A bipartisan duo of U.S. House lawmakers have introduced a pair of CBD regulation bill proposals to regulate hemp-derived cannabinoids, arguing that the FDA has failed to regulate popular cannabis despite legalizing hemp with the 2018 Agriculture Act. . The two bills, which were introduced in the House on March 17, are sponsored by Rep. Annie Craig, D-Ohio, and Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Va.
“The Food and Drug Administration has been slow to properly regulate CBD and hemp-derived products to market, which has led to confusion about their legal uses.” Griffith said in a statement From the congressman’s desk. “Americans need better guidance and that’s why I introduced these two pieces of legislation, which will create a path to regulation in both the food and nutritional supplement spaces.”
the The first measureThe Hemp and Hemp-Derived Market Stability and Consumer Protection Act of 2023 will make hemp, hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD), and other hemp-derived products legal for use as a dietary supplement unless otherwise directed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. the second billCBD Product Safety and Standardization Act directs the Food and Drug Administration to establish rules for regulating CBD as the agency does for other food ingredients, including setting requirements for quality and labeling of CBD products.
“In Minnesota, we’ve seen firsthand that our local governments and small businesses need more guidance when it comes to CBD and hemp-derived products,” Craig said.. “That’s why Rep. Griffith and I have partnered on these bipartisan bills to better regulate CBD products, keep consumers safe and ensure hemp growers and our businesses get the support they need.”
Interest in CBD exploded in the United States after Congress legalized hemp 2018 Bell Farm. Hemp is available in a range of consumer products, including vapes, tinctures, and topicals, as consumers are turning to CBD goods for a variety of health conditions, including pain, anxiety, and sleep disorders. The FDA oversees CBD because it is the active ingredient in Epidiolex, a cannabis-derived oral formulation approved by the agency to treat certain forms of childhood epilepsy in June 2018.
The Food and Drug Administration sought CBD guidance from Congress in January
The introduction of the two CBD regulation bills comes after the FDA announced earlier this year that there were too many doubts about the agency’s CBD safety for regulating cannabis under its current structure. The Food and Drug Administration has also called on Congress to provide more guidance on CBD, citing safety concerns about CBD, including the potential for the cannabinoid compound to cause liver damage and potential negative effects on the male reproductive system and on children and pregnant women.
“We haven’t found enough evidence to say how much CBD can be consumed, and for how long, before it causes harm,” he said in a statement from the agency on January 26, adding that, “After careful review, the FDA has concluded that a new regulatory path for CBD is needed that balances individuals’ desire to access CBD products with the regulatory oversight needed to manage risks.”
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed several aspects of the regulation for congressional consideration, including packaging and labeling requirements, restrictions on CBD levels and testing for potency and safety. The agency also noted potential negative effects on pets and livestock, and is again looking to lawmakers for more guidance on the issue.
“CBD also poses risks to animals, and people can be inadvertently exposed to CBD through meat, milk, and eggs from animals fed CBD,” Woodcock wrote. “Because it is not clear how CBD products can meet safety standards for substances found in animal food, we also do not intend to pursue rules that allow CBD use in animal foods. The new regulatory pathway could provide access and oversight for some products containing CBD for animals.”
The new legislation from Griffith and Craig is supported by dozens of hemp and cannabis activists, corporations, and nonprofit organizations, including the National Hemp Industry Association, Americans for Safe Access, the Native Hemp Industry Association, and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. The two bills are “important pieces of legislation that are integral to hemp growers, CBD producers, and consumers,” said Jonathan Miller, general counsel for the US Hemp Roundtable.
“The FDA has made it clear that legislative action by Congress is necessary to solve the CBD regulatory problem and the two bipartisan bills were returned by Representatives. Griffith and Craig serve as the solution,” Miller said in a statement From the cannabis industry trade group. “The FDA’s inaction over the past four years has had a devastating effect on hemp growers in the United States, leaving thousands of unregulated products on the market and raising consumer concerns about health and safety.”
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