CBD pet products: the state of play

It might seem that CBD hasn’t thoroughly infiltrated the pet market, but a lot of evidence suggests the contrary. Valued at $196 million (€180M) in 2022 by Grand View Research, the pet-focused CBD sector is set to witness 31.8% year-on-year growth to reach $1.71 billion (€1.57B) in 2030.

And while these figures are global, the US is the epicenter of this industry. CBD products for pets are so popular that there’s a National Pet CBD Day in the US, celebrated on 21 April.

Regional differences

The presence of key players, and a greater understanding of the benefits of CBD products, are driving the sector forward in the US. “Pet parents across the world are, for the first time, acknowledging that the pet is a member of the family, and nowhere is this more apparent than in North America,” explains Charles Lozow, a US Lawyer and co-founder of the Veterinary Cannabis Society (VCS).

Combine this with “a national and state regulatory system that was initially very open”, he adds, and it has paved the way for the rapid adoption of CBD pet products by pet parents “seeking natural alternatives to harmful pharmaceuticals and invasive procedures”.

But there’s a flip side to the story across the Pacific. While Asia is predicted to be the fastest-growing region in this sector, it’s riddled with regulatory challenges – an obstacle affecting this industry internationally.

Blanket ban

In February, the Hong Kong government introduced a blanket ban on CBD, classing it – and other cannabis-derived compounds like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – a dangerous drug.

The ruling wiped out CBD pet companies on the island, and Lozow explains that the ban appears to be founded on concerns about the presence of THC in hemp-derived CBD products.

“Unfortunately, the unintended result of the very severe penalties is that it is fueling the grey and black markets for CBD, including CBD pet products,” he says.

European approach

In the UK, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate has classed CBD as a drug that can only be prescribed by vets, meaning that human-centric CBD products require marketing authorization to be sold for pets. No company so far has the approval to do so.

Across the EU, CBD for pets is regulated as a ‘novel food’, so it must be safely evaluated before being marketed as a food supplement. The VCS co-founder says that while the European Food Safety Authority – the body responsible for such assessments – has published a scientific opinion deeming CBD safe for pets when used according to the proposed conditions, the EU hasn’t approved any CBD products for vet use yet.

Researching specific formulations

One organization hoping to get marketing approval is UK-based Pet Pharmaceuticals. Heidi Whitman, an advisor to the company, says regulatory challenges in Europe are more about proving the consistency of formulations, a quality that whole-plant CBD lacks.

The company has also proposed research evaluating “very specific formulations of cannabinoids and terpenes with regards to safety and efficacy for a variety of conditions commonly affecting pets”. Whitman explains that “Dosage is key to getting the maximum effect from cannabinoids, and our research will determine what these should be.”

Boom or bust?

In the US, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has denied 3 citizen petitions calling for CBD products to be marketed as dietary supplements. Despite that, there are signs of progress.

“CBD supplements are already being widely marketed in the US for both humans and animals,” Whitman points out. “Producers have to be cautious not to make any claims in their marketing that the FDA would consider to be ‘drug claims’, but other than that, it largely steers clear of the supplements market when it comes to hemp-based CBD products.”

Charles Lozow says that Congress is finally forcing the FDA to act, after reintroducing legislation – including the Hemp Access and Consumer Safety Act – providing regulatory pathways for CBD as a food and beverage additive and allowing hemp-based CBD (and other ingredients) to be marketed as dietary supplements. “It’s likely that the FDA’s action will, at least, not allow the treatment of CBD to be like most other supplements in the US, and that the FDA will craft another regulatory regimen to apply to this and other prevalent molecules from hemp.”

Heidi Whitman adds that most regulatory issues around CBD exist due to the confusion separating hemp-based products from those with higher THC content: “There’s a lot of misinformation and a lack of understanding in the legislative and regulatory community.”

The way forward for CBD

Have these regulations – compared with the various ill-effects cited by governments imposing them – punctured the pet CBD boom?

Not according to Lozow, who says the sector will keep growing, as the scientific and veterinary community continues to grasp CBD’s safety and medical potential.

Neither expert believes that there are serious health detriments associated with CBD use. Whitman says animal-specific studies have shown only mild negative effects of CBD when given at very high doses: “At most therapeutic doses, there are no demonstrable negative effects. Clearly, there’s a much narrower margin of safety for THC. This is a good example of the kind of confusion that’s out there.” And despite a notable rise in use, Lozow says “the number of reported adverse events continues to be remarkably low”.

VCS believes that “wrong-headed” CBD regulations can be overcome through science-driven data, education and effective advocacy. “These tools must be directed to the regulators and lawmakers – at local, state, federal and international levels – to demonstrate that CBD is a safe compound,” says the VCS co-founder.

Promising signs

The US National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) recently announced a successful study showing the tolerability of CBD products in healthy dogs. Results showed that cannabinoids were well tolerated when healthy male and female dogs were dosed for 90 consecutive days. “Based on the data available, it was the conclusion of the authors that these substances do not pose significant risk to dogs in long-term use,” the NASC says.

And in July, delegates at the European Association of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology congress saw Innocan Pharma present insightful CBD research results on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.

Education is crucial

Whitman and Lozow both pinpoint education as the key to increased acceptance among consumers and vets – a crucial goal given that the latter are the former’s “primary influencers”, as Lozow puts it. Pet Pharmaceuticals is working with organizations, including the VCS, to provide reliable safety information to pet owners, medical professionals and regulators for CBD use in pets.

More research and positive regulations will allow for the safe production, sale and use of CBD within the medical community. As vets grow more comfortable with using CBD for pets, Whitman predicts increased interest due to the efficacy and more favorable side effects than many other similar pharmaceuticals.