The lastest CBD news stories are here:
- A new bill filed in the House of Representatives would describe CBD as a dietary supplement, an essential piece of legislation expected by the industry.
- It is said by the NFL and the NFL Players Association Pain Management Committee that CBD needs more research as a pain reliever.
- A federal judge has ruled that CBD companies would not be held accountable until the FDA took action.
New Bill To Describe CBD As a Dietary Supplement, Urge FDA To Permit Marketing
Congress passed the 2018 Farm bill in which it was intended to have hemp-derived CBD a step closer to being a dietary supplement.
This week, Representative Collin Peterson (D-MN), chair of the House Agriculture Committee, filed a new bill that pressurizes the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to control the CBD products as dietary supplements.
The FDA has been establishing the rules for CBD, but the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) has complicated the work.
The DSHEA says that a substance that was examined as a drug before being sold as a dietary supplement retains its status as medication and cannot be added to the food supply.
The agency considers consumable CBD products technically illegal because of the claim of the FDA that Epidiolex® has been examined as a drug before being marketed as a nutritional supplement.
Nonetheless, it has been clearly indicated by the FDA that it uses compliance discretion—it only enforces this policy against CBD organizations making false medical claims—while establishing the regulatory structure for CBD.
Rep. Peterson’s bill would make CBD derived from hemp the exception to the DSHEA regulation.
In a press release, Peterson said, “the last two Farms Bills were landmark hemp achievements, but we are still very early in this process, and farmers need regulatory clarity. This bill will permit to legalize the hemp-derived CBD as a nutritional supplement, offering a way forward for hemp-derived products. It would also recognize the hurdles to success for hemp producers, educating policymakers and growers about the hurdles this emerging industry facing.”
If passed, the bill would grant the FDA authority to regulate the entire industry, such as ensuring compliance with GMP and proper labeling for all CBD organizations.
The bill also needs research on “regulatory, and market barriers” for hemp farmers carried out by the US Department of Agriculture.
Chellie Pingree (D-ME), James Comer (R-KY), Thomas Massie (R-KY), are among the cosponsors of the bill.
If you want to be a part of the passage of this historic bill, please take less than a minute of your time to go to the US Hemp Roundtable and contact your representative.
NFLPA And NFL Committee States CBD Requires More Research
The NFLPA and NFL are continuing their study on the CBD’s ability to be used as a pain reliever for players.
On Tuesday, the Pain Management Committee spoke to CBD brands to hear about the facts behind CBD as a pain reliever.
In a statement, NFLPA and NFL said, “The Committee asked CBD manufacturers to discuss their research today so that the Committee may hear and access the potential scientific evidence base for using CBD as an alternative to pain relief. This meeting will not affect jointly administered Policy and Program on Substances of Abuse as it was an educational and scientific exercise. We anticipate the continued cooperative work of the Joint Committee.”
A new collective bargaining agreement is being negotiated by the NFLPA and NFL, and a change is expected in the current marijuana policy.
Several players have called on the league over the last several years to allow the use of marijuana for pain.
As of now, THC is a prohibited substance, which essentially banning any use of cannabis.
The committee also submitted white papers with information about the pain relief alternatives to opioids, as well as the committee’s conclusions on cannabis and CBD.
The general reasons given by the committee include:
- Players may prefer for CBD, rather than validated therapies.
- The potential for drug interactions.
- The potential for successful drug screenings as THC is found in some CBD products.
- The unpredictable regulatory environment that surrounds CBD products.
- Most scientific evidence is focused on animal studies and small clinical trials with humans.
Although the NFLPA and NFL may be doubtful, they also seem eager to explore CBD potential for its players.
Federal Judge Rules CBD Companies Are Not Accountable Until FDA Took Action
A decision by federal judge indicates that CBD companies would not be held accountable due to the lack of effective guidelines by the FDA.
In a complaint brought against Green Roads, a Florida based company, plaintiffs alleged the company to be responsible for illegal labeling and, as a result, they were charged extra for the products they bought.
While Judge Ursula Ungaro did not want to dismiss the allegation, she opposed the effort to make the suit a class action.
She also stayed the lawsuit until the FDA developed labeling requirements for CBD drugs.
Judge Ungaro decided,“A little guidance is currently provided by FDA regulations concerning whether CBD ingestibles, in all their variations are food supplements, nutrients or additives and what labelling standards are applicable to each iteration. Although the recently adapted Florida Law 5K-4.034 covers CBD product labeling, the Court would greatly benefit from the regulatory structure of FDA.”
The bill outlined above that detailed above that would make CBD a dietary supplement would address problems like those posed in the Green Roads case.
