FDA Could Legalize CBD In Food Soon, Holds First Hearing

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will hold its first public hearing on Friday to understand the viability of legalizing cannabis CBD in food products.

Cannabinoids or CBD is the non-euphoric component present in marijuana and cannabis. The FDA initiative comes in the wake of spurting demand for CBD products.

The market is buzzing with rising CBD use in capsules, potions, oils, gummies, and lotions. The supplement industry is expanding with the launching of so many CBD based products.

In marijuana, the ingredient THC is responsible for creating high and other side effects. THC oil is a high demand product.

Throwing some insights into the hearing’s agenda, principal deputy commissioner of FDA, Dr. Amy Abernethy, in a tweet said reviewing available databases and medical literature about CBD’s safety will be a priority.

“Thus far, the data appear insufficient,” she said.

Hearing to bring together all stakeholders

The hearing seeks to gather information from various stakeholders and there is no decision making exercise right now.

The hearing is expected to be attended by doctors, consumers, and industry players.

Andrew Shao, senior vice president of regulatory affairs at the Council for Responsible Nutrition called the hearing “a new precedent.”

“It's an important first step and a number of stakeholders, including members of Congress, are looking at this meeting to inform the pathway forward on CBD,” Shao noted.

Shao said the supplement industry is looking forward to a regulatory framework that helps to legitimately develop high-quality products with CBD.

Rising CBD use and safety issues

There is a sudden change in the CBD related business. Of course, the inhaling of CBD has been there in the past as recreational marijuana.

But today the change is that CBD has become a standalone ingredient and is being used in supplements and other products. This has raised issues related to such compounds' safety and legality.

“In terms of safety, we really don't know,” said Dr. Pieter Cohen and expert who studies drug ingredients in the marketplace and is attached to the Harvard Medical school.

“We don't have a mechanism in the United States to effectively regulate supplements and ensure those products are safe,” he noted.

Noting that supplements are being marketed as the panacea to many health problems including insomnia, anxiety and chronic pain, and even for glowing the skin, the expert wanted more studies.

Many of the existing claims over CBD in many products are unproven and needed further studies including clinical trials.

According to Dr. Peter Lurie, president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, people are avoiding truly effective treatments “because of their belief that CBD will benefit them.”

CBD coffee maker shares a success story

Meanwhile, many success stories around CBD infused food are appearing regularly in the media. The CBD market is expected to hit a $20 billion industry by 2022.

Case in point is CBD-infused coffee that supposedly helps people to feel calm and committed. There is no change in the coffee’s taste because of the CBD factor.

Andrew Aamot, co-founder of Denver's Strava Coffee swears by its nice experience. He was a coffee roaster, before experimenting with CBD infused coffee as a diversification.

“I had a chance to start a coffee business, but what I'm doing now is delivering, you know, a better life to a lot of consumers,” Aamot said.

He said the coffer he sells is not “pot coffee.” Rather, it is a coffee that is infused with nutrients from a plant that do not have a recreational purpose.

That makes Strava's CBD coffee costly and the cheapest bag is charged $20.

The positive experience of consuming CBD coffee is shared by John McCaskill who said the CBD coffee has eased his penchant for coffee craving.

“For me, it just got rid of all the jitters,” McCaskill said.

However, Martha Montemayor, a certified consultant on nutrition said CBD’s efficacy in solving any problem depends on how a person’s body reacts.

“Some people are definitely going to feel better, some people are going to feel nothing,” Montemayor quipped.