Washington, D.C.—A new poll shows that 44% of Americans are less likely to use cannabidiol (CBD) products after learning that the FDA has no standards in place to protect consumers, including 30% who say they would be far less likely to use the products, according to the Natural Products Association (NPA). The poll also found that 47% of people who use CBD products would stop using them if they or someone they knew got sick from CBD. 70% of registered voters believe FDA should have already established safety standards for CBD products.

The poll surveyed 1,000 registered voters, 48% of whom were daily users of CBD and 41% of whom were weekly users.

Other findings:
  • 65% believe Congress should direct FDA to quickly set safety standards
  • 67% did not know or weren’t sure that CBD products being sold today are illegal
  • 41% wrongly assumed FDA had already developed safety standards for CBD
  • 30% who have not used CBD products and 76% of CBD users were more likely to try them if they knew the FDA approved regulations determining a level that could be considered safe for use in foods and nutritional supplements
Related: NPA Tells Congress: Regulate CBD, or Vaping Crisis Will Repeat NPA Submits Comments to FDA on NDIs and CBD UNPA Now Allows Hemp/Cannabinoid Companies to Join as Executive Members
The Senate is currently considering legislation passed by the House of Representatives that would appropriate $100,000 for FDA to perform a Health Hazard Evaluation and set a safe level of CBD for consumers to use each day.

Daniel Fabricant, Ph.D., President and CEO of NPA, said in the release: “CBD is a promising new natural product but there is an acute risk of another major public health crisis if Congress allows these products to go unregulated or directs FDA to go easy on illegal products flooding the market. If CBD experiences a vaping-like crisis, it’s bad for public health, bad for the benefits CBD offers and bad for the hemp industry’s growth and job-creating potential.”