FDA Plans to Regulate CBD in Foods and Supplements

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reportedly planning to propose guidelines on how to regulate the use of the popular cannabis compound cannabidiol (CBD) in food and supplements, according to officials cited by The Wall Street Journal.

According to a report, after weighing the evidence regarding the safety of the compound, the FDA will decide within the next few months how to regulate legal cannabis and whether new agency regulations or new legislation from Congress are necessary.

During an interview, Janet Woodcock, the Deputy Commissioner of the FDA and the official responsible for cannabis regulation, expressed concerns about the safety of CBD and whether the current regulatory measures for food and dietary supplements apply to this substance.

However, the agency needs to determine if long-term consumption or consumption during pregnancy of CBD is safe.

Woodcock expressed concerns about the potential impact on future fertility, but at the same time her comments suggest that the organization is working to establish regulatory frameworks to legally sell appropriate marijuana and marijuana-derived products.

CBD is a compound found in the cannabis plant. It is one of the main components of cannabis, but unlike THC, it does not cause a high or have any psychoactive effects.

The 2018 Agriculture Bill legalized marijuana cultivation in the United States, leading to significant growth in the CBD product market. These products are sold as dietary supplements and are believed to be beneficial for health. Consequently, many businesses in the cannabis industry are selling CBD products nationwide.

In recent months, the FDA has issued warning letters to at least nine companies illegally selling products containing CBD. These companies are accused of selling products containing CBD, which the FDA warns some people may confuse with traditional food or drink products that do not contain CBD, or make medical claims about their CBD products.

In 2021, the FDA informed one of the world's largest CBD companies, Charlotte's Web Holdings, that their CBD products cannot be sold as dietary supplements. This indicates that CBD reform may need to wait for action from Congress.

The FDA has not yet approved any CBD-based products for use as dietary supplements. The only FDA-approved CBD-based product is Epidiolex, a prescription medication used to treat seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome in children two years of age and older.