More than 20 state attorneys general (AGs) authored an open letter to congressional leaders calling for legislation that would regulate tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) edibles that mimic the packaging and names of popular product. In their June 22 letter, the state AGs voiced their concern, particularly for children, writing that “copycat THC edibles pose a grave risk to the health, safety, and welfare of our children.” Specifically, the state AGs asked Congress to “immediately enact legislation authorizing trademark holders of well-known and trusted consumer packaged goods to hold accountable those malicious actors who are using those marks to market illicit copycat THC edibles to children.”Continue Reading State AGs Call for Congressional Action on Copycat THC Edibles
Consumable CBD: No Federal Trademark Registration
A recent Trademark Trial and Appeal Board decision confirmed that, for now and the foreseeable future, companies selling CBD-infused products intended for consumption, including CBD derived from hemp, will not be able to obtain a federal trademark registration covering such use.
The Lanham Act, the federal statute that regulates federal registration of trademarks, requires use of a trademark in commerce to qualify for federal registration. Accordingly, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will refuse registration of a trademark that is not in lawful use in commerce. Currently, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has interpreted the Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act (FDCA) to prohibit the use of CBD in products intended for consumption. As a result, federal trademark registration for various goods that contain CBD, including dietary supplements, foods, and beverages, will be refused registration by the USPTO as unlawful under the FDCA.
Continue Reading Consumable CBD: No Federal Trademark Registration