Researchers call for stronger FDA oversight after study reveals 76% of CBD products are mislabeled

25 Jul 2022 --- Around three quarters of over-the-counter (OTC) topical cannabidiol (CBD) products in the US are inaccurately labeled, according to a study by John Hopkins Medical Center.

Scientists tested 105 OTC topical CBD products and found that only about a quarter were accurately labeled. The rest, around 76%, were either under or over-labeled.

“Inaccurate labeling may lead to inconsistencies in dosing and thereby reduce the desired effects of using a CBD product,” Dr. Tony Spindle, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, John Hopkins Medicine, lead author of the study, tells NutritionInsight. 

Dr. Spindle holds that no product is allowed to make claims not endorsed by the FDA and the CBD industry should not be any different. Problems from mislabeling
The John Hopkins study, published in the Journal of American Medicine, shows that of the 105 products tested, around 19 were over-labeled, meaning that they contained less CBD than on the label, and 61 were over-labeled, meaning that they had more CBD than was on the label. Moreover, four products labeled “tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-free” were found to contain THC.

“If a product contains THC but does not disclose this to the consumer, it may lead to negative consequences such as unwanted drug effects or positive drug tests,” Spindle explains. 

“It is also important to understand that there is a difference between a CBD product that is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) versus a CBD product that is available over-the-counter,” he underscores.

Regulation the key?
The study further found that 78 of the products made therapeutic or cosmetic claims not backed by the FDA. Spindle says that the only FDA-approved product is Epidolex, which has been proven “safe and effective” for the treatment of epilepsy. Bad labeling may lead to negative consequences such as unwanted drug effects or positive drug tests.

However, he notes that this does not mean all commercially produced CBD products will have the same results or even the effects listed on their packages. “Consumer products are not allowed to make unsubstantiated health claims, and CBD products should not be treated differently in that regard,” affirms Spindle. 

“Many of the topical products tested in this study had claims on the label that they are effective for conditions such as pain, but again, making these therapeutic claims without FDA approval is not permissible,” he continues.  

“CBD is currently only approved by the FDA to treat pediatric seizure disorders. Many CBD companies market their products with claims that CBD is effective for other therapeutic conditions, such as pain or anxiety, but again, the  FDA does not recognize CBD as being safe and effective for these conditions.” 

“I do not think new regulations are needed per se, it is simply that better regulatory oversight is needed.”

“False or misleading health claims for CBD products are problematic because it may persuade people to use CBD products that are expensive, but not necessarily demonstrated to be effective for a given health condition,” Spindle concludes.

By William Bradford Nichols