Health Canada recently revised the cosmetic ingredient hotlist, a science-based document used to communicate known safety concerns associated with cosmetic ingredients. This revision resulted in “cannabis, as defined in subsection 2(1) of the Cannabis Act” to be included in the list of ingredients not permitted for use in cosmetics. What does this mean for using cannabis in cosmetics? Inclusion of isolated phyocannabinoids, such as tetrahydrocannabinol, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabinol or Cannabis sativa extracts containing flowers, leaves or stems, is not permitted for use in cosmetics.
Health Canada also amended the hotlist entries for Cannabis sativa seed oil and Hydrolyzed Hemp seed protein.
Hemp seeds and oil will be allowed for use in cosmetics in Canada.
These entries have been combined into a single broader entry to better reflect the requirements of the Industrial Hemp Regulations. What this means is that hemp derivatives can be used in cosmetics, provided the hemp ingredients contain not more than 10 µg/g THC as per the Industrial Hemp Regulations.
These changes are important to note because they may affect your marketing strategies moving forward. While the recreational use of some forms of cannabis is becoming legal in a matter of days, cosmetic products will not be permitted to contain the psychoactive cannabinoids which are typically used for their therapeutic or recreational properties. The use of cannabis in cosmetics is restricted to include hemp products which contain 10 µg/g THC or less only.
Whether you are in the formulation stage or are currently marketing products in the Canadian market, dicentra Cannabis Consulting has a team of specialists who can assist you in making innovative and compliant marketing choices for your cosmetics.
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dicentra Cannabis Consulting is committed to keeping you well informed and educated on the Cannabis Act and the cannabis regulatory framework. We are committed to providing you with news, updates and information as the Cannabis Act and the Cannabis Regulations come into force on October 17, 2018 and into the future.