The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has set a deadline for businesses manufacturing cannabidiol (CBD) goods to submit product information and contents.

The FSA said that businesses selling CBD products need to submit valid novel food authorisation applications by 31 March 2021.

It said that it will only allow products which have submitted the valid application to remain in the market.

It has also advised vulnerable demographics not to consume an excess of CBD based products. According to its suggestions, individuals should limit their intake to 70mg per day.

FSA chief executive Emily Miles said: “CBD products are widely available on the high street but are not properly authorised. The CBD industry must provide more information about the safety and contents of these products to the regulator before 31 March 2021 or the products will be taken off the shelves.

“Also today, we are advising that CBD could be risky for vulnerable groups and suggesting an upper limit of 70mg a day for everyone else taking the product.

“The actions that we’re taking today are a pragmatic and proportionate step in balancing the protection of public health with consumer choice. It’s now up to industry to supply this information so that the public can be reassured that CBD is safe and what it says it is.”

Through this initiative, the FSA aims to ensure that the novel foods meet legal standards, including safety and content. Local authorities will enforce the novel food legislation.

Additionally, it has advised authorities to ensure that existing CBD products have been labelled correctly during this process. Products should safe to eat and should not contain substances that fall under drugs legislation.

It has based its new, precautionary advice upon recent findings by the government’s Committee on Toxicity (COT).