Guns, Hate Speech, and… CBD: Inside The War On Cannabidiol

CBD is being included in the same category as hate speech, alcohol, and guns, and CBD companies are no longer allowed to use SMS messaging to promote their products.

Guns, Drugs, and… CBD? One of these things is not like the others! But as of July 2021, the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association (CTIA), a non-profit trade organization that monitors and reports violations on S.H.A.F.T. (sex, hate, alcohol, firearms, and tobacco) content, has classified CBD under the S.H.A.F.T. umbrella. As a result, CBD is being included in the same category as hate speech, alcohol, and guns, and CBD companies are no longer allowed to use SMS messaging to promote their products.

In an effort to advocate for change and regulation, over 20 CBD brands (including Prima, Foria, Recess, Miss Grass, Onda, Quim, Plant People, and many more) have joined together to form a coalition. Their first order of business: launching a petition (which already has 13,600+ signatures) to:
• Encourage lawmakers to co-sponsor and pass the S.1698 Hemp Access and Consumer Safety Act, which will establish legal and regulatory pathways for the nationwide sale of hemp-derived extract products like CBD supplements, creams, and balms. • Pressure the FDA to move forward with regulatory actions that would separate hemp-derived CBD from marijuana and create a regulatory framework for companies to ensure compliance and protect consumers with clear guidelines and standards.

These brands are encouraging further CBD regulation because providing safe and efficacious products is their number one priority. The coalition hopes to safeguard consumers via safety standards, explicit labeling, clear potency descriptions, and regulations on growing practices & manufacturing for all products.

“Since launching in 2014, we at Foria have set out to lead the industry with the highest standards of efficacy, quality, and transparency in our CBD products. We source our hemp from an organic, biodynamic, and regenerative family farm, we use 100% plant-based and organic ingredients, and we do rigorous third party lab testing on every batch of our products. We encourage all hemp brands to hold themselves to these same standards and we’re thrilled to be a part of this coalition of like-minded brands. We hope this campaign will be successful in ensuring industry-wide product regulation, which will ultimately allow us to continue freely spreading the word about the benefits of hemp-derived CBD products.” - Mathew Gerson, CEO & co-founder of Foria

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-intoxicating compound found in hemp that has been used as a natural remedy beneficial for promoting better sleep, reducing stress, minimizing menstrual cramps, aiding skin health, relieving pain, and helping those that use it live more pleasurable lives. Congress legalized hemp and hemp-derived products in 2018, however, the FDA has yet to develop any clear guidelines or policies regarding hemp-derived CBD, despite its widespread availability. This, combined with the fact that CBD can also be found in marijuana, has created immense confusion and misinformation, leading to restrictive and widely disparate policies implemented by independent organizations like Facebook, Amazon, Google, Shopify, Twilio, and many more on how brands can market, communicate, and sell their hemp-derived CBD products.
I’d love to hear if you might be interested in working together on a story about the new restrictions on SMS marketing and the petition aimed at destigmatizing CBD.

“By censoring CBD, the CTIA is contributing to the misinformation surrounding CBD and limiting the education and exposure of consumers to this natural, plant-derived ingredient. Because the FDA has failed to provide clarity around the regulation of hemp-derived CBD products, there are many unjust challenges and hurdles for communicating with consumers about CBD. The S.H.A.F.T. regulations create another legal hurdle in our mission to destigmatize CBD and educate consumers on its benefits as a healthy and safe ingredient.” - Jessica Assaf, CEO & co-founder of Prima