Washington D.C. September 4, 2020—The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), the leading trade association for the dietary supplement and functional food industry, today commends Representatives Kurt Schrader (D-OR) and Morgan Griffith (R-VA) for the introduction of the Hemp and Hemp derived CBD Consumer Protection and Market Stabilization Act of 2020. The legislation, if enacted, will direct the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to use its regulatory authority to provide a legal pathway to market for dietary supplements containing hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) and will help protect the health and safety of consumers.
“CRN is grateful for the introduction of this bipartisan legislation,” said Julia Gustafson, vice president, government relations, CRN. “It is critical that FDA allows a legal pathway to market for CBD dietary supplements for the benefit of the agency, industry, retailers, and ultimately, consumers. CRN will continue to work with the bill sponsors and other lawmakers to advance and help pass this critical legislation to ensure consumer safety to the 20 million Americans who use CBD dietary supplements.”
As the CBD marketplace continues to grow with heightened consumer interest, increased sales and expanded product innovation, consumers are at risk of unsafe or illegal products and ingredients in the market that are poorly manufactured, improperly labeled or illegally deliver adulterants. Simultaneously, responsible CBD companies that comply with federal regulations and produce safe and beneficial products for consumers must compete with unscrupulous players that are skirting the law and taking advantage of the agency’s lack of oversight. To fill these regulatory gaps and protect the safety of their citizens, a number of states are creating a patchwork of potentially burdensome and inconsistent regulation, complicating the marketplace and hindering the goal to have one federal requirement across the industry in the future.
CRN has repeatedly called on FDA to exercise the statutory discretion provided to it in the Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act (FDCA) that would allow CBD to be marketed as a dietary supplement and impose the legal and regulatory requirements that currently exist for other supplements to this new legal category of CBD dietary supplements. In June, CRN submitted a Citizen’s Petition formally calling on FDA to regulate CBD as a legal dietary supplement. Additionally, CRN hosted a virtual advocacy event to encourage CRN member companies to contact their congressional representatives and engage with policymakers on this very issue. In addition to leading advocacy for a legal path to market for CBD, CRN has been a thought leader on the subject, with over 15 speeches, presentations and articles devoted to the subject.
“Over one year has passed since FDA held its public meeting to better understand hemp-derived substances, and almost two years have passed since the Farm Bill was enacted, legalizing hemp-derived CBD,” said Ms. Gustafson. “During this time, the agency has taken no action to legalize this ingredient, facilitating an unregulated marketplace. CRN urges Congress to pass this critical legislation and open the marketplace to CBD dietary supplements, providing FDA enforcement authority over the category to assure consumers have access to safe and beneficial products to support their health and wellness.”
Note to Editor: The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), founded in 1973, is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing 150+ dietary supplement and functional food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and companies providing services to those manufacturers and suppliers. In addition to complying with a host of federal and state regulations governing dietary supplements and food in the areas of manufacturing, marketing, quality control and safety, our manufacturer and supplier members also agree to adhere to additional voluntary guidelines as well as to CRN’s Code of Ethics. Visit www.crnusa.org. Follow us on Twitter @CRN_Supplements and LinkedIn.