Consumer Brands Launch Coalition for Smart CBD Regulation
The Consumer Brands Association (CBA) has launched the Coalition for Smart CBD Regulation, a cross-industry group dedicated to protecting consumer safety and advocating for resources and uniform federal policies regarding cannabidiol (CBD).
The coalition consists of various law enforcement organizations – the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA), the National Narcotics Officers’ Associations’ Coalition (NNOAC) and the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA) – consumer watchdog group the Digital Citizens Alliance (DCA); and major industry groups: the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), the National Confectioners Association (NCA) and the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA).
“The coronavirus gave CBD bad actors yet another opportunity to peddle cure-alls devoid of scientific backing, crystallizing our need for greater research and federal oversight of the marketplace,” noted Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of Arlington, Va.-based CBA. “We’re proud to have the support of this coalition in protecting consumer safety.”
“The public deserves transparency and accountability about CBD products, and local law enforcement needs clear guidance,” noted Chief Art Acevedo, president of MCCA. “The current regulatory patchwork puts us all at a disadvantage and without additional resources for enforcement and science, public safety and public health will continue to be adversely impacted.”
Research from CBA shows that although one in three Americans reports using CBD, the vast majority (76%) assume that CBD products are subject to federal regulations, when in reality, few regulations exist. A recent investigation by DCA found that 70% of American CBD users were replacing medications for CBD for conditions ranging from anxiety to Alzheimer’s disease.
The Coalition for Smart CBD Regulation is the latest development in CBA’s advocacy campaign for clear, uniform guidance and federal leadership on CBD. In January, the organization formed its CBD Advisory Board and submitted funding requests for research on the health and safety of CBD, along with more resources for market surveillance and enforcement, to the U.S. House of Representatives. This week, the board and the NNOAC both sent letters supporting these appropriations requests to congressional leaders.
The CBA is also a member of the Attorney General Alliance industry working group on CBD, currently collaborating with attorneys general across the United States to prevent bad actors from continuing to market CBD as a treatment for COVID-19.
