Biden-There is a lot of talk out there on where I stand when it comes to our marijuana laws.

[Gothmog]

Link to tweet

[George II]

1. That should shut down the critics.

[highplainsdem]

5. It should, but a lot of them don't want to be bothered with facts.

[PufPuf23]

13. The facts are that Biden was slower than other candidates and most

members of the Democratic party on the 5 points; Biden is a follower of the obvious when in comes to marijuana in the USA.

Biden has spent most of his career as an impediment to progress regards marijuana.

If one does not agree with the 5 points, their stance is not progressive.

That is not to say that marijuana is a panacea but that pot can be a valid medical or lifestyle choice.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

16. No doubt Joe would like voters to ignore the facts...but give Joe some credit for shifting positions

on marijuana. Better late than never!!


Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[PufPuf23]

18. I do credit Biden for the ability to adjust his positions over time.

But Biden is the most status quo candidate we have of our array of candidates.

Better late then never but Biden would never have made the adjustment except in following others in what has become a safe position in 2019 Democratic circles.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

30. Tru dat!!

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[The Mouth]

80. And, I bet, catching some flack

Criminalization is so 1980's; Reagan's dead, 'Just say No' didn't work, weed is no business of the federal government's, anyone who thinks it is sucks.

[Cha]

20. So what? I don't care.. Biden is the one to beat trump

that's what I care about.

He's supporting this now.. if he is POTUS then we can work on getting legalized federally.

[PufPuf23]

23. I think that Biden can beat Trump and we are in big trouble

if we do not beat Trump in the election should Trump not be impeached and convicted and removed from office.

Biden is in the awkward position of supporting marijuana where he has been a strong anti-marijuana proponent for the majority of his political career.

We have far more important issues to address than marijuana in 2020.

I am comfortable as a member of the Democratic party as first identified as a Democrat in 1968 and have been registered and voted Democratic exclusively (one exception John Anderson in 1980 GOP CA POTUS primary to slow Reagan) ever since. I am used to not getting who I want elected nor my take many issues satisfied but persevere.

[SterlingPound]

26. State elections are far more important

than impeaching trump

[PufPuf23]

28. Getting Trump out of office either

by impeachment and conviction or election should that fail is important.

State elections for Federal positions are important in maintaining and expanding majority in House and recovering a majority in the Senate.

Other State (and county) elections are important too. Democratic party needs to improve performance in rural and red areas.

Need more Democratic Governors and assembly majorities at state-level.

Trump is a threat to the Republic. If re-elected, Trump is a danger and obstacle even if win both sides of Congress.

Can't say I agree with you that state elections are more important than getting rid of Trump.

[SterlingPound]

29. the next elections at the state level will be drawing the lines for the next decade

they are far more important overall than trump at this point

IMO

[url=https://imgflip.com/i/35lqu1][img][/img][/url][url=https://imgflip.com/memegenerator]via Imgflip Meme Generator[/url]

[DownriverDem]

31. Michigan voted

to have a committee draw up the lines. Folks are now applying.

[SterlingPound]

32. Nice

Arizona has a supposedly non partisan commitee used to draw our lines as well.

and it seems to have paid off on our last election.

[sweetloukillbot]

56. Arizona has done well since the nonpartisan redistricting.

Or at least balanced redistricting. I believe it is supposed to be 3 safe R and 3 safe D, with 3 toss-ups.

[The Mouth]

68. "all politics is local"

Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neil

For most people, their city council, the county board of supervisors, and school boards make a much bigger impact in their life, followed by the State government.

[Gothmog]

97. I agree that state elections are important

I and a good number of real democrats are working hard to turn Texas blue. In 2018, we flipped 12 seats in the Texas House and 2 congressional seats. We need to pick up 9 seats in the Texas House of Representatives to flip this body and control redistricting. I am working on 2 campaigns for state house seats. The DCCC has targeted 6 congressional seats and I am working on one of these campaigns. I am hopeful that we can flip the Texas senate seat in a good wave year.

If Texas down ballot candidates are forced to run with a too far left candidate, we can kiss these races goodbye. Warren or sanders wold kill down ballot races in Texas

[SterlingPound]

100. I think your message must be getting lost or is pretty much just not that good

if a national candidate can dilute your message so easily on the state level.

or maybe they sounds too much like the republicans to begin with and are therefore confusing the voters..

[treestar]

73. Now it is a contest about who gets there first?

[Thekaspervote]

15. And some just want to bash Biden...which is already developing in this thread as well

The attitudes of some!!

[The Mouth]

89. Calling a bullshit position bullshit is not bashing

Weed should not be illegal for adult use, period. Anyone saying otherwise deserves ridicule.

That Biden is smart enough to adjust his position says something good for him in my book.

IF don't like abortions, don't have one, if you don't like same sex marriage, don't get one, if you don't like weed, don't smoke it; tell me that any governmental entity, in any way, has any justification in interfering in any of these, then stop pretending to be a Democrat (not you, personally Thekaspervote, I mean anyone who thinks it should be anything other than readily available to any adult).

[guillaumeb]

2. Recommended.

Excellent points.

[Cha]

3. Yay.. I just saw this in GD and asked them to

post it here.. but you already did!

Thank You, Goth!

[Gothmog]

11. Hey Cha

[betsuni]

4. I don't know what all the fuss was about.

Politicians have personal views that have nothing to do with them doing their jobs.

[highplainsdem]

6. K&R! Thanks, Gothmog!

[Thekaspervote]

7. Yes... thank you Goth..a long redundant totally rambling ridiculous thread yesterday evening

It went from the subject at hand to trashing FDR, the clintons, JFK and the crap said about Biden...omg

Bookmarking for the next time!!

[DrToast]

8. That's a reasonable position

The truth is that there does need to be more research on marijuana.

[Cha]

12. And, I bet there would be plenty

of volunteers!

[LakeArenal]

38. I've been researching 50 years...

Lots of living healthy enough people have done the same.

[LonePirate]

9. As one of his critics, this revised statement is most welcome. Thank you.

[highplainsdem]

19. This isn't new or revised. It was all in the plan to strengthen our justice system that was

posted on his website in July.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287209583

https://joebiden.com/Justice/

[Demsrule86]

49. This has always been his position since the beginning of his run...he thinks it needs more study and

will leave it up to the states...alcohol was done the same way...we still have dry communities.

[Cha]

10. Hey Goth..

[Gothmog]

52. Hey Cha

[emmaverybo]

14. Thank you, Goth! Smart and sensible stance, hardly draconian, reactionary, or punitive. Would

be a vast improvement and research is needed, has been lacking.

[Thekaspervote]

17. Yes!! We don't want to go from one policy to another and inadvertently make things worse

[mcar]

21. Good clarification

Thanks.

[redqueen]

22. Glad he tweeted this.

His talk about gateway drugs and being unsure about cannabis was not the best message to put out there.

Good move, wish he'd done this sooner.

[aikoaiko]

24. Makes me wonder why he can't say legalize cannabis...period.

Ok, Joe, why the parsing of words?

So no one should go to jail for using cannabis -- what about the people who grow it, transport it, and finance it? Perhaps he sees some benefit in keeping the black market going and putting people in jail.

Moving it from Schedule 1 to Schedule 2 is technically decriminalizing cannabis -- but hardly enough.

If States can legalize it, why not legalize it on the Federal level?

[beastie boy]

27. Why should he say legalize pot when he means decriminalize pot?

He draws a clear and unambiguous line between the two. No words parsed.

[aikoaiko]

33. Decriminalize can mean only lessening the criminality

There is a difference and that’s why Joe is parsing

[LakeArenal]

39. Isn't that you parsing?

[Demsrule86]

46. States under a Biden administration are free to legalize it...I would remind you that not all states

have legalized booze in all communities...it is a state matter. Some have done so recently too

1.1 States that permit localities to go dry

2 Alabama
3 Alaska
4 Arkansas
5 Connecticut
6 Florida
7 Georgia
8 Illinois
9 Kansas
10 Kentucky
11 Maine
12 Massachusetts
13 Michigan
14 Minnesota
15 Mississippi
16 Nevada
17 New Hampshire
18 New Jersey
19 New Mexico
20 New York
21 North Carolina
22 Ohio
23 Oregon
24 Pennsylvania
25 South Carolina
26 South Dakota
27 Tennessee
28 Texas
29 Utah
30 Virginia
31 Washington
32 Wisconsin

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dry_communities_by_U.S._state#Ohio

[beastie boy]

69. Actually, it means eliminating criminality.

This is what "de" usually stands for. A misdemeanor is not a crime.

[aikoaiko]

70. "A misdemeanor is not a crime." Uhhh. Yes it is.

[beastie boy]

71. My bad. It is a crime. It is not a felony. Like jaywalking is a crime but not a felony.

[aikoaiko]

92. True, the penalties are not as severe for misdemeanors, but...

...many job applications require you to check a box for any conviction (even misdemeanors).

And drug convictions still lock you out of things like financial aid for college.

I hope Joe keeps evolving on this.

[beastie boy]

94. I thought Biden was clear on this: EXPUNGE THEIR CRIMINAL RECORDS!

Link to tweet

[aikoaiko]

95. It doesn't necessarily apply to "the box".

It often asks if you were ever arrested or convicted. If it comes out that you were (even with an expunged record) you can still be fired for lying on the application.

Its really terrible and I support Ban the Box on job applications.

[beastie boy]

99. Penalties for possession of Schedule 3 drugs are about the same as for drunk driving.

Your arrest and conviction record would also look similar. Your chances of being fired for it are about the same as well. Have you ever heard of anyone arrested for illegal possession of tylenol with codein or an anabolic steroid? Those are Schedule 3 drugs. Yes, it could happen, but I've never heard of anyone losing a job over it. Unless you have zero self-control and zero sense of self-preservation, in which case you are a danger to society and should pay the consequences.

[The Mouth]

81. And *HAS* to be mentioned and explained

on any many applications.

There's full legalization, and there's reactionary boot licking fascism, nothing else, in my opinion. Anyone against full legalization and removing it from ANY federal regulation or scheduling might as well be fellating Trump for my opinion of them.

[beastie boy]

112. I pity you.

Apparently, you live in a country where boot-wearing fascists routinely punish their citizens with severe forced bootlicking for petty crimes like jaywalking, letting your pet off the leash and illegal possession of tylenol with codeine. And the law abiding citizens, to prove their loyalty, must engage in fellating their leader on a regular basis. Leaves a bitter taste in their mouths, I am sure.

You know, metaphors are a wonderful literary device. But even they, if one tries hard enough, can be made to sound absolutely ridiculous.

[Blue_true]

106. It is a crime that draws a fine, not prison if convicted.

That is a massive difference.

[aikoaiko]

108. Misdemeanors often allow the convicted to be jailed for up to 1 year

but you're right that is not prison, per se.

Which is to highlight that legalization is different than decriminalization.

[Blue_true]

105. Decriminalization reduces the penalty to a Fine.

Currently in too many states having Pot in one's possession is a felony that can result in prison.

He is right to leave legalization up to states.

[totodeinhere]

109. I for one want to support a candidate who unambiguously supports legalizing

recreational pot on the federal level. Anything less is unacceptable.

[The Valley Below]

43. The black market is booming since legalization here in California.

The black market is three times the size of the regulated market.

[The Mouth]

82. Because it's taxed very heavily

They are killing the goose that could be laying golden eggs.

[The Valley Below]

84. The promise that marijuana sales would generate significant tax revenue...

was one of the key reasons legalization passed.

It has turned out to be a largely false promise. Instead, unregulated "dispensaries" and delivery services are operating (quite openly) as criminal enterprises that do not collect taxes, often to not conform to the regulations in place, and supply marijuana (and particularly vaping products) to minors.

It has been a disaster here in CA and adolescents are paying the biggest price due to the negative impact of marijuana use on learning, brain development, loss of IQ, emotional and mental health issues, and academic failure.

We had better come up with a better approach than the model we have here in CA. We have too much at stake.

[The Mouth]

85. Legalize it and keep the taxes reasonable

And spare me about the 'negative impact', the only brain damage is among people who think there is anything wrong with adults consuming it, who might as well have MAGA tattooed on their forehead for all the good they do for society.

Negative impact my butt, to hell with the Reefer Madness bullshit.

[The Valley Below]

87. Sorry, I won't "spare you" from the truth.

Slandering Democrats who listen to the science as MAGAs is seriously uncool.

The impacts of marijuana consumption on adolescent brains is chilling and well demonstrated in the medical literature and in real-world experience.

Since legalization here access to vape products containing THC by minors has become ubiquitous.

Most of "the industry" is operating criminally.

You are dead-wrong.

[The Mouth]

88. Aren't you on the wrong forum?

There are some places for drug warriors, though.. I think they start with 'Free..', something

OBVIOUSLY legalization doesn't refer to children, quite the strawman there, though. Kids, under 18 have never been able to buy, possess, or use marijuana under ANY proposed legalization, exactly as with booze.

[The Valley Below]

90. Definitely NOT!

Your postings here are very abusive.

I'm not a "drug warrior," I'm a person with a functioning mind who looks at the serious science around drug abuse and its effects on the development of adolescent brains.

Legalization here in CA has unleashed unprecedented access to THC in the form of vape pens by teenagers, and educators are seeing the harm being done to their students.

Legalization also doesn't "refer" to the explosion of illegal pot shops or illegal delivery enterprises, yet since "legalization" criminal enterprises has grown to a level where they dwarf the legal dispensaries.

And guess what? Criminals often have no compunctions about selling to minors.

That's the real world.

[LongtimeAZDem]

91. I was going to ask you the same question

[The Mouth]

93. No,

I don't revel in imprisoning massive parts of our population as the drug warriors do.

And yes, I have utter and eternal hostility to anyone who would deign to regulate what I, or any adult, can put in my body as long as it's not effecting you directly and measurably. Consequences for one's actions, sure, making mere substances illegal, hell no, and particularly marijuana.

I'm glad Joe has clarified his position; let the states decide is good enough; the people who want weed regulated in any way, shape, or form for adult use? damned right I'll be abusive to those folks, they are the assholes who have made people paranoid and/or forced to bear having a criminal record for all of my life, they deserve scorn.

[Blue_true]

107. Several medical studies have shown that Pot use below a specific age is detrimental.

States should handle Pot the way they do cigarettes. Cig packs have to have a stamp on them, if someone is caught with a lot of packs with no stamp, they go to jail.

[questionseverything]

64. because if it was legal peops in subsidized housing could use it

the way he wants things its one set of laws for the rich another for the poor

same ole shit dif decade

[Blue_true]

104. Legalization should be decided by states. Decriminalization, Rescheduling Classification,

making research on Pot possible should be Federal efforts (laws).

Florida could very well legalize Pot for all use in 2020, it would be the first southern state to do so. Once Florida has done so, Georgia likely would be the next state to do full legalization.

[bluedovepdx]

25. Fuzzy on the issue

Joe Biden Worries Marijuana Is A ‘Gateway Drug,’ Won’t Yet Back Federal Legalization

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5dd2b719e4b02947481b6cdc

I'll stick with candidates who support full federal legalization. The Biden quotes in the article are
very recent therefore the flip on his position on the
issue was very recent. Still not good enough for me,
an Oregon resident that doesn't understand the go
slow approach of so many politicians. They just
have to research the states where marijuana is
legal.

[Cha]

34. you do that.. I'll stay with Biden who is

leading all the candidates and in beating trump.

[bluedovepdx]

44. beating trump

Several candidates including Bernie and EW are beating Trump in head-to-head polls. Supporting Biden in the primary based on that is silly. I'll support a candidate that recognizes the corrupt political system needs fundamental change. That candidate is not Joe Biden. He's the past (with plenty of bad senate votes to go along with it). I'm looking to the future. Polls show Biden has little support amongst young voters. His voter base is 50+ folks. We'll see how it all plays out but if he's the nominee I want to know how he plans to energize young voters. I don't see it happening.

[Cha]

48. Biden is stronger.. and I like him for the job.. he

has more experience and is the best qualified.

[bluedovepdx]

53. All

ambiguous subjective qualities but ok. Small change is not appealing to me but if it works for you....that's the beauty of the primaries. Hillary was a small change corporate Dem and despite winning the popular vote she lost the election. Why go small change/corporate/establishment again? I think it's unwise.

[Cha]

57. I'd say being a valued VP under Pres Obama for 8 years..

and with all of Biden's foreign policy experience is more than "subjective".

I'm not trying to change your mind.. I'm just stating why I support Biden for POTUS.

[Demsrule86]

42. It is not a voting issue for me but Biden's position is fine with me.

[melman]

35. So, still against legalization then

Okay. Thanks for clearing that up.

[Demsrule86]

41. Legalization will happen at the state level...and Biden won't interfere with that...so sour grapes-

so bitter! Biden is leading this primary...despite all the efforts to take him down...what three or four breathless posts on this today...and it won't work. Biden can beat Trump. I have no idea why anyone would support a candidate who may or may not
(mostly not) ) win the general.

[melman]

45. It's not sour grapes

It's true. He is against legalization. This is an important issue for a lot of people. You may find it trivial but other people don't.

[LanternWaste]

72. Moving the goalposts again, eh?

Only yesterday, we heard the sweet dulcet tones of the choir singing how out of touch and out of tune Biden is in his absolutism. Today's revelation forced the opportunity to create a none-too-clever codicil of revisionism.

My hat's off you you, indeed!

[melman]

78. You should keep your hat on

Because I moved no goalposts and engaged in no revisionism.

and btw, there was no revelation either. He's against legalization and always has been.

[bluedovepdx]

47. employment

Failure to legalize at the federal level has consequences, such as my employment status. Where I work it's a fireable offense because of federal law...in a state where it's legal. This matters to lots of people. Biden fails to do what is sensible and right.

[JoeOtterbein]

36. So some people will still be locked up for doing the same thing big business are allowed to make...

...billions.

Well, I guess that's kinda kind. Like in 1990 or something.

[questionseverything]

65. people in public housing cant use it

Illinois just announced it even tho will be legal in Illinois

one set of rules for the rich another for the poor

[JudyM]

66. Same for seniors in facilities that receive government funding.

[questionseverything]

98. exactly, he is so out of touch with regular peoples lives

people still lose their kids over mj, lose their jobs, their housing and evidently he doesn't care


lose their student loans...heck I could go on and on

none of that will change with biden's plan

[Ferrets are Cool]

101. Please don't make too much sense here

you will get for it.

[JudyM]

102. Wise advice.

[BootinUp]

37. works for me. nt

[Demsrule86]

40. That is perfect. That takes the wind out of their sails.

[Cha]

50. Kicking for Joe Biden!

[Jewls2]

51. Thanks for making that one clear, Joe.

[The Wizard]

54. What percentage of those wanting to keep cannabis possession

a crime would vote for any Democrat? Appealing to those who would never vote for you is like pissing into the wind. The base says legalization. Turn out the base and win.

[flotsam]

55. When he legalizes medical marijuana

what happens in states that do not? Will there be one federal standard for covered conditions and medical card process? Will medicare cover marijuana costs? Will medical pharmacies be allowed to dispense? Just asking because "Legalize Medical Marijuana" sounds more like an applause line than a plan.

[proud patriot]

58. this critic appreciates

the clarification

[OhNo-Really]

59. Parse each word. We need federal law

Prohibition got Articles in the Constitution

“Should” How about no one will be

Until federal law change it still feels like shaky ground.

Retract the “gateway drug” position.

Controls on the strength of pot

Stuff out there is too strong imho

Where’s the seedy stuff that made us laugh & think profound thoughts? Late 1960s.

Guess it’s complicated

Against legalization will lose young voters
And old 😂

[Eric J in MN]

60. Based on Joe Biden's history of being a huge Drug War supporter

...I don't trust him to fight for even those limited reforms.

I trust Bernie Sanders to "Legalize marijuana in the first 100 days with executive action."
https://berniesanders.com/issues/legalizing-marijuana/

[Cha]

61. I don't care if you "trust" him or not.. Many more

people do trust Joe Biden. He's the one beating trump,.. not BS.

[The Mouth]

96. Actions speak louder than words

In 1989, at the height of punitive anti-drug and mass incarceration politics, Biden, then a senator, went on national television to criticize a plan from President George H.W. Bush to escalate the war on drugs. The plan, Biden said, didn’t go far enough.

“Quite frankly, the president’s plan is not tough enough, bold enough, or imaginative enough to meet the crisis at hand,” he said. He called not just for harsher punishments for drug dealers but to “hold every drug user accountable.” Bush’s plan, Biden added, “doesn’t include enough police officers to catch the violent thugs, not enough prosecutors to convict them, not enough judges to sentence them, and not enough prison cells to put them away for a long time” — a direct call for more incarceration.


As the head of the Senate Judiciary Committee in the late 1980s and early ’90s, Biden did not just support the war on drugs and mass incarceration; he wrote many of the laws that helped build a punitive criminal justice system. That included measures that enacted more incarceration, more prisons, and tougher prison sentences for drug offenses



https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/4/25/18282870/joe-biden-criminal-justice-war-on-drugs-mass-incarceration

When you're to the right of Bush on something.....

[Indykatie]

62. I'm Glad Biden Clarified His Position

That he was against legalization Period without additional context bothered me. I won't lie.

[Tarheel_Dem]

63. K&R

[JudyM]

67. I'm sleep deprived this morning, but didn't he just say he viewed it as a gateway drug?

If so, it doesn’t square with his formal campaign position on the matter... If it’s a “gateway drug,” how does he justify loosening restrictions on it? Where’s the consistency?

[The Mouth]

86. That was then, this is now

Try to keep up, we've always been at war with Eastasia

[treestar]

74. Sounds perfectly reasonable

and like busing, this is not a huge issue now. If you are crazy about marijuana, then move to a state where it is legal. The federal government legalizing it is not even all that necessary.

[LeftTurn3623]

75. Biden is out of touch

[Baked Potato]

76. Sounds reasonable and progressive

[OKNancy]

77. THis is pretty much what it said in the article that started all this hubbub

The thing is, the title really sucked and most people didn't bother to read the article.
Comments were made reading only the title, or jabbing at Biden with obvious bias.

[progressoid]

83. The "hubbub" was that he thinks weed might be a gateway drug.

[The Mouth]

79. Good. Not great, but good enough

Marijuana shouldn't be on *any* schedule, but then I don't see where in the Constitution it says anything about the government having any say in what I put in my body (state and local laws regarding DUI and such are the place to deal with such issues).

The last thing we need is to make the marginally involved, apathetic, 'might vote' folks think it's just another old, white guy peddling more of the same.

[Blue_true]

103. I am exactly where he is on every point.

He stated my position perfectly. Decriminalization should be a federal law, but legalization both medically and recreationally should be left up to states. Many states have or are moving to legalize medical Pot. My state legalized medical Pot in 2016 and there may be a Prop on the 2020 ballot to legalize it for recreational use.

[R B Garr]

110. Joe is totally right on every point. Not to mention that

those with jobs that do random drug/alcohol tests don’t really have pot smoking rights as a huge priority.

[Gothmog]

111. Nate Silver has some great observations

Link to tweet

?

[Gothmog]

113. Biden did not say that Marijuana is a gateway drug

Here is Biden's actual statement

Link to tweet

[Gothmog]

114. FDA warns 15 companies for illegally selling....cannabidiol as agency details safety concerns

The concerns that the FDA has with respect to CBD will also apply to legalize marijuana

Link to tweet

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued warning letters to 15 companies for illegally selling products containing cannabidiol (CBD) in ways that violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). The FDA also published a revised Consumer Update detailing safety concerns about CBD products more broadly. Based on the lack of scientific information supporting the safety of CBD in food, the FDA is also indicating today that it cannot conclude that CBD is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) among qualified experts for its use in human or animal food.

Today’s actions come as the FDA continues to explore potential pathways for various types of CBD products to be lawfully marketed. This includes ongoing work to obtain and evaluate information to address outstanding questions related to the safety of CBD products, while maintaining the agency’s rigorous public health standards. The FDA plans to provide an update on its progress regarding the agency’s approach to these products in the coming weeks.

“As we work quickly to further clarify our regulatory approach for products containing cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds like CBD, we’ll continue to monitor the marketplace and take action as needed against companies that violate the law in ways that raise a variety of public health concerns. In line with our mission to protect the public, foster innovation, and promote consumer confidence, this overarching approach regarding CBD is the same as the FDA would take for any other substance that we regulate,” said FDA Principal Deputy Commissioner Amy Abernethy, M.D., Ph.D. “We remain concerned that some people wrongly think that the myriad of CBD products on the market, many of which are illegal, have been evaluated by the FDA and determined to be safe, or that trying CBD ‘can’t hurt.’ Aside from one prescription drug approved to treat two pediatric epilepsy disorders, these products have not been approved by the FDA and we want to be clear that a number of questions remain regarding CBD’s safety – including reports of products containing contaminants, such as pesticides and heavy metals – and there are real risks that need to be considered. We recognize the significant public interest in CBD and we must work together with stakeholders and industry to fill in the knowledge gaps about the science, safety and quality of many of these products.”

Many unanswered questions and data gaps about CBD toxicity exist, and some of the available data raise serious concerns about potential harm from CBD. The revised Consumer Update outlines specific safety concerns related to CBD products, including potential liver injury, interactions with other drugs, drowsiness, diarrhea, and changes in mood. In addition, studies in animals have shown that CBD can interfere with the development and function of testes and sperm, decrease testosterone levels and impair sexual behavior in males. Questions also remain about cumulative use of CBD and about CBD’s impacts on vulnerable populations such as children and pregnant or breastfeeding women.