FDA warns hemp companies not to make CBD for animals

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U.S. health authorities on Thursday ordered three hemp companies to stop marketing CBD products for animals, warning that the cannabinoid might not be safe for them or the food supply.

The warnings went to companies marketing CBD products for both pets and large animals.

The companies that received warnings were:

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a similar warning earlier this month to a fourth CBD company making animal products, Kingdom Harvest of Hendersonville, North Carolina.

The FDA repeated its position that CBD products don’t have enough safety data to show that they are safe for pets or cure diseases in animals.

“While the FDA does not know the current extent of CBD use in food-producing animals, the agency is taking steps regarding these unapproved and potentially unsafe products now to help protect animals and the safety of the food supply,” regulators said in a news release about the warnings.

The marketing claims cited in Thursday’s letters include assertions that CBD treatments help with animal pain and anxiety as well as some targeted especially at the animals.

One blog cited by the FDA, titled “Ultimate Guide to Using CBD for Horses,” claimed the cannabinoid could treat common horse ailments such as cribbing and sweet itch.

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Companies that receive warning letters have 15 working days to stop selling the products or remove any illegal marketing claims.

Companies that don’t comply could face product seizures or criminal charges.