Cannabidiol, more commonly known as CBD, is a compound found in cannabis that is attracting increasing interest for its therapeutic properties. Unlike THC, another major compound in cannabis, CBD has no psychoactive effects and does not produce a "high." This makes it an attractive option for those seeking to enjoy its benefits without experiencing the undesirable effects associated with cannabis use.
But a question arises for patients who wish to use CBD as an alternative treatment: is this alternative medicine covered by social security? To answer this, it is necessary to examine several aspects such as the current state of legislation on CBD in France and the conditions for reimbursement of medical treatments.
CBD legislation in France
Laws governing cannabis products vary considerably from country to country. Under French law, the cultivation, possession, distribution, and use of certain hemp plant varieties are permitted provided they contain less than 0.2% THC. However, this low THC limit for authorized hemp plants does not necessarily mean that CBD products can be sold freely if they exceed the maximum permitted THC level.
In contrast, CBD itself is not classified as a narcotic and is subject to a separate legal framework in France. CBD products are not subject to any specific regulations, but the authorities closely monitor the marketing of products containing cannabidiol to prevent any encouragement of cannabis use.
CBD in medicine
In the medical field, CBD has been studied for its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and anxiolytic properties. Some research suggests that this compound could be useful in treating numerous conditions, including:
- Chronic pain
- Fibromyalgia
- Epilepsy
- Anxiety and stress
- Depression
- Sleep disorders
- Inflammatory bowel diseases
- Multiple sclerosis
While some countries, such as the United States and Canada, have already legalized the use of medical cannabis, including for CBD prescriptions, France is only at the very beginning of this process. In 2020, the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) established a temporary specialized scientific committee tasked with evaluating the relevance and feasibility of using cannabis for therapeutic purposes.
CBD as a medicine: Epidiolex and Sativex
However, there are already a few CBD-containing medications that have received marketing authorization (MA) in France. Epidiolex, a medication prescribed for the treatment of certain severe forms of epilepsy, is the first CBD-based medication to have obtained this MA.
Similarly, Sativex is another medication that contains both THC and CBD. It is used to treat multiple sclerosis patients who suffer from severe muscle stiffness. Sativex is only available by prescription and under very strict conditions.
Social security coverage of CBD: where do we stand?
For a treatment to be covered by social security, it must meet several criteria: it must have obtained marketing authorization, be registered on the list of reimbursable medicines and comply with certain conditions set by the High Authority for Health.
CBD-based medications and their reimbursement
Regarding the CBD-based medications mentioned earlier, Epidiolex set a precedent by being the first CBD-containing drug to be reimbursed by the French national health insurance system. The reimbursement rate is set at 65% for this medication, but it should be noted that its prescription is strictly limited to cases of severe epilepsy in children and young adults. As for Sativex, despite its marketing authorization, it is still not available in France due to a disagreement between the manufacturing laboratory and the Transparency Commission regarding pricing and reimbursement.
CBD food supplements and oils
Regarding dietary supplements and other formulas containing CBD, their coverage by social security is much more uncertain. Generally, these products are not considered medicines and therefore do not meet the criteria for reimbursement. However, given the rapid evolution of the cannabidiol market and its legal framework, it remains to be seen whether this situation could change in the future with new regulations.
Preliminary conclusion
Currently, coverage for CBD by social security remains very limited and only applies to a few specific medications. Alternative CBD treatments such as dietary supplements and oils are not reimbursed, and patients must therefore bear the costs associated with their use. However, the legal landscape surrounding medical cannabis is evolving rapidly, and it will be interesting to see how this might influence reimbursement strategies in the future, particularly for CBD-based treatments.
Co-founder of CBD.fr
Julien Cordobes is the editor of CBD.fr. Born in 1978 in the Paris region, he first trained in e-commerce before turning to natural health approaches, a dual perspective that now structures his way of writing about cannabidiol: reading the scientific literature as it is, without hardening the conclusions, and presenting it in a language that everyone understands.
He discovered CBD at a time when the French market was developing faster than the information available to it. He acquired CBD.fr in 2022 and then took on editorial responsibility for the blog. Since then, he has published numerous articles covering the daily use of CBD, the interpretation of laboratory analyses, the evolution of the legal framework, and precautions for use.
