A Leading industry body is calling for clarification on the regulations around CBD in European cosmetics – as the market prepares for massive growth.
Earlier this year the European Union’s (E.U.) cosmetics regulators proposed a new classification for CBD; it did not go down well with the industry. It’s a confusing situation as the EU’s dictat relied on a strict interpretation of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (SCND) which classifies cannabis as as a banned substance.
Opponents of the ruling including the European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA) pointed out that CBD is not specifically referenced in this convention.
Synthetic Cannabis For Cosmetics
In a bid to end this confusion the E.U. added new entries to Cosing – the EU Inventory of Cosmetic Ingredients – which outlawed CBD ‘derived from extract or tincture or resin of cannabis’ and approved ‘synthetically produced CBD’.
Non-Intoxicating CBD
However, in doing so, they missed the point on the use of cannabidiol or CBD – the non-intoxicating part of the cannabis plant. So, the EIHA and others objected to the outlawing of extracts etc ,pointing out the SCND’s banned ingredients list does not include ‘cannabis seeds or leaves without tops’.
They went on to say the use of CBD, derived from these parts of the cannabis plant, is not currently prohibited in Europe. And the EIHA wants the E.U. to treat cosmetics as most other CBD products in Europe are treated – having a THC content of less than 0.2%.
It says in a press release: “Given that the latest changes have been dictated by an alignment exercise between the (Single Convention) and EU regulations, it seems appropriate to underline the inaccuracy of this harmonization, as industrial hemp is clearly excluded from the scope of the UN Single Convention.
“As long as cosmetic products do not fall under the competency of Member States’ medicine and pharmaceutical regulations, there is no obligation whatsoever to prohibit their production, manufacture and use.”
So, as things stand in Europe, CBD in cosmetics should only come from from synthetic cannabis but this is not a view that is shared by the industry and it does not seem to be deterring business brand and product development plans.
The CosmeticDesign-Europe website reports how analyst Euromonitor’s head of drinks and tobacco Zora Milenkovic say that every major ‘beauty player will explore the potential of CBD-infused beauty… within the next five years’.
Meanwhile, in a press release Canadian cannabis firm Khiron Life Sciences announced E.U. cosmetic regulatory approval for seven Kuida CBD skincare products to be launched in the ‘sophisticated and growing European skincare market’.
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