment and What It Means
As of 2025, CBD products in France are now officially permitted to contain up to 0.3% total THC, an increase from the previous 0.2%. This harmonizes French law with EU regulations, creating more certainty for operators across the supply chain. However, the new threshold is a ceiling, not a goal: exceeding it—even marginally—risks product seizures and legal penalties. All products (including extracts, oils, e-liquids, and topicals) must comply with this limit at the point of sale and import.
- Importers: Lab certificates of analysis (COAs) are critical. These must be from accredited laboratories, include total THC measurement, and must be translated into French.
- Manufacturers & Distributors: Ongoing batch testing is a practical necessity. False or incomplete declarations invite enforcement from the DGCCRF (Direction générale de la concurrence, de la consommation et de la répression des fraudes).
New Bans: Neo‑Cannabinoids Are in the Crosshairs
France’s National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM) issued sweeping bans in 2025 on a range of synthetic and semi-synthetic cannabinoids—commonly dubbed neo‑cannabinoids. Notable compounds now outright banned include HHC (hexahydrocannabinol), HHCPO, H4CBD, and THCP.
Newer molecules, such as THV+ and THV‑N10, are under active scrutiny. Enforcement is focused on:
- Products attempting to exploit regulatory gray zones
- Inaccurately labeled potency (especially misdeclared THC content)
- Products appealing to youth (colorful packaging, sweet flavors)
- Unauthorized therapeutic or wellness claims
For the latest ANSM actions and full list of banned cannabinoids, see the official press releases and industry reports.
- Immediately audit product catalogs for any banned or high-risk cannabinoids—both as isolated ingredients and in blends.
- Cease distribution and advertising of products containing prohibited substances.
- Monitor emerging guidance by subscribing to ANSM and DGCCRF updates.
Import Requirements: Documentation, Safety, and Language
Importing CBD into France now requires stringent due diligence:
- COAs must be from a recognized, ISO-accredited laboratory, clearly stating total THC and screened for heavy metals, residual solvents, and pesticides.
- All certificates and technical documentation must be translated into French.
- Packaging and labeling must comply with French consumer safety laws, including ingredient listings, warnings, batch references, and legal addresses for consumer complaints.
Non-compliance—whether technical (missing language, incomplete COA) or substantive (THC overages, unproven claims)—risks border seizures, rapid market removals, and financial penalties. More at Essentia Pura.
Novel Food: The Gatekeeper for Ingestibles
Despite France’s changes, the EU Novel Food regulation remains the primary gatekeeper for ingestible CBD products—oils, tinctures, drinks, gummies. As of September 2025, no CBD Novel Food applications have been fully authorized, and enforcement actions persist. The DGCCRF, France’s key food safety and fraud authority, will seize, restrict, or recall products for which the required Novel Food dossier has not been validated.
Takeaway for Importers & Brands:
- Verify every edible/ingestible product’s Novel Food status. Without an authorized dossier, these SKUs are highly vulnerable to enforcement.
- Consider focusing on non-ingestible categories (topicals, cosmetics, e-liquids) for easier compliance—though these formats are not entirely risk-free.
- Stay updated on DGCCRF enforcement notices and rapid alert systems (see RASFF example).
Marketing, Advertising, and E‑Commerce: Avoiding Traps
Advertising CBD products in France must avoid therapeutic, wellness, or preventive health claims of any kind. The rules apply across all channels, but online and influencer marketing face additional scrutiny:
- Ads must be clearly targeted to adult audiences; platforms should implement robust age-gating.
- Influencer partnerships must disclose any paid promotion and avoid content likely to attract minors.
- Health claims (even indirect ones) can trigger immediate product delisting and potential sanctions. See influencer compliance best practices here.
E-commerce companies should:
- Implement clear, accessible channels for consumer complaints
- Prepare for undercover “test-buys” and product holds
- Provide updated privacy disclosures to align with cross-border transaction rules
Medical Cannabis Pilot: Transitioning to Wider Access
France’s much-discussed medical cannabis pilot is, in 2025, moving into a transitional phase toward broader patient access. New implementing decrees (publication ongoing as of September) will determine:
- Approved qualifying conditions
- Product form factors (oils, capsules, dried flower, etc.)
- Compliance and recordkeeping expectations for pharmacies and doctors
Until full generalization, the pilot remains limited to authorized foreign suppliers and select French distributors. Marketing or distributing medical cannabis outside this pilot structure is illegal and harshly penalized (up to 5 years’ imprisonment and substantial fines).
Stay alert for updates from Chambers Global Practice Guides and the French Ministry of Health.
Key Compliance Checklist for 2025
- Confirm all products are ≤ 0.3% total THC (with accredited, French-translated COAs by batch)
- Audit and immediately remove all banned/flagged cannabinoids (HHC, THCP, H4CBD, HHCPO, etc.)
- Relabel all packaging to French standards with appropriate warnings and legal contact details
- For ingestible products: check Novel Food status or limit SKUs to non-ingestible formats
- Monitor ANSM, DGCCRF, and RASFF for rapid enforcement alerts
- For online sales: robust age-gating, influencer vetting, complaint mechanisms, and readiness for mystery shopping/tests.
Stay compliant, stay informed! For real-time regulatory tracking, compliance checklists, and actionable guidance for the French market, turn to CannabisRegulations.ai.
