United States: Bill introduced to consider CBD as a dietary supplement

A bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives to allow the CBD and other hemp-derived compounds to be marketed and sold as dietary supplements, a change that could at last clearly regulate the trade in hemp and its derivatives at federal level.

«Hemp was historically an important crop for Virginia farmers, and dietary supplements made from it do not possess dangerous addictive properties,» a declared Morgan Griffith, one of the bill's two sponsors. «Nevertheless, the current state of regulation creates confusion about its legal uses. I joined this bipartisan bill to give hemp growers certainty that their crop is finding legal uses.»

While the Farm Bill 2018 legalized hemp in the United States, and authorizes its production and sale, the federal regulatory framework for low-THC derivatives has lagged, frustrating businesses and law enforcement alike. In a letter sent last year to the head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), lawmakers complained that «the agency's current regulatory stance on CBD has created significant regulatory and legal uncertainty for participants in this rapidly evolving industry.»

Although the regulatory landscape may soon be changing, the FDA reopened earlier this year a public comment period on how CBD should be regulated, Kurt Schrader and Morgan Griffith's new bill makes it clear that Congress wants to see action on CBD and other hemp products sooner rather than later.

Legislation, entitled «The Hemp and Hemp-Derived CBD Consumer Protection and Market Stabilization Act of 2020,» would require «hemp-derived cannabidiol and any other hemp-derived ingredient to be legal under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act as a dietary ingredient in a dietary supplement.»

CBD products would still be required to comply with federal packaging and labeling requirements, as well as FDA rules for new food ingredients.

The US Hemp Roundtable, an association of industry professionals, has called for a vote on the proposal.

«Allowing CBD to be legally marketed as dietary supplements and requiring manufacturers to comply with the entire existing regulatory framework for dietary supplements would create immense confidence in hemp and CBD products, and provide an excellent opportunity for hemp growers across the country,» added Jonathan Miller , the organization's general counsel. He predicted that the market for products extracted from hemp would exceed $10 billion within a few years.

The Schrader/Griffith bill would ensure that #hemp-derived CBD, and other non-intoxicating hemp ingredients, could be lawfully marketed as dietary supplements. Learn more and take action here: https://t.co/vVfSNwwr6o #HempSupporters #hempCBD

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- US Hemp Roundtable (@HempRoundtable) September 4, 2020