Illinois Proposes Lab Testing CBD Items

CHICAGO—Representative Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield) has proposed a bill in his home state that would require all CBD products to be tested by the Department of Agriculture and certified as safe to use by consumers, reports USNews.com.

CBD, an extract from the cannabis plant, does not create a high in its users, unlike marijuana, which is made from the same plant. As such, CBD is often touted as a way to allieve chronic pain or anxiety, however the products are generally unregulated in production.

Coco Meers, co-founder of Equilibria, a Chicago-based CBD company, said “Some CBD products could contain harmful pesticides or heavy metals and may not actually contain the promised amount of CBD.” Rep. Morgan’s bill seeks to ensure not only that products do contain the promised amounts of CBD but that they are safe for use and do not contain chemicals that might negatively affect the body.