FDA Would Be Required to Allow CBD Product Marketing Under New Bipartisan Bill

FDA Would Be Required to Allow CBD Product Marketing Under New Bipartisan Bill

Medical Marijuana (MMJ) is used to treat a number of qualifying conditions. You can find out if you pre-qualify for a recommendation in just two steps! First, Take our eligibility survey. Once qualified for an in-person exam,  you’ll receive scheduling instructions to see one of our Florida Medical Marijuana Doctors. Completing the survey takes only 5 minutes. Find out if you pre-qualify for a medical marijuana recommendation today!

House Bill 5587

A nonpartisan alliance of lawmakers has proposed a new bill (HB 5587) that could allow companies to legally market hemp-derived CBD products as dietary supplements. Hemp was legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill after which Wall Street estimated CBD drinks, pet foods, and cosmetics would net a profit of $15 billion in sales annually. For example, companies like PepsiCo and Coca-Cola were expected to create beverages infused with CBD, though Pepsi denied having made any such claims.1 Nonetheless, without necessary regulations, two issues prevail. First, manufacturers have been limited in how they can market CBD, and second, many companies use false advertising to increase their sales of the product. Regulations are a must, as they protect consumers by creating a path for the production of safe products containing CBD.2

A Call for Regulations

According to former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, “rulemaking could take years without congressional action.” The new bill, filed on January 13, 2020, amends the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to define CBD as a dietary supplement. Lawmakers believe the bill will fast-track the development of those necessary regulations. HB 5587 was filed by Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), chairman of the House Agriculture Committee who said, “The last two Farm Bills were landmark successes for hemp, but we are still very early in this process, and growers need regulatory certainty . . . ”This bill will allow FDA to regulate CBD that comes from hemp as a dietary supplement, providing a pathway forward for hemp-derived products.”2

Protecting Consumers

In anticipation of the new regulations, farmers have been racing to grow the now legal variety of hemp, while wellness companies create sprays, patches, and creams using CBD for its calming effects. Still, the hemp industry is frustrated with the FDA over the slow path to legalization of CBD for inclusion in food and supplements.3 As it stands, there is good reason for the FDA’s restrictions. Of the many companies jumping to false claims about their CBD-infused products, one internet-based company was caught advertising their product as a cure for cancer. The FDA has issued warning letters to these companies for marketing their products with “egregious and unfounded claims that are aimed at vulnerable populations.”3 Gottlieb, who stressed the need for the FDA to provide guidance about how these products are marketed said, “We’ve seen, or heard of interest in, products containing cannabis or cannabis derivatives that are marketed as human drugs, dietary supplements, conventional foods, animal foods and drugs, and cosmetics, among other things. Stakeholders are looking to the FDA for clarity on how our authorities apply to such products, what pathways are available to market such products lawfully under these authorities, and how the FDA is carrying out its responsibility to protect public health and safety with respect to such products.”4

Safe and Effective CBD Products

In the meantime, there is no shortage of safe and effective CBD products on the market.5 For example, DOC-CBD* offers both a concentrate and whole plant extract that use a patented Liquid-structured nextCBDTM technology, solving the problem of poor bioavailability associated with cannabidiol. DOC-CBD absorption rates are 18 times greater at 30 minutes and 22 times greater at 2 hours than conventional CBD products. DOC-CBD is recommended by our physicians as a potent supplement with the exceptional ability to provide symptom relief for many conditions. *Though not owned by or affiliated with DocMJ, DOC-CBD products may be purchased at any Florida DocMJ location.

Is Medical Marijuana Right for Me?

Whether medical marijuana will help your condition depends on many factors best evaluated by a medical doctor. If you feel you may benefit from medical marijuana, the first step is to take our eligibility survey. In just 5 minutes, you could pre-qualify for a Florida medical marijuana recommendation. A Florida Marijuana Marijuana Doctor can then determine if you qualify during an in-person exam. For more information, visit https://docmj.com.

1. https://www.barrons.com/articles/new-bill-cbd-marijuana-stocks-51579104750
2. https://www.marijuanamoment.net/fda-would-be-required-to-allow-cbd-product-marketing-under-new-bipartisan-bill/
3. https://www.newhope.com/regulatory/congress-introduces-bill-legalize-cbd-once-and-all
4. https://www.barrons.com/articles/holiday-retail-sales-come-out-later-this-morning-regional-fed-banks-think-they-were-solid-51579168801
5. https://doc-cbd.com/