FDA held a public hearing, “Scientific Data and Information about Products Containing Cannabis or Cannabis-Derived Compounds,” on May 31, 2019, for cannabis industry stakeholders and other interested parties to share their experiences and current challenges with products that contain cannabis and/or cannabis-derived compounds. This hearing was designed to include information and views related to the safety of cannabis edibles and beverages—with a strong emphasis on cannabidiol (CBD) ingredients—as well as to solicit input relevant to the agency’s regulatory strategy for existing products. As part of that hearing, FDA opened a docket for the public to submit comments through July 16, 2019.

The hearing included 10 hours of testimony and was designed as FDA’s first step in the process of creating national regulatory structure for CBD, the primary non-psychoactive cannabinoid in Cannabis sativa plants touted for its medical and therapeutic benefits. Botanically, Cannabis sativa plants include both industrial hemp and cannabis plants bred for high levels of psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).