The legalization of cannabis in Canada has created an exciting opportunity for growth and innovation in the health & wellness and beauty sectors. CA’s CBD Task Force, including 20 CA members, re-convened on July 22 to discuss our industry’s regulatory strategy for cosmetics and personal care products containing CBD. The discussion included leveraging the recent developments in the EU where it was ruled that CBD is not a narcotic, defining ingredient quality specifications, and identifying safe use levels and product claims. Importantly, the Task Force discussed the possible required amendments to the Food & Drugs Act and Regulations to regulate these products separately from the Cannabis Act and eventually under the Self-Care Framework.
The group agreed on the need to develop a safety dossier to support the safe and appropriate use of CBD in self-care products and that significant advocacy efforts are required to advance this with Health Canada within the context of the new Self-Care Framework. Importantly, our industry needs to work together in order to be able to gather sufficient data to help define safe use levels (ingredient % in various finished product forms), product claims, and so on. We also need to work proactively with government to help define appropriate regulations or run the risk of rules not being workable for industry – as the beverage industry is now experiencing: Cannabis beverage seller says regulations choking industry (CBC News).
The next cannabis meeting is going to be scheduled for September. Any member companies not yet engaged with a our Task Force but have an interest in this potential new ingredient, please contact Linitha Ganesh at lganesh@cosmeticsalliance.ca to join.
