Emma Fiala | The Mind Unleashed
Ben & Jerry’s, the Vermont-based occasionally political ice cream company, is ready to jump into the CBD game as soon as the non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid is legal in all 50 U.S. states. As of now, an FDA regulation prevents the cannabidiol from being added to both food and beverages.
The company announced on Thursday it’s “commitment to including CBD in its ice cream innovations,” in a press release.
While it may seem like the logical next step for a company manufacturing flavors such as Cherry Garcia, Half Baked and Magic Brownies, the issue is less about expanding on those groovy flavors and more about the fact that activism is “in the DNA of Ben & Jerry’s,” according to 2018 CNBC interview with CEO Matthew McCarthy.
Ben & Jerry’s is poised to jump on the CBD bandwagon as soon as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows. It is currently illegal under the Food Drug & Commerce Act to add CBD or THC to food and to market it as a dietary supplement.
However, some states are independently dealing with the legality of CBD-infused foods and beverages. Earlier this week, the Arizona Supreme Court unanimously ruled that cannabis extracts—including infused food and beverages—are legal in the state. But for a manufacturer that produces products sold nationwide, the idea has to wait on the back burner until given a green light by the feds.
