The Federal Food and Drug Administration issued a series of letters to several online vendors of hemp-based cannabidiol products back in February. The letters were intended to warn them of potential consequences associated with making claims of the medical efficacy of their products.

The letters specifically targeted eight companies in total, advising them that claiming health benefits of their products was a violation of federal statutes defining a substance as a drug. Most CBD products are sold under the guise of health supplements to avoid this distinction. But there is some merit to this, as many swear by the health benefits of CBD oil and other CBD products; hence the expanding legalization of CBD oil.

Additionally, the FDA found that most of the samples tested contained significantly smaller amounts of CBD than advertised on the product labels. In many cases, they didn’t even contain any CBD at all. This is the second time the FDA has issued such letters, with the first having come in February of 2015. It will be interesting to see if these letters continue to be released.

The FDA also posted a warning: “It is important to note that these products are not approved by FDA for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatments, or prevention of any disease. Consumers should beware purchasing and using any such products.”