Lawmakers raise concerns over dangers of CBD products

Rep. Gabriel Rodríguez Aguiló

By The Star Staff

The Department of Consumer Affairs will oversee the sale of cannabidiol (CBD) products and medical cannabis-related items in businesses that are not licensed as dispensaries under Act 42-2017, pending the enactment of relevant legislation.

The House Health Committee is currently evaluating House Bill 223, authored by Rep. Gabriel Rodríguez Aguiló. The measure seeks to address concerns regarding the unrestricted sale of CBD products in gas stations, grocery stores and smoke shops, many of which lack quality controls and do not provide clear consumer warnings about their composition.

“We are allowing the free sale of substances that contain additives which alter their natural state,” Health Committee Chairman Gabriel Rodríguez Aguiló stated at a hearing last week. “These products often end up in the hands of minors, posing a real risk to public health. We cannot permit their sale without any regulation.”

Reps. Adriana Gutiérrez Colón of the Puerto Rican Independence Party, Héctor Ferrer Santiago of the Popular Democratic Party, and Wanda del Valle Correa of the New Progressive Party attended the hearing and emphasized the need to review the current legal framework. They highlighted the importance of establishing clear responsibilities among agencies to ensure consumer safety.

During the hearing, the Agriculture Department provided a detailed technical analysis, warning of potential conflicts with federal laws and the possibility of overlapping functions between agencies. However, they supported the measure with suggested amendments.

“From our institutional agenda, we support any initiative that promotes food safety and the responsible regulation of products that may affect consumer health,” Agriculture Secretary Josué E. Rivera Castro said.

Additionally, representatives from the Office of Hemp Licensing and Inspection said they have tested a variety of products on the market, and found that 677 of them met established standards.

In response to questions from Rodríguez Aguiló, a spokesperson for the Puerto Rico Police acknowledged the urgency of addressing the issue through an interagency approach.

“These products are often consumed by minors or young people who are unaware of their chemical compounds and side effects,” he said. “We must intervene before the problem escalates.”

Attorney José Antonio Maes Aponte, managing member of Van Den Berg Law & Consulting, supported the bill’s approval and warned about the proliferation of products containing highly intoxicating synthetic cannabinoids such as Delta 8 and THCA, which are currently sold without controls, without laboratory testing, and in clear violation of the Controlled Substances Act.

The House Health Committee will continue to analyze the measure in conjunction with relevant agencies to develop a comprehensive and protective legal framework.