Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) led 11 other lawmakers in a letter to FDA Commissioner Gottlieb, calling for clarification on his and the FDA’s stance on food products containing CBD.
Mixed Messages
With the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp products were made federally legal- however, New York City, Maine, and Ohio have instituted a ban on food products containing CBD, which seems to stand in contradiction with hemp’s legal status.
In her letter, Congresswoman Pingree points out that the lack of clarity has caused a lot of confusion among CBD manufacturers, farmers, and consumers. For people interested in CBD in those locales, it’s painfully unclear what is or isn’t allowed.
No Time To Waste
Pingree also called attention to the fact that, shortly after the farm bill was signed, Commissioner Gottlieb promised to hold a public meeting to gather information on the topic of hemp and CBD. In light of the confusion surrounding food products with CBD and Gottlieb’s lack of response, Pingree and the other lawmakers signing the letter say that an official response is crucial. They end their message by asking Commissioner Gottlieb to respond to two questions by the 22nd of this month. These are the two questions:
- “When will FDA provide guidance on lawful pathways for food products containing hemp-derived CBD in interstate commerce?”
- “When will FDA hold a public meeting on the regulation of food products containing hemp-derived CBD in interstate commerce?”
Hopefully, respectfully setting a deadline for Gottlieb’s response will hasten matters, and we’ll receive the answers we’ve been waiting for. The 2018 Farm Bill was a huge step forward for hemp & CBD, but these contradictory rules need to be cleared up. ASAP.
Thankfully, actions like this letter show our lawmakers won’t stand idly by. Commissioner Gottlieb needs to follow through and clarify rules around food products containing CBD. And now, there’s a deadline for his response.
We’re happy our lawmakers are pushing for a resolution to this confusion, and we’re excited for clarity across the board. CBD products are immensely popular, and it’s time for the roadblocks to be moved out of the way.
We’ll keep you updated as this story progresses.
