Todd Harrison was quoted in Holistic Primary Care on June 28, 2018, in an article about the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) putting into question the future availability of cannibidiol (CBD) as a non-prescription dietary supplement after the long-anticipated approval of Epidiolex, a proprietary form of CBD for treatment of two rare forms of child epilepsy.
The FDA approval on June 25, 2018, is the first time the agency has approved any product originating from cannabis, which the federal government still classifies as a Schedule 1 narcotic. The approval of Epidiolex does not change the legality of the product.
Mr. Harrison notes that according to the DEA, "marijuana," means all parts of the Cannabis sativa plant — the seeds, the leaves, the stalks, the resin, everything.
In April, Senator Mitch McConnell introduced the Hemp Farming Act of 2018 into the Senate version of the Farm Bill. This legislation would exempt hemp containing less than 0.3% THC from the federal definition of "marijuana" under the Controlled Substances Act, which would legalize low-THC hemp to be grown and processed.
Harrison predicted that McConnell's Hemp Bill would ultimately pass. It has bipartisan support—Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is on board—and won’t likely meet opposition from the Executive Branch.
<hr />
<p>© 2018 <em>Venable LLP. Using, distributing, possessing, and/or selling marijuana is illegal under existing federal law. Compliance with state law does not guarantee or constitute compliance with federal law. This informational overview is not intended to provide any legal advice or any guidance or assistance in violating federal law.</em></p>