The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is funding a research project looking into the sustainable production of hempcrete, a hemp-based mixture that’s better for the environment than traditional concrete. According to a notice published on the EPA website, the agency awarded a roughly $12,000 grant to a student-led research team at the University of California, Riverside, to support a study on … Read More
FDA Chief Warns CBD Rulemaking Could Take Years Without Congressional Action
The outgoing head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suggested on Tuesday that it would take several years for the agency to come up with rules around allowing hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) in food products—unless Congress steps in. At a Brookings Institution event, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb recognized that there’s strong interest among the cannabis industry and lawmakers in developing … Read More
U.S. Postal Service Issues Advisory On Mailing Hemp-Derived CBD
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) quietly issued an advisory earlier this month clarifying rules around mailing cannabis preparations, saying that “some CBD products derived from industrial hemp can be mailable under specific conditions.” The memo also signals that USPS will further loosen restrictions in the future in light of the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, which federally legalized industrial hemp. For … Read More
USDA Receives Hemp Legalization Feedback From States And Stakeholders
On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) gave stakeholders in the nation’s hemp economy an opportunity to provide input on rules to legally regulate the crop that are currently being developed. Hemp, which was federally legalized as part of the 2018 Farm Bill signed by President Trump in December, had previously been restricted by the Justice Department as a controlled substance. … Read More
Chances Are ‘Good’ That Whole Foods Will Sell Marijuana Products, CEO Says
If marijuana is legalized you can expect Whole Foods Market to start selling cannabis products, the company’s CEO said on Thursday. During a conversation hosted by The Texas Tribune, an audience member asked John Mackey whether his company would consider selling “alternative proteins” such as insects. Mackey said yes, and then, unprompted, he brought up marijuana. “If cannabis is ever … Read More
USDA Gives Farmers A Status Update On Hemp Legalization Plans
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is giving prospective hemp farmers a status update on the Trump administration’s efforts to regulate the newly legal crop. The plans include a public listening session to be held next month. While the 2018 Farm Bill federally legalized hemp, USDA has to develop a regulatory process and approve individual state plans before farmers can cultivate … Read More
FDA Head Reveals New Details About Agency’s CBD Regulation Plans
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb revealed new details about plans to pursue alternative pathways for CBD regulation and also acknowledged that federal prohibition drives research into medical marijuana overseas on Wednesday. Gottlieb’s latest comments were in response to questions from Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Mark Pocan (D-WI) during a hearing before a House … Read More
Lawmakers Push FDA To Allow CBD-Infused Food Products
A bipartisan group of members of Congress is pushing the Trump administration to provide a legal pathway for food products infused with the marijuana compound cannabidiol, better known as CBD. In a letter sent to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday, the lawmakers wrote that a series of recent actions by state and local officials in New York … Read More
McConnell And Wyden Push USDA To Implement Hemp Legalization ‘Expeditiously’
The 2018 Farm Bill included language federally legalizing hemp, and the authors of that provision told the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in a letter this week that such policies must be implemented “expeditiously” and “as Congress intended.” “We specifically drafted the Hemp Farming Act in a way that allows hemp pilot states to build upon the progress and investments made through the … Read More
Study Shows How Cannabis Component CBD Can Help People With Substance Use Disorders
Cannabidiol, or CBD, shows promise as a potential treatment option for various types of substance use disorders, according to a recent review of existing studies. A team of Australian researchers summarized the results of multiple human and animal trials on CBD and addiction, finding that the non-intoxicating component of marijuana can reduce cravings and the risk of relapse for chronic alcohol, tobacco and opioid misuse. … Read More