CBD Claims Face FDA Scrutiny
CBD coffee in K-Cups
In Alaska, baristas will gladly spike your Americano with a $2 shot of CBD oil and in January Diamond CBD announced its Chill Coffee is now available in K-Cups, one of many brands rushing to produce beverages containing the hemp-extract said to bring health benefits.
CBD (cannabidiol) is not intoxicating—it’s also not entirely clear whether it is legal in the U.S. The 2018 U.S. Farm Bill that takes effect in March no longer considers hemp to be marijuana so long as it contains less than 0.3% THC by dry weight. The catch is that CBD products are not regulated by the federal government and while several states tolerate distribution products claiming health benefits can easily cross a red line.
In January the state of Utah mailed letters to retailers and manufacturers of CBD and other hemp-based products telling them to register. In Sarasota County, Fla. (Tampa Bay) permits to sell the product were denied based on state law. Michigan no longer considers the plants “criminalized” but cautions products are likely subject to FDA (Food and Drug Administration) regulations.
In December FDA issued a letter stating, “we continue to be concerned at the number of drug claims being made about products not approved by the FDA that claim to contain CBD or other cannabis-derived compounds. Among other things, the FDA requires a cannabis product (hemp-derived or otherwise) that is marketed with a claim of therapeutic benefit, or with any other disease claim, to be approved by the FDA for its intended use before it may be introduced into interstate commerce.”
FDA guidelines: fda.gov