The latest news about CBD from this week is here:
- Elon Musk’s SpaceX decided to perform hemp culture studies in space in 2020.
- Congress has agreed to support the USDA and FDA to study CBD and evaluate policy.
- Several lawmakers have sent letters to the USDA urging the agency to amend their hemp laws.
SpaceX To Send Hemp Into Space In 2020
Hemp is going to space in 2020.
SpaceX, a private aerospace corporation founded by Elon Musk, will be taking 480 plant cell cultures to the International Space Station in support of an agricultural technology company, Front Range Biosciences.
BioServe Space Technologies at the University of Colorado and SpaceCells USA Inc. are collaborating with Front Range Biosciences on the project.
The goal of the research is to study the effects of microgravity on the cultures of coffee cells and hemp.
In a press release, Jonathan Vaught, co-founder, and CEO of Front Range Biosciences, said that this was for the first time that someone was investigating the effects of spaceflight and microgravity on coffee cell and hemp cultures.
Vaught said, “there is evidence to prove the theory that plants undergo mutations in space. It was is opportunity to see if there is any interruption in those mutations when brought back to earth and whether new commercial applications exist.”
The cultures will be sent for one month to the International Space Station to find out whether microgravity results in any genetic mutations.
According to Front Range Biosciences, the research finding may potentially help producers and scientists to recognize the new varieties and expressions in the plant. This will also help researchers to examine the processes through which plants handle the space travel stress and pave the way for a new field of research for the company and industry.
The companies are planning to carry out further studies that they hope will improve the “productivity and viability of land crops and plants.”
Congress Allocates Funding To USDA, FDA For CBD Research And Policy Enforcement
In the two spending bills, which were signed by President Donald Trump on Friday, Congress has allocated funds for hemp-derived CBD policy enforcement.
Under the $1.4 trillion spending package, the USDA and FDA have received $2 million for CBD research, market surveillance, policy evaluation, and issuance of an enforcement discretion policy.
The market surveillance would include the FDA conducting a study of CBD products, checking whether the products fit their labels.
Congress requires the FDA to determine the way by which they will implement their current stance on CBD, which renders it illegal to add cannabinoids in beverages and food: nonetheless, this is done by most hemp-derived CBD brands.
The FDA has used the method of sending warning letters to companies for unauthorized health claims as the first primary method for enforcement of policies.
These letters warn the companies which are clearly claiming that CBD is treating diseases such as Alzheimer’s or cancer; however, they do ask them to stop producing CBD containing beverages and food products.
The FDA is currently developing a regulatory framework to allow the use of CBD in food products.
According to Scott Gottlieb, the former FDA Commissioner, it may still take many years until the approval of CBD-specific legislation by Congress.
Daniel Fabricant, Ph.D., the president and CEO of the Natural Products Association, said “While offering funds for research is a positive first step, today’s action sadly falls short of what is needed to protect consumers. The future of the U.S. hemp industry and the farmers and manufacturers who supply it are directly related to smart regulations for CBD, which includes FDA maintaining a safe level of intake to protect consumers.”
Legislator Request USDA To Amend Hemp Rules
Legislators are urging the recently proposed hemp regulations by the United States Department of Agriculture.
Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) sent their letter to Sonny Perdue, the US Secretary of Agriculture, demanding that the USDA amend a handful of regulations.
Among the amendments, the Senators demanded USDA to increase the THC threshold from 0.5% to 1%.
To be legal, the THC level should not be more than 0.3% in hemp.
A press release regarding the letter stated that there was a possibility to have THC level more than 0.5% due to some uncontrollable factors even though the growers had taken all necessary precautions to produce hemp according to regulations. The Senators also requested USDA to analyse the settlement options to deal with farmers who exceed the THC threshold unintentionally.”
Representatives Jared Golden (D-ME-02) and Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01) and Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) also sent a letter to the USDA.
In their letter, the Maine legislators requested the agency “notice the formal comments and concerns of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry (DACF).”
A press release of the letter also mentioned that elected officials endorsed the SAFE Banking Act, regulations that would permit banks to offer services to the cannabis-related businesses without fear of federal sanctions.
Public comment on the hemp rules is open until December 31, 2019.
