What's Up with CBD in Foods?

CBD: you see it on the news, you see it on the streets, but what about in your food? With recent changes to California state law the recreational use of marijuana was made legal and following that change we began to see CBD products appear all over. But what exactly is CBD? CBD is short for cannabidiol, a molecule that comes from the cannabis family. CBD is different from THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) in that it has no psychoactive effects to impair cognitive function. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that “CBD is generally well tolerated with a good safety profile.” All these factors combined with the potential for profit are causing companies to try to push CBD food products as soon as they can.

So is CBD Legal or Not?

Well this is where things get a bit tricky. CBD comes from a cannabis plant, whether a

cannabis plant is considered marijuana or hemp comes down to the amount of THC it contains. If a cannabis plant has more than 0.3% of THC then it is considered marijuana, if it’s less then it’s considered hemp. CBD from hemp is legal but CBD from marijuana is

illegal. Seem confusing? It gets worse. CBD products are only legal when they have been reviewed and approved by the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration), and the FDA has made CBD in food completely illegal. Why then, are we seeing cannabis products everywhere from lattes to dog treats? Despite the sale of CBD in food being illegal, people are doing it anyway thanks to a lack of regulation and lack of enforcement of these laws (but the FDA is starting to crack down).

Will CBD Products Get Me High?

This is a good question and once again the answer isn’t as simple as it should be. As mentioned earlier CBD is a non-psychoactive molecule from a cannabis plant and therefore in its pure form you will have no “high” or cognitive impairment. However, CBD products are not being properly regulated and the amount of CBD and/or THC in the product may not be entirely accurate. It is completely possible for a CBD product to be labeled “THC Free” but still contain THC. When it comes to using CBD it’s a “buyer beware” market.

The Benefits of CBD

Proponents of CBD are often very vocal and tout a long list of benefits, some of which you have probably heard by now. The list of benefits includes: aid with a number of medical conditions including chronic pain and inflammation, epilepsy, anxiety and depression, heart problems, Type 1 Diabetes, skin conditions, schizophrenia, reducing oxidative stress and even fighting cancer. In fact, the only FDA approved health use for CBD is a drug used for seizures called Epidiolex. If you are interested in a diet that could help with seizures, check out the Keto diet. Despite the complicated legal status of CBD, its products are already being used by many people for some of these problems with anecdotal reports of success.

What’s the Research Supporting These Benefits?

Unfortunately, there is very little research to support the benefit of CBD (in large part due to its complicated legal status). Although CBD was reported to be safe by the WHO, they did not support its use based on current research. One study in The New England Journal of Medicine was able to show evidence for the use of CBD in drug-resistant seizures in Dravet Syndrome which led to the approval of Epidiolex. Sadly the study also

found several adverse events associated with the use of cannabidiol compared to a placebo such as diarrhea, vomiting, fatigue and more. There is some preliminary research available on the use of CBD for benefits such as anxiety and sleep as well as inflammatory bowel disease but most of these studies state that, though there is potential for benefit, more rigorous studies are necessary. But don’t give up hope on the potential for CBD, as its legal status continues to improve more and more studies will start to be conducted.

Final Words on CBD

CBD may have a bright future ahead of it if even half of its proponent’s health claims are true, but until further research is conducted, we must remember to take caution. Without proper regulation being done on CBD products we can’t be sure what we are getting and there is potential for safety concerns. The FDA also cites research showing the potential for CBD to cause liver injury (although at higher doses than humans are likely to ingest). Although the FDA is cracking down on CBD use in foods, a recent senate bill may soon legalize its use in food. As always, be sure to consult a medical doctor before using CBD products to ensure its safety for you and that there will be no harmful side effects and/or interactions.