Desert Raw's Response to KSL and Fox 13 news stories about Hemp Pet Products

KSL August 30th

Fox 13 August 31st

It has been a busy week here at Desert Raw Holistic Pet. Foothill Drive opened again, bringing back our usual foot traffic, we brought home our amazingly beautiful Preemie baby boy, Pippin, who turns 2 months old tomorrow and wasn't due until September 21st, and we were on TV - twice! 
Above are the links to the articles that aired on KSL and Fox 13 this week, two nights in a row. This is the second time both channels have interviewed us and our wonderful supplier, Healthy Hemp Pet, about their local products. You can find the originalwww.ksl.com/?sid=43343858&nid=148 KSL article here and the original fox13now.com/2016/11/09/salt-lake-city-company-finding-success-with-cannabis-for-canines/Fox 13 article here. I want to note that anything I say in this blog are my personal opinions and mine alone, and are not necessarily reflective of Healthy Hemp Pet's opinions. Their understanding of these topics far exceed my own.

Read my original blog on CBD for Pets

Because we are getting a lot of response from these, I wanted to come out and explain what can't be described in a 2 minute TV blurb. 
We did receive a letter from the DOA and have been in contact with them. At this time, there are important distinctions between products that are considered "supplements," products that are considered "feed," and products that are considered "health products." Depending on the way a product is labeled, whether it makes health claims, and whether it uses words like "treat" or "chew" determines whether the product falls under the jurisdiction of the DOA or the FDA or other organizations. Since the letters were sent out, the DOA has had a meeting and decided that until they get further clarification from the FDA, they are not going to be taking any action. Based on my conversations with them, they are open to the idea that hemp products are safe and have medical benefits, but they want to make sure that claims that can't be substantiated are not being made, for the protection of the consumer and the pet. 
For the moment, they have told us we do not have to take further action until they get clarification. So until a further date, all the hemp products on our shelves are safe and will continue to be sold.

I find it interesting that the same day the Utah DOA held their meeting, Senator Orrin Hatch put forward legislation intended to make cannabis research easier to obtain. I met with Senator Hatch's office in March, he is well-known as a strong advocate for the human supplement industry, so this bi-partisan legislation is in line with the advocacy work he has done to make natural remedies more easily available for those who want them while also protecting the consumer from false claims and ineffective products. We hope that this legislation will pass, and that in the coming years medical cannabis will be available to anyone who can benefit, pet and human alike. 

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