Charlotte’s Web, CV Sciences Facing Lawsuits Over ‘Mislabeled’ CBD ‘Dietary Supplements’
by Erin Shaak
Last Updated on November 15, 2021
McCarthy v. Charlotte’s Web Holdings, Inc.
Filed: November 30, 2019 ◆§ 5:19-cv-07836
Two proposed class actions claim Charlotte's Web and CV Sciences have mislabeled several of their CBD products as "dietary supplements" without receiving FDA approval to do so.
Two CBD companies have been hit with proposed class action lawsuits that claim several of their cannabidiol products are mislabeled under federal regulations. The lawsuits argue that defendants Charlotte’s Web Holdings, Inc. and CV Sciences, Inc. have marketed CBD oils, sprays, liquid capsules, and gummies, among other products, as “dietary supplements” without receiving FDA approval to do so.
The FDA, according to the cases, has stated that it is “currently illegal” to market CBD as a food additive or dietary supplement due to concerns the agency has about the chemical’s safety and its effects on the body.
“The agency wants to be clear that we have seen only limited data about CBD’s safety and these data point to real risks that need to be considered,” the FDA warned in a statement on its website.
The lawsuits argue that despite the FDA’s warnings and refusal to recognize CBD products as acceptable dietary supplements under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, the defendants have advertised and marketed their products as such. The following pictures were included in one of the complaints:
The lawsuits identified the following products as potentially mislabeled.
Charlotte’s Web:
- CBD Oils
- CBD Liquid Capsules
- CBD Gummies
- CBD Isolate
CV Sciences:
- CBD Sprays
- CBD Oil Drops
- CBD Gummies
- CBD Capsules
- CBD Softgels
According to the cases, which mirror a similar suit filed against CBD retailer Infinite Product Company, the defendants’ labeling of their CBD products as dietary supplements renders them “illegal to sell” under federal law. The plaintiffs in both cases claim they would not have purchased the defendants’ products, or would have paid less for them, had they known the supplements were mislabeled and falsely advertised.
The Charlette’s Web lawsuit seeks to cover anyone who purchased the defendant’s products in the United States, or, alternatively, in California.
The CV Sciences case looks to cover anyone who purchased that company’s products in the United States during the “class period,” with two proposed subclasses of California and Arizona residents.
The two complaints can be read below.
Camp Lejeune
Camp Lejeune residents now have the opportunity to claim compensation for harm suffered from contaminated water.
Read more here: Camp Lejeune Lawsuit Claims
Stay Current
Sign Up For
Our Newsletter
New cases and investigations, settlement deadlines, and news straight to your inbox.
Before commenting, please review our comment policy.