The Food and Drug Administration still hasn’t set forth any clear rules for CBD food and drink products, but in the meantime the government is growing its own massive marijuana crops.
Research has long been one of the first places some prohibited substances have found legitimacy, and hemp and weed research at universities across America have received federal grant money in recent years, including a huge marijuana crop in Mississippi this harvest season. This lies in stark contrast to other areas of the federal government, where regulators have tried to clamp down on hemp’s derivatives.
Despite the 2018 Farm Bill’s legalization of hemp as an agricultural product, hemp farmers still need to seek licenses from state and federal entities including the Drug Enforcement Agency.
The U.S.-grown crop of hemp has expanded as more and more grants and licenses are approved, and the U.S. marijuana crop used for research is mounting up to 4,400 pounds of yields this year. [1]
University of Mississippi agricultural scientists and medical researchers are planning to harvest two tons of industrial hemp on U.S. grants this year alone. [1]
The New York Post reports that that’s enough for 5 million joints. They didn’t mention whether that’s with tight or sloppy rolling, so you’ll have to use your imagination. [2]
Scientists want to look into the effects of marijuana on everyday illnesses and health issues, which is completely understandable from a research perspective, although it is bound to cause confusion for some American businesspeople and hemp fans.
While these studies on pot are being conducted using federal money, the federal government still bans marijuana as a Schedule 1 narcotic, despite states legalizing the plant on their prerogative.
For those interested in CBD, the seeming double standard is perhaps more glaring. While the research crops of marijuana will get users high when used, CBD products confer many of the same benefits without being psychoactive. That’s all well and good, except the FDA still bars innovators from producing food and drink products with CBD ingredients.
This has impacted exciting and promising sectors like the boutique cocktail industry in New York City, where Mayor Bill DeBlasio recently signed an order to prohibit CBD. [3]
Although some movement could come from continued meetings at the FDA where a listening session kicked off discussion in late May, that process could last for months or years and come to no clear regulations on CBD in foods. [4]
For those looking to use CBD for their businesses or chronic pain, anxiety and insomnia issues, the U.S. paying for pot research may not seem like such a good look.
Sources
[2] https://nypost.com/2019/07/12/us-growing-largest-crop-of-marijuana-for-research-in-5-years/
[4] https://www.nothingbuthemp.net/post/cbd-rules-are-on-the-move-with-most-recent-input-at-fda-hearings
