Statement of IG Hanf on the press release of the VKCS of February 1, 2022 “Food with CBD claim – misery and distress”.

On February 1, 2022, the Association of Cantonal Chemists of Switzerland (VKCS) informed by media release about their last year’s control campaign of CBD-containing food products, whereby 85% of the examined samples are objected. In 73 out of 100 products, the cantonal pharmacists even criticized a health risk, without specifying it further.

IG Hanf, the trade association of the Swiss cannabis industry, is aware of the national product control carried out by the VKCS, but has so far been kept in the dark about details of the investigation. Likewise, it is not known which products were objected to.

As an industry association, IG Hemp attaches great importance to product safety and consumer protection. With “Swiss Certified Cannabis”, it offers all market participants a quality label that guarantees product safety for consumers. In principle, however, the correct declaration of ingredients and compliance with the legal framework is the responsibility of the manufacturing companies that market products containing CBD.

The communication of the VKCS concludes that primarily the distributors are required to improve the situation. IG Hemp, on the other hand, is of the opinion that there is a need for action on the regulatory level, which is due to an unsatisfactory legal situation in the area of CBD. On behalf of the cannabis industry, it has therefore been advocating comprehensive but uniform regulation for a long time in order to achieve legal certainty in the production, trade and use of hemp/cannabis products and to guarantee consumer protection. With the acceptance of the Minder postulate (“Legal certainty in the production, trade and use of hemp/cannabis products”) on June 16, 2021 in the Council of States (30 votes to 6), this need is also manifested in Parliament. The proposal aims to make the various forms of the hemp plant (cannabis) more commercially viable and, in this regard, to enact a contemporary and comprehensive cannabis regulation (including health, food, cosmetics, medicinal products, road traffic, tobacco products and customs law). The industry association very much welcomes this endeavor and hopes that politics will remedy the situation accordingly.

About IG Hemp The Interessengemeinschaft Hanf is the trade association of Swiss producers and traders of hemp products. We promote exchange and cooperation among members and strengthen the hemp industry in Switzerland. IG Hanf is an interface between the companies and the authorities and advocates a contemporary approach to hemp.