CBD safety: honest about what we do and don't know.

What is known about the safety of CBD?

The health effects of CBD supplements have not been officially established; that is the position of the Dutch Medicines Evaluation Board (CBG). On 9 February 2026, the European Food Safety Authority, EFSA, went a step further and set a provisional safe intake for the first time: 0.0275 mg of CBD per kilo of body weight per day. For an adult of 70 kilos, that comes to about 2 mg a day.

That number is low, lower than what most CBD products contain per recommended serving, and we think you should know that, even if it is uncomfortable to write down.

Why that standard doesn't simply apply to our products

EFSA's provisional intake applies under strict conditions: it concerns supplements with at least 98% pure CBD, without nanoparticles, from a production process assessed as safe and where genotoxicity has been ruled out.

Renova products are full-spectrum extracts, not 98% pure CBD. So the standard does not apply to this type of product, and that means something more uncomfortable than it sounds: for products like these, EFSA has not set a safe intake. Not because they would be safer, but because the assessment doesn't cover them.

EFSA itself also names what is still unknown: how CBD is absorbed and broken down in the body, and what the long-term effects are on the liver, the nervous system, the reproductive system and the immune system.

So the fact that few serious side effects have been reported is not the same as proven safe. Be cautious with sources that present CBD as completely harmless.

Who should take extra care?

For the following groups, EFSA could not establish safety, or risks are known to be possible:

• People who take medication: CBD can affect how some medicines are broken down in the liver, which can make them work more strongly or more weakly. Known points of attention in the literature include blood thinners and certain epilepsy medicines, but the list is longer; only your doctor or pharmacist can judge this for your medication.
• Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
• People under 25.
• People with a liver condition.

For the first three groups, EFSA explicitly adds that safety remains uncertain; the provisional intake above does not apply to them. That is not a legal ban, but it is a reason for restraint.

CBD products are not meant for children. Advice you may read elsewhere about CBD for children has no scientific basis and is not part of responsible use.

Is CBD addictive?

The World Health Organization assessed cannabidiol in 2018 and found no indication of potential for abuse or dependence in the research available. That fits with the fact that CBD, unlike THC, is not listed in the Dutch Opium Act, although that law is older than the assessment and not a result of it.

Do be careful with the leap from "no indications found" to "guaranteed not". It remains an assessment of the research available at the time, not conclusive proof for every situation. What that distinction is about is covered above, under what is known about safety.

Which side effects have been reported?

Users mainly report mild complaints. Known examples are tiredness or drowsiness, a dry mouth, reduced appetite and stomach or bowel complaints. Complaints like these usually go away after stopping. If complaints persist or something doesn't feel right, stop using the product and talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

When should you consult a doctor or pharmacist?

In these situations, contact a doctor or pharmacist first, before you use CBD or carry on using it:

1. You take medication, including medicines available without a prescription.
2. You are pregnant, want to become pregnant or are breastfeeding.
3. You are considering CBD because of a complaint or condition; a complaint deserves a diagnosis first, not a supplement.
4. You notice side effects that persist after you have stopped.
5. You have a liver condition or another chronic illness.

How do you use a CBD product sensibly?

Follow the product label and don't exceed the recommended amount. Taking more is not wiser: EFSA's provisional safe intake is an upper limit. Keep CBD products out of the reach of children. Reactions to CBD differ from person to person; if it makes you drowsy, don't drive or operate machinery.

What about drug tests and driving?

A standard drug test looks for THC, not CBD. How much THC a CBD product contains differs per product and per batch; check it in the batch report and read how CBD and THC differ. Nobody can give guarantees about the outcome of a drug test or about fitness to drive. Drowsiness is a reported side effect, so pay attention to how you react to a product before you drive.

Where can you find reliable information?

For independent information, look at EFSA and, in the Netherlands, the CBG, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) and the Trimbos Institute. Outside the Netherlands, your national food safety authority is the place to start. Renova makes no health claims itself. What we do make checkable is the cannabinoid profile for each batch, with the THC result, wherever a report has been published; which products that applies to is shown in the quality reports. More basic information is in the CBD overview.