New European Union rules will establish THC limits for hemp-leaf tea beginning January 1, 2027, alongside mandatory label warnings about young children and how the products should be prepared.
The European Commission adopted the regulation earlier this summer, adding hemp leaves and ready-to-drink hemp-leaf infusions to the EU’s existing framework for contaminants in food. The requirements cover both delta-9 THC and tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), calculated together as delta-9 THC equivalents.
Under the regulation, hemp leaves intended for brewing in water will be limited to 40 milligrams of THC equivalents per kilogram. Ready-to-drink hemp-leaf infusions will face a limit of 0.02 milligrams per kilogram, including herbal drinks that combine hemp leaves with other ingredients.
Packages of hemp leaves must carry prominent statements explaining that the leaves are only for preparing a water-based herbal infusion, that the drink should not be consumed by infants or young children, and that fatty ingredients such as milk or cream should not be added during steeping.
The commission said adding fat during brewing significantly increases the transfer of THC and THCA from leaves into the drink. Its explanation distinguishes adding those ingredients during steeping from adding them afterward.
The regulation also reiterates that water infusions made from hemp leaves without flowering or fruiting tops are not considered novel foods, meaning they do not require authorization under the EU’s novel-food rules. Stricter national restrictions can still apply.
Products lawfully placed on the market before January 1 may remain available until their minimum durability or use-by dates, giving businesses a transition period for existing inventory.
