Phoenix Natural Wellness

A man walks into a CBD “super store” in Kansas City, Kansas, and is handed a brochure. This is not the beginning of a joke. In fact, we have photos of the Phoenix Natural Wellness brochure (front and back, thanks to a TINA.org reader), and the medical conditions that it claims CBD benefits are quite serious. They include Alzheimer’s, cancer, depression, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s, just to name a few.

However, marketing products as having the ability to treat or cure diseases is not permitted without FDA approval. And to date, the FDA has approved only one drug containing CBD (for the treatment of seizures associated with two rare and severe forms of epilepsy) and that was only after it was shown to meet rigorous scientific standards.

“Selling unapproved products with unsubstantiated therapeutic claims — such as claims that CBD products can treat serious diseases and conditions — can put patients and consumers at risk by leading them to put off important medical care,” former Acting FDA Commissioner Ned Sharpless said in a press release announcing an action against a CBD marketer last year.

TINA.org included Sharpless’s statement in an email to Phoenix Natural Wellness requesting comment on the disease-treatment claims in the company brochure. We’re still waiting to hear back. (Of note, Phoenix Natural Wellness is a BBB accredited business that boasts an A rating with the organization. The company touts its good standing with the BBB on its website. Read more about BBB ratings here.)

While the FDA has signaled that it is open to exploring legal pathways for CBD, it continues to take action against CBD companies who use unsubstantiated claims to market their products.

Find more of our coverage on CBD here.