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- The FDA sent a warning letter to Daye for selling CBD tampons without getting approval first.
- Studies found CBD tampons could help a lot with period pain and didn't cause many side effects.
- The FDA worries about things like CBD hurting people's ability to have babies and finding Delta-9 THC in CBD period products.
- CBD's legal place in tampons is not clear, even though hemp became legal under the 2018 Farm Bill.
- Other studies show CBD might help with pain, suggesting it could be used more widely later if the rules get better.
Cannabidiol (CBD) used to be a product for a small group of people. But now you can find it in many things, like skin creams and vitamins. And now, it's in a totally new kind of product: CBD tampons. Companies say they offer a natural way to help with period pain, and CBD menstrual products have quickly become popular. But the government recently took action, which makes people and companies ask a tough question: Are CBD tampons safe and legal? Or did companies rush to make new things before they got the right checks?
What Are CBD Tampons and Period Products?
CBD tampons are made to help with period cramps right where the pain is. They do this by putting cannabidiol straight into the area. CBD comes from the hemp plant and doesn't make you feel high. It works with a system in your body to help control things like swelling, pain, and how your immune system acts.
The idea behind it is strong. If you take a pain pill, the medicine goes all over your body. But CBD tampons might bring the swelling relief right to the uterus. This happens because the body absorbs it there. People are looking for more natural options instead of medicines from drug stores. This is especially true because some worry about using pain relievers like NSAIDs for a long time or becoming dependent on stronger pain medicines.
Other CBD period products, like suppositories and creams, were already out there. But tampons felt more normal to people. Companies like Daye wanted to make period care totally different. But rules weren't clear. Trying new things without clear rules is risky.
The Daye Situation: What Happened?
In March 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent a warning letter to Anne's Daye. This is the company that makes popular CBD tampons (FDA, 2023).
The FDA said Daye's tampons with CBD were "changed" and "wrongly labeled" by U.S. law. This is why
- Adding CBD changed the tampon from how it was first approved.
- The company didn't tell the FDA they planned to sell the changed tampon before selling it.
- They didn't check the possible dangers of the product enough.
People were watching closely. Daye chose to take its CBD tampons off the U.S. market. And the company said it would work with the government to find a way forward that follows the rules.
This shows how fast companies can create new things, much faster than rules can be made. And it shows how bad things can be when new health products are sold before the FDA fully checks them.
The FDA's Worries About CBD Tampons
The problems with rules weren't just about paperwork. The FDA was also more worried about how safe CBD period products are. Their main worries included
- Harm to having babies: Animal studies suggest cannabinoids could hurt how babies grow before birth and a person's ability to have children.
- Irritation inside the body: Using CBD in the vagina often could have unknown dangers for the soft tissue there.
- Getting into the whole body: If CBD gets into the blood, it could cause effects in the whole body that aren't meant to happen.
- Bad things in the oil: If companies don't make CBD oils carefully, they can be very different from batch to batch. Some might have too much Delta-9 THC or other things that are not safe.
Nobody has set clear rules for testing CBD devices used in the vagina. So the FDA said this whole group of products might be dangerous. They need to be checked carefully for what they do over a long time, not just if they help with pain right away.
How Safe Are CBD Tampons? What Studies Show
Even though the FDA is worried about rules, early studies show some hope, but people are being careful.
A study led by Daye's founder, Valentina Milanova, was published in the Journal of Endometriosis and Uterine Disorders. It found that CBD tampons helped a lot with period pain compared to tampons with no CBD (Milanova et al., 2023).
The main things they found include
- A lot less pain: People in the study said their period cramps were much less bad.
- Few side effects: Less than 5% of people had irritation or other bad reactions.
- Less vaginal dryness: 37–40% of people saw their vaginal moisture get better.
- Some dizzy spells: Just two people felt dizzy for a short time. They didn't need a doctor.
These first results look good. But the people who did the study said they need to do bigger studies. These studies should have more people, last longer, and check more carefully for possible dangers that build up over time.
The Unclear Legal Place for CBD in Medical Devices
Hemp CBD became legal across the country under the 2018 Farm Bill. But that change didn't mean companies could just use it however they wanted in medical things like tampons.
Here are the main legal problems
- What the law calls it: Tampons are called Class II medical devices by the rules. This means the FDA must strictly approve them before anyone changes them.
- Adding things means new checks: When companies add something like CBD, it completely changes how safe the product is.
- Rules aren't clear: The FDA still hasn't given clear steps for approving CBD products that aren't medicines.
Because things aren't clear, companies don't know if they need to get full drug approval, label the product in a new way, or ask for the product to be put in a different group altogether.
Rules need to be set for medical devices that have CBD in them. Until that happens, this whole group of products stays full of risk.
The FDA Is Getting Tougher
The FDA making Daye stop selling its tampons is part of a bigger trend. The agency is getting tougher on CBD companies that make big health claims they can't back up.
Since the Farm Bill passed, the FDA has sent more than 50 warning letters to businesses. These businesses were selling CBD for serious sicknesses like cancer, Alzheimer's, and COVID-19 but didn't have real proof (FDA, 2023).
Lately, they've also started going after hemp products that make you high, like Delta-8 THC. This is especially true when companies copy popular snack looks for products that kids might want to try.
It's clear the FDA is showing that they will watch both "gray market" CBD products and new cannabinoid products that make you high much more closely from now on.
The Future of CBD Wellness Products: Problems and Good Chances
Even with problems with the rules, people who work in the business and people who make laws still think CBD has a good future. People in Congress have brought up ideas again to let companies use hemp CBD in dietary supplements or add it to food.
If rules change and clearly say it's okay to put CBD in devices, a lively market for wellness products could start. This market could offer
- Newer ways to care for periods: Tampons, liners, and suppositories with CBD on them.
- Clear rules for quality: Companies would have to get third parties to test products. And the rules would say how much CBD must be in them every time.
- Studies over time: Researchers could do long studies on what happens when people use CBD in products for private areas for a long time.
But experts warn that trying new things without rules is dangerous. Using CBD in more wellness and medical products faster means companies must do standard safety checks that protect people first.
Dangers for People Buying: What to Look For
If you're thinking about buying CBD period products, or any health product with cannabinoids, you need to look at them very carefully.
Smart people who buy products should ask for
- Tested by others: Look for papers called Certificates of Analysis (COAs). These show how much CBD or other cannabinoids are in the product. They also show that bad things aren't in there.
- Made well: Good companies follow Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). This helps make sure products are cleaner and tested better.
- See everything inside: When companies are open about what's in the product, you can make a good choice about buying it.
- Truthful ads: Be careful if brands say they can "cure" or "treat" sicknesses but don't have good studies to prove it.
When people know what to look for, they can help make the business make safer products with cannabinoids that work better.
Can CBD Still Help with Period Pain?
Rules about putting CBD in devices like tampons might be unclear. But other studies show CBD can help with pain.
New papers say CBD could be used for
- Pain that lasts a long time: CBD might help with pain from things like arthritis, nerve damage, and cancer.
- Pain that starts fast: Studies from universities show CBD works well for pain after tooth surgery. That kind of pain is known for being very hard to treat (University Research, 2023).
- Helps the brain: The NFL is giving money for studies on how CBD might help people recover from concussions. This shows CBD could help in more ways (NFL Study, 2023).
Nobody knows what will happen with CBD tampons. But CBD itself still looks like it could be a good thing for helping with pain in the future.
How People Can Make Smarter Choices: What to Ask For
More CBD period products are coming out. This shows people are starting to think about managing their periods in new ways. But checking how good the products are must happen first.
People who buy should
- Ask for proof from others for all CBD period products.
- Support companies that do studies to prove their products work. Don't trust companies that just tell stories about how it helped someone they know.
- Be careful if a new CBD product sounds too good to be true.
- Speak up for clear information and safety. Tell this to the people who make rules, make products, and sell them.
Trying new things is good, but keeping people safe must be the most important thing. That will lead to better, safer products for everyone in the end.
Last Ideas: The Thin Line Between New Ideas and Being Careful
CBD tampons are like any new health idea that could change things a lot. They offer hope, but they also have dangers. Finding new ways to use cannabinoids can greatly improve how people take care of their health. But selling products quickly before checking them fully for safety can hurt people.
What happens next for CBD period products, and the whole CBD wellness business, depends on handling this problem smartly. As a consumer, what you say matters. Ask for clear facts. Support companies that try new things but do it safely. And keep watching how the rules change over time.
If you like new ideas for cannabis health but want brands that really care about safety, keep following Purple Rose Supply. We’re here to help you “roll smarter and live higher”—responsibly.
