Protect CBD Access Before It’s Too Late

Unless the FDA makes an exception, consumers will lose access to affordable CBD oil. Action Alert!
Over the last couple of years, ANH has been reporting on the many benefits of CBD oil, a non-psychoactive compound found in the hemp plant. Among other things, CBD oil is extremely helpful in managing pain. You might think that, in the midst of a crippling epidemic of opioid addiction, a public health agency would be interested in preserving access to affordable, non-addictive pain remedies. But the FDA could shut the door permanently on consumer access to affordable CBD oil, unless concerned citizens make their voices heard.
You’ll recall from our previous coverage that the main obstacle is this: the FDA has approved a CBD drug, Epidolex, for the treatment of a rare form of childhood epilepsy. The drug will reportedly cost $32,500 a year. Because CBD oil was likely not sold as a supplement before 1994, and no “new supplement” notification was filed on CBD before it was investigated as a drug, it cannot legally be sold as a supplement.
So far, the FDA is treading lightly. They’ve announced that putting CBD supplements, or foods to which CBD has been added, into interstate commerce is illegal. The agency has sent warning letters to several CBD companies for making illegal disease claims. In these warning letters, however, the FDA notes that, for the above-cited reasons, “CBD products are excluded from the dietary supplement definition.” In other words, if it wanted to, the agency could put its foot down and move against any company selling CBD supplements.
There is a growing consensus that the best way to protect CBD supplements is for FDA to provide an exemption for CBD oil—that is, despite the existence of a CBD drug, to allow the continued sale of CBD supplements.
There are efforts in motion to accomplish this goal in Congress, but they do not go far enough. The House of Representatives has approved an amendment to an appropriations bill that would allocate funds for the federal government to start the necessary processes to set a safe level of CBD for consumers to use each day, but it doesn’t provide an exemption for CBD from FDA rules. There is an amendment coming before the Senate Appropriations Committee that would exempt CBD oil, but it also leaves it to the FDA to determine how much CBD can be sold in supplements. We are extremely wary of leaving such an important decision to the FDA.  Recall that the government is already looking to follow the example of many European countries in limiting the maximum dosage of dietary supplements. We fear that if the decision is left to the FDA, the agency will protect the interests of pharmaceutical manufacturers and severely limit the amount of CBD allowed in supplements such that it becomes impossible, or extremely difficult, to get any therapeutic effect.
We at ANH think that a request for an exemption for CBD must be accompanied by a stipulation that supplement doses of CBD should be able to go up to 100mg of full-spectrum CBD—so for example, supplement capsules could contain no more than 100mg of CBD. Doctors report that the vast majority of patients can be clinically improved with this dosage size, and of course smaller dosages can be made to accommodate patients with different needs.
It is shocking that this issue has come to this. Deaths from fentanyl, an FDA-approved drug, and other synthetic opioids reached an appalling 30,000 in 2018. When a safe, non-addictive, and effective alternative to deadly opioids is found, it is snatched away by Big Pharma with the help of the FDA, whose mission it is to protect public health. It is one of the most shameful examples of crony capitalism in recent memory.
Action Alert! Write to the FDA and Congress, calling for an exemption for CBD oil with a dosage of up to 100mg of CBD. Please send your message immediately.

32 comments

  1. Carry the amendment to create an exemption to allow CBD oil to remain in the market as a supplement and also ensure the level is high enough for the families who need it.

  2. We demand that the FDA and Congress, call for an exemption for CBD oil with a dosage of up to 100mg of CBD.

  3. Unfortunately, Americans are victims of a person sitting in our Oval office & his anti-American Republican Regime who are too ignorant to want to help their fellow man for GREED. Americans need to vote them all out. We are their employers, the taxpayers, and all they continue to do is steal our funds, disrespect us, & dishonor America.

    1. The FDA has been ruling like this for many presidencies, it is not because of Trump. But you are right¡ He is our employee and we need to fired him
      now¡¡

  4. As both a physician and a mother and an individual with a chronic medical condition, I emplore you to please allow CBD to remain available to the public as a supplement, rather than rationed only to the highest bidders at the whim of pharmaceutical companies. Thank you.

  5. GOD MADE CBD…not pharmaceuticals.
    Give us a break…please.
    You work for WE THE PEOPLE,
    Not the drug companies.

  6. CBD oil is from a PLANT – not a contrived chemical from a lab. Keep big money and big pharma out of this! Ridiculous.

  7. An exemption must be made for CBD oil with a dosage of up to 100mg of CBD. CBD oil is safe , no side effects & more is needed if the ration is diminished .. which would increase costs unfairly !

  8. Please make an exemption for CBD which must be accompanied by a stipulation that supplement doses of CBD should be able to go up to 100mg of full-spectrum CBD. Pharmaceutical drugs kill THOUSANDS a year & the addiction to them is an epidemic. This is a pain reliever which helps with so many other things. It’s non-psychedelic & non-habit forming, people should have easy access to this healing oil.
    Thank you for your time and attention to this important matter.

  9. Please make an exemption for CBD which must be accompanied by a stipulation that supplement doses of CBD should be able to go up to 100mg of full-spectrum CBD. Pharmaceutical drugs kill THOUSANDS a year & the addiction to them is an epidemic. This is a pain reliever which helps with so many other things. It’s non-psychedelic & non-habit forming, people should have easy access to this healing oil.
    Thank you for your time and attention to this important matter.

  10. The only thing that helps my pain, and the only one that has ever been taken with no side affects.

  11. I am calling for an exemption for CBD oil with a dosage of up to 100mg of CBD. There is no reason to restrict the use of CBD oil.

  12. CBD oil helps my senior, arthritic dog walk. We’ve been using it for over a year with great results. Please keep this valuable supplement affordable for pet parents like me. It’s not cheap by any means, but making it unaffordable would be devastating to our family.

  13. Why aer you messing with something that is doing so much good for 1000’s of people and isn’t KILLING THEM LIKE THEM THE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES!

  14. I was writing a Comment and automatically it was ERASED. !!!. OUR GOVERNMENT IS TAKING OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS AWAY, THE FDA IS CORRUPT… THEY TAKE HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS FROM MONSANTO BAYER TO POISON OUR FOOD BUT WORRIED ABOUT A CBD COMPOUND THAT YOU CAN NOT OVER DOSE ON….. NOT LIKE OXYCONTIN !!! No exemption for CBD oil with a dosage of up to 100mg of CBD. There is no reason to restrict the use of CBD oil. I live in Chronic pain and Oxycontin has so many side effects

  15. An exemption is needed for CBD which must be accompanied by a stipulation that supplement doses of CBD should be able to go up to 100mg of full-spectrum CBD. Pharmaceutical drugs kill THOUSANDS a year & the addiction to them is an epidemic. This is a pain reliever which helps with so many other things. It’s non-psychedelic & non-habit forming, people should have easy access to this healing oil.
    Sincerely.

  16. Please keep CBD oil accessible to everyone. You will open a floodgate of problems if you resrict use. Do the right thing.

  17. Please explain how the F.D.A. has authority to regulate C.B.D. Oil. Thanks in advance for a prompt response within 10 days.

  18. Please explain how the F.D.A. has authority to regulate C.B.D. Oil. Thanks in advance for a prompt response within 10 days.

  19. We demand that the FDA and Congress, call for an exemption for CBD oil with a dosage of up to 100mg of CBD.

  20. CBD should be a supplement without government medling. What is there to test-i’ve known people my whole life that partook without consequence. It is time for the government to stop working for big greedy companies and to start working for the people. And the FDA needs to be completely overhauled. Russia won’t even allow GMOs until they test them more but the FDA will approve anything that is backed by money. What happened to people caring for people.

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