Congressmen introduce bill to allow CBD to be sold as dietary supplements

Two congressmen have introduced a bill that would allow cannabidiol (CBD) and other hemp-derived products to be sold as dietary supplements in the U.S. as manufacturers still await federal regulation regarding the use of CBD in food. 

The Hemp and Hemp-Derived CBD Consumer Protection and Market Stabilization Act of 2020 was announced by Representatives Kurt Schrader of Oregon and Morgan Griffith of Virginia last week. 

This bipartisan piece of legislation, only the most recent effort to help consumers access CBD in the aftermath of the 2018 Farm Bill, would mandate that “cannabidiol derived from hemp, and any other ingredient derived from hemp shall be lawful under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.) as a dietary ingredient in a dietary supplement.”

Manufacturers would need to comply with the new dietary ingredient requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

“Hemp was historically an important crop for Virginia farmers, and dietary supplements made from it do not possess dangerous addictive qualities. Nevertheless, the current state of regulation creates confusion about its legal uses. I joined this bipartisan bill to provide certainty for hemp farmers that their crop may find legal uses,” Representative Griffith said in a statement. 

The bill was welcomed by the four leading dietary supplement industry associations.

In a statement, the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), and United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA) said they applaud the move to finally provide legal clarity in the CBD marketplace, particularly as a growing number of Americans turn to hemp-derived products as “a way to improve health and wellbeing.”

Due to a profound lack of scientific research on hemp and CBD, the FDA has been slow to release its policy on the use of the plant in food products. However, the agency recently did manage to release preliminary guidance on the development of cannabis-based drugs. 

As states wait for the FDA to provide necessary guidelines on CBD, Virginia took matters into its own hands and passed legislation to legalize CBD in food earlier this year.