Ben & Jerry's sees a market in people who love the combination of ice cream and cannabis. The Vermont-based frozen dessert company has said it wants to produce CBD-infused ice cream once these products become legal.
Cannabidiol
Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a chemical compound found in the cannabis plant. Supporters claim it produces relaxation and calm. Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), another main ingredient present in cannabis, CBD is not psychoactive and does not cause users to get high.
Despite these claims, researchers say there is little scientific research on the effects of CBD on humans.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration still prohibits adding CBD to food and beverages, but Ben & Jerry's said it hopes for changes and has in fact submitted a comment to health regulators to support the legalization of CBD-infused foods and beverages.
CBD-Infused Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream
In a statement posted on its website on Thursday, the ice cream company behind Bonnaroo Buzz, Phish Food, and Half Baked, said it hopes that its next flavor will include cannabidiol once the FDA greenlights cannabinoid-infused food and beverages.
"We can't wait to get into the latest food trend: cannabidiol, or CBD. We are open to bringing CBD-infused ice cream to your freezer as soon as it's legalized at the federal level," the company said in its statement.
The dessert giant also encouraged consumers to file their own comment to the FDA to express their views on CBD. Comments can be sent to the FDA online until July 2.
Legalizing CBD-Infused Supplements And Food In The United States
The agency said it plans to use the public comments to inform a federal working group tasked to explore the potential pathways to lawfully market CBD-infused dietary supplements and conventional food products in the country.
Besides Ben & Jerry's, other food companies are also jumping into the CBD bandwagon. The maker of Oreos, Mondelez, has said it also considers adding CBD-infused snacks.
"Yes, we're getting ready, but we obviously want to stay within what is legal and play it the right way," Mondelez CEO Dirk Van de Put said on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street. "
