New legislation introduced in Congress the previous week aimed to create a clear legal pathway for hemp-derived CBD and other extracts while improving quality.
CBD's US legal status remained unclear, while the FDA worked intensively on regulation. The previous month it published an update on collecting better CBD use and safety data. Read that report here.
A 2019 survey found many Americans did not know no federal CBD standard existed. This highlighted the need for industry guidance and consumer legal protections not yet available.
Representatives Kurt Schrader and Morgan Griffith introduced a bill that September. Despite bipartisan and sponsor support, it stalled after failing to receive enough congressional votes.
The previous week, they reintroduced it as HR 841 with 17 other Republican and Democratic representatives. It sought to legalize hemp-derived ingredients as dietary supplements and direct the FDA to establish a clear, robust federal regulatory framework.
The Hemp and Hemp-Derived CBD Consumer Protection and Market Stabilization Act was praised by the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, American Herbal Products Association, Alliance of Natural Health, Hemp Industries Association and Citizens for Health.
U.S. Hemp Roundtable general counsel Jonathan Miller said Schrader and Griffith showed real leadership and hoped support would grow as it progressed through Congress.
Consumer Healthcare Products Association president and CEO Scott Melville said legal gaps and inadequate oversight allowed bad actors into the market, and the bill would be a positive step for consumers.
