Finnish Food Authority Puts An End To CBD On The Shelves

The Finnish Food Authority has instructed shops to pull a number of products containing CBD off the shelves as they did not have the proper authorisation to be sold as foodstuffs.

According to Finnish Medicines Agency Fimea, cannabinoid extracts are classified as novel foods in the EU that may not be used as foodstuffs without a so-called novel food authorisation. It also outlined that CBD may not be marketed with medical claims.

Nutritional supplements containing CBD have been sold in health food stores across Finland, although Fimea has classified CBD oil as a medicine. Cannabidiol – also known as CBD or “cannabis light” – does not contain THC, the main psychoactive intoxicant in marijuana.

Finnish hemp company Hamppumaa (Hempland in English) told Yle’s Swedish-language service that it planned to sue the Finnish Food Authority over its decision to pull its Sana-branded CBD products off the market.

Finnish residents who order CBD online may be wading in a legal grey area, according to Fimea.

CBD oil, a cannabis-derived compound, has been hailed across the US and Europe as a cure-all against pain and stress. The CBD oil market is estimated to be worth billions of euros. The World Health Organisation has declared that CBD is not harmful or addictive and may be used to treat drug addiction.

 

Here’s The Health Authority release translated

Unacceptable Novel Food Supplements

December 10, 2019

Hamppumaa Oy has announced that it has withdrawn hemp supplements from the market.Withdrawn dietary supplements were marketed among others.CBD-A and were prepared e.g.hemp inflorescences for which there is no verified information on significant food use in the EU before 15 May 1997.Extracts containing cannabinoids, such as CBD-A, are considered EU non-approved novel foods that are not allowed to be placed on the market without a novel food authorization.The recall applies to all batches and pack sizes of the following products:

  • The word Hemp Cannabis sativa oil
  • The word Hemp Juice Hemp Juice Powder
  • The word Hemp CBD-A capsules
  • The word Hemp for hemp juice capsules
  • Word Hemp CBD-A tincture
  • The word Hemp CBD-A lozenge

The products have been sold in the company’s online store as well as in several retailers and online stores throughout Finland.

Contact details: Hamppumaa Oy, tel. +358 9 348 9089 or[email protected]

The matter is handled by Anna Mizrahi, Senior Officer at the Food Agency, tel. +358 50 434 2203

Picture of the product

Hamburger food cans

Photo: Hamburg

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