INDUSTRY UPDATES

November 15, 2022

Hemp Champion Rep. Comer Urges FDA To Regulate CBD During Cannabis Congressional Hearing

Comer Oversight Cannabis Hearing

Our re-elected hemp champions are stepping up to ensure CBD regulation is a top priority next year!

Today, Rep. James Comer (R-KY), who currently serves as Ranking Member of the U.S. House Oversight and Reform Committee, testified and led questioning during a cannabis-related hearing regarding the lack of FDA regulatory framework for hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD). His comments correlated the continued inaction on CBD, along with issues such as access to banking and credit, to the future of cannabis and regulation of all cannabinoids.

“Unfortunately, the [hemp] industry is currently struggling with an uncertain regulatory environment that has depressed its ability to expand and thrive despite clear demand for the products. In my opinion, the U.S. FDA needs to get to work in this space and provide regulatory certainty. We must also provide financial certainty and access to credit for entrepreneurs and farmers who operate legitimate businesses and are innovating within this new market opportunity,” said Rep. Comer.


Watch his full testimony.


The hearing, held by the House Oversight Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, was announced last week to consider “Developments in State Cannabis Laws and Bipartisan Cannabis Reforms at the Federal Level.” Witnesses called to testify included Andrew Freedman, executive director of Coalition for Cannabis Policy, Education, and Regulation (CPEAR), who echoed sentiments from Rep. Comer during questioning.

“The rules and regulations regarding hemp will have a tie to cannabis. If we don’t get hemp right, it’s going to be very hard to get cannabis right,” said Freedman. He continued on to say there has been a lack of leadership and that the industry is looking to Congressional champions, like Rep. Comer, to move progress forward. ”So far all that I’ve read coming out of the FDA is that they’re going to be turning it back to Congress to solve these problems and people like you for leadership in that. I think the problem is real. Consumers don’t know what they’re getting, that some bad actors have turned to intoxicating cannabinoids,” he said.

Comer also noted the letter he sent to Chairwoman Maloney (D-NY) in April requesting a committee hearing to examine the failure of the FDA to develop a regulatory regime overseeing the sale of hemp-derived extracts such as CBD. In his closing, he predicted that the hearing may take place in the very near future. If Republicans take control of the House, which is looking likely, Rep. Comer will become the committee Chairman with the authority to schedule the hearing himself.

As always, we are thankful to have such a strong ally in Rep. Comer and appreciate him stepping up and speaking out on the urgency of this issue, while leveraging his Congressional leadership to gain traction on industry efforts to regulate CBD now.

Help US support Rep. Comer in securing a hearing next session!

Contact your members of Congress TODAY urging them to cosponsor legislation that would establish an FDA regulatory framework for hemp-derived CBD using the online forms available at regulateCBDnow.com