FDA reiterates oversight role on cannabis food & drink
Dec. 20, 2018 5:13 PM ET|By: Douglas W. House, SA News Editor
In a statement, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. says the passage of the U.S. farm bill, now called the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 since it is law, does not diminish the agency's regulatory oversight role related to cannabis-containing food and drink.
He says the FDA will be diligent in monitoring the cannabis (hemp) marketplace to ensure that makers of non-approved products are not making unsubstantiated medical claims.
Also, the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act prohibits interstate commerce of food containing cannabidiol (CBD) or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) since they are active ingredients in FDA-approved drugs, but he says there are "pathways available" for those who seek to lawfully introduce these products into interstate commerce, adding that the agency will "continue to take steps" to make said pathways more efficient.
