FDA Begins Planning CBD Regulatory Framework

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said that the organization is beginning the process of creating a regulatory framework for the marketing and interstate sales of CBD products, according to a CNBC report.

President Trump’s signature on the 2018 Farm Bill last week technically legalized industrial hemp and hemp products. The bill, however, placed CBD products under the FDA’s jurisdiction.

“We recognize the potential opportunities that cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds could offer and acknowledge the significant interest in these possibilities. We’re committed to pursuing an efficient regulatory framework for allowing product developers that meet the requirements under our authorities to lawfully market these types of products.” — Scott Gottlieb, FDA Commissioner, via CNBC

The FDA plans to hold public meetings soon seeking input on how best to establish the federal CBD marketplace.

“While products containing cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds remain subject to the FDA’s authorities and requirements,” Gottlieb said, “the FDA will continue to take steps to make the pathways for the lawful marketing of these products more efficient.”

Following the farm bill’s passage, a storm of industrial hemp CBD products is expected, perhaps even before the FDA can deploy new regulations.

Meanwhile, the FDA is expected to continue issuing warning letters to CBD companies who make claims that are not backed by federally recognized research.