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FDA Strikes Again: “Not all CBD Products are Beneficial”

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FDA Policy CBD

While the American public has been pushing for the legalization of using CBD products, the U.S FDA still believe that although CBD is non-intoxicating, it might not be as safe, healthy and effective for wellness as they have been told. Very recently, the FDA published an update on its website to address some of the claims made by people surrounding CBD, in an attempt to disapprove that CBD is risk-free and can cure certain illnesses miraculously.

The FDA is currently gathering enough evidence from health experts, patients, and cannabis industrialists to gain insight into how CBD might be helping them. The update mentioned that there are still many questions about the safety and quality of CBD products. So, before the public push for relaxed use of CBD, the FDA want to clarify some points regarding CBD.

CBD May Cause Liver Damage And Other Serious Side Effects

Although the FDA admitted that there still isn’t enough evidence to outweigh risks against benefits, it did uncover that CBD could cause liver damage in a small study. In the clinical trials of Epidiolex, a CBD-based drug approved for epilepsy treatment, some patients showed liver toxicity. The symptoms displayed potential liver injury. Epidiolex does not entirely contain CBD but has much higher concentrations of it compared to the hemp products flooding in the market. The CBD in the medicine is 98% purified and oil-based extracted directly from the cannabis plant. Thus, it is highly unlikely that other components of the medicine could cause liver damage.

A study at the University of Arkansas also found that high doses of CBD caused liver damage in mice in 24 hours. Many animals died or almost died within four days. Critics mention that the dose was extremely high, however, according to the study, it was equivalent to the maximum recommended dosage for human maintenance mentioned in Epidiolex. Thus, the mice were given amounts comparable to the amount of Epidiolex ingested by epileptic patients. Doctors are advised to monitor liver enzymes in these patients. Doctors in Colorado, where weed is legal for any reason, monitor liver enzymes for patients ingesting CBD or marijuana.

The most common side effects of Epidiolex is sleep disorder, lethargy, low appetite, weakness, suicidal thoughts, agitation, depression, and panic attacks. Although CBD products in the market may not contain as much as CBD as Epidiolex, the risk of these side effects cannot be underestimated.

CBD Is Not A Cure

The FDA has made it clear to the public that none of the CBD products currently sold in shops, stores, and dispensaries have been approved. So far, only Epidiolex was granted approval, which took several years. FDA also mentioned that Epidiolex is useful as a treatment for children with two rare forms of epilepsy– Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and not any other condition. Epidiolex is not a sure cure anyways. It was found effective in only 32% of patients. The cannabis industry has used this as leverage on the public and convinced some that CBD can provide remedy from anxiety, depression and even cancer. The FDA refutes such claims and urges people to beware of false hope so that they resort to proper diagnosis and treatment, not baseless claims. The agency warned companies from advertising CBD as a cure for serious diseases like anxiety and depression.

However, the FDA also has its own record of flaws. A 2017 study found the third of all drugs approved by FDA were flagged as threats from 2001 to 2010. FDA states that what might be safe today may not be safe in the future. A poll showed that 44% of Americans believe that the FDA is trustworthy regarding the truth about medicine.

More Research On CBD Needed

Very little is known about CBD and its benefits and risks, which is the main reason behind the FDA’s skepticism towards CBD. Further research is definitely required to weigh out options and to really trust cannabinoid.  For someone who is considering using CBD to treat a serious condition, it is better to consult with a physician and specialists in medicine to ensure that their well-being is not at risk. It is best not to buy CBD products blindly now despite their grand claims of curing stress, anxiety and sleep problems.

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