New York’s health department is going after bars and eateries that have added CBD to their drinks and foods.
One of the key chemicals in marijuana, known as cannabidiol, or CBD, is
Ian Ford, the proprietor of Caffeine Underground in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn, is one owner upset with the news.
According to Ford, his business was doing great when he added CBD to coffee and to “Trippin’ Tea.”
“We were the first ones in New York State to offer drinks with CBD and it became a big deal for us,” Ford told NBC News on Wednesday. “Now I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
“They know we sell this, but they’re not talking to us until they show up, apparently,” he said. “All of this is very confusing. It’s legal to buy it and stick it on your tongue, but it’s not legal to buy it and stick it in your coffee? It’s like there’s no rules and too many rules. “
The city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said that it was ordering restaurants and other establishments not to sell food or drink that contains CBD because it has not been deemed safe to consume.
“Restaurants in New York City are not permitted to add anything to food or drink that is not approved as safe to eat,” the statement read from the department. “The Health Department takes seriously its responsibility to protect New Yorkers’ health.Until cannabidiol (CBD) is deemed safe as a food additive, the Department is ordering restaurants not to offer products containing CBD.”
