How Much CBD? What the Label Tells You
There is no official dose in the EU — there is a label you need to be able to read.
This is the question we are asked most often, and the only honest answer starts with a qualification: there is no established daily amount for CBD in the European Union. Not because nobody thought to set one, but because cannabinoid products are still going through the novel food procedure under Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 and the safety assessment has not concluded.
What EFSA says
In June 2022 the European Food Safety Authority stated that it could not establish the safety of cannabidiol as a novel food until data gaps are filled — in particular on effects on the liver, the gastrointestinal tract, and the endocrine and nervous systems. Assessment of the submitted applications is on hold until that data arrives.
The wording matters: EFSA did not find CBD to be unsafe. It found that the available data is not enough to rule. That is a state of uncertainty rather than a verdict — and precisely why caution is reasonable.
The one concrete official figure
In October 2023 the UK Food Standards Agency updated its consumer advice: healthy adults should not exceed 10 mg of CBD a day from food — roughly four to five drops of a 5% oil. The previous figure was 70 mg and rested on studies where CBD was investigated as a medicine, in an entirely different context.
The United Kingdom is outside the EU and this advice carries no legal force in Bulgaria. We quote it because it is currently the only concrete number a regulator has published after reviewing the food data — and because it is more useful than silence.
Working out milligrams per drop
The percentage on the label does not tell you how much you are taking. What matters is the content of the serving. The arithmetic: milligrams of CBD in the bottle divided by the number of drops in the bottle. A standard dropper gives about 20 drops per millilitre, so 10 ml ≈ 200 drops.
| Bottle | CBD in the bottle | Approximately per drop |
|---|---|---|
| 10 ml, 5% | 500 mg | ≈ 2.5 mg |
| 10 ml, 10% | 1000 mg | ≈ 5 mg |
| 10 ml, 20% | 2000 mg | ≈ 10 mg |
| 30 ml, 10% | 3000 mg | ≈ 5 mg |
The table also explains why a 30 ml bottle holding 3000 mg is not “stronger” than a 10 ml bottle holding 1000 mg — the concentration is the same, the volume differs. The stronger one is the one with the higher percentage.
Who should not take it
- Children and adolescents under 18.
- Anyone pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to conceive.
- Anyone taking medication, without consulting a doctor or pharmacist.
- Anyone with liver disease or undergoing liver function testing.
Frequently asked questionsQuick answers
Why do you not publish an intake schedule?
Because that would be advice on use, which we have neither the standing nor the grounds to give. The amount is stated by the producer on the label of the specific product; everything beyond it is a question for a doctor.
Is “start low, go slow” correct?
It is a practice common among consumers, not an official recommendation. What is sensible in it is that nobody begins with the highest concentration. The upper limit, however, is not set by how you feel — it is set by the label and by a doctor.
Can I take CBD alongside my medication?
That question is for your treating doctor or a pharmacist. Cannabidiol is known to be metabolised by liver enzymes that also handle many medicines, so the combination is not something to settle in a shop.
Continue learning
Sources & references
Every factual statement above rests on the documents listed. Check them yourself.
- EFSA — Statement on safety of cannabidiol as a novel food (June 2022)https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/7322
- Food Standards Agency — updated consumer advice for CBD (Oct 2023)https://www.food.gov.uk/news-alerts/news/food-standards-agency-and-food-standards-scotland-update-consumer-advice-for-cbd
- Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 on novel foodshttps://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32015R2283