What's going on in US that can effect DVLP: Illinois will become the 11th state to fully legalize cannabis, after the state House passed a bill on Friday that will now pass to Gov. J.B. Pritzker who has said he would sign it.
Arizona Supreme Court Rules In Hash Case That Medical Cannabis Extracts Are Legal
Ben & Jerry's wants to get in on that action, too, and recently announced their desire to begin selling CBD-infused ice cream.
Several shops in downtown Burlington already have CBD options. At Maglianero Cafe and Cosmic Grind, customers can get a shot of CBD in their drinks.
CBD derived from Colorado and Vermont grown hemp flowers are used in a tea sold at Dobra Tea.
California company KickBack also sells a cold coffee and tea and a ground coffee infused with the ingredient. They describe their products as providing a "function chill" to allow people to feel relaxed and energized.
Fruity flavors are present in drinks like Bimble Dram, Recess, and Sprig, all brands of sparkling waters that contain CBD.
There's also Queen City Hemp, who uses only 5 milligrams. The company that sells CBD-infused seltzer isn't from Burlington, though. They're from Cincinnati, that other Queen City).
Fast food chain Carl's Jr. did this on just one day in April that was infused with CBD and was sold at a Denver store. CBD is one of the hottest culinary trends right now.
Ben & Jerry's wouldn't be the first. Cafe in North Carolina began selling CBD-infused ice cream last year.
CBD-infused food and drink popularity surges.
Big drugstores, CVS has already rolled out topical CBD products in over 800 stores in Alabama, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland and Tennessee.
Walgreens will begin stocking CBD creams, patches and sprays in 1,500 stores throughout Oregon, Colorado, New Mexico, Kentucky, Tennessee, Vermont, South Carolina, Illinois and Indiana.
Rite-Aid announced most recently that it would begin selling hemp CBD creams, lotions and lip balms in roughly 200 of its Oregon and Washington stores as part of its ongoing effort to compete with Walgreens and CVS.
Why is this so complicated? Enter the FDA and interstate commerce
Marijuana is still classified as a Schedule I controlled substance by the federal government, but a bill signed last year by President Trump removed some restrictions.
The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp (cannabis with less than 0.3 percent THC), opening the door for the rush of CBD-infused products, but the FDA has said that it considers CBD-infused food products illegal to sell across state lines because CBD is an active ingredient in one drug. However, they have not enforced this strongly and different states have taken different approaches.
For now, the FDA has said CBD is not allowed in food, drinks and supplements. But given the agency's limited resources, many do not expect the agency to enforce the position unless products make explicit health claims that could endanger people.
Many urged the FDA to move quickly, noting that the industry is growing rapidly with little oversight.
