- House Agriculture Chairman of Minnesota Collin Peterson has lost his re-election bid to Republican Michelle Fischbach.
- Peterson was a major advocate for CBD and sponsored a bill that proposed allowing hemp-derived CBD to be recognized as a dietary supplement.
- Despite Peterson losing his seat, the CBD industry in Minnesota will continue to grow and gain public acceptance.
Collin Peterson, a Democrat from Minnesota who served as the House Agriculture Chairman has lost his re-election bid to Republican challenger Michelle Fischbach.
Peterson was a huge advocate for CBD and was a sponsor for the bill that would require federal food and agriculture regulations to consider hemp-derived CBD as a dietary supplement.
Peterson represented western Minnesota since 1991, and changes in demographics resulted in a loss of his seat. His loss brings a dark cloud over the possibility of CBD legislation being passed.
The bill that he sponsored was one of the most straightforward attempts to legalize the sale of hemp-derived CBD without a doctor’s prescription in Minnesota; however, it unfortunately never made it to a hearing.
“This bill will allow FDA to regulate CBD that comes from hemp as a dietary supplement, providing a pathway forward for hemp-derived products,” Peterson said back when he introduced the bill.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has consistently held their stance that CBD is a drug ingredient that should require a prescription to obtain. However, thanks to lax enforcement and the ability for individual states to govern their own laws surrounding CBD, over-the-counter CBD retailers and manufacturers have been able to not only succeed but grow with the booming industry.
Although the CBD industry in Minnesota will surely face a setback in regard to CBD advocacy with the loss of Collin Peterson, you can expect the industry to continue to see growth similar to the rest of the United States.
