CBD

The CBD “miracle” potion has a dark side

Over the past few years, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued many warnings to companies misrepresenting CBD and adding it to food and beverages illegally.  

An explosion of CBD products came on the market in 2019, because the 2018 Agriculture Bill legalized the growing of hemp, the main source for the CBD sold over the counter today. 

CBD products have been  pushed as miracle potions.  However, according to Drugs.com, there are 529 drug interactions with CBD.

CBD or cannabidiol is one of more than 60 cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. It was traditionally assumed that CBD can counteract the psychoactive qualities of THC or Tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive component responsible for the “high” of marijuana.  Marijuana plants have small amounts of CBD.  Its relative, the hemp plant, is mainly CBD with only trace amounts of THC.

That farm bill which legalized the production and sale of hemp called for cannabis plants that could not have more than .3 percent dry weight THC.  Hemp is presumably the main source of CBD sold in supplements, creams and as a health product today.  Since the farm bill passed, there’s been an overproduction of hemp.

Problems of the Farm Bill, need to close a loophole

Once the hype passed and the market for CBD went down, producers came up with new tactics to sell the product. Growers have a huge surplus of hemp.  A loophole in the farm bill has allowed sellers to process CBD from hemp into Delta-8 THC, Delta-10 THC and other other analogues. 

Delta-8 and Delta-10 are sold in gas stations and smoke shops throughout the country.  Many states have banned these products, but most have not.  Unfortunately, these products have been getting into the hands of children and teens who are vaping it.  In certain cases, the children have become very sick or even psychotic. 

In Virginia, a 4 year-old died from ingesting his mother’s Delta-8 gummies. 

Because of this urgent danger, Congress needs to close the loophole in the Farm Bill which allowed for these dangerous products to proliferate. We urge our followers to write to your Reps in Congress and the Senate encouraging them to close this loophole, following SAM’s letter.

Seizure medicine made from CBD 

GW Pharmaceuticals spent years researching a way to extract CBD from the marijuana plant while removing the psychoactive element. Although initial trials ran into some hitches, the drug went through a series of trials and was approved by the FDA for the treatment of two types of childhood epilepsy, Dravet Syndrome and Lennox-Gestaut Syndrome. 

“Medical” marijuana suppliers have come up with artisanal preparations of CBD for children.  However, we recommend that patients use FDA-approved drugs which provide proper information on potency and dosage. Artisanal suppliers don’t necessarily inform the clients of CBD’s interactions with other drugs, of which there are many.   According to Drugs.com, there are 529 drug interactions with CBD.

There may be other medical applications for CBD.  If proven useful for certain medical conditions, it may get FDA approval.   For more information, read our other articles about CBD: 

Explaining Cannabidiol or CBD.

Does the Medical in marijuana qualify for rescheduling?

 

Bursting the Bubble of Marijuana Hype