Washington State Regulates CBD Additives as Used in Marijuana Products

Earlier this year, the Washington Legislature passed House Bill 2334 (the “Bill”) into law. The Bill allows licensed marijuana producers and processors to use cannabidiol (CBD) from a source not licensed by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB). The Bill defines a “CBD product” as “any product containing or consisting of cannabidiol” and would permit the use of CBD products from unlicensed sources so long as the CBD product has a THC level of 0.3 percent or less on a dry weight basis and has been lab tested. The Bill essentially allows Washington processors to add CBD from industrial hemp derived in other states into Washington marijuana products.

Washington’s regulated cannabis market is a closed loop that works on the principle that no marijuana comes in and none goes out. Everything sold in a licensed retail store is grown by licensed producer and processed into products like oils and edible by a licensed processor.

On October 31, the LCB enacted new regulations in light of the Bill. These new rules impose some additional requirements and restrictions with regards to CBD derived from sources outside of Washington’s framework. The LCB will not allow the addition of CBD to useable marijuana flower. That means CBD additives will be limited to edibles, oils, tinctures, and other products that are derived from marijuana. Licensees will have to enter CBD products into the LCB’s traceability system, keep the records up-to-date, and the additives labeled. And licensees must also keep CBD additives quarantined from other marijuana until the CBD additives have gone through lab testing.

The LCB already requires that all marijuana and marijuana products undergo lab testing. WAC 314-55-102. CBD additives will go through additional testing under these new regulations. CBD additives that do not pass testing cannot be added to marijuana products.

In addition to the THC threshold, outside CBD must be tested for contaminants and toxins by the same accredited labs that test other marijuana and marijuana products in Washington. Licensees must submit samples of CBD additives to accredited labs. The samples must be representative of the entire product and must be one percent of the product as packaged by the manufacturer but no less that two grams. The samples must be collected in a sanitary manner, meaning the person collecting the samples must wash her hands, wear gloves, and use sanitary utensils and storage devices. Samples must be labeled with an unique identifier number, the trade name of the lab receiving the sample, the license number and tradename of the licensee, the date the sample was collected and the weight of the sample.

The CBD additives must be tested for THC to ensure that the product contains less than 0.3 percent. The additives are also tested to determine/verify the levels of THC and CBD. CBD additives must be tested for pesticides, heavy metals, residual solvents, microbiological matter, and mycotoxin.

For any questions on these new rules, give us a call. The new rules take effect December 1, 2018.