The FSA,according to their statement, is giving the CBD industry a deadline of March 31, 2021, to submit valid novel food authorization applications; after that date, products which have not submitted a valid application will not be allowed to remain on the market. Until then, local authorities that enforce the novel food legislation have been advised that businesses should be able to sell their existing CBD products until then, provided the products are correctly labeled, are not unsafe to eat, and do not contain substances that fall under drugs legislation.
The FSA recommends taking no more than 70mg per day—about 28 drops of 5% CBD—unless under medical direction, according to their statement, and advising those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medication to avoid CBD. The advice is based on recent findings by the government’s Committee on Toxicity.
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Emily Miles, Chief Executive of the FSA, said in their statement: “CBD products are widely available on the high street but are not properly authorized… The actions that we’re taking today are a pragmatic and proportionate step in balancing the protection of public health with consumer choice. It’s now up to industry to supply this information so that the public can be reassured that CBD is safe and what it says it is.”CRN’s President and CEO, Steve Mister, said in response: “CRN commends the FSA for creating a legal pathway for CBD in dietary supplements and for its commitment to consumer safety… CRN has called on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) similarly to provide a clear path forward for the U.S. marketplace for over a year, but the agency continues to fail to address the growing, unregulated CBD market in the U.S.
“CRN urges the FDA to follow the lead of the FSA and to exercise the statutory discretion provided to it in the Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act to recognize CBD as a lawful new ingredient for use in dietary supplements. Once FDA opens the dietary supplement lane to CBD, it can begin enforcing existing regulations for dietary supplements that assure their quality and safety against companies marketing CBD as dietary supplements Over 20 million Americans take CBD dietary supplements and FDA’s continued inaction creates safety risks to consumers and inhibits a legal pathway to market for responsible companies. CRN will continue to be a voice for responsible marketers of CBD and work to create a regulatory path forward.”
