On December 11, 2018, Todd Harrison was quoted in an article in FoodNavigator-USA on the Farm Bill's impact on industrial hemp, which will be removed from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, noting that CBD (cannabidiol) will not become legal in foods, beverages, and supplements.
Mr. Harrison said that the 2018 Farm Bill "makes it clear that nothing herein usurps the authority of the FDA to regulate hemp in accordance with the laws."
Harrison added: "Also, there are many provisions that people are clearly not paying attention to, such as not only will farmers have to get a license from the state or absent a system in place, the government so will manufacturers of hemp products because of the broad definition of hemp. Moreover, they will need to come up with a viable plan to destroy any THC that is made during the extraction process if it is a pure extract that is being produced. Manufacturers will also need to test for THC content in the final product. I believe it would be at least six months to a year before all the necessary regulations are in place at the federal and state level."
Commenting on if there is a need for the FDA to pass a special resolution to allow CBD as an ingredient, he said, "Ultimately something needs to be worked out with the FDA instead of burying their head in the sand because primary jurisdiction is now at the FDA not the DEA once it is signed into law."