CBD, which is derived from cannabis plants, has been showing up in food products over the past few years, being added in everything from gummy bears to lattes, mints and other foods.
However, the FDA has never approved this ingredient in food to be “safe” for human consumption.
A recent statement [1] came out from Janet Woodcock, MD, Principal Deputy Commissioner of the FDA that said, “Today we are announcing that after careful review, the FDA has concluded that a new regulatory pathway for CBD is needed that balances individuals’ desire for access to CBD products with the regulatory oversight needed to manage risks.”
The statement goes on to say, “The agency is prepared to work with Congress on this matter…A new regulatory pathway would benefit consumers by providing safeguards and oversight to manage and minimize risks related to CBD products.”
Additionally they say, “CBD also poses risks to animals, and people could be unknowingly exposed to CBD through meat, milk and eggs from animals fed CBD. Because it is not apparent how CBD products could meet the safety standard for substances in animal food, we also do not intend to pursue rulemaking allowing the use of CBD in animal food. A new regulatory pathway could provide access and oversight for certain CBD-containing products for animals.”
The statement concludes with “The FDA looks forward to working with Congress to develop a cross- agency strategy for the regulation of these products to protect the public’s health and safety.”
With cannabis use spreading throughout the country because of states legalizing recreational and medical use, it probably won’t be long before the Feds deschedule the drug from being a Schedule I controlled substance and regulate cannabis entirely. That way, they can control all the rules and add on an excise tax [2] like they have with cigarettes.
The funny thing is that while marijuana business operations are generally illegal under federal law, income from the business is still taxable under federal tax laws. But the feds want more. On the Senate’s finance website, there is a document called “Marijuana Revenue and Regulation Act.” In it, they say, “A federal marijuana excise tax would provide significant revenues for deficit reduction or other federal priorities. In addition, a federal excise tax would serve to maintain a minimum price for marijuana across all states and provide a uniform model for future state excise tax regimes.”
Billions of dollars are in their future.
The Feds always pretend they are all about our safety and welfare but they are really only about two things – MONEY and CONTROL.