Latest

Looking through an assortment of cannabidiol (CBD) products, you might notice certain parts of the label that jump out at you, such as a lively green hemp leaf or the word “organic,” enticing you to give this intriguing product a try. A closer look at that label, however, might raise potential red flags about the quality or accuracy of that CBD product.

In other words, it's important for consumers to understand how product labeling is regulated when it comes to CBD oil and CBD-infused products. 

Even hemp-derived CBD products, which contain little to no THC, were federally illegal until the 2018 Farm Bill passed, legalizing industrial hemp production in the U.S., beginning Jan. 1, 2019. In what seemed like moments, hemp-derived CBD-infused products sprang to life and became the new darlings of the health and wellness industry, even appearing at CVS, Rite Aid, and Walgreens stores. 

The Farm Bill made it legal for farmers to grow hemp plants that contain less than 0.3% THC, and shifted oversight from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). After the bill was signed, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb issued a statement confirming that the agency would oversee and regulate hemp-derived CBD products under the Federal Food Drug & Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), a set of laws established in 1938 that gives the FDA authority to oversee the safety of food, drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics. 

While the FDA slowly and cautiously approaches making new regulations for CBD products, the gap between regulated products and anything goes grows wider, leaving consumers at risk of buying poor-quality products.  

How Does the FDA Regulate CBD Products and Labeling? 

The FDA's website posts 26 common questions and answers about cannabis and hemp, touching on current labeling regulations for CBD products. How a CBD product is labeled and marketed plays a critical role in whether the FDA deems it to be lawful. 

“It depends, among other things, on the intended use of the product and how it is labeled and marketed. Even if a CBD product meets the definition of 'hemp' under the 2018 Farm Bill, it still must comply with all other applicable laws, including the FD&C Act,” according to FDA site. 

The FDA currently does not allow CBD-infused food, drinks, or dietary supplements to be sold, and hasn't reached a final conclusion on regulating hemp-derived CBD products.

“Currently, the FDA is just asking for information,” said Chris Husong, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Elixinol, a Colorado-based CBD and hemp extract company. “They're asking for public guidance and guidelines around that, which we're happy to give them. Right now, their main instruction is 'don't make claims.' ”

The murkiness surrounding CBD regulations, however, hasn't stopped the health and wellness industry from putting the spotlight on this non-intoxicating cannabinoid. Wellness companies are following the lead of cosmetic makers, which aren't bound by the same stringent labeling criteria as drugs, food, or dietary supplements. 

The FDA defines cosmetics as “articles intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled, or sprayed” on the human body, a description that fits many hemp-derived CBD products. Aside from most color additives, under the FD&C Act, cosmetic products and ingredients are not subject to premarket approval by the FDA – this includes cannabis and cannabis-derived ingredients.    

The agency warns that a lack of specific CBD regulations doesn't grant freedom to make iffy claims. It's still necessary to comply with the rules that govern safety. 

Following the FDA regulations for cosmetic product labeling, CBD-infused health and beauty product labels should:

• Not be false or misleading
• Provide required information (includes identity statement, statement of quantity of contents, name and place of business, distributor statement, material facts, warning or caution statements, and ingredients) 
• Properly display label information
• Not violate the Poison Prevention Packaging Act of 1970

Claims About Treating Diseases and Conditions

It's important to note that the CBD oil and CBD-infused product labels should not make any therapeutic or medical claims. The FDA may classify a product as a drug if the label claims that the product  “treats or prevents disease or otherwise affects the structure or any function of the body.” The agency sent warning letters to companies selling CBD products that claimed to prevent, diagnose, treat, or cure serious diseases. 

Despite the lack of regulatory oversight, some CBD companies voluntarily adhere to strict labeling standards. Chase Terwilliger, CEO of Denver-based Balanced Health Botanicals, the parent company of CBDistillery, said a stricter level of FDA label standards would give consumers better access to higher-quality products.  

“As a company that follows the most stringent guidelines, we at CBDistillery have a strong opinion and hope that hemp-derived CBD products will be labeled and regulated as they are with any other dietary supplement,” he told Weedmaps News. 

Consumers already treat CBD as a dietary supplement, adding CBD oil to food and drinks, noted Husong of Elixinol.

“The FDA has clearly said they have not given the authorization yet to call it a dietary supplement, we hope they will,” he said. “I think adding it to food is something that people are going to do naturally. They're already doing it.” 

What to Look for on CBD Product Labels

Most reputable CBD producers will typically include the following information on their CBD product labels:

• Amount of active CBD per serving 
• Supplement Fact Panel, including other ingredients
• Net weight
• Manufacturer or distributor name
• Suggested use
• Full spectrum, broad spectrum, or isolate
• Batch or date code

Beware of Buzzwords

Don't be enticed by compelling words like “pure,” “organic” or “all-natural,” because these have no scientific meaning for cannabis or hemp and could just be a misleading marketing slogan. There are also some CBD product labels that claim to contain hemp or hempseed oil, but this is not the same as hemp-derived CBD oil. While these products are high in antioxidants and fatty acids, they don't contain any CBD. According to Terwilliger, consumers should beware of these products as they “frequently contain little to no cannabinoids.”

Full Spectrum, Broad Spectrum, and Isolate

The label also should clearly state which type of CBD is included. Three main types are most popular: full spectrum, broad spectrum, and isolate CBD oil.

Full-spectrum CBD oil, also known as whole plant, mixes CBD with cannabis-derived terpenes, a trace amount of THC, as well as lesser-known cannabinoids such as cannabigerol (CBG) and cannabinol (CBN). Consuming full-spectrum CBD oil tends to create what's called the entourage effect, a phenomenon that occurs when cannabinoids and terpenes work together synergistically to produce a greater effect.   

Broad-spectrum CBD oil contains a similar array of cannabinoids and terpenes but without the trace amounts of THC. Additional processes can remove as much THC from the CBD oil as possible, while still maintaining other cannabinoids and terpenes.

Isolates are made by stripping away all other cannabinoids and terpenes, resulting in a crystalline powder that is pure CBD. Product labels should denote if the CBD oil is isolate-based or contains other cannabis-based compounds. Since the isolated form of CBD comes in a crystalline powder, it's usually mixed with a carrier oil, typically coconut or olive oil. 

Also, read the label of CBD isolates for the level of purity. A range of 99.9% and above will likely have no traces of THC, but lower purity isolates under 99.5% could still have trace amounts of THC. The only surefire way to accurately identify the contents of CBD oil is through a certificate of analysis from third-party testing, but a reputable producer's product label should suffice.

As for which type of CBD is better, some existing evidence suggests that full-spectrum CBD oil is the most beneficial. In a 2015 study published in Pharmacology & Pharmacy, researchers found that CBD-enriched cannabis extract with low THC was more effective in treating inflammation in mice than purified CBD. However, isolates offer a viable alternative for avoiding  THC due to personal preference or fear of failing a drug screening.

How the FDA Can Improve CBD Product Label Regulations

No matter how descriptive labels are, consumers might not be able to grasp how much CBD is in a container, serving or dose, or how it may affect them. Husong offered other elements he'd like to see on labels, including country of origin.

“I think it's important we start talking about price per serving, that not all CBD is created equal.  Whether it's isolate, full spectrum, a vape product, your body absorbs CBD differently,”  Husong said. “We should start putting a price per serving as a measurement of a quality product.” 

While some CBD companies try to go above and beyond to list pertinent information on product labels, until CBD label regulations are clear and strictly enforced by the FDA, the old advice applies: buyer beware.

The worsening outbreak of vape-linked illnesses and deaths has spurred lawmakers across the U.S. to take action, with officials in New Jersey and Massachusetts the latest to propose bans and other measures to curb vaping. In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy and legislative leaders are looking at a phased-in ban on selling vape products and directing health department officials to form a task force dedicated to studying risks associated with vaping and making policy recommendations.

In Massachusetts, the state Cannabis Control Commission has voted to roll out new labeling regulations requiring manufacturers to list inactive ingredients and additives on cannabis product labels. New Jersey’s and Massachusetts’ steps to address the dangers of vaping come as the FDA readies a possible nationwide ban on flavored e-cigarette products.

Massachusetts’ Cannabis Control Commission Revises Labeling Requirements

On September 12, the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission voted unanimously to implement new rules requiring cannabis product manufacturers to list all of the ingredients in cannabis cartridges. Previously, labels only had to indicate the active cannabinoid content of the cartridge and its percentage of THC. Now, product labels must also list additives, thickening agents, and the specific terpenes included in the cartridge.

The additives in vape cartridges have come under heightened scrutiny after health officials in New York suggested a possible link between vitamin E acetate and the spate of hundreds of vape-linked illnesses and six confirmed deaths. As a result, consumers and regulators are demanding more information about inactive ingredients in cannabis products like vape pens. “One of the ways we can help people consume responsibly is give them more information,” said Commission Chairman Steven Hoffman.

Other public officials in Massachusetts are taking additional steps to improve public awareness of vaping risks and to protect cannabis consumers. Cannabis Control Commission Executive Director Shawn Collins has directed the agency to work more closely with testing labs and encourage them to develop testing procedures for additives and inactive ingredients.

And on September 11, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health issued a mandate to healthcare providers requiring them to report any suspected vape-related lung illnesses to the department. So far, there have been no confirmed cases of vape-linked health problems in Massachusetts, a state which began legal retail cannabis sales last November.

Vaping Bans and the Future of Legal Cannabis in New Jersey

While Massachusetts has so far managed to avoid any confirmed cases of vape-related sicknesses or hospitalizations, New Jersey has seen at least 19 cases. And compared to Massachusetts, New Jersey lawmakers are taking much stronger action in response. In fact, Gov. Phil Murphy gave a newly created task force complete authority to propose massive policy changes, including a ban on vape products.

“Their remit is as broad as imaginable,” Murphy said during a Thursday press conference. “The status quo will not be an option.”

But Gov. Murphy is also trying to change the status quo in New Jersey in another regard: legalizing cannabis. So is Senate President Steve Sweeney, who speaking to reporters after the Thursday presser, said he wasn’t sure how a bill banning vaping would impact plans to legalize cannabis. And despite calls for immediate action from Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, who is another proponent of marijuana legalization, Sweeney has yet to set a legislative timetable to introduce a new vaping bill.

More immediately, Senate President Sweeney plans to direct state authorities to go after illicit vaping products. “Where we can start is the stores that are blaming the black market,” Sweeney said. “Well, maybe they can stop selling the black market products.”

Unregulated, untested cannabis vape products have been linked to several of the reported cases of lung illness. But an Oregon resident who died after vaping bought a cartridge from a licensed retailer. Oregon authorities have so far declined to release the name of the store allegedly involved.

Two members of Florida’s delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives introduced a bill on Thursday that would expand research into the medicinal use of marijuana. The measure, titled the Expanding Cannabis Research and Information Act, was filed by Democratic Rep. Donna Shalala and her Republican colleague Rep. Matt Gaetz has signed on as a co-sponsor.

If passed, the bill “would develop a national cannabis research agenda, direct the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to collect data on the health impacts of cannabis, establish a National Institutes of Health ‘Centers of Excellence’ research designation, and reclassify cannabis as a Schedule III controlled substance,” according to Shalala’s office.

“For years now, states across the country have been liberalizing their cannabis laws without making corresponding investments in developing a better scientific understanding of the short and long-term benefits and effects of cannabis on human health,” said Shalala. “By rescheduling cannabis and directing our national research infrastructure to study and collect data on how it impacts health outcomes, we are not only bringing federal cannabis policy into the 21st century, but we’re also guaranteeing that we do so safely.”

Bill Would Streamline Cannabis Research

“This bipartisan and bicameral legislation will improve, expedite, and streamline cannabis research: by rescheduling cannabis to Schedule III, this bill will lessen the conflict between states and the federal government, and by designating ‘Centers of Excellence in Cannabis Research,’ it will help unlock cures for America’s most vulnerable populations,” said Gaetz.

Florida state Agricultural Commissioner Nikki Fried, who campaigned for office on a platform that included cannabis reform, applauded the action by the state’s federal lawmakers.

“On behalf of the hundreds of thousands of medical marijuana patients in Florida, I thank Congresswoman Shalala and Congressman Gaetz for their bipartisan leadership in Congress to further critical cannabis research,” said Fried. “Federal cannabis policy must be changed to better provide safe and compassionate treatment options for those in need, and the Expanding Cannabis Research and Information Act is a welcome step forward.”

A statement from Shalala’s office insisted that the bill is necessary.

“Currently, 11 states and the District of Columbia have legalized adult cannabis use, while 33 states have legalized medical cannabis use. However, the Drug Enforcement Administration continues to classify cannabis as a Schedule I controlled substance with no medical benefit,” Shalala’s office noted. “The Expand Cannabis Research and Information Act would allow for a dramatic expansion in research around the health benefits and public safety impacts of cannabis use.”

The Expanding Cannabis Research and Information Act has also been co-sponsored by Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee of California. The bill has been referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Judiciary Committee for consideration.

A dramatic rise of hemp planted this year has been seen around the world and in particular the US, with 46 states having licensed farms since the US Farm Bill was passed in December of 2018. The potential for the US market alone is astronomical ($8.5 billion USD), but there isn't enough processing equipment installed to handle 90% of this year's harvest. The fear is that $7.5 billion dollars of hemp will be rotting in farmer's fields this fall.

CBD is one of the fastest growing consumer product segments and this is evident with the 128,000 acres of hemp (equivalent to 100,000 football fields) planted in 2019 alone, according to an Aug. 22 article in "The Financial Times." That's a 300% increase from the previous year, and each acre of hemp can produce 165 pounds of CBD oil at a market value of roughly $66,000. That same acre of hemp used for fiber products only garners $850, a staggering value difference. Unfortunately there is less than 10% of equipment installed in the US that is required to process hemp into CBD oil before it spoils. This is a major pinch point for hemp farmers to turn their crop into cash.

Banks are so scared that the FDIC will penalize them for supporting anyone that has the word "cannabis" in their supply chain and, since hemp is a form of cannabis, banks won't make loans for processing equipment.

Roger Cockroft, CEO of Delta Separations, said, "CBD derived from hemp is a huge new growth industry for the US but this year, the industry's first fully legal year, is going to be a nightmare for many. Big banks ran scared and wouldn't support infrastructure investments because they heard the word 'cannabis' even though hemp is completely federally legal. With such a small processing capacity in the U.S., up to 90% of what's in the ground will most likely rot in the field when Crop-tober rolls around. That could mean loss of up-to $7.5 billion."

Debate on the legalization of marijuana will begin in the Senate next week, the leader of the Morena party in the upper house of Congress said on Friday.

Ricardo Monreal Ávila said that Senate committees will review proposals to legalize use of the drug and that legislation could be drafted by the third week of October.

Morena Senator and marijuana advocate Jesusa Rodríguez Martínez said that a total of 13 proposals will be reviewed in open sessions during which a range of views, including those of the general public, will be heard.

The Supreme Court published eight precedents in February on the recreational use of marijuana that determined that prohibition of the drug is constitutional.

Mexico United Against Crime, a group that opposes the prohibition of drugs, said the court has done its job and it is now up to lawmakers to legalize marijuana.

At a summit on the legalization and regulation of marijuana held in the Senate on Friday, Gil Kerlikowske, a former director of the United States Office of National Drug Control Policy, said that legalization must be backed by “robust regulation” to ensure that minors don’t have access to the drug.

He pointed to research that says that marijuana use can be especially harmful to the still-developing brains of young people.

“. . . We have to make sure that young people don’t use and are not exposed to this product,” Kerlikowske said.

The production, packaging and labeling of commercially available marijuana must be carefully regulated by any law that authorizes the recreational use of the drug, he said.

The former official, who was also commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection during the administration of ex-president Barack Obama, recommended the imposition of taxes on marijuana and said that the revenue raised should be used for drug prevention and rehabilitation programs and to combat the black market for the drug.

In 11 U.S. states where recreational marijuana use is now legal, the illegal market for the drug hasn’t shrunk, Kerlikowske said.

“If you want a controlled environment for marijuana, you have to do everything possible to eliminate the black market . . .”

Profits have been elusive for many companies in the cannabis industry. With federal law making it impossible for companies to expand their operations across the U.S without either acquiring a company in another state or setting up an entirely new operation, it's been very difficult for costs to stay at manageable levels. The one workaround, however, has been for companies like Charlotte's Web (OTC:CWBHF) that have chosen a different route: hemp.

Significant growth without significant losses

Hemp has been taking off in popularity since December, when the federal government passed the farm bill. That has led to a lot of growth for Charlotte's Web. The Colorado-based company sells CBD products, including gummies, oil capsules, and even has products for dogs. In addition to selling online, the company has expanded through agreements with retailers across the U.S. and its products are found in thousands of stores in states where hemp products are permitted. In the past four quarters, sales have totaled more than $85.9 million. That's 24% higher than 2018's revenue of $69.5 million and more than double the $40 million Charlotte's Web was able to generate in 2017. Amid all that growth, the company has been able to remain profitable.

In its last fiscal year, it posted a profit of $11.8 million, which was up from $7.5 million the year before. This year, it has continued to be profitable even while expanding very rapidly. In its most recent quarterly results, sales were up 45% year over year, and although profits of $2.2 million were down from the previous year, the company remained in the black. 

Retail has welcomed hemp with open arms

One area where Charlotte's Web has been a force has been in retail. Back in Q1, the company had already achieved significant growth, announcing that more than 6,000 retail locations were receiving the company's products as of May 8. The company had already added 2,300 new retailers in 2019, which was already more than it added during all of 2018. And as impressive as that has been, Charlotte's Web has continued to grow since then.

In Q2, the company announced that more than 8,000 retail locations were now carrying its products. Even large national retailers like CVS and Kroger have been stocking them. Retail sales have accounted for the majority (53%) of revenue, making it a great source of success for the company. E-commerce has generated the other 47% of sales. 

Had Charlotte's Web been selling marijuana products,  this wouldn't have been possible. The company wouldn't have been able to ship its products to retailers all across the country, and it certainly wouldn't have the strong retail presence that it has today. By forming these relationships with retailers, the company has a big advantage over other entrants that may be looking to sell competing hemp products.

Why does this matter to investors?

Investing in hemp is a much safer option for cannabis investors, who may be concerned about the lack of nationwide legality of marijuana in the U.S. and the impact it could have on the industry's growth. Although over the long term, the marijuana market may explode in size, that's still a long way from happening.

In the meantime, investors can look to companies like Charlotte's Web with more-sustainable businesses that can offer safer returns.

The ad proclaims “Life is Better With Legal Cannabis.” But for most of the readers who saw it in their morning paper, marijuana is not legal.

The ad from Canna Provisions gives the address, website and phone number of its store in Lee, Massachusetts. It ran on the bottom of the front page of the Aug. 30 Times-Union of Albany, New York. The paper is available on Berkshire County newsstand but decidedly not a Massachusetts publication.

The ad includes tiny, baseball box score-size type listing state-mandated disclaimers, concluding with, “This product may be illegal outside of MA.”

New York recently downgraded marijuana possession in small amounts from a misdemeanor to a violation, but it is still an arrestable offense punishable by fines.

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission regulates advertising — no marijuana-leaf graphics, nothing related to sports, nothing to appeal to minors. But it doesn’t ban advertising out of state. The commission does require certain language, including the “This product may be illegal outside of MA” warning.

Canna Provisions opened a store in Lee, about 11 miles east of the New York state line, in June. The company began hiring last week for a store it plans to open this fall on Dwight Street in Holyoke, and it’s working on approvals for a marijuana growing operation in Lee. The company also has a proposal for a third shop, although it has not announced the location.

On a recent Sunday afternoon, four of the five cars in the parking lot of the Lee store had New York plates.

It’s a phenomenon not exclusive to Canna Provisions. Mayor David Narkewicz makes note of the out-of-state license plates he sees at the NETA in Northampton and what this out-of-town crowd might mean for city businesses that don’t sell marijuana.

When Canna Provisions starts doing business in Holyoke, co-founder Erik Williams said, it plans to advertise in Connecticut, another state where possession of small amounts of marijuana punishable by fines.

"Like the billboards we see every summer for the fireworks shops in New Hampshire," Williams said recently at a Canna Provisions job fair in Holyoke.

He spoke of cannabis tourism and how he has a vision for Holyoke as a sort of American Amsterdam where consumers can come and buy from a few marijuana retailers all set up in a central neighborhood around the canals.

Marijuana is illegal according to the federal government, even if now it seems the feds are taking a hands-off approach to states like Massachusetts that are legalizing it, said Julie E. Steiner, professor of law at Western New England School of Law in Springfield. Steiner is also a hired consultant for Mayor Domenic J. Sarno as the city of Springfield establishes its marijuana regulatory process.

"Interstate commerce, or any kind of advertisement that would promote interstate commerce, really flirts with federal intervention," Steiner said.

She said the law is only now catching up to the burgeoning adult-use marijuana industry. The Cannabis Control Commission hired enforcement personnel just this week.

“It’s the Wild West,” Steiner said. “We are hitting all kinds of issues about what is allowed and what’s not allowed.”

Especially sticky is the issue of marketing by a third party like a growers council or Weedmaps, a website for marijuana aficionados that also advertises on billboards.

“The regulations are very much geared to marijuana growers and retailers in Massachusetts,” Steiner said. “But what about other people?”

This advertisement for Canna Provisions in Lee, Massachusetts, appeared in the Aug. 30 Times-Union of Albany, New York. Marijuana possession is legal in the Bay State but not in the Empire State.

Marijuana retailer Theory Wellness in Great Barrington doesn’t advertise across state lines, said Marketing Director Thomas Winstanley, although the company isn’t shy about saying many of its customers are from New York.

“We do not run any paid advertising out of state. It is a gray area in the regulatory guidelines that we don’t want to meddle with,” Winstanley said.

But what happens when someone from outside the state comes into a Massachusetts marijuana shop as a customer?

The law doesn’t stop them from buying, only from transporting it across state lines. Smoking of any kind is banned in most public spaces and consumption is not allowed in stores, so someone from out of state would have to find a place in Massachusetts to legally smoke or consume the product.

Marijuana retailers know who is from outside Massachusetts. They are required check IDs to make sure every buyer is 21 or older.

“We treat all customers the same way. We answer any/all questions they have about what they want, how it will affect them — just about anything,” Winstanley said.

At Canna Provisions, Williams said the only time there is a problem is if a customer talks in the store about breaking the law. Like if the customer, unsolicited, says they plan to drive back to New York.

"We inform our customers about the law," he said.

And would they refuse service?

“If our customers persist in talking about breaking the law, then yes, we might do that,” he said.

“The Seri Ruam Thai party leader said that he was not afraid that he might be sued for providing information to the Australian media.”

Seri Ruam Thai party leader Gen Seripisut Temiyavet claims that he was the source who tipped off the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper in Australia to investigate the details surrounding the conviction, in the heroin trafficking case, of Deputy Agriculture Minister Thammanat Prompao.

Thai PBS World reports that the former police chief today assigned an MP from his party, Pol Lt-Gen Wissanu Muangpraesee, to submit an interpellation to the House Speaker, demanding an explanation from Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha about the appointment of Thammanat as a member of his cabinet, despite the latter’s criminal background in Australia.

He said that people involved in narcotics trafficking are not good people and he could not understand how Thammanat was given a cabinet post, despite the fact that he had spent time in prison in Australia following conviction on drug charges.

The Seri Ruam Thai party leader said that he was not afraid that he might be sued for providing information to the Australian media. Even though Thammanat’s case in Australia was many years ago, Seripisut said he doubted the former was qualified to be an MP.

Answering an interpellation of the Seri Ruam Thai party in the House about his drug conviction in Australia several decades ago, Thammanat said that he welcomed the opportunity to talk about his past so that it will not return to haunt him and undermine his resolve to pay back to society.

Thammanat, well known for his role as the government’s fixer, claimed that he was never jailed for drug charges in Australia, but was detained for about eight months during the plea bargaining process.

He said he was sent to a farm to look after young hooligans who were detained there for about six months and then sent back to Sydney where he worked for about four years.  

The deputy agriculture minister further added that, after four years, he didn’t want to return to Thailand, but wanted to spend more time there with his family. However, he decided to return home as a free man, without a past record of drug dealing, as claimed by the SMH newspaper.

After his clarification in the House today, Thammanat said he hoped his nightmare of the past 30 years would be over adding, however, that he was willing to clarify in private if anyone still has doubts about his past.