Companies that sell cannabidiol (CBD) products to the public are subject to the rules and regulations of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), including how products containing CBD are labeled and advertised can be. in the December 2020The FTC has started strict policy enforcement against CBD companies that have false and misleading health claims.
This crackdown on misleading health information on CBD product labels and advertisements is designed to protect consumers from potentially predatory companies, which it does. It also harms the ethical companies that try to legitimately educate consumers about the drug Benefits of CBDbacked by validated scientific research studies.
Fortunately, two of the FTC commissioners, Rohit Chopra and Christine S. Wilson, are considering this obstacle and have made official recommendations to refine various aspects of the FTC approach to CBD enforcement. Commissioner Chopra wants claims related to opioids and other substance abuse disorders to be a top priority in enforcement, while focusing on large companies that are financially able to pay the cost of victim support if fines are imposed.
Commissioner Wilson discussed the importance of accepting what science has to say about CBD by recognizing credible research studies that confirm its ability to treat certain conditions or symptoms. Wilson stressed that the presence of valid scientific evidence warrants consideration of certain health claims when supported by relevant research. She urges the enforcement of strong claims with “little to no scientific support”.
Note that these are only recommendations for now. However, this points to a bright future for CBD companies looking to post credible health claims on their product labels or in their advertisements. As the FTC continues to protect the public from fraudulent companies, it is comforting for legitimate CBD business owners to know that hopefully they can expect some protection from their own businesses.