EMA points to EU market CBD problems

The published document draws attention to several glaring problems with the marketing and promotion of a range of products and goods containing drug-free cannabinoids and sold in Europe, including: inappropriate product labeling; inconsistency with the declared content of cannabinoids in products; low product quality; lack of recognition of limitations or overstatement of data on the effectiveness of products containing drug-free cannabinoids; lack of information on safety or information about potential harm and possible contraindications. 

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) in a published report points out the problems of the market for hemp products based on the therapeutic properties of hemp.

The European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (Lisbon) has published a report detailing the results of a study that began in 2018 to obtain information on open sales of low-THC products in Europe. The authors of the document indicate that "The specific objectives were to identify and further study the types of products available and the range of outlets, user profiles, as well as the harm associated with the use of these products to the human body and the responses taken in different EU countries to prevent it." ...

In the published document, the staff of the Center drew attention to several glaring problems with the marketing and promotion of a number of products and goods containing drug-free cannabinoids and sold in Europe, including:

•  inappropriate product labeling;

•  inconsistency with the declared content of cannabinoids in products;

•  low quality of products;

•  lack of recognition of limitations or overestimation of data on the effectiveness of products containing drug-free cannabinoids;

•  lack of information about safety or information about potential harm and possible contraindications.

The report raises the issue of tetrahydrocannabinol content in various hemp-based products, including the problem of determining the appropriate THC limits in various national regulations.

The Center noted that the percentage of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can be measured and reported at several levels, including:

• the  level of THC that a particular plant variety normally produces;

• the  levels of THC found in various constituents of the plant, allowing for differentiation between which parts of cannabis can be used commercially without extensive testing and which constituents of the plant are suitable for trafficking;

• the  level of THC found in the extracts used in order to determine whether they have psychoactive properties or not;

• The  level of THC in the final food consumed, such as cosmetics or food.

In materials published by the Agency, it is noted that while it is easier for a manufacturer or processor to test a particular plant or extract and control THC at the ingredient stage, the THC level in the final product is more important for consumer safety.

As noted in the materials published by the Center, “It is possible to grow hemp with a low THC content and produce from it an extract with a high content of THC, which emphasizes the importance of research on the final product, and not just the starting material. When labeling products, policymakers need to consider not only safety margins, but also not to mislead the consumer by using different measurement categories for THC and other cannabinoids. It is necessary to determine the percentage of tetrahydrocannabinol in the final product, the maximum allowable dose of THC consumed per day, or the ratio of CBD to THC. "