This week, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) posted warning letters to five hemp companies for, in the words of the FDA, "illegally selling products containing cannabidiol (CBD)." The warning letters and additional...more
Despite widespread trends in state-level legalization and decriminalization of high-THC cannabis and growing acceptance of cannabis among Americans, cannabis and cannabis products remain illegal under federal law.
At...more
For some time, North Carolina's hemp farmers and growers have questioned the fate of our hemp cultivation pilot program, authorized and adopted under the Agricultural Act of 2014 ("2014 Farm Bill"), and how the eventual end...more
Several members of our Hemp Law team attended the Industrial Hemp Summit in late February.
The annual event is typically held in person at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville, Virginia. This year,...more
For months, farmers and growers of hemp have faced a difficult decision: What to do at the end of October as the North Carolina industrial hemp pilot program expires and we phase into hemp production under the USDA's Interim...more
On November 25, 2019, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration ("FDA") published a press release, published a revised Consumer Update, and announced the issuance of new warning letters to 15 companies for illegally selling and...more
12/2/2019
/ Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Cannabis Products ,
Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
FDA Warning Letters ,
Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Interstate Commerce ,
Marijuana ,
Marijuana Related Businesses ,
Marketing ,
Product Labels
The hemp and cannabidiol ("CBD") industries today face substantial uncertainty, and they lack clear Federal rules, regulations, and guidance within which governments and businesses can safely operate.
That dearth of...more
9/18/2019
/ Agricultural Sector ,
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Criminal Liability ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Department of Agriculture ,
Farm Bill ,
Hemp ,
Interstate Commerce ,
Marijuana ,
Marijuana Cultivation ,
Marijuana Related Businesses
On August 26, 2019, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (or "DEA") issued a public notice that formally – and, finally! – expresses the agency's acknowledgment that hemp and hemp-derived substances are legal and are not...more
Hemp and its derivatives – including hemp-derived cannabidiol ("CBD") – were previously classified as Schedule I controlled substances under the Controlled Substances Act of 1972 ("CSA").
That changed in December 2018,...more
7/23/2019
/ Agribusiness ,
Agricultural Sector ,
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Controlled Substances Act ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Farm Bill ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Hemp ,
Interstate Commerce ,
Law Enforcement ,
Marijuana ,
Marijuana Cultivation ,
Probable Cause ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
State and Local Government
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently changed its policy on hemp-derived products.
Products and medications that contain lawfully produced hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) are now permitted on flights....more
6/7/2019
/ Agricultural Sector ,
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Cannabis Products ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Farm Bill ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Hemp ,
Interstate Commerce ,
Marijuana ,
Marijuana Cultivation ,
Marijuana Related Businesses ,
Public Comment ,
Public Hearing ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
USDA
The cannabidiol ("CBD") industry is exploding today.
Hemp and hemp-derived CBD were classified as Schedule I controlled substances under the Controlled Substances Act of 1972 ("CSA") until the passage of the Agriculture...more
5/14/2019
/ Alcohol Beverage Control ,
Beverage Manufacturers ,
Breweries ,
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
COLA ,
Controlled Substances Act ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Hemp ,
Interstate Commerce ,
Marijuana ,
Marijuana-Infused Edibles ,
Schedule I Drugs ,
TTB ,
Wine & Alcohol
In February, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (the "Department") disclosed its intent to issue CBD Advisory Letters to hemp and CBD industry participants within our state. Since then, letters...more
This week, we attended the Industrial Hemp Summit in Danville, VA.
The quality of the event, the information shared, and the people in attendance were incredible. Although the topics of discussion and educational materials...more
2/28/2019
/ Agricultural Sector ,
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Crop Insurance ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Farm Bill ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Hemp ,
Marijuana ,
Marijuana Cultivation ,
Regulatory Oversight
The Agriculture Act of 2018 legalized hemp and hemp-derived cannabidiol, or "CBD," on the Federal level by removing both substances from the definition of "marijuana" under the Controlled Substances Act of 1972.
But, that...more
Hemp has wide commercial application and appeal with a viable market for nearly every part of the plant, from the seeds, to the roots, to the flower.
And with the passage of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the...more
On Thursday, December 20, President Donald J. Trump signed into law the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 ("Farm Bill").
"Farm bills" are adopted by Congress from time to time to reauthorize and modify USDA programs that...more
As we have written before, the legal world of cannabis-derived products is dynamic and uncertain.
The current uncertain environment was born in the wake of legalization for medical or recreational marijuana in a handful of...more
For North Carolinians, hemp is here.
The federal legalization of hemp grown under state-sanctioned research programs in the Agricultural Act of 2014, combined with the myriad uses of hemp, including cannabidiol (aka,...more
We've previously published articles about industrial hemp and the excitement and curiosity it continues to garner as a cash crop in North Carolina.
That trend continues to develop, and recently there have been several...more
While relatively new to North Carolina's farm economy, industrial hemp is gaining traction as a promising cash crop.
Interest and acceptance are growing among market participants, both inside and outside of our state. The...more
6/4/2018
/ Agricultural Sector ,
Controlled Substances Act ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Emerging Markets ,
Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) ,
Hemp ,
Manufacturers ,
Marijuana ,
Marijuana Cultivation ,
Marijuana Related Businesses ,
State Pilot Programs