Washington state’s Department of Agriculture will begin to certify hemp extracts, in a move officials say will help producers sell products in other states.
CBD and other hemp extracts are illegal as food additives in Washington but can be sold in interstate commerce. Producers have said the lack of a state licensing program has hindered such sales.
Gov. Jay Inslee in April signed a law that sets a framework for hemp processors under the Washington Department of Agriculture. The state allowed hemp processing before but had no licensing program.
Out-of-state sales only
Under the new program, processors who want to produce hemp extract for use as a food ingredient may apply for a hemp extract certificate that assures compliance with Washington’s inspection and good manufacturing practices requirements. But those products may only be sold out of state.
The Industrial Hemp Association of Washington, which backed the new law, had said processors were being shut out of other states because of the lack of a formal hemp production program.
But the new law also affirms that CBD and other hemp cannabinoids are prohibited in food in Washington until the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) clarifies the status of hemp extracts in food.
Although widely available, CBD-infused food and drinks violate the Federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act, according to the FDA.