Photo : andipantz ( iStock ) , Graphic : Carl’s Jr. Though cannabidiol (CBD) is often name-checked as one of the fastest-growing food and drink trends, its legal status for use in restaurant food is murky. So it’s surprising to see news this morning that Carl’s Jr. will this weekend become the first national restaurant chain to add a CBD-infused burger to its menu. In a press release, Carl’s Jr. says the Rocky Mountain High: CheeseBurger Delight—see the CBD initialism?—will be available only on April 20 at one restaurant, located at 4050 Colorado Boulevard in Denver. Price tag: $4.20. Sales begin at 6 a.m. when the restaurant opens. Advertisement The burger contains two beef patties and is topped with pickled jalapeños, pepper jack cheese, crunchy fries, and Carl’s Jr. Santa Fe Sauce infused with hemp-based CBD oil produced by Colorado-based Bluebird Botanicals. CNBC reports each sandwich will contain 5 milligrams of hemp-derived CBD extract. CBD is a non-psychoactive compound derived from hemp, meaning it won’t get a person high like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) does. But its proponents say CBD promotes a feeling of calm, well-being, and relaxation, making it a popular addition to foods and beverages, even as the legal basis for such is sometimes unclear. The recently passed Farm Bill moved hemp—cannabis or cannabis derivatives with low THC thresholds below 0.3% by weight—to its own category, removing it from the federal list of controlled substances. Advertisement But the U.S. Food And Drug Administration has not yet cleared CBD-infused food and drink products for sale; the agency will hold public hearings on the matter in the next few months. Currently, as former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb stated in December 2018, “It’s unlawful under the [Food Drug & Cosmetic Act] to introduce food containing added CBD or THC into interstate commerce, or to market CBD or THC products as, or in, dietary supplements, regardless of whether the substances are hemp-derived. … It’s illegal to introduce drug ingredients like these into the food supply, or to market them as dietary supplements. This is a requirement that we apply across the board to food products that contain substances that are active ingredients in any drug.” Because the FDA has not yet approved such foods and beverages, even while marijuana may be legal in certain jurisdictions, restaurant food or beverage containing THC or CBD often is not. Health departments in New York and L.A. have recently cracked down on CBD-infused foods like cupcakes, lattes, and cocktails. In Maine, where marijuana is legal, the health department has also ordered shops and restaurants with CBD-infused products to cease their sales. Carl’s Jr. and its sister chain Hardee’s has a history of innovating in the realm of fast food burgers. In 2001, the chain (they’re owned by a parent company, CKE Restaurants) began offering The Six Dollar Burger. This was before burgers were considered gourmet, much less in fast food, and the idea of a burger that cost $6 was novel. The half-pound cheeseburger went on to become one of the chain’s top sellers. The Takeout has reached out to Carl’s Jr. to ask about where and how the CBD-infused sauce is prepared and whether that affects its legality; we will update this story with any response.<doc-sep>CBD has been popping up in lattes, gummies, skin-care products and even pet food: It has become one of the biggest trends of the year and is only expected to grow. The CBD industry got a big boost after the passage of the farm bill earlier this year. When it’s derived from hemp and grown according to strict regulations, its use will be legal nationwide. (Cannabinoids that do not comply with these regulations will remain a Schedule 1 substance.) But for now, it’s a tricky area of the law, because the Food and Drug Administration still hasn’t decided how to regulate CBD products.<doc-sep>The fast-food chain Carl's Jr. this weekend will become the first fast-food restaurant to sell a CBD-infused burger. ADVERTISEMENT The chain said in a tweet that it will sell a burger with "CBD-infused Santa Fe sauce" at one location in Denver and only on Saturday, which is also April 20, a popular day in cannabis culture. "4/20 only: We're dropping our Rocky Mountain High Cheese Burger Delight with CBD-infused Santa Fe sauce at one Denver location only. #rockymountainhigh," the company wrote in a tweet. 4/20 only: We're dropping our Rocky Mountain High Cheese Burger Delight with CBD-infused Santa Fe sauce at one Denver location only. #rockymountainhigh pic.twitter.com/Ekk4f4r1YL — Carl’s Jr. (@CarlsJr) April 17, 2019 The burger won't contain anything that is illegal at the federal level, according to the Denver Post. The CBD in the sauce will come from hemp, rather than THC, according to the newspaper. Carl's Jr. said a statement that it's possible the sale of the burger will ultimately be expanded after Saturday's testing, according to the Post. “In partnership with Bluebird Botanicals, we have done our due diligence and are bringing this to our consumers in a safe and delicious way, and we’re thrilled to be testing on April 20, 2019,” Carl’s Jr said. “We are currently testing at one store in Denver, and there is potential to expand as regulations allow.” The company added that "CBD is one of the hottest culinary trends right now." “What better place to test this new burger than in Denver, a city that has been a trailblazer in the CBD movement," it continued. According to the Post, the "Santa Fe sauce" will be infused with five milligrams of CBD and sales will begin at 6 a.m. Customers will be limited to two burgers and must be at least 18 to purchase one, according to the newspaper.<doc-sep>
Carl's Jr. is looking to take National Weed Day to a higher level. Only on Saturday, April 20, and only at one Denver location, the fast-food chain will have a special burger that includes a CBD-infused sauce, the company announced Wednesday. “The new Rocky Mountain High: CheeseBurger Delight ties back to our core strategy of being the first to bring bold and unexpected flavors that are at the forefront of hot restaurant trends to a quick service menu,” said Patty Trevino, Carl's Jr. senior vice president of brand marketing, in a statement. The burger has two beef patties paired with Carl’s Jr. signature Santa Fe Sauce infused with hemp-based CBD oil, pickled jalapeños, pepper jack cheese and Crisscut fries. Pucker up:Vlasic is developing pickle chips made of actual pickles Bank of Mom and Dad:Millennials still lean on parents for money, but want financial independence The CBD oil being used in the sauce is sourced from Colorado-based Bluebird Botanicals, the fast-food chain said. CBD, a hemp-derived cannabidiol, is a nonpsychoactive ingredient in cannabis. Unlike marijuana, another cannabis species, hemp has almost none of the psychoactive compounds that cause a user to get high. The Rocky Mountain High: CheeseBurger Delight will be available for $4.20 at the Carl’s Jr. located at 4050 Colorado Blvd. in Denver, from 6 a.m. MT until the store closes April 20, while supplies last. Trevino said the company was "thrilled to be the first quick service restaurant to be testing CBD infused options.” CBD has becoming increasingly more mainstream in recent months. Last week, Rite Aid announced it would join CVS and Walgreens in piloting the sale of CBD topical creams. Vegan and meat-free:It's not impossible or beyond reach to find fast-food options April freebies:Your monthly guide to food specials, meal deals and more Follow USA TODAY reporter Kelly Tyko on Twitter: @KellyTyko