Forward Regulatory Plan 2023-2025: Proposed Approach to the Regulation of Health Products Containing Cannabidiol (CBD) that would not require practitioner oversight

Title of Regulatory Initiative

Proposed Approach to the Regulation of Health Products Containing Cannabidiol (CBD) that would not require practitioner oversight

Enabling Act

Food and Drugs Act

Description

The proposed regulatory amendments will be informed by the recommendations provided by the Science Advisory Committee on Health Products Containing Cannabis, and departmental policy decision-making.

The proposed amendments would enable access to safe, effective and high quality health products containing cannabidiol (CBD) that would not require the oversight of a practitioner (i.e., available without a prescription).

Regulatory cooperation efforts (domestic and international)

This initiative is not part of a formal regulatory cooperation work plan.

Potential impacts on people in Canada, including businesses

It is anticipated that this proposal would result in access to a defined subset of safe, effective and high-quality health products containing CBD without the need for a prescription, as well as opportunities for businesses interested in expanding into the sale of these products in Canada.

Consultations

Initial stakeholder engagement and consultations were undertaken in 2019.

Health Canada launched the Science Advisory Committee for Health Products Containing Cannabis in 2020. The department published the Report of the Science Advisory Committee on Health Products Containing Cannabis in July 2022.

Coinciding with the release of the Committee’s report, Health Canada published a Notice to Stakeholders inviting stakeholders to provide further comments and to submit additional scientific evidence pertaining to the safety and/or efficacy of CBD.

Health Canada intends to engage with key stakeholders further in 2023-24.

Further information

Related information can be found on:

Science Advisory Committee for Health Products Containing Cannabis

Additional information can be requested from the departmental contact.

Departmental contact information

Bruno Rodrigue
Executive Director
Office of Legislative and Regulatory Modernization
Policy, Planning and International Affairs Directorate
Health Products and Food Branch
Health Canada

Telephone: 613-321-4235
Email: lrm.consultations-mlr@hc-sc.gc.ca

Date the regulatory initiative was first included in the Forward Regulatory Plan

April 2019

Consult Health Canada's acts and regulations web page for:

  • a list of acts and regulations administered by Health Canada
  • further information on Health Canada's implementation of government-wide regulatory management initiatives

Consult the following for links to the Cabinet Directive on Regulation and supporting policies and guidance, and for information on government-wide regulatory initiatives implemented by departments and agencies across the Government of Canada:

To learn about upcoming or ongoing consultations on proposed federal regulations, visit:

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