In a significant move, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced its first-ever law enforcement crackdown on deceptive claims within the growing cannabidiol (CBD) product market. The FTC is initiating action against six sellers of CBD-containing products for allegedly making scientifically unsupported claims regarding their ability to treat serious health conditions, including cancer, heart disease, hypertension, Alzheimer’s disease, and others.

The FTC is demanding that each of the companies and individuals involved immediately cease making such unsupported health claims. Additionally, several of the respondents will be required to pay monetary judgments to the agency. The settlement orders resulting from the FTC’s complaints also prohibit the respondents from engaging in similar deceptive advertising in the future and mandate the use of scientific evidence to substantiate any health claims made for CBD and other products.

Andrew Smith, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, emphasized the message sent to the burgeoning CBD industry: “Don’t make spurious health claims that are unsupported by medical science. Otherwise, don’t be surprised if you hear from the FTC.”

This crackdown, known as Operation CBDeceit, is part of the FTC’s ongoing efforts to safeguard consumers from false, deceptive, and misleading health claims found in advertisements on websites and through social media platforms such as Twitter.