IBIE - 2022 Special Edition & Show Preview - 86

GROWING
DESPITE
UNCERTAINTY
CBD and delta-8 THC are more popular than ever, but a
lack of regulation poses risk for producers and consumers.
by Lucas Cuni-Mertz, Baking & Snack
THANKS TO EVER-GROWING acceptance from
consumers and lawmakers, cannabidiol (CBD) and
tetrahydocannabinol (THC), as well as food and
beverage products containing them, are booming
in popularity.
Eleven states have now legalized marijuana recreationally,
and 33 allow it for medicinal use. Sales
of CBD, now legal in some capacity in 46 states,
reached $5.3 billion in 2021, a 15% increase from
the year before, and are predicted to hit $26 billion
by 2026, according to cannabis research and data
firm Brightfield Group.
And IBIE will feature its first-ever Cannabis
Central Pavilion, where attendees can explore the
burgeoning world of cannabis-infused foods.
" I believe the evolution of acceptance of CBD
CBD-infused
food and drinks
are increasingly
popular but
remain illegal at
the federal level.
in the past four or five years has really opened
people's minds and hearts around consuming cannabis, "
said Lauren Gockley, co-founder and chief
innovation officer of Coda Signature in Denver,
which offers cannabis-infused chocolate, bath
bombs and more. " The presence of CBD and other
cannabinoids are only going to increase as the industry
matures and more people seek alternatives
to conventional prescription medications. "
CBD is the non-psychoactive component of cannabis
derived from hemp, unlike THC which provides
the high cannabis is known for. The federal
86 | INSIDE IBIE
government defines cannabis with less than 0.3%
THC as hemp and cannabis with more than 0.3%
THC as marijuana.
The 2018 Agriculture Improvement Act, commonly
known as the Farm Bill, legalized the use of hemp,
paving the way for CBD's widespread production.
But because CBD is also an ingredient in the US
Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approved
drug Epidiolex, it isn't allowed in foods, beverages
and dietary supplements under federal law.
This has left the CBD marketplace in a state of
limbo that poses challenges for many sellers, some
of whom are running into trouble with the FDA.
In May, the agency sent warning letters to five
companies selling CBD and delta-8 THC products
ranging from chocolate, coffee and honey to tinctures
and capsules. The warning letters addressed
the companies' unapproved health claims that
CBD and delta-8 products help treat various medical
conditions or serve other therapeutic purposes,
which the FDA has called " egregious " and " over
the line. "
" The FDA is very concerned about the growing
popularity of delta-8 THC products being
sold online and in stores nationwide, " said Janet
Woodcock, MD, principal deputy commissioner of
the FDA. " These products often include claims that
they treat or alleviate the side effects related to a
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IBIE - 2022 Special Edition & Show Preview

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