FDA is considering regulating CBD products

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is investigating the safety of legal CBD foods and supplements and will eventually issue a series of recommendations for regulating cannabis-derived products in the coming months, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The agency is studying the long-term effects of daily use of CBD. It also studies its safety and use during pregnancy. The agency is also concerned about the impact of CBD on fertility, said Patrick Cournoyer, who is responsible for developing the agency's cannabis strategy.

Foods and supplements

CBD is legal thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill that legalized hemp, but the FDA is responsible for regulating hemp products. However, many companies producing CBD products have operated without specific manufacturing and marketing guidelines. Some states have preceded the FDA with their own regulations for these products.

The FDA does say that CBD and similar chemicals are not allowed in foods marketed as supplements. That hasn't stopped the growth of the market for cannabis-derived products. The market was worth $2021 billion in 4,6 and could quadruple by 2026.

New CBD legislation

There is now a highly unregulated market. That is now being looked at. The FDA decides how to regulate legal cannabis and whether that requires new legislation from Congress. According to the National Institutes of Health, cannabinoid research is in its early stages. The studies look at how CBD works on the body and its possible ability to relieve pain. There is some evidence that it may be harmful for some people. Some companies are waiting for the agency to issue formal guidance on CBD regulation before launching products on the market.

The chemical known as delta-8, along with other new cannabinoids, has complicated the agency's efforts. These products meet the definition of legal cannabis, but can still be intoxicating.
Warning for Delta 8 products. In May, the FDA sent warning letters to five companies for selling products labeled delta-8 in a way that violates the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

This is the first time the FDA has issued warning letters for products containing delta-8 THC.
“Delta-8 THC has psychoactive and intoxicating effects and can be dangerous to consumers. The FDA has received reports of adverse reactions experienced by patients who have used these products," the FDA wrote in the release.

FDA officials say it is focusing its enforcement on products that pose an immediate threat to public health, such as CBD gummies that could be accidentally eaten by children.

Source: convenience.org (EN)