Marketing claims

Marketing claims are the statements a company makes about a product on labels, websites, social media and advertising, and for cannabinoids they are tightly limited by law.

U.S. law sorts claims into categories. A disease claim says a product will diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat or prevent a disease, and it turns the product into an unapproved drug unless the FDA has approved that use. A structure/function claim describes an effect on normal body function and is allowed for dietary supplements with a disclaimer, though the FDA has said cannabidiol does not currently qualify as a supplement ingredient. Cosmetic claims are limited to appearance and cleansing. The Federal Trade Commission separately requires that any claim be truthful and backed by competent and reliable scientific evidence.

Most FDA warning letters to hemp companies cite disease claims found in blog posts, customer testimonials and social media, not only on labels, which is why an educational glossary describes conditions without linking them to products. Words like treat, cure, relieve and heal are the usual triggers, while phrases like has been studied for signal research status without promising an outcome.