ASA Releases Patient’s Guide to CBD in Response to FDA Public Hearing

Posted by on June 04, 2019

Contact: Reenal Doshi, [email protected], (202) 857-4272 x. 4

Washington, DC —  Americans for Safe Access (ASA) has released the Patient’s Guide to CBD in response to the May 31 public hearing at the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) regarding products containing cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds. During the hearing, ASA was one of nearly 140 speakers chosen to formally present scientific information with slides and data about cannabis, cannabidiol (CBD), and other cannabis compounds at the hearing.

The Patient’s Guide to CBD is a comprehensive resource that covers a wide range of topics, including, available forms for use, what to look for on package labels, how to read a certificate of analysis, how CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system, the current state of research, the compound’s legal status, and how to talk to one’s doctor about CBD.

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (also known as the 2018 Farm Bill) legalized industrial hemp (cannabis plants containing not more than 0.3% THC), which has sparked much interest, as well as confusion, regarding CBD products. “ASA created the guide to be an educational reference so that patients, healthcare providers, consumers, policy makers, and regulators could have an accurate and scientific source to turn to in order to make informed decisions regarding CBD,” said Debbie Churgai, ASA Interim Director.

ASA will also be submitting written comments to the FDA to supplement the information provided in their oral presentation. “With the submission of our written comments, our in-person testimony, and the comprehensive Patient’s Guide to CBD, we can provide the FDA the scientific information for which they are looking and also provide patients the voice and resources they deserve,” said Heather Despres, the Director of ASA’s Patient Focused Certification (PFC) program, who presented at the FDA hearing. To date, 1,128 comments have been submitted to the FDA through the agency’s online portal. The comment period closes on July 2, 2019.

"We look forward to providing the FDA with additional data to inform their decision-making and are eager to clear up any misunderstandings or misinformation and contribute to the body of knowledge regarding cannabidiol through the release of our Patient's Guide to CBD," said Steph Sherer, President and Founder of Americans for Safe Access.

The Patient's Guide to CBD is available for download here.

View our FDA Testimony here.

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