CBD Legislature Worth Talking About

The 2018 Farm Bill was a game-changer for hemp and CBD. Since then, we’ve kept a close pulse on the latest in the legislature that matters when it comes to CBD. We’re a company guided by knowledge and expertise (yup, we’re total nerds), and constantly looking for ways to help our customers navigate an industry that can be confusing at times. When you see CBD, hemp, and cannabis in the headlines, it’s not always clear what those news stories mean for you as a consumer. We’re taking a look at recent CBD legislature that has a positive impact on CBD, and why it’s worth caring about.

Feds Finally Crafting National CBD Rules

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) published its interim final rules for domestic hemp production in the Federal Register in late October, including rules regarding CBD. How big a deal could this be? Think about the end of Prohibition. The federal government is finally creating standards that could help create a national marketplace. That could help move CBD from the margins to the mainstream, adding security, safety, and consistency to manufacturing—something Onyx + Rose has always advocated and stood for.

One Thing Is Clear: CBD Is Becoming a BFD

The proposed rules come as sales of CBD are expected to reach $13 billion this year, and federal laws are trying to catch up with demand. CBD is getting too big to be ignored, and the lack of uniform regulation certainly adds to the confusion. The Feds are finally arriving on the scene (let’s not call it a party) with the structure that’s needed, and we are HERE FOR IT. That could mean federal aid for hemp farmers. That could mean greater access to insurance and loans, leading to a bigger supply and more financing.

But, it also comes with tough provisions, which could be good for consumers and companies, but will add costs for manufacturers and others in the supply chain. Hemp samples, for instance, would have to be delivered to DEA-certified labs 15 days before harvest and certified. While most industries dread regulation, we’re thrilled. Why? Because companies who are doing things the right way and the customers who support them are the biggest winners.

Onyx + Rose would gladly take the red tape and regulation that comes with USDA stepping off the sidelines: We’ve never been half-hearted about quality control, consumer protection, and growth prospects.

2020 VISION

We’re optimistic that 2020 will be the year that a national marketplace for CBD is no longer a pipe dream. Recently, the House and Senate have agreed to include a variety of marijuana, hemp and CBD provisions in reports attached to an appropriations bill that President Trump signed into law.

One provision encourages the National Institutes of Health to “consider additional investment” in studying the medicinal effects of CBD. Negotiators also agreed on $1 million in grants to research into CBD as an alternative to opioids, plus $2 million for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) efforts to develop regulations for hemp-derived CBD. We say more research is a good thing and is going to prove what you’ve told us over and over again: that CBD is an essential part of your wellness ritual.

There’s also additional set-asides are out there (nearly $16.5 million of them) to support the implementation of a domestic hemp program under the 2018 Farm Bill, giving farmers more certainty heading into the next planting season. We wouldn’t be here without our farmers, so giving them the support they need means everything.

The Best Is Yet To Come

As CBD’s therapeutic benefits and wellness-enhancing attributes become widely recognized and evidence of its safety and effectiveness piles up, we feel encouraged that the best is still yet to come. As always, you can count on Onyx + Rose to stay at the forefront of the industry and continue the push to make the products you love available for your wellness routine.