Is CBD legal in Albania?

David ReichUpdated:

Key points at a glance:

Is CBD legal in Albania? The situation appears unclear. There are no specific laws that explicitly regulate CBD. The cultivation of cannabis is prohibited, and importing or selling CBD products may be treated in a similar way to cannabis importation, which can be punishable. Medical use is not specifically regulated. Potentially affected products include oils and tinctures, capsules, edibles, vape liquids and skincare products. It is advisable to check with the relevant authorities before purchasing CBD products or travelling with them. Travelling with CBD to or within Albania can involve legal uncertainties and potential risks.

Legal status of CBD
Scroll / pinch to zoom, drag to move. Colours are for orientation only. No legal guarantee.
Green: mostly legal
Yellow: restricted
Red: prohibited
Unknown

Which products contain CBD?

Before looking at CBD law in Albania, it helps to know which products typically contain CBD and may therefore be relevant for customs and local law.

🔍 To sum up

Any oils, capsules, edibles, vape liquids or skincare that list CBD or hemp extract on the label may be relevant for CBD law in Albania, especially at customs.

Is CBD legal in Albania?

CBD legality in Albania is not clearly defined. CBD (cannabidiol) is a non-intoxicating compound from the cannabis plant, and many countries have specific rules for it. In Albania, however, CBD law is not directly regulated, which leaves a legal grey area for residents and travellers.

Legal framework for CBD in Albania

The starting point for understanding CBD legality in Albania is the country’s general cannabis law. Under the Albanian Criminal Code:

  • The cultivation of cannabis is prohibited.
  • The production, sale and distribution of cannabis are prohibited.
  • The possession of cannabis is prohibited.

These rules target cannabis as a whole plant or drug. At the moment, there are no separate provisions that:

  • mention CBD by name, or
  • set a specific CBD THC limit for products (for example, a maximum THC percentage for “hemp” items).

Because CBD is not expressly covered, the legal status of CBD in Albania is uncertain. It is neither clearly legal nor clearly illegal, and this uncertainty affects both buying CBD in the country and bringing CBD to Albania from abroad.

🔍 To sum up

Albanian law bans cannabis but does not mention CBD separately, so CBD products currently fall into a legal grey area rather than being clearly permitted or clearly banned.

Import and sale of CBD in Albania

There are no specific Albanian laws that regulate the import, distribution or retail sale of CBD products. However, this does not mean that importing or selling CBD is automatically allowed.

Because CBD is extracted from cannabis, there is a risk that Albanian authorities may treat CBD products as cannabis or cannabis-derived substances. If that happens, import or sale could be viewed under the same rules that apply to prohibited cannabis products.

For this reason, anyone considering importing CBD into Albania or selling CBD products there should:

  • contact the relevant Albanian authorities in advance, and
  • obtain written clarification where possible before shipping or trading any goods.

This is particularly important for businesses but can also be relevant for individuals who plan to order CBD by post into Albania.

Use of CBD in Albania

In many countries, laws distinguish between recreational cannabis and medical or wellness uses of CBD. In Albania, there are currently no detailed rules that:

  • authorise CBD as a medicine, or
  • set out a specific framework for medical CBD use.

As a result, CBD for medical or wellness purposes remains legally unclear. The law does not specifically allow it, and it does not specifically ban CBD-based treatments either. Enforcement may depend on how individual products are classified and how strictly cannabis laws are applied in practice.

The legal situation in neighbouring countries

If you are travelling in the region, you may also want to compare CBD law in nearby states. Rules can differ significantly from one country to the next.

Can you bring CBD to Albania when travelling?

Because CBD legality in Albania is unclear and there is no defined CBD THC limit in local law, travelling with CBD carries a degree of legal risk. Border officers may consider CBD products to be cannabis products, especially if packaging or documentation is not clear.

If you are thinking about travelling with CBD to or through Albania, you should be aware that:

  • there is no formal exemption for small quantities of CBD, even for personal use, and
  • CBD travel rules for Albania are not set out in any dedicated guidance.

For risk assessment and up-to-date information, it is advisable to contact Albanian customs or another competent authority before your trip. This is particularly relevant if you intend to carry CBD oils, capsules, edibles, vape liquids or topical products across the border.

🔍 To sum up

Because Albania has no clear CBD travel rules and may treat CBD as a cannabis product, bringing CBD into the country can involve legal uncertainty and should be checked with the authorities in advance.

Summary

Overall, CBD law in Albania remains undefined. There are no specific provisions that name CBD or distinguish it from other cannabis-related substances. At the same time, Albania has strict rules against the cultivation, production, sale, distribution and possession of cannabis in general.

In practice, this means:

  • CBD is in a legal grey area in Albania.
  • Importing or selling CBD could be interpreted as dealing with cannabis, depending on how authorities classify the products.
  • The medical or wellness use of CBD is not clearly regulated or authorised.

If you are planning to bring CBD to Albania, buy CBD there, or trade in CBD products, it is important to seek clarification from the relevant Albanian authorities beforehand. This can help you understand how the current law may apply to the specific products you are interested in.

Simple and short answer

The simple answer to the question “Is CBD legal in Albania?” is: it is unclear. There are no CBD-specific laws or clear CBD THC limits, so CBD in Albania currently sits in a legal grey area.

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