Senate Democrats Call on FDA to Update Hemp Regulations
On Tuesday, Oregon Democratic Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley sent a letter to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb to urge the agency to update federal regulations to permit interstate commerce of industrial hemp and hemp derivatives containing a key non-psychoactive ingredient of cannabis. In the letter, the Senators argue that despite a provision in the recent Farm Bill that legalized the production and sale of hemp products, "outdated regulations, however, limit producers from taking full advantage of the industrial hemp market." Specifically, the lawmakers asked the agency to clarify its authority in the production and marketing of hemp and its derivatives, and whether the FDA will consider issuing a regulation to allow hemp derivatives in food, beverages or dietary supplements that cross state lines.