​FDA Starts Working Group on CBD; Issues Warning Letters to CBD Manufacturers Making “”Egregious” Claims

On Tuesday, the FDA sent warning letters to CBD companies that were making “egregious medical claims” about their products. Additionally, they announced a working group for a solution to adding CBD to foods, supplements, and cosmetics within FDA guidelines and with their approval.

These letters and this announcement of a working group is well within the pathway outgoing commissioner Gottlieb has followed before. In a recent SENPA Speaks Speedy Update, we informed you of warning letters sent to other companies for other “egregious medical claims” about their products. The FDA is seemingly enforcing their role as a regulator while also opening pathways to legally and ethically market their products within that regulatory framework.

This is also a step forward from December, 2018, when the FDA effectively banned CBD-infused foods and dietary supplements, citing the authority of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. When that statement was issued (along with its own set of warning letters), the future of CBD-infused products seemed a little dimmer.

Yesterday’s announcement added some much-needed clarity to the pathway forward for products such as these, which some of you may choose to carry at your stores. Combine this with the increasing number of bills being proposed to legalize CBD at the state level, and the outlook seems to be stabilizing around a cautious, but steady, pace towards security.

We continue to monitor these efforts and will update you as news breaks.