Idaho is so anti-weed that they don’t even give their pets CBD for arthritis or anxiety

Effective November 1, the state of Idaho will ban the trade in CBD for pets and other hemp-derived or infused products.

Chanel Tewalt, deputy director of the Idaho Department of Agriculture, said the products are considered adulterated products at both the state and federal levels.

The state’s Department of Agriculture released a memo back in July noting that hemp or products derived from it, including but not limited to CBD, are regulated by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) or the United States Food and Drug Administration are not recognized as legitimate feed ingredients.

It seems that dog treats are not left out in the CBD craze.

The July statement highlighted how state regulators across the country had been chasing after an ever-evolving CBD market, which became a reality because Congress passed the 2018 Farm Bill that legalized hemp production.

Shortly after the bill, other states positioned themselves to pass their separate new hemp regulations. That included Idaho, which just last year passed its own law legalizing hemp. Idaho became the last state in the nation to legalize industrial hemp as a result of the bill.

EFFECT OF THE BILL

Last year, Idaho state governor Brad Little signed legislation allowing the cultivation and shipping of hemp containing up to 0.3% THC (the compound in cannabis that gives marijuana its high), a story from the Associated Press by the time.

However, as the state’s Department of Agriculture noted in a document released in July, “the new legislation did not allow hemp in every context or in every possible product type.

Similarly, hemp is not accepted as a feed or drug ingredient under Idaho law. State or federal laws have not yet defined safe levels of hemp and hemp-derived products in animal feed. Because of this, it is illegal to combine or add these commodities to commercial feeds as they are not approved for feeding materials. The Department of Agriculture said this includes treats, feed and medicines for livestock, pets or other animals.

As hemp production begins in Idaho, the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) is working with new hemp licensees and pet food manufacturers to clarify state laws that affect them. There has been a significant increase in demand for hemp-based pet food and medicines, and these goods are now widely available both online and in physical locations. We recognize that certain states have enacted laws and regulations permitting the use of hemp in both human and animal nutrition,” the department continued.

CBD-ENRICHED PRODUCTS AS PET FEED

In a statement, the Department of Agriculture said it enforces the animal feed law statewide, and it also recognizes that many retailers have already shipped products containing hemp or hemp-derived compounds, assuming those items are legal in Idaho. “

From November 1, the Department of Agriculture will begin screening for hemp and animal feed and treatments made from hemp,” the government said.

The memo said: “These items are not legal in Idaho and if discovered on or after November 1 of this year will be subject to a sales freeze and additional departmental action.

According to the department, there has been a nationwide push by feed regulators, animal health officials, and the pet food industry to push for more studies on hemp products to create consistent regulation, including a joint letter from the American Veterinary Medical Association and over a dozen different animal welfare groups focused on it on the health issues of hemp in animal feed and also on the safety of food producing animals consuming untested products in the human food chain.

Veterinary medicinal products are products designed to support an animal’s structure, health or function and are often added to animal meals or taken orally as a dietary supplement. Unless these items are mislabeled with nutritional claims or deemed adulterated, animal treatments in the state of Idaho are free from feed restrictions. In the memo, the Department of Agriculture said that animal treatments containing hemp that were contaminated and illegally advertised and distributed in Idaho were being sold.

In May, amid concerns that the cannabinoid could be harmful to animals and the food supply, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued orders to three hemp companies in different parts of the country to stop distributing CBD products to animals. Meanwhile, as of earlier this month, the first batch of industrial hemp seeds in the state of Idaho was harvested at a farm in Buhl.

In the US, the state of Idaho was the last to legalize the production, distribution, and trade of industrial hemp.

PROTESTS BEFORE BAN

Businesses have created a petition on Change.org asking Idaho Gov. Brad Little to step in. They are asking him to delay enforcement of a ban on CBD pet products in dosage form until the 2023 legislature to allow for proper deliberation on the matter.

The petition has already received around a thousand signatures. One of the signatories explained that this situation could be seen as yet another example of naïve and foolish government overreach.

Another explained that they need options when it comes to caring for their dogs because CBD oil means their older dog doesn’t have to take medication that would damage his liver over time.

In addition to the petition, there will be a rally at the Bark n’ Purr Boise site on September 24, 2022 starting at 1 p.m.

FINAL EFFECT

Just as with human use, CBD for medical use in pets has hit a snag with the state of Idaho deciding to ban the use of CBD products as treatment or as food for pets. Despite one or two positive claims, the state believes there simply isn’t enough evidence to accept the use of a potentially harmful substance on pets.

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