The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet had the opportunity to evaluate CBD residues in food or to establish an adequate waiting period. To date, there is a lack of data on the residues that can occur when food-producing animals consume CBD products. Ingredients derived from parts of the cannabis plant that do not contain THC or CBD may be added to food, but the FDA has not approved any other cannabis products. The FDA has only approved one CBD-containing medication, a prescription drug for the treatment of seizures associated with the tuberous sclerosis complex, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and Dravet syndrome in human patients.
No over-the-counter (OTC) drugs that contain CBD have been approved, and none of these products meet the requirements to be legally marketed without an approved new drug application. There are many unanswered questions about the science, safety, and quality of products containing CBD, and some of these products further violated the FD&C Act because they were marketed as dietary supplements or involved the addition of CBD to food. The FDA has concluded that it is prohibited to introduce or deliver for introduction into interstate commerce any food (including food or animal feed) to which THC or CBD has been added. Misleading, unproven, or false claims associated with CBD products can lead consumers to postpone obtaining important medical care.
The agency has warned companies to stop selling CBD products that they claim are intended to prevent, diagnose, treat, mitigate or cure serious diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease, psychiatric disorders and diabetes. The FDA has also issued warning letters to two companies for selling products labeled as containing cannabidiol (CBD) in forms that violate the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act).