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CBD edibles can’t be labeled organic, says EU court

CBD edibles have become a popular supplement for relaxation β€” but that hasn’t stopped the EU’s top court from taking a high-strung approach to the bloc’s food rules.

The Court of Justice of the EU ruled Thursday that CBD-based food products cannot be certified as organic. The hangup: they’re not technically legal on the EU market.

It’s a bummer for consumers looking to grab some gummies with CBD derived without pesticides β€” and for the Professional Hemp Trade Association, which launched the case in France.Β Β 

CBD, or cannabidiol, is a non-psychoactive chemical component found in marijuana that’s gained a reputation as a way to take a chill pill without getting high. In some European countries, wellness shops are using a legal grey zone to sell CBD products that aren’t explicitly marketed for human consumption β€” often with a wink.Β Β Β 

In France, some hemp sellers wanted to sell them with an organic label. But the the judges shut that down.Β 

The European Commission classifies natural CBD as a so-called novel food, and it has yet to receive authorization to be sold on the EU market.Β Β 

The hemp sellers had challenged the refusal by France’s National Institute for Origin and Quality to grant organic certification to CBD edibles.Β Β 

The high court said that CBD can be certified as organic only after it is authorized for sale on the EU market.Β Β 

The certification is more than a decorative badge, the court reasoned, saying it β€œconveys a more general promise of quality and acceptance of a given product in the eyes of consumers, with this positive image being an intended commercial effect.” Putting it on a product that has not been approved for sale could be misleading. The Court’s ruling is also consistent with earlier national-level measures.Β 

The organic label setback looks to be the least of hemp sellers’ problems in France: Paris ordered edible CBD products to be pulled from the shelves completely this past May.Β Β 

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