All food additives must be tested for potential harmful effects on human health before they can be used as ingredients in food. This includes the different components of the hemp plant. An FDA evaluation was completed for the seed of the hemp plant, and those ingredients have been identified as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) ingredients. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) also consults with FDA for all ingredients used in the manufacture of alcoholic beverages.
Parts of the Cannabis sativa plant are considered drugs and are controlled under the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Nationally, FDA regulations establish the legal basis for the sale or use of food and drug products. Under FDA law, a product or ingredient cannot be both a food and a drug. Minnesota adopts federal law, where other states may have their own laws regarding the sale of cannabis.
The FDA is working to answer questions about the science, safety, and quality of products containing cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds. More information can be found in their document “What You Need to Know (And What We’re Working to Find Out) About Products Containing Cannabis or Cannabis-derived Compounds, Including CBD.”
