Carl's Jr. apparently will become the first major food chain to debut a cannabis-derivative-infused burger on 4/20, the American counterculture holiday when people celebrate and consume marijuana. The cost will be $4.20.
MSN's Business Insider and other media were reporting "the Rocky Mountain High: CheeseBurger Delight" will be topped with CBD-infused Santa Fe Sauce and will be sold at a lone location in Denver for that single day.
Although Colorado legalized marijuana in 2014, CBD (cannabidiol) is the non-psychotic component of marijuana, and it's been appearing in a number of products, mostly medicinals, across the country. However, the FDA has not approved it as a food or beverage ingredient, and has been cracking down on its use in processed/retail foods.
No word on whether the FDA will intervene in this case or if the federal agency even has jurisdiction in a state that has legalized marijuana. CBD seems to have some uses as a medicine, but its future as a food ingredient is questionable. The FDA has scheduled the first public hearing on CBD for May 31, at the same time announcing a handful of other steps to ease this emerging ingredient into regulation.
If the burger sells well, Carl's Jr. may consider expanding the test and selling CBD-infused burgers at more locations, an executive told Business Insider.
Carl's Jr. has been working on the CBD Burger since it launched its vegan Beyond Meat burger in January, Patty Trevino, Carl's Jr.'s senior vice president of brand marketing, told Business Insider.
