In the last few weeks, two major drugstores publicly announced that they will start carrying products containing hemp-derived cannabidiol (“Hemp-CBD“). Both CVS and Walgreens announced that CBD topicals would be available in their stores, in a select number of states. Notably, both drug store chains limited products to non-ingestible topicals. Dr. Scott Gottleib, the outgoing head
On April 2, 2019, the federal Food & Drug Administration (“FDA”) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb issued a press release on hemp and hemp-derived cannabidiol (“Hemp CBD”). This is Gottlieb’s first major official press release since the now infamous December 20, 2018 press release which came just hours after the 2018 Farm Bill passed. In that December 20 press
During a recent interview with the Brookings Institution, Scott Gottlieb, the departing head of the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”), explained it would take several years for the agency to come up with rules that would legalize the use of hemp-derived cannabidiol (Hemp-CBD) in food products, unless Congress steps in. Gottlieb acknowledged the strong interest
We advise some of the largest companies in the U.S. on hemp-derived cannabidiol (hemp-CBD) products. Those companies are filled with lawyers, and the lawyers have many specializations. Most of them, however, have little or no familiarity with hemp-CBD, and that is why they reach out and hire us. In the preliminary emails and phone calls,
Our California hemp lawyers have been getting pummeled with questions about the legality of industrial hemp derived cannabidiol (“Hemp CBD”) ever since the 2018 Farm Bill was signed in January. One of the most frequent questions we receive is whether CBD is a lawful additive in foods. The answer is often no depending on the
Our California hemp lawyers regularly get asked about the laws and regulations about growing hemp in California, manufacturing hemp products, and shipping those products around the country. I’ve written about the various hemp laws in California and how confusing they are previously (see here and here). Those posts, however, were more geared towards the manufacture
In the last few weeks, we have received a growing number of inquiries pertaining to the legality of smokable products infused with cannabidiol derived from industrial hemp (“CBD Smokables”), including vape pens and pre-rolled hemp flower joints. This post provides a brief overview of the current legal status of these products. As we have discussed
On February 27, 2019 both the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) and the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) provided new insights and guidance related to their proposed regulatory processes for hemp under the 2018 Farm Bill. I will summarize these agency statements below, and give some context for what hemp and CBD businesses can
The recent wave of crackdowns on cannabidiol (“CBD”)-infused alcohol beverages has further exacerbated public confusion regarding the legal status of the cannabis plant’s non-psychoactive compound. This post provides an overview of the regulatory framework of alcoholic beverages, including pre-manufactured industrial hemp-infused drinks and “homemade” alcoholic drinks infused with CBD oil or extracts. Pre-Manufactured Alcohol Beverages
We’ve been writing a lot on this blog about the regulation and sale of cannabidiol (“CBD”) products at the state and federal levels. The United States is not the only international actor, however, that is concerned with regulating the sale of CBD products, including CBD-infused foods. The European Food Safety Authority (“EFSA”), the European equivalent of
