The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have previously sent warning letters to companies that marketed and sold cannabidiol (CBD) products with false medical claims. The companies labeled their products as treatments for serious illnesses including cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, addiction, and multiple sclerosis.
While some studies exist that suggest CBD’s capacity to mitigate such conditions (cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, addiction, multiple sclerosis), the FDA has only ever approved Epidiolex as a CBD treatment for seizures due to rare and severe forms of epilepsy. To avoid mislabeling your CBD products and getting sanctions, you must observe the best labeling practices when marketing and selling your products.
Here are some reminders to ensure that your CBD brand complies with proper labeling practices:
Do’s of CBD Labeling and Marketing
The most standard requirement for proper CBD product labeling and marketing is to include the following identifiers:
Brand Name: This usually takes up the most space on your product packaging.
CBD Product Form: This should let consumers know what kind of CBD product they are getting. CBD forms include CBD oil tincture, CBD gummies, and CBD topical products.
Net Quantity: This should include the total amount of product a customer would be getting. It should also state how much CBD they would get in one serving. Liquid CBD forms should indicate volume and solid forms should indicate weight.
Ingredients: You must fully disclose all ingredients of your CBD product. This is to make sure customers can avoid certain versions of your product that may contain ingredients that they are allergic to.
Warning Statement: A warning statement is a reminder that consumers should keep CBD products away from children or use them with care when pregnant. Other caution statements may remind people that consuming CBD products, especially those with THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) content, may cause them to fail an upcoming drug test.
Product Facts: This section of your product label should disclose your product’s CBD type, whether it is full-spectrum CBD oil, broad-spectrum CBD oil, or CBD isolates. You should also include batch codes, manufacture, and expiration dates.
Manufacturer Contact Information: This is where you provide your customers with a way to contact your company. You may print phone numbers, addresses, websites, or a QR code.
RELATED ARTICLE: Everything You Need to Know About CBD Labeling
Don’ts of CBD Labeling and Marketing
Making unauthorized health claims about your CBD product is the most vital factor to avoid in CBD labeling. Unauthorized health claims may look like “Anti-Cancer CBD Oil,” or “Anti-Scurvy CBD Topical.” These outrageous claims are usually printed on the space for the CBD product form.
Another point to avoid is labeling your CBD product under a false category. For instance, some CBD product companies sell CBD cosmetics. Knowing that CBD has some purported medical benefits, they market their CBD cosmetics as “cosmeceuticals.” The FDA does not recognize this category, thus considering the product as mislabeled.
Remembering all these practices is necessary to avoid legal trouble with the FDA and FTC. Additionally, compliance with the proper labeling practices tells your customers that you are a reliable brand. Effective marketing begins with following the proper CBD labeling guidelines.
RELATED ARTICLE: CBD Labeling Requirements
If you are an independent CBD product manufacturer, consider customizing your labels with Century Label. Our labeling customization services ensure that your brand complies with labeling guidelines while maintaining your brand’s identity. Contact us for more information!
