CBD and hemp headlined two more events on Friday at Natural Products Expo West. In the first event, a team from Barlean’s provided legal and practical advice to retailers, ranging from how to work with state regulations to providing useful information to customers. The final CBD event was led by Stuart Tomc of CV Sciences who lectured on the future of hemp and why hemp extracts are different from approved FDA therapies. Natural Products Expo West Highlights held on Friday.
Friday Highlights From Natural Products Expo West 2019
The final day of seminars did not disappoint as the last two CBD sessions capped a week of excellent information and practical advice for thriving in the industry.
Selling CBD: Legal And Practical Advice For Retailers
Dr. Jeffrey Burke ND, MH, the Global Sales and Education Manager at Barlean’s, Ola Lessard, VP Consumer Marketing & Communications at Barlean’s, Joel Matteson J.D., LLM, General Counsel at Barlean’s, and Marge Roman, a Manager at Stay Healthy! contributed to the panel discussion.
Barlean’s is a family-owned business that has been in the supplements business for over 30 years, becoming a trusted name brand during that time.
The company entered the CBD market in early 2018, calling it a “natural extension” for their business.
Burke noted it is an exciting time to be in the natural products industry.
“I have never seen a train moving this fast in my 40 years in this industry,” said Burke, about CBD.
He then discussed several frequently asked questions by consumers, providing advice on how retailers and producers of CBD products can answer them legally and accurately.
Essentially, companies should use the guidelines provided by the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994.
Matteson spoke on the legal and regulatory status of CBD.
He mentioned that the big question right now is if CBD should be considered a drug or supplement.
Currently, the FDA sees CBD as a drug because it is the main ingredient in Epidiolex, an FDA-approved drug therapy for epilepsy.
However, there are pathways for the agency to allow CBD for use in food and supplement products.
Finally, the team shared three big takeaways for the discussion.
The first was for companies to have a voice in the discussions between the FDA and industry. Second, to avoid claims and follow the good manufacturing practices outlined for the supplement industry. Third, companies should talk with state representatives to help shape CBD legislation as state regulations are in flux.
The Hemp CBD Metamorphosis: From Fear To Fever
Stuart Tomc, the Vice President of Human Nutrition at CV Sciences, was the speaker for this seminar.
Tomc discussed some of the changes in the legal status of CBD, and also talked about the future of hemp.
Hemp products have become increasingly popular, especially with the rising interest in plant-based items.
Hemp protein, clothing, among many other things have started to garner attention with the full legalization of the plant.
Of course, hemp extracts are probably the most highly demanded products, but the FDA has made it difficult for producers to know what’s legal and what’s not with extracts.
Tomc spoke on the difference between FDA approved drugs and hemp extracts, which essentially boils down to their contents.
The VP ended with advice on how to find trusted brands in the market, including looking for transparency and quality.
Did you miss any of our other recaps from the expo? Check out summaries of Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
