Cannabis-Infused Oreos Are About to Hit the US Market

It seems like everywhere you look these days, from perfume shops to health food stores to pet stores to trendy coffee shops, CBD is everywhere. That’s how this hemp-derived cannabinoid is coming to your grocery store.

Mondelez, the Illinois-based multinational snack company behind popular cookies like Oreo, Nilla Wafers, Ritz, Chips Ahoy! and more, is preparing to take its business into the world of cannabidiol, according to a new report from CNBC. Like Coca-Cola and other major companies that have already said they are getting involved in the CBD market, Mondelez CEO Dirk Van de Put has said his brand will enter the weed world, but with caution.
“Yes, we are preparing, but obviously we want to stay within what is legal and bring it to market in the right way,” Van de Put said Wednesday on the CNBC show “Squawk on the Street.”
Donald Trump signed the Farm Bill 2018 into law last year, making it legal to produce and distribute CBD products with less than 0.03% THC throughout America. But because the FDA has yet to establish clear standards for the production of cannabidiol-based foods and beverages, the CBD edible market is still uncertain and complicated.
"The space is not clear," Van de Put said. "It's a little clearer in nonfood products. In food products, I hope the FDA will bring some clarity in the coming months."
If Mondelez enters the CBD market, Van de Put made it clear that the company will not be releasing hemp-flavored Oreos anytime soon. A weed-like product may be too risky for its “family” brands and could be used in other product lines or in mass-market snacks. In addition to Oreo, Nabisco and Chips Ahoy!, Mondelez owns Toblerone chocolate, gluten-free cookie company Tate’s Bake Shop and a variety of other food-related brands.
Consumed properly, CBD is known to reduce anxiety, encourage relaxation, help with inflammation, and provide a host of health benefits. It’s not exactly clear how the benefits of CBD will translate to cookie or chip consumption, but Van de Put told CNBC that Mondelez is currently researching the cannabis compound and the potential benefits that could come from its inclusion in their products.
So the next time you're looking at the supermarket shelves and see those familiar three letters peeking out from a bag of cookies or a package of crackers, don't say we didn't warn you.

(Article by Zach Harris published in Merry Jane magazine on 03/05/2019)