Canada’s health regulator has announced plans to establish a regulatory framework enabling CBD products to be sold over the counter without a prescription.
Despite Canada being the largest country on earth to federally legalize cannabis for adult-use purposes, CBD and all other phytocannabinoids have been on the Prescription Drug List (PDL) since 2018.
This relatively contradictory state of prohibition, given that CBD is found in legal adult-use cannabis, was attributed to insufficient scientific evidence supporting the phytocannabinoid’s safety and efficacy.
On March 07, 2025, Health Canada published a proposal to integrate CBD into the existing natural health products (NHP) framework.
The proposals are currently in a consultation period, seeking feedback from industry stakeholders before a final decision is made, expected to be after June 05.
Under the proposed framework, amendments to the Food and Drugs Act and Cannabis Act would be required to facilitate CBD’s inclusion as a medicinal ingredient in NHPs.
The Science Advisory Committee on Health Products Containing Cannabis (SAC-HPCC), established by Health Canada in 2018, previously determined that low doses of CBD (up to 200 mg per day for a maximum of 30 days) are generally safe for healthy adults.
However, the committee found significant gaps in research, particularly regarding long-term use, potential drug interactions, and the effects on vulnerable populations such as pregnant individuals and those with underlying medical conditions.
Health Canada remains cautious, however, emphasizing the need for high-quality evidence and rigorous regulatory oversight to ensure consumer safety.
