The debate surrounding the legalization of cannabis is a popular topic. But as more and more countries legalize this medicinal herb, with an increasing number of American states following suit, the debate seems to be nearing its end in favor of the pro-cannabis crowd. This begs the question – what is the legal status of the marijuana-derived compound known as CBD? In this article, we’re going to explore the murky waters of CBD legality around the world. But first, let’s talk about what CBD is and why it’s becoming so popular.
What is CBD?
Cannabidiol, or CBD for short, is a chemical compound found in cannabis (Cannabis sativa) plants. It is one of over 60 compounds called cannabinoids that are responsible for the medicinal properties of marijuana. In most cannabis strains, CBD is the second-most abundant cannabinoid after delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which means that it contributes a major part to the overall health effects of the plant.
What makes CBD unique, however, is that it shares many of the beneficial effects of THC without any of the mind-altering, intoxicating effects. As a result, CBD is surging in popularity as a way to reap the health benefits of marijuana without experiencing the intoxicating high.
CBD oil is increasingly being used to help with depression, anxiety, epilepsy, insomnia, arthritis, neurological disorders, and other conditions marked by chronic pain and inflammation. In addition, it is also growing in popularity with athletes as a way to deal with pain & inflammation and boost overall recovery.
Read more: Guide to CBD
How is CBD Different From Cannabis?
CBD is different from whole cannabis (also known as marijuana) in three major ways:
- It is just one cannabinoid, whereas whole cannabis contains more than 60 cannabinoids along with other plant-derived substances
- CBD is non-psychoactive, meaning that it does not impair your mental state in any way
- CBD is usually taken in the form of oil, whereas cannabis is typically smoked
And yet, despite its apparent safety, lack of psychoactive effects, and efficacy for a multiple number of health conditions – including those that are resistant to other forms of treatment – CBD is still mostly lumped together with whole cannabis when it comes to laws.
Is CBD a Drug or a Supplement?
Short Answer: CBD can be purchased as a dietary supplement in the United States, but is technically a drug so you won’t find it at major retailers.
Long Answer: The line between drug and supplement can often be blurry, and CBD is a perfect example of this. Technically speaking, drugs are considered unsafe until proven safe, whereas dietary supplements are considered safe until proven otherwise. Because of this, drugs have to be tested in clinical trials to verify their safety and efficacy before they can be used, whereas supplements do not. Another key difference between the two is that many drugs are only available by prescription.
Yet despite this, CBD is widely available as a dietary supplement, even though the FDA explicitly states that CBD cannot be sold as one. Indeed, it is currently possible to purchase CBD supplements in any American state, typically through an online retailer. For now, it seems that FDA has resorted to sending warning letters to several companies that sell CBD supplements.
Is CBD Legal in the United States?
Short Answer: Yes, but it depends on how it’s made and where you live.
Long Answer: We’ve established that CBD can be purchased as a dietary supplement in the United States, despite the FDA’s official stance that CBD is not a supplement. This odd situation brings us to the more pressing question – is CBD legal? Once again, the answer is complicated; it depends on how the CBD is made, and where you are.
Read more: CBD legality in the U.S. by state
Recreational Marijuana States
Marijuana is a term for cannabis plants that are used recreationally and medicinally, and typically have a naturally high THC content. Although marijuana is illegal in the U.S. at the federal level, 8 states – Alaska, California, Colorado, Oregon, Massachusetts, Maine, Nevada and Washington – allow for recreational marijuana use, meaning that you do not need a prescription to buy marijuana or CBD products.
Medical Marijuana States
Medical marijuana use has grown incredibly popular over the past few decades, especially for difficult-to-treat conditions such as chronic muscle spasms. Because of this, some 29 states have legalized medical marijuana use, provided that you obtain a prescription and a “marijuana card”, which allows you to purchase marijuana products from a licensed dispensary. This means that you can also purchase CBD oil and other CBD products extracted from medical marijuana plants in these states.
Legalized CBD-only States
If you weren’t confused enough yet, consider that 18 states have laws allowing for medical CBD use (also known as “non-psychoactive medical cannabis”) for a select number of conditions, such as treatment-resistant epilepsy in children. Similar to the areas where medical marijuana is legal, you have to obtain a prescription to get CBD in these states, with the additional caveat that the product cannot contain high levels of THC.
Hemp
If you don’t live in a state where CBD or medical marijuana is legal, you can still purchase CBD supplements as long as they are made from hemp. Hemp is a term for cannabis plants that contain 0.3% or less of THC – the main psychoactive component of cannabis. Because hemp has such a low THC content, it cannot cause intoxication, and as such can be grown on an industrial scale for a wide variety of uses, including the production of food, paper, textiles, and medicine.
CBD oil made from hemp is legal to purchase and use everywhere in the United States and is the main source of CBD supplements. Because hemp is just beginning to be made legal for industrial cultivation in the United States, many, if not most American companies selling CBD products use hemp imported from other countries.
The Hemp Loophole
One explanation for why the FDA does not seem to be cracking down on CBD supplement companies – despite their stance that CBD is a drug – is what we like to call the hemp loophole. Simply put, hemp products are legal to consume and import into the United States, even though hemp naturally contains CBD. This explains why many CBD companies market their products as “hemp oil” and do not state how much CBD it contains.
CBD Legality Around the World
CBD is available with a doctor’s prescription in most countries. Non-prescription CBD use – in other words, as a dietary supplement – is a different story. The table below shows the current status of non-prescription CBD legality around the world.* If your country is not in this table, there are two main possibilities:
- The country doesn’t have a clear stance on CBD, which means that it may be possible to purchase
- CBD is considered the same thing as any cannabis product, and thus regulated by the country’s cannabis laws
In addition, keep in mind that in many countries where cannabis/CBD is technically illegal, you may still be able to find places that sell it over-the-counter, or be able to bring it into the country or order it online with no problems. This can be explained by the fact that cannabis legislation is outdated and in many places simply not enforced anymore.
Non-prescription CBD Legality by Country | ||
| Country | Status | Notes |
| UK | legal | Government is making moves to classify CBD as medicine, which may make it more difficult to buy in the future |
| Austria | legal | |
| Australia | illegal | Risk of shipped CBD products being confiscated by customs |
| Bahamas | illegal | |
| Belgium | illegal | Reports of people being jailed for CBD and a family even got sued for using it for a child with epilepsy |
| Brazil | tolerated | Marijuana is illegal, but possession is decriminalized |
| Bulgaria | illegal | Although Bulgaria has no specific CBD regulations, it does have strict marijuana laws |
| Canada | legal | All marijuana products were made legal in Canada in October 2018 |
| Czech Republic | tolerated | Marijuana is illegal but decriminalized |
| China | illegal | China is very tough on drugs; it is risky to bring CBD into the country |
| Dominican Republic | illegal | DR has harsh marijuana laws and does not recognize a difference between CBD and other cannabis products |
| France | tolerated | CBD is in a legal gray area, so you can buy it online or bring from abroad |
| Germany | tolerated | People report being able to buy CBD in dispensaries, and order/import from overseas |
| Guatemala | illegal | |
| Hungary | illegal | |
| Israel | illegal | Although Israel is the world leader in medical cannabis research, marijuana is still considered illegal. |
| Japan | legal | |
| Jordan | illegal | |
| Monaco | tolerated | Marijuana products are illegal, but tolerated in small quantities |
| Netherlands | tolerated | Hemp extracts are technically illegal, but sale of CBD products with no more than 0.05% THC is tolerated |
| New Zealand | illegal | CBD is a controlled drug and illegal to import |
| Norway | illegal | CBD and hemp are illegal in Norway |
| Russia | illegal | |
| Slovakia | illegal | |
| Slovenia | tolerated | Marijuana is illegal but decriminalized |
| Spain | tolerated | Cannabis/CBD is technically illegal, but the government is lax about enforcement |
| Switzerland | legal | |
| Italy | tolerated | Italy is working on cannabis legalization and CBD sale/use appears to be tolerated by government |
| Philippines | illegal | Harsh drug laws similar to China; bringing CBD with you is risky |
| Peru | tolerated | Possession of small amounts of marijuana is decriminalized, so CBD is likely fine as well |
| Portugal | tolerated | The country is known for decriminalizing all drugs in 2001, so CBD should be alright as well |
| Turkey | illegal | |
* The legal status of CBD is complex and constantly changing as more countries accept its safety and efficacy. For instance, Canada legalized cannabis in 2018, which also made CBD supplements legal. As such, this table is the best estimation that we currently have of CBD legality rather than a definitive guide.
Can I Bring CBD on Airplanes into other Countries?
Theoretically, it’s possible to sneak your CBD in your carry on luggage into any country. However, if the airport security decide to check your carry on for any reason, what will happen next depends on the country’s stance towards CBD and/or marijuana.
The best advice about bringing your CBD products into other countries by airplane is to take a look at that country’s stance towards recreational drugs and cannabis in particular. If it’s very strict – like China and the Philippines – you can possibly go to prison if they catch you with CBD. In this case, you would be taking a high risk bringing your CBD with you.
Meanwhile, if the country you’re going to has a soft stance on cannabis, it’s relatively safe to take your CBD. This includes most – but not all – European countries (especially Western Europe), where people are allowed to use and possess cannabis in small amounts even if it is technically illegal.
Another factor to consider is the knowledge of the particular airport security agent that is letting you through – if they don’t know much about CBD they likely won’t even notice it or care, whereas if they’re picky and know about CBD, they may decide to confiscate it from you. And if this agent happens to be in a country with strict laws, they might also call the police.
The bottom line is that we can’t tell you with 100% certainty if you’ll be able to bring your CBD on a plane to a particular country. What we can tell you is that if airport security check your luggage and find a CBD product, your risk of losing your CBD or something worse like going to jail is much higher in countries with harsh drug/cannabis laws.
Note: We recommend that you bring your CBD products in your carry-on luggage, especially if you are flying in/out of the United States. This is because TSA agents conduct random searches of checked luggage, whereas your carry-on is unlikely to be checked unless you’re acting suspicious.
Importing CBD From Other Countries
One way to skirt around restrictions on CBD use is to purchase it from other countries where it is legal; this loophole is already popular with nootropic supplement users. Although technically you’re not allowed to purchase a substance that is illegal or requires a prescription in your country, the truth is that in many cases the government does not care enough to police the import of such substances.
However, keep in mind there is some risk involved because it’s still possible to have your shipment confiscated by customs. Much like the case of bringing CBD by plane, your ability to have CBD products shipped to your doorstep will depend on how strict your country is with CBD/cannabis, and on the knowledge of the particular agent checking your shipment.
Conclusion
It’s not currently possible to get a complete overview of CBD legality all over the world. For one thing, some countries might say CBD is illegal, but avoid actually enforcing this stance. Similarly, other countries might provide conflicting information at different points in time. For the best possible answer, check with your local government food or drug-regulating agency.
Ultimately, the topic of CBD legality is a complex, ever-changing landscape riddled by false assumptions, outdated rules, and unequal enforcement of the law. But the good news is that you should still be able to obtain it in most places around the world, even if you do have to skirt the law by buying it from a different country.
How to sensibly buy LEGAL cbd oil? Because I got a letter saying customs has confiscated my package two times already and I’m pissed.
What country are you in Amanda?
I use CBD oil with zero % THC. I am traveling to the UK, France, Amsterdam, and Belgium. I take it for severe headaches caused from neck issues. Am I going to have to leave it at home?
Hey Kristy,
The UK and Netherlands are fine for sure because CBD is widely available in those countries without a prescription. France is most likely okay, but Belgium is risky. They have actually jailed people for CBD and a family even got sued for using CBD for their child who has epilepsy.
What about bahamas..?
Cannabis is illegal in Bahamas so I’d reckon CBD is illegal as well. Once again though, these laws are archaic and don’t even account for a substance like CBD since it is not psychoactive (doesn’t alter your state of mind). As such, it may very well still be possible to purchase online or bring CBD into countries like the Bahamas.
Can I travel to China with industrial hemp CBD supplements? I see it’s illegal even though China has greatly expanded it’s growing and export of industrial hemp CBD (that I wouldn’t use due to pesticide and residuals issues).
Thank you.
I order cbd oil online The philippine post office send a text message that my parcel held in custom what you think guys please help I really need my stuff for my pain
Do you have any suggestions of good medical grade cbd oil suppliers in Europe that will ship to Germany?
If you’re in Germany I suggest Dutch or English companies. One good choice is cannawell.
Hi Tami, I would not recommend doing that. China is fairly strict about its cannabis laws.
Hi. Is it safe to take CBD oil with mirtazapine 15mg? If not, what about lower dose of mirtazapine (7.5mg)?
Hi is cbd oil legal in Gran Canaria can I take it in with me?
Spain is one of those countries that doesn’t have a clear stance on CBD, but I think it’s okay because the European Union seems to be rather lax towards hemp/CBD. You can read more info here.
I am traveling to Costa Rica, and I take CBD OIl for fibromyalgia. Can I take my oil with me?
This information is out of date. Cbd oil from Hemp is LEGAL in Canada for instance. Find an updated list, this is unreliable.
I’m in New Zealand. I really want to take CBD oil for my illness (Fibromyalgia) and also PTSD and depression. Do you think I would be able to order from an overseas country, where it’s legal and get it sent here to NZ without it being a problem at customs? Its STUPIDLY illegal here despite all the growing evidence of its benefits and that cbd in fact isn’t even a drug. What do you think? I told a friend I want to do it and they’re afraid I might end up in trouble with the law. But I have a medical condition and really need it. I’ve been suffering for years.
Hey Sara,
Looking at New Zealand’s stance on CBD, it seems like they take it more seriously than some other Western countries, and they state that CBD is a controlled substance and “Individual patients are not permitted to import CBD or any other cannabis based products.” So from a legal standpoint, you’re not allowed to order it. However, I would still try to buy it online and see if it passes customs. Just make sure to buy something cheap so if it does get confiscated, it won’t be a major loss. I’m not lawyer, but it’s highly unlikely that you would get into legal trouble even if it is confiscated.
Another (better) option is to see your doctor and ask for a prescription. It’s obvious that you have serious health issues that would warrant at least giving CBD a try so I don’t see how your doc could decline.
Hi Sue, the question of CBD legality in Canada is quite complicated. If CBD oil was completely legal we’d we able to buy it without a prescription, and in my experience that is currently not the case. The only places I could find required a medical prescription. It might technically be legal but if we can’t buy it without a prescription that doesn’t change much.
Hi
I life in Switzerland. Is it legal to import the CBD organic oil from Australian?
Thank you for your reply
Kind regards
Jrène
Yes, CBD oil is legal in Switzerland.
Yes hello I take CBD in California where it’s legal.. but I’m traveling to the Philippines next month I’m wondering if I can take my CBD with me to Manila??
Hi Jacob, the Philippines is very strict on cannabis and all drugs, and don’t recognize the difference between CBD and cannabis. Because of this, I wouldn’t risk taking it.
Travelling to Engand, France and Italy. Is my CBD oil legal in those countries.l
What about india?
Hi Irene, it should be fine because all three of these countries are fairly lax about CBD.
Hi Gleb,
Thanks for the insightful article. Are creams and oils that contain CBD (with no or minimal THC) permitted for import and sale in Germany?
Can you recommend any law firms/lawyers that have expertise and could guide a company looking to business in Germany selling CBD products?
Many thanks,
Jonathan
Hi Jonathan, as far as I understand CBD is in a gray area in Germany right now, meaning that although cannabis/cbd is technically illegal, the authorities do not care if you use small amounts. This means that it’s fairly safe to import CBD products and they won’t be seized. Sale is a more difficult question; I know some people buy CBD products from physical shops in Germany without a prescription but the law around that is confusing.
In terms of law firms, someone like https://www.cannalawblog.com/ looks like a good option.
I’m not sure about India, but at first glance it looks like the law is pretty complex because it allows for consumption of certain, but not all cannabis products.
If I have 0% THC free CBD oil derived from hemp (Green HoriZen) is there any issue taking it on a European trip (Germany, Switzerland, Austria) I have the companies COA that shows there is ZERO CBD.
Hi Rachel,
All 3 of those countries are fairly CBD-friendly so it should be fine.
My wife and I are going to the Philippines in 2 weeks. Is CBD legal there?
Hi i am going to france and spain soon wondering if i can bring my cbd vape juice will it be ok ??
Hi George, Spain and France should be ok.
Hi Eric, CBD is not legal in the Philippines and they have very harsh drug laws.
Travelling to Italy from Canada in the Fall and need to take my CBD oil for pain issues. Will there be a problem? Thanks!
I’m traveling to Australia from USA, can I bring my CBD oil?
Hey Val,
Italy should be fine.
Hi John,
There have been recent reports of CBD products being confiscated by Australian customs, which suggests that airport officials may do the same. You may get lucky and bring it in, but be aware that there’s a real risk of it being confiscated.
Thanks Gleb 🙂
I understand that CBD products are illegal in Russia. Still, if I bring in a small quantity through the airport, will they just be confiscated or will I be prosecuted as well?
Going to Israel and Spain , through Canada and England …. CBD ok to bring???
Since CBD oil does NOT have THC so it’s not a drug per se and since I’ve seen it working wonders on Parkinson’s patients, do you happen to know if I could bring it to Romania for my sick relative? Thank you.
Hi Jane, most CBD oils actually contain very small amounts of THC (typically 0.1-0.3%). It looks like in Romania, CBD products that contain 0.2% or less of THC (the legal cutoff for hemp in Europe) can be used. Your CBD oil probably has 0.3% or less (the legal cutoff for hemp in North America) of THC so I think it should be fine.
Hi Jon! Thanks for this wonderful insight.
I have some Cbd pills that look just like my pills for sore throat. The prescription is still good on the bottle and I was wondering if I’d be able to swap out the other pills for my cbd. Or do they have scanner to detect Cbd like they do for marijuana, narcotics, cocaine, etc?
I am going to Chime btw. Ik Cbd is illegal there thats why I wanna be extra careful
*I’m going to China
Hi Ava,
I think that should be ok.
Please be careful when you suggest ” it’s most likely okay” for certain countries.
For example in Belgium it is most definitely not okay. Even medical use is illegal in Belgium, so your world map unfortunately is completely wrong at that point. Recently there is even a case with parents giving CBD oil to their child with epilepsy (and it helped by the way!), and they are being sued for it! And our “health minister” has absolutely no intention ta change that any time soon unfortunately….
Something else is that if you travel here by car the chances of being checked are extremely small. By plane I would be careful however. it’s most likely NOT okay…
Can the Baltic States (Latvia) buy CBD oil for personal use?
What about Norway?
Hi Peter, thanks for the info, you’re right. I will update the information.
Hi Ray, CBD is definitely illegal in China. I would not recommend taking it there.
Hi Erika, it looks like CBD is illegal in Norway. Even farmers are not allowed to grow hemp (cannabis with 0.3% or less of THC) because any amount of THC is considered illegal in the country.
I’m not 100% sure about Latvia and the other Baltic States but marijuana is illegal there so it’s likely that CBD is as well. Also, most Eastern European countries have harsh marijuana/drug laws.
Hi, can anyone please clarify Greece for me please, I’m presuming I can take my oil as its an EU country but I know a couple of them are cagey about it?
Hi Patsy,
I can’t say for certain but Greece recently legalized medical marijuana, and there are some shops that sell CBD in the country. This suggests they may have a relaxed stance towards CBD.
Hi Gleb,
How about CBD E-liquids? Do they contain any THC?
As the laws in EU is strict to no more than 0.2% of THC and knowing that some CBD oils have more than it of THC, it can be dangerous to order it online and get it shipped to you.
So, do CBD E-liquids (specifically) contains 0.2% or less THC? And is there a big difference between CBD oils and CBD e-liquids?
Thank you for the answers and your time. It really helped me to understand more of CBD and the laws behind it. I’m sure others are grateful for it too.
Hi Paul,
CBD e-liquids are usually made with CBD isolate. This is different from CBD oils/tinctures because they are usually made by extracting oil from hemp, which means it contains lots of other cannabinoids and plant compounds, including a small amount of THC (0.3% or less).
Isolate contains 99% pure CBD and very little or no THC, so if the company does a good job, their e-liquid should have 0% or very small % of THC (much less than 0.2%). But you should still be careful and do your research, and ideally find a company that posts lab results of their e-liquid so you know for sure it contains very little or no THC.
Any info on legality in Ecuador?
Hey if I am flying to Italy (layover in Paris) do you think it’s ok ? I want to take for anxiety while flying.
Thanks !
Dinah
There’s always some risk of your CBD being confiscated, but Italy and France are fairly lax about CBD.
How can l order CBD oil from Romania?It’s legal?
What about the CBD policy for Bulgaria? Could i bring CBD from Spain to Bulgaria via the airport?
Gleb, could you answer to the question above about Bulgaria? Thanks in advance!
Hi Ceco, I’m not sure about Bulgaria. However, because marijuana is illegal there, CBD is probably illegal as well.
So, you suggest it would be better to not take with me through the airport to Bulgaria? The marijuana policy is higly strict, though.
So, it would be better to not take with me through the airport with my back flight for Bulgaria, in case of authority problems.
Yes, I would not risk taking it. The information online states that people still get jailed for marijuana possession in Bulgaria.
Hello again, Gleb!
What could you say about taking with me e-cigarette liquid with CBD via the airport back to Bulgaria from Spain? It is a 10ml liquid with 1% CBD. The ingredients are propylenglycole, vegetable glycerin, 1% CBD as I said, without artificial flavors. It is not having THC in it. I want to take like 2-3 10ml bottles with me, because of the anxiety I have. Thank you in advance
Carrying CBD oil to Dominican Republic… Yes, or bad idea?
Hi Ceco,
I can’t say anything for certain because taking items through security depends on random chance. If they don’t check your luggage, they won’t even find your CBD. If they do check and find it, they might not even know what it is so they won’t care. But if they do find it, and know that it comes from cannabis, then you can have a problem (confiscation or a call to the police). You can risk it but just keep that in mind.
Hi Mark,
The Dominican Republic has harsh cannabis laws so I would not risk it.
Can I take THC Free CBD Oil to the Dominican Republic (Punta Canna)
Hi Jason, as I posted earlier, marijuana is illegal in the DR and they have harsh punishment for possessing cannabis products. They also do not recognize a difference between CBD and other cannabis products. Which means that if they find your CBD, they can confiscate it or even call the police.
We can’t provide an exact answer for countries where CBD is considered illegal or semi-legal. This is because everything depends on whether the particular airport security agent decides to check your luggage, whether he finds the CBD, and knows what it is made from. All we can tell you is how risky/dangerous it is to bring CBD into the given country based on their current marijuana/CBD laws.
Hi we are going in a cruise next March. Maderia Portugal and the Caneries. My wife takes cbd oil pod pain no thc. Will it be ok to take it with us?
Hello, do you have any information about Peru? I would like to carry CBD w/out THC with me to Peru. Thank you
Hi Mike, Portugal should be alright because they have soft drug laws and favor harm reduction. Spain (Canary Islands) should be alright as well.
Hi Bananahokie,
Peru recently decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana. From this, we can gather that they are likely to have a neutral stance towards CBD as well, so it should be ok.
P.S. Keep in mind we can’t provide an exact answer for all countries. It depends on whether the particular airport security agent decides to check your luggage, whether he finds the CBD, and knows what CBD is. All we can tell you is how risky it is to bring CBD into the given country based on their current marijuana/CBD laws.
CBD is legal in China, it’s not in the restricted substance list.
I ordered cbd in the US and when i tracked my package says there it was held by the customs. Two days passed and still held by the customs. What does that mean?
Hello!Is it possible to order CBD online for shipping to Ukraine? Or it will be stopped by the customs?
Thank you for your reply! Means the whole world to me!
Hello Natalia, I can’t say for certain because the laws for CBD in Ukraine are not clear. But with the information available, I think they will let it through customs.
In the Netherlands it is not legal, it is being tolerated, the max percentage THC which they tolerate in a consumer product is 0,05% Do you have more specific recent info of which percentages are being tolerated/allowed legally in which country?
Hi Marco, thanks for the information, I will update it. The vast majority of countries do not list which percentages of THC content are allowed because they simply don’t have any special laws/regulations towards CBD. This is why in many cases we can only guess how they regulate CBD from looking at their cannabis laws.
Netherlands is one of the few exceptions because they have such a drug-tolerant stance.
My son takes CBD oil (bought from Holland and Barrett) here in the UK.
We are travelling to Disney Paris next week and I’ll be bringing it with us.
Should I declare it? Or is it ok if it’s in our checked luggage?
Hi Christine, you don’t need to declare it, that should be fine.
Gleb, Your are a great resource to have. I’ll be traveling to France, England, Monaco, Israel, Turkey and Jordan in 3 weeks. I did see your answer on France and England not being a problem but didn’t see any information on the other countries. Also does it make a difference or easier to travel with hemp oil versus supplements or creams with THC less than .3% when going through security or customs?
Hi Susan, thanks! To answers your questions:
For Monaco, marijuana is illegal but tolerated in modest quantities, so we can assume CBD is treated the same way. For Israel, marijuana is illegal, and people are fined for possessing it. Again, there is no specific legislation for CBD. Marijuana products are also illegal in Turkey and Jordan, and their stance seems to be more harsh than Israel.
Keep in mind that we can’t say for certain whether you will get in trouble if you try to bring CBD into these countries. This is because everything depends on whether the particular airport security agent decides to check your luggage, whether he finds the CBD, and knows what CBD is. All we can tell you is how risky it is to bring CBD into the given country based on their current marijuana/CBD laws.
For your second question: The more inconspicuous your CBD product the better. Again, this is because the only way security agents would know you have CBD is if they decide to look through your luggage, find it, and understand what it is. I would imagine a cream would be the best choice because it looks far less suspicious than a dropper bottle or supplement.
I will be flying into Italy and traveling by car to Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovenia. I will be flying back out of Italy. Will I be able to bring my cbd oil and creams?
What about Brazil? It seems they are in transition. It sounds like it is now legal with prescription. Anyway if I bring it, is it your opinion that it is safer to bring in my carry on or checked luggage?
Hi Lex,
Brazil is low-risk because marijuana possession is decriminalized there so we can assume CBD is also tolerated and airport officials don’t care much about it. It is definitely safer to bring it in your carry on.
Hi Robin, most of your countries should be ok but your risk is higher with Hungary because marijuana products are both illegal and not decriminalized there.
Hi – my father takes CBD Oil with no stated THC for Alzheimers. We are traveling from ATL to Madrid and then to Palma, Mallorca. He plans to take this along in his carry-on. Does he need to have an authorization form from the Doctor? And if so, do you know what this should state?
Hi Gleb, I am going to London and then Milan for 3 months so I am bringing a lot with me. Is this legal? should I bring it carryon? Do you recommend bringing it in edible or oil form?
What do you know about Guatemala?
Hi Irene,
If your father got the CBD oil through a medicinal marijuana program/with the help of a doctor then yes, having something like a marijuana card would be ideal. Having said that, you don’t need to do this because TSA officials in the US don’t care much about CBD or other marijuana products, and Spain is also tolerant of marijuana/CBD products. They would have to have a reason to check your father’s carry on (highly unlikely) and even then likely won’t care about the CBD if they find it.
Hey Abbey,
That should be fine, both the UK and Spain are tolerant of CBD, and airport officials are not likely to check your carry on luggage. I would say either form is fine, but if you are bringing a large amount, you want it to look as inconspicuous as possible.
HI Lori, there isn’t a lot of info about Guatemala, but judging from their hard stance on marijuana, CBD is likely illegal as well.
can i bring my hemp oil to Costa Rica
Hi Lynn, to the best of my knowledge Costa Rica is tolerant of marijuana use, so we can assume CBD should be okay as well.
Hi there! I’m going to be traveling to the Dominican Republic next May. I see on your list that they don’t allow cbd oil. I’ve got the 0%thc variety. How strict are they? And have you heard about any changes that might be coming?
Thanks 🙂
Hi Kelly, the DR has fairly strict marijuana laws with people going to jail for possession, which is why we don’t recommend it. You can certainly still risk taking it – after all, the only way airport officials would know you have CBD is if they decide to check your luggage, find it, know what it is, and care enough to do something about it.
But it’s not worth the risk, in my opinion. You can read more information about the DR’s stance on drugs here.
For my trip- debating taking Papa & Barkley cannabis relief balm into Isreal for Back Pain. How is Israel customs with regards to content?
Hi Doris, I would advise against it, especially since your balm contains significant amounts of THC. Although israel is the world leader in medical cannabis research, marijuana is still considered illegal there.
Hi, Gleb. Thanks for the article and the answers you provide to those who inquire. I too have a question:
I am from the Philippines, and I want to know if I can buy CBD oil online WITHOUT THC and would it still be illegal? Will it be confiscated by customs? And, finally, with the current drug war we have in this country, do you think the authorities will track me down and put me in prison?
Hi, Gleb,
What about Barbados?
I want to buy CBD oil /hemp online and would it still be illegal? And will it be confiscated by customs?
Thanks ?
Hi Janet, there is very little information for Barbados. All I know is that marijuana is illegal there. There is a chance you may be able to buy CBD online and have it delivered, but you will have to try for yourself and see what happens.
Hi Anthony, I would not risk it with the current political climate. There isn’t much info online about people buying CBD in Philippines.
This is very useful. every traveler should read this.