A pivotal development in the European regulatory landscape occurred in February 2026, when EFSA published a provisional opinion establishing a remarkably low acceptable daily intake (ADI) for CBD of just 0.0275 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day. To contextualize this figure, for a standard 70-kilogram adult, this translates to a mere 1.925 milligrams of CBD per day—a dose substantially lower than what is typically marketed in a single dropper of a standard CBD oil or a single gummy. This threshold was derived primarily from a subchronic oral toxicity study in rats, where adverse liver effects, including elevated liver enzymes and histopathological changes, were observed at higher dosages. EFSA then applied an uncertainty factor to account for interspecies differences and human variability, arriving at this exceptionally conservative provisional ADI. The agency was adamant that this figure is provisional and contingent upon the submission of additional data to fill current gaps, particularly regarding long-term reproductive and developmental toxicity. Industry advocates and trade associations reacted with alarm, arguing that this limit is so restrictive it functions as a de facto prohibition on ingestible CBD products, given that even a single therapeutic dose for conditions like anxiety would far exceed the recommended daily allowance. They also pointed out that the ADI does not account for the body’s ability to develop tolerance or for the potential saturable absorption of CBD. Nonetheless, EFSA emphasized that until more robust long-term data is available, particularly on the potential effects of chronic exposure on the human endocrine and reproductive systems, a cautious, conservative approach to protecting public health is the only scientifically justifiable position, placing the burden squarely on the industry to conduct the necessary research.