US Government Finally Approves CBD at the Federal Level

The US government has finally approved CBD at the federal level. While marijuana and its most valuable component, CBD, have been included in federal law for a year, the government has yet to develop regulations to protect cannabis farmers, processors, and consumers.

In the 2020 annual bill, Congress approved several key provisions regarding cannabis. These include funding for federal research on cannabinoids and marijuana, as well as the development of new regulations concerning CBD. The most significant provision so far is the allocation of $2 million to the FDA to help the agency finally prepare reliable rules. Currently, the CBD market is estimated at around $2 billion, according to Merry Jane.

The FDA has not regulated the emerging CBD market, except for sending warning letters to companies making health claims about their CBD products. To date, the FDA has approved only one CBD product for medical use—Epidiolex, a cannabis-derived medication used to treat rare seizures.

Another provision allocates $1 million from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality for research grants on the effectiveness of CBD and kratom, a powder from tropical plants that may help treat opioid addiction.

Additional provisions require the National Institutes of Health to begin studying the effects of CBD and CBG on health. CBG is often called the “parent of all cannabinoids” because it is the precursor to the most well-known cannabinoids, such as THC and CBD.

One of the latest provisions requires the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to report on how federal drug laws hinder legitimate scientific research. Marijuana, which remains illegal at the federal level, is classified as a Schedule I drug—a category so restrictive that most research groups cannot properly study it. NIDA has 120 days to prepare the report.