KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — If you're thinking about trying CBD edibles, there are some grey areas in the law you should know about.
First, the product falls in a grey area between different government agencies. The Drug Enforcement Agency holds CBD in the same illegal status as all cannabis-derived products.
However, the Food and Drug Administration legalized it under certain circumstances.
"It's still a lot of grey area and reading between the lines on a few different things," said Spencer Portwood of Knoxville Hemp Dispensary.
A local hemp dispensary off Clinton Highway offers a variety of edibles from mints, to gummies, even melatonin infused chews. The shop chooses to follow FDA guidelines in order to protect itself and its customers. FDA law does not allow for CBD products to be labeled as dietary supplements.
That law led to Knoxville Hemp Dispensary taking some local products off of the shelves until they meet the guidelines.
"We don't have to but we chose to do that not only to protect ourselves but to also be honest with our customers because we're not trying to convince anyone that you're going to receive anything that you may or may not," said Portwood.
Another law in the FDA guidelines states CBD cannot be infused into food sold across state lines. Thus, Portwood and other local dispensaries warn people against buying CBD edibles and traveling with them.
"If it came from here....keep it here!" he said.
