The Grand Traverse County Health Department is telling coffee shops to stop serving Cannabidiol (CBD)-infused drinks. So far they’ve sent cease and desist letters to three cafes that served CBD-infused lattes: Espresso Bay, Black Market and Cuppa Joe.
CBD is a derivative of cannabis without the psychotropic effects of the drug.
Dan Thorell with the Grand Traverse County Health Department says CBD oil is still new, so many people don't know the rules.
"CBD oil is kind of the new thing out there," Thorell says. "The marketplace is kind of way ahead of regulations."
According to Food and Drug Administration rules, mixing a controlled substance, like CBD, with a food or beverage is illegal. Thorell says cafe owners may have thought it is allowed because a similar substance, hemp oil, is legal to use.
Thorell says it’s likely state legislators will legalize CBD oil in food and beverages, but that could be several years away.