The Conundrum of Cannabis Regulations via Happi

Stagnant federal guidelines for non-psychoactive cannabis products are holding back the integration of cannabis into broader, established markets such as cosmetics. Behind the scenes, the cannabis industry has its own patchwork of guidelines. This patchwork further muddies the waters of the emerging CBD/cosmetics industry, which, even in its infancy, seems overly siloed. Lacking the broad experiences and understanding of standards already set forth by the well-established cosmetic and nutraceuticals industries, the cannabis industry doesn’t have the expertise to effectively communicate with cosmetic professionals.

The 2018 Farm Bill made legal for commerce non-psychoactive cannabinoid compounds (e.g., CBDA, CBD, CBGA, CBG) derived specifically from the hemp plant. While certain states may be slow to adopt their use in food commerce, their accepted use within topicals has grown but comes with an almost complete lack of safety enforcement and standards.

Having repeatedly heard the horror stories of so-called “CBD companies” selling pre-packed lotions, purchased in bulk, to which they simply “sprinkled-in” their homemade CBD oil before repackaging, Nextraction set out to flip the script on these shoddy business practices by bringing to market tech-based products with vastly superior transparency. By the time it officially launched in late 2021, Kriva had spent the prior two years focused on ingredient development and working closely with cosmetic giants Meiyume and Mana. The three companies partnered to build the first hemp topical supply chain backed by the cosmetic industry. The multi-year collaboration was formally launched with Kriva’s Wellness Lotion being introduced in recyclable, eco-friendly packaging, with all of the standard safety testing and efficacy the cosmetic industry and consumers have come to expect.