The FDA is looking into companies that can help it collect data on CBD.
The Food and Drug Administration published a “sources sought” notice in an effort to determine how best to proceed with obtaining help with its data collection efforts for products derived from cannabis plants. The FDA notes that ever since the 2018 Farm Bill legalized cannabis plants with .3% THC or less, defined as hemp, “both the availability of and demand for cannabis-derived products (CDPs) have surged, prompting the FDA’s Cannabis Product Committee (CPC) to identify critical needs to address the Agency’s evidence gaps.”
(Catch up on Cannabis Wire’s coverage of the FDA’s efforts on cannabis-derived products to-date.)
The FDA notice is an effort to “obtain information regarding” the “availability and capability of qualified small business sources” that can “help address FDA-identified evidence gaps contributing to strengthening FDA’s surveillance and safety signal detection, prevention, education/outreach, and public health protection activities.”
More specifically, the entity would help the FDA:
• “To collect information about new and emerging risks, and safety signals identified in online data sources (including dark web, e-commerce, and special interest websites), and in consumer-reported adverse event experiences with CDPs from multiple social media platforms, using data mining, machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP) to identify and characterize online activity that other sources do not capture.
• To analyze the captured data on new and emerging risks, and safety signals, as well as to provide information on the current scientific literature in general and through a health equity lens in particular (e.g., describing what user groups are targeted by CDP marketing and identifying user groups that interact with CDP online content and communities), to identify gaps, helping the Agency target resources appropriately in terms of potential actions to address the gaps, such as calls for research; postmarket surveillance refinement; sampling prioritization; and development of guidances, alerts, advisories, and other education and outreach.
• To develop and deliver reports on findings by due dates and in formats to be determined in consultation with FDA, including summaries, manuscripts, and presentations/webinars synthesizing the considered data, with clearance obtained through FDA management for sharing with diverse stakeholders as determined appropriate by FDA to promote engagement and participation among the state and local government, scientific, academic, consumer, industry, and public health stakeholder community.”
New Jersey: Regulators put consumption lounge rules to public comment.
At its meeting last week, the NJ Cannabis Regulatory Commission approved cannabis lounge rules for 60 days of public comment. Once those are finalized and adopted, the Commission will issue a Notice of Applications Acceptance for licensees (medical and adult use) who want to allow for consumption on site.
“Equitable access to cannabis means everyone who wishes to consume has some place they can do that – legally, safely, and responsibly. When regulated properly, cannabis consumption areas can strengthen the industry, while giving people more choices on where they consume,” Commission chair Dianna Houenou said in a statement.
Maryland: Regulators put out RFPs in preparation for adult use sales launch.
| Last month, as Cannabis Wire reported at the time, Maryland voters overwhelmingly voted in favor of adult use legalization. Now, as regulators prepare for the launch of adult use sales, the state has put out two requests: one focused on “Media Buys for a Public Education Campaign on the Legalization of Adult Use Cannabis,” while the other seeks “Consulting Services For Implementation And Regulation Of Adult-use Cannabis.” |
