The FSA has published a provisional list of permitted CBD products that can remain on sale in England and Wales. These products are now making their initial progress through the novel foods authorisation process.
This doesn’t mean that these products are now allowed indefinitely. It is just a recognition that an application was made with respect to the product before the deadline of March 31st 2021. They can remain on sale until the novel foods process is completed, when a final decision will be made.
List of permitted CBD products
The full list of 23 permitted CBD products is available from the FSA website. It includes CBD in various formats including absorption capsules, fast absorbing oil, tincture 5% oil, coconut oil and CBD, and chewable tablets.
All products that don’t appear on the list should now be withdrawn from sale.
In a statement, Emily Miles, Chief Executive of the Food Standards Agency, said: “This is about bringing the CBD industry into compliance with the law. Consumers need to be able to trust that these products are safe and are what they say they are. Companies were given until the end of March to submit their applications for safety assessment. Those who haven’t done this should take their products off the market.
“Products on the list that have been linked to a validated or on hold application will now undergo a full safety assessment so that a final decision can be made.
“When complete, the list can be used by suppliers and retailers to confirm the status of particular products and to help local authorities inform their enforcement decisions.
“The FSA is not endorsing the sale of any of these products, regardless of whether they are on the list or not and inclusion on the list is no guarantee of eventual authorisation; that will be determined on the strength of evidence of safety submitted by the companies.”
Novel foods process expected to take another year
The FSA expects the completion of the novel foods process to take at least a year. It continues to advise customers, especially vulnerable ones, to take care. Local Authorities are responsible for enforcing the legislation and will use the list of permitted CBD products to inform their enforcement decisions.
