We Are a Long Way from Legitimate CBD Medical Use

After the high of 4/20 weekend, the medical marijuana industry is growing faster than we are ready for.

As the wave of cannabis reform continues to roll across the country, we find ourselves in a position where state governments are jumping into a new territory that plainly stated does not have enough research invested in it. As of March 2019, 34 states in the US including District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands have developed “comprehensive, publicly available” medical marijuana and cannabis programs. And yet we have heard the recurring excuse denying federal legislation that there is not enough evidence to support its medical applications.

This leads to a middle ground of uncertainty.

In most of the 34 states, CBD, a non-psychoactive ingredient of the cannabis plant, can be used personally and sold in stores. Their main applications are more medicinal, promoting wellness to the body with little-to-no risks. There also have been various smaller studies performed looking into a wide range of illnesses from epilepsy to anxiety, eating disorders to inflammation. While these possible uses are fantastic, we need to take caution with a plant that demands much more research to be done.

There are two routes specifically that need more attention and that is scientific study and socioeconomic consequence. The first is the most obvious. Just like any other form of matter we interact with, we should study the biological and physical components of the cannabis plant to understand its effect on our species and the environment. The other route involves commercial use (buying, selling, growing), regulation, and societal impact. In recent years Colorado, Washington State and California have cultivated a booming economic stimulus due to marijuana sales which carries a lot of weight in the legalization debate.

The problem is, we are promoting a medicinal product while the plant it comes from is still under Schedule 1 classification by the DEA.

And you may be thinking that, despite its status, some states are still able to legally sell both the psychoactive component THC as well as CBD products. That is true and those who need the plant for medicinal treatment are getting easier access. However, one of the most frustrating drawbacks of Schedule 1 classification is the difficulty that researchers face trying to study the plant. While it is preemptively reported that there are very minimal side effects of CBD, that is in part because we have not done enough research to verify that claim.

CBD is being offered in a variety of ways. Most commonly, CBD oil is sold in eyedropper bottles. There are lotions and sprays that can reduce inflammation and arthritis pain. It is also being infused in foods and beverages for anti-anxiety benefits or flower that can be smoked providing similar effects. Some companies have gone as far as marketing CBD for pets. There is no denying that CBD has great potential for use as a medicine, but we need to know more about what we are putting into our bodies. In 1996, California was the first state to be recognized in allowing the use of medical marijuana. At that time there was probably not much thought of its future applications given its DEA status, however it isn’t until over 20 years later that the FDA is finally looking into regulating its standalone affects and inclusion in food.

Unfortunately, that idea has been tested with the FDA’s approval of Epidiolex, an anti-seizure medication containing CBD. The drug is used in the treatment of two specific forms of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome that are both found in early stages of child development. This is a tough call because of these isolated forms. Generally, drops of CBD have shown effects of limiting or reducing the severity of seizures only the side effects of potential drowsiness, change in appetite, diarrhea and (at “very high” levels) depression. This is not to be confused with the often-associated side effects of immense THC use, paranoia and thoughts of suicide.

But when you look at the list of potential side effects of Epidiolex, it nearly triples that of standard CBD. There are some overlap in side effects, including diarrhea and lethargy, but there are possibilities of elevated liver enzymes, fatigue and weakness, insomnia, and other sleep disorders. One of CBD’s medicinal uses is to aid in sleeping, not harm it.

In the future, there will be future medications released with CBD and THC inclusion. But we cannot let these plants succumb to the same treatment as current day pharmaceuticals: elaborate chemical compounds with a multitude of side effects. Luckily, we have the power of biology on our side that among other plants serves a much higher potential in medicine than others.

But who knows? A decade from now we may discover that CBD’s effects are ultimately harmful in ways we haven’t imagined before. Only way to find out is if we keep studying.