Is CBD Legal in North Korea?
May 29, 2026
CBD has no separate carve-out in the DPRK and is treated as a controlled cannabis derivative. Outside information remains limited.
CBD has no separate carve-out in the DPRK and is treated as a controlled cannabis derivative. Outside information remains limited.
CBD has no separate legal recognition in the DPRK. The narcotics provisions of the Criminal Code address cannabis as a controlled material without distinguishing cannabinoid composition. The Ministry of Public Health and the State Quality Control Commission do not publish a registered pharmaceutical containing CBD. Independent verification of pharmacopoeia inclusions is not possible from outside the country.
Travelers arriving on permitted tourist itineraries or diplomatic missions should not import CBD products. Customs and State Security may treat any cannabis-derived material as contraband, with detention and potential deportation of foreign nationals. Domestic consumers have no legal route to CBD goods. Defector and external researcher accounts occasionally mention informal use of cannabis derivatives in rural areas, but this does not reflect legal status. Outside reporting on DPRK pharmaceutical policy is incomplete, and readers should weight any claim about CBD availability with appropriate skepticism.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Verify current law with qualified counsel before making compliance decisions.
Illegal
Ministry of Public Health; State Quality Control Commission; Ministry of State Security
No CBD-specific threshold - all cannabinoids restricted
Criminal Code of the DPRK, Articles 206-216; Law on Health (general)
CBD products may not be imported. The General Bureau of Customs treats cannabis derivatives as controlled. There is no DPRK export of cannabinoid products. Information availability is limited.
