Unilever’s Schmidt’s Naturals to launch hemp-oil deodorants in September

Anglo-Dutch consumer goods giant Unilever PLC will be taking its first step into the U.S. hemp market in September, when its subsidiary brand Schmidt’s Naturals launches a line of hemp-oil deodorants that will be available at certain retailers.

That line will be followed later in the fall by a separate range of CBD products, according to Schmidt’s Naturals CEO Michael Cammarata. That’s assuming that regulations for CBD, a non-intoxicating ingredient in the cannabis plant, have been clarified by then, he told MarketWatch.

“We are working with our supply chain to ensure that we comply with FDA and state rules,” Cammarata said.

CBD was expected to be fully legalized along with hemp as part of the December Farm Bill, but instead it was moved under the purview of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration from the Drug Enforcement Administration. That’s because the FDA views it as a drug.

CBD is an ingredient in the only cannabis-based drug that has won FDA approval as a treatment for severe forms of childhood epilepsy. The FDA has promised to hold talks on regulating the substance this month and outgoing commissioner Scott Gottlieb said he would seek pathways for approval. But until those have been created, the FDA is not allowing companies to add CBD to food, beverages or cosmetics, forcing many companies to put their plans on hold.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/unilevers-schmidts-naturals-to-launch-hemp-oil-deodorants-in-september-2019-04-09