Virginia: CBD in Food Bill Signed Into Law

Virginia legislation to allow CBD in food products has been officially passed into law, reports the Associated Press.

According to the AP’s report, the 2018 Farm Bill made hemp and its derivatives no longer classified as controlled substances by the federal government, so the crop can be grown and distributed in most states. But under the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, it is illegal to add CBD to food.

Despite the FDA’s position, CBD continues to be added to all kinds of products, including beer, snacks, coffee, cocktails and jelly beans across the country. Nationwide sales of hemp-derived CBD products could hit $6 billion by 2025, according to Nielsen. CBD does not cause a high like THC, and hemp plants allowed under federal law can’t exceed THC levels of 0.3%. This Virginia bill is welcome news for many producers.

“It gives validity to the CBD industry,” Charlotte Wright, a hemp farmer and owner of the CBD business Hemp Queenz, told the Associated Press. “Right now, there is no testing required, no labeling, you have no idea what is in it. It’s like the Wild West.”