CBD Oil Legality by Country
The legality of CBD oil varies widely across countries due to differing regulations on cannabis and hemp-derived products. Below is a comprehensive table summarizing the legal status of CBD oil in countries worldwide, with updates for previously unclear statuses based on recent research, prioritizing government sources where available. The status may depend on factors like THC content or prescription requirements. Always verify local laws before purchasing or traveling with CBD oil, as regulations can change.
Key Points
- CBD oil is legal in many countries, often with restrictions like low THC limits or prescription requirements.
- THC content is a key factor, with legal limits typically ranging from 0% to 1%.
- In some regions, particularly parts of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, CBD laws remain unclear or are strictly enforced.
- Traveling with CBD oil can be risky due to varying customs regulations, even in countries where it’s legal.
- Always consult official government sources for the most current information, as laws evolve rapidly.
Legality Table
| Country | Legality Status |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Illegal |
| Albania | Illegal |
| Algeria | Illegal |
| Andorra | Illegal |
| Angola | Illegal |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Legal |
| Argentina | Prescription required |
| Armenia | Legal |
| Aruba | Unclear |
| Australia | Prescription required |
| Austria | Legal |
| Azerbaijan | Illegal |
| Bahamas | Illegal |
| Bahrain | Illegal |
| Bangladesh | Illegal |
| Barbados | Prescription required |
| Belarus | Illegal |
| Belgium | Legal |
| Belize | Legal |
| Benin | Illegal |
| Bhutan | Illegal |
| Bolivia | Illegal |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Legal |
| Botswana | Illegal |
| Brazil | Prescription required |
| Brunei | Illegal |
| Bulgaria | Legal |
| Burkina Faso | Unclear |
| Burundi | Unclear |
| Cambodia | Illegal |
| Cameroon | Illegal |
| Canada | Legal |
| Cape Verde | Illegal |
| Central African Republic | Illegal |
| Chad | Illegal |
| Chile | Prescription required |
| China | Illegal |
| Colombia | Legal |
| Comoros | Illegal |
| Congo | Illegal |
| Costa Rica | Legal |
| Croatia | Legal |
| Cuba | Illegal |
| Cyprus | Legal |
| Czech Republic | Legal |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Unclear |
| Denmark | Legal |
| Djibouti | Illegal |
| Dominica | Unclear |
| Dominican Republic | Prescription required |
| East Timor | Unclear |
| Ecuador | Legal |
| Egypt | Illegal |
| El Salvador | Illegal |
| Equatorial Guinea | Unclear |
| Eritrea | Unclear |
| Estonia | Legal |
| Eswatini | Unclear |
| Ethiopia | Illegal |
| Fiji | Illegal |
| Finland | Prescription required |
| France | Legal |
| Gabon | Unclear |
| Gambia | Unclear |
| Georgia | Legal |
| Germany | Legal |
| Ghana | Legal |
| Greece | Legal |
| Grenada | Unclear |
| Guatemala | Legal |
| Guinea | Unclear |
| Guinea-Bissau | Unclear |
| Guyana | Unclear |
| Haiti | Unclear |
| Honduras | Illegal |
| Hong Kong | Legal |
| Hungary | Legal |
| Iceland | Legal |
| India | Unclear |
| Indonesia | Illegal |
| Iran | Illegal |
| Iraq | Illegal |
| Ireland | Legal |
| Israel | Prescription required |
| Italy | Legal |
| Jamaica | Legal |
| Japan | Legal |
| Jordan | Illegal |
| Kazakhstan | Illegal |
| Kenya | Illegal |
| Kiribati | Unclear |
| Kuwait | Illegal |
| Kyrgyzstan | Unclear |
| Laos | Illegal |
| Latvia | Legal |
| Lebanon | Prescription required |
| Lesotho | Legal |
| Liberia | Unclear |
| Libya | Illegal |
| Liechtenstein | Legal |
| Lithuania | Legal |
| Luxembourg | Legal |
| Madagascar | Unclear |
| Malawi | Legal |
| Malaysia | Illegal |
| Maldives | Illegal |
| Mali | Unclear |
| Malta | Legal |
| Marshall Islands | Unclear |
| Mauritania | Unclear |
| Mauritius | Unclear |
| Mexico | Legal |
| Micronesia | Unclear |
| Moldova | Legal |
| Monaco | Legal |
| Mongolia | Unclear |
| Montenegro | Unclear |
| Morocco | Prescription required |
| Mozambique | Unclear |
| Myanmar | Illegal |
| Namibia | Unclear |
| Nauru | Unclear |
| Nepal | Unclear |
| Netherlands | Legal |
| New Zealand | Prescription required |
| Nicaragua | Unclear |
| Niger | Unclear |
| Nigeria | Illegal |
| North Korea | Unclear |
| North Macedonia | Legal |
| Norway | Prescription required |
| Oman | Illegal |
| Pakistan | Unclear |
| Palau | Unclear |
| Panama | Legal |
| Papua New Guinea | Unclear |
| Paraguay | Prescription required |
| Peru | Legal |
| Philippines | Unclear |
| Poland | Legal |
| Portugal | Legal |
| Puerto Rico | Legal |
| Qatar | Illegal |
| Romania | Legal |
| Russia | Illegal |
| Rwanda | Unclear |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Unclear |
| Saint Lucia | Unclear |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Legal |
| Samoa | Unclear |
| San Marino | Unclear |
| Sao Tome and Principe | Unclear |
| Saudi Arabia | Illegal |
| Senegal | Unclear |
| Serbia | Illegal |
| Seychelles | Unclear |
| Sierra Leone | Unclear |
| Singapore | Prescription required |
| Slovakia | Legal |
| Slovenia | Legal |
| Solomon Islands | Unclear |
| Somalia | Unclear |
| South Africa | Legal |
| South Korea | Prescription required |
| South Sudan | Unclear |
| Spain | Prescription required |
| Sri Lanka | Unclear |
| Sudan | Unclear |
| Suriname | Unclear |
| Sweden | Legal |
| Switzerland | Legal |
| Syria | Unclear |
| Taiwan | Illegal |
| Tajikistan | Unclear |
| Tanzania | Unclear |
| Thailand | Prescription required |
| Togo | Unclear |
| Tonga | Unclear |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Unclear |
| Tunisia | Unclear |
| Turkey | Illegal |
| Turkmenistan | Unclear |
| Tuvalu | Unclear |
| Uganda | Unclear |
| Ukraine | Legal |
| United Arab Emirates | Illegal |
| United Kingdom | Legal |
| United States | Legal |
| Uruguay | Legal |
| Uzbekistan | Unclear |
| Vanuatu | Unclear |
| Venezuela | Unclear |
| Vietnam | Illegal |
| Yemen | Unclear |
| Zambia | Legal |
| Zimbabwe | Legal |
Detailed Legality Table
| Country | Legality Status | THC Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Illegal | - | Strict drug laws prohibit all cannabis products. |
| Albania | Illegal | - | Cannabis and CBD prohibited, though enforcement may vary. |
| Algeria | Illegal | - | Zero-tolerance policy on cannabis products. |
| Andorra | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited. |
| Angola | Illegal | - | Strict cannabis laws apply. |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Legal | ≤1% | Permitted under cannabis regulations. |
| Argentina | Prescription required | Not specified | Medical use legal through pharmacies with documentation. |
| Armenia | Legal | ≤0.3% | Permitted with low THC content. |
| Aruba | Unclear | - | No clear regulations found; caution advised. |
| Australia | Prescription required | Not specified | Low-dose CBD available over-the-counter since 2021, varies by state. |
| Austria | Legal | ≤0.3% | Widely available if derived from hemp. |
| Azerbaijan | Illegal | - | Cannabis and CBD prohibited under narcotic laws. |
| Bahamas | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited. |
| Bahrain | Illegal | - | Strict drug laws prohibit CBD. |
| Bangladesh | Illegal | - | No tolerance for cannabis-related products. |
| Barbados | Prescription required | Not specified | Medical use permitted with prescription. |
| Belarus | Illegal | - | Highly restrictive cannabis laws. |
| Belgium | Legal | ≤0.2% | Restricted for ingestion; cautious when crossing borders. |
| Belize | Legal | Not specified | Permitted under certain conditions. |
| Benin | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited. |
| Bhutan | Illegal | - | Strict cannabis laws apply. |
| Bolivia | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited. |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Legal | ≤0.2% | Permitted with low THC content. |
| Botswana | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited. |
| Brazil | Prescription required | ≤0.2% | Medical use legal since 2019, available through pharmacies. |
| Brunei | Illegal | - | Zero-tolerance policy on cannabis. |
| Bulgaria | Legal | ≤0.2% | Permitted if derived from hemp. |
| Burkina Faso | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Burundi | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Cambodia | Illegal | - | Strict cannabis laws apply. |
| Cameroon | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited. |
| Canada | Legal | Not specified | Regulated under Cannabis Act, must be from licensed producers. |
| Cape Verde | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited. |
| Central African Republic | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited. |
| Chad | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited. |
| Chile | Prescription required | Not specified | Medical use legal, strict cannabis regulations. |
| China | Illegal | 0% | Legal in cosmetics only, illegal as a supplement or food. |
| Colombia | Legal | ≤1% | Permitted under certain conditions. |
| Comoros | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited. |
| Congo | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited. |
| Costa Rica | Legal | ≤0.3% | Medical cannabis regulations apply. |
| Croatia | Legal | ≤0.2% | Import allowed if meets THC requirements. |
| Cuba | Illegal | - | Strict drug laws prohibit CBD. |
| Cyprus | Legal | ≤0.2% | Permitted under EU regulations. |
| Czech Republic | Legal | ≤1% | Widely available with higher THC limit. |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Denmark | Legal | ≤0.2% | Permitted as a food supplement. |
| Djibouti | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited. |
| Dominica | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Dominican Republic | Prescription required | Not specified | Medical use permitted with prescription. |
| East Timor | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Ecuador | Legal | ≤0.2% | Permitted under recent reforms. |
| Egypt | Illegal | - | Zero-tolerance policy on cannabis products. |
| El Salvador | Illegal | - | Strict drug laws prohibit CBD. |
| Equatorial Guinea | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Eritrea | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Estonia | Legal | ≤0.2% | Permitted under EU regulations. |
| Eswatini | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Ethiopia | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited. |
| Fiji | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited. |
| Finland | Prescription required | 0% | Strict cannabis laws, medical use only. |
| France | Legal | 0% | Legal if THC-free, sold as food supplements. |
| Gabon | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Gambia | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Georgia | Legal | ≤0.2% | Permitted with low THC content. |
| Germany | Legal | ≤0.2% | Widely available if derived from hemp. |
| Ghana | Legal | ≤0.3% | Permitted with low THC content. |
| Greece | Legal | ≤0.2% | Check border crossing rules. |
| Grenada | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Guatemala | Legal | ≤0.3% | Permitted under certain conditions. |
| Guinea | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Guinea-Bissau | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Guyana | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Haiti | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Honduras | Illegal | - | Strict drug laws prohibit CBD. |
| Hong Kong | Legal | 0% | THC-free products permitted. |
| Hungary | Legal | ≤0.2% | CBD oils production restricted. |
| Iceland | Legal | 0% | Permitted with strict THC limits. |
| India | Unclear | - | Inconsistent enforcement, research thoroughly. |
| Indonesia | Illegal | 0% | Strict drug laws apply. |
| Iran | Illegal | - | Zero-tolerance policy on cannabis. |
| Iraq | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited. |
| Ireland | Legal | ≤0.3% | Permitted under specific conditions. |
| Israel | Prescription required | Not specified | Leader in cannabis research, medical use only. |
| Italy | Legal | ≤0.6% | Widely available, regional differences possible. |
| Jamaica | Legal | ≤1% | Permitted under cannabis regulations. |
| Japan | Legal | 0% | Strict enforcement, THC-free only. |
| Jordan | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited. |
| Kazakhstan | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited. |
| Kenya | Illegal | - | Strict cannabis laws apply. |
| Kiribati | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Kuwait | Illegal | - | Zero-tolerance policy on cannabis. |
| Kyrgyzstan | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Laos | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited. |
| Latvia | Legal | ≤0.2% | Permitted under EU regulations. |
| Lebanon | Prescription required | Not specified | Medical use permitted under recent reforms. |
| Lesotho | Legal | Not specified | Permitted for medical and industrial use. |
| Liberia | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Libya | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited. |
| Liechtenstein | Legal | ≤0.3% | Permitted under similar regulations to Switzerland. |
| Lithuania | Legal | ≤0.2% | Permitted under EU regulations. |
| Luxembourg | Legal | ≤0.3% | Permitted for industrial and medical use. |
| Madagascar | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Malawi | Legal | ≤1% | Permitted for medical use. |
| Malaysia | Illegal | - | Severe penalties for possession. |
| Maldives | Illegal | - | Strict drug laws prohibit CBD. |
| Mali | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Malta | Legal | ≤0.2% | Progressive stance, food supplements allowed. |
| Marshall Islands | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Mauritania | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Mauritius | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Mexico | Legal | ≤1% | Recent cannabis law reforms, some grey areas. |
| Micronesia | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Moldova | Legal | ≤0.2% | Permitted with low THC content. |
| Monaco | Legal | ≤0.2% | Permitted under EU-aligned regulations. |
| Mongolia | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Montenegro | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Morocco | Prescription required | Not specified | Medical use permitted under 2021 reforms. |
| Mozambique | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Myanmar | Illegal | - | Strict drug laws prohibit CBD. |
| Namibia | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis laws under review. |
| Nauru | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Nepal | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cultural cannabis use complicates enforcement. |
| Netherlands | Legal | ≤0.05% | Relaxed cannabis laws, widely available. |
| New Zealand | Prescription required | ≤2% | Medical use only, widely available with prescription. |
| Nicaragua | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Niger | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Nigeria | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited under strict drug laws. |
| North Korea | Unclear | - | No reliable government data; cannabis likely illegal. |
| North Macedonia | Legal | ≤0.2% | Permitted for medical use. |
| Norway | Prescription required | ≤1% | Medical use only, strict customs. |
| Oman | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited. |
| Pakistan | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Palau | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Panama | Legal | Not specified | Permitted under certain conditions. |
| Papua New Guinea | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Paraguay | Prescription required | Not specified | Medical use permitted under 2017 regulations. |
| Peru | Legal | Not specified | Permitted under certain conditions. |
| Philippines | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; strict drug laws may apply. |
| Poland | Legal | ≤0.2% | Growing market, ensure compliance. |
| Portugal | Legal | ≤0.2% | Considered food supplements, progressive stance. |
| Puerto Rico | Legal | ≤0.3% | Permitted under U.S. regulations. |
| Qatar | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited. |
| Romania | Legal | ≤0.2% | Permitted for medical use. |
| Russia | Illegal | - | Strict cannabis laws, any THC illegal. |
| Rwanda | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Saint Lucia | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Legal | Not specified | Permitted for medical use. |
| Samoa | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| San Marino | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Sao Tome and Principe | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Saudi Arabia | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited. |
| Senegal | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Serbia | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited. |
| Seychelles | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Sierra Leone | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Singapore | Prescription required | Not specified | Medical use allowed case-by-case. |
| Slovakia | Legal | ≤0.2% | Recently legalized, external use only. |
| Slovenia | Legal | ≤0.2% | Permitted under EU regulations. |
| Solomon Islands | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Somalia | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| South Africa | Legal | ≤0.001% | Over-the-counter, <20mg CBD daily dose. |
| South Korea | Prescription required | 0% | Medical use only, strict regulations. |
| South Sudan | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Spain | Prescription required | ≤0.2% | Legal for external use, prescription for internal use. |
| Sri Lanka | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Sudan | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Suriname | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Sweden | Legal | 0% | THC-free products only, strict customs. |
| Switzerland | Legal | ≤1% | Higher THC limit, widely available. |
| Syria | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Taiwan | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited. |
| Tajikistan | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Tanzania | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Thailand | Prescription required | ≤0.2% | Medical use legal since 2018, strict recreational laws. |
| Togo | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Tonga | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Tunisia | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Turkey | Illegal | - | All cannabis products prohibited. |
| Turkmenistan | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Tuvalu | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Uganda | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Ukraine | Legal | ≤0.2% | Medical use permitted. |
| United Arab Emirates | Illegal | - | Strict drug laws prohibit CBD. |
| United Kingdom | Legal | ≤1mg per product | Widely available, must meet food supplement standards. |
| United States | Legal | ≤0.3% | Federal law allows hemp-derived CBD, state laws vary. |
| Uruguay | Legal | Not specified | Progressive cannabis laws, widely available. |
| Uzbekistan | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Vanuatu | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Venezuela | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Vietnam | Illegal | - | Strict drug laws prohibit CBD. |
| Yemen | Unclear | - | No specific CBD regulations; cannabis generally illegal. |
| Zambia | Legal | Not specified | Medical use permitted under strict licensing. |
| Zimbabwe | Legal | ≤1% | Legal for medical use since 2018, export-focused. |
Sources
- Stronglife (2024). CBD Oil Legality By Country.
- Hempika (2022). Is CBD Oil Legal in My Country?.
- Government websites (e.g., Canada’s Cannabis Act, New Zealand’s Ministry of Health, South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety).
- Additional 2025 research from legal databases and industry reports for unclear statuses.
Conclusion
The legal status of CBD oil varies significantly worldwide, with many countries allowing it under strict conditions like low THC content or prescriptions. In regions like Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, the status often remains unclear or prohibited due to broad cannabis bans. Travelers and consumers should verify local laws and consult official sources to avoid legal issues. As cannabis laws evolve, staying informed is crucial.
