In a bid to enforce regulation of hemp-derived CBD products in the USA, a group of Senators and Representatives reintroduced the Hemp Access and Consumer Safety Act legislation last week.
The current situation is such that US consumers can’t be sure food and dietary supplements containing cannabidiol (CBD) are high quality and safe, contain the CBD stated on the label, and meet standards required of other food and dietary supplement products.
Regulation would usually fall to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the agency has come under increasing pressure in recent years to do so. But in January this year the FDA announced it would not implement cannabidiol (CBD) regulations, stating it wasn’t in a position to. It then handballed the issue back to Congress.
Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) have reintroduced the Act, which would compel the FDA to regulate these products like other legal dietary supplements, foods, and beverages.
“Despite hemp and hemp-derived CBD being legally grown in the U.S. for nearly five years, we’re still grappling with a regulatory gray zone that risks consumer safety and inhibits producers,” said Senator Wyden. “We now have the bill to ensure safe and equal access to hemp-derived CBD.”
If it becomes law, the Act would:
- Permit the use of hemp-derived CBD products in dietary supplements, foods, and beverages under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
- Prioritize consumer safety; requiring manufacturers to observe and adhere to all existing federal regulations for CBD-containing products.
- Ensure such products feature appropriate product labelling.
As well as these lawmakers, the legislation has the support of a number of industry organisations, including the U.S. Hemp Roundtable.
“We commend Senator Ron Wyden for re-introducing the Hemp Access and Consumer Safety Act, a crucial piece of legislation that addresses the pressing need for FDA regulation of CBD,” said Hemp Roundtable General Counsel Jonathan Miller. “This bill provides a much needed pathway for FDA to establish a clear and consistent framework for the production, marketing, and sale of hemp-derived CBD to ensure consumer safety while fostering a thriving, regulated market.”
The Hemp Access and Consumer Safety Act, if passed, will not only strengthen consumer safety measures but also enhance the USA hemp industry’s growth potential.
The full text of the Act can be found here, and a summary here.
