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Teachable Moments
Know! CBD –
Miracle in a Bottle or Modern-Day Snake Oil?
If you haven’t yet heard of CBD oil, you will soon. It’s one of the
hottest, trendiest products on the market, and it claims to be a
cure-all for whatever ails you. Celebrities are not only talking about
and endorsing a variety of CBD oil-infused products, but they’re also
creating and selling product lines of their own. CBD oil can come in
everything from your morning coffee to your nighttime facial crème. It
seems everyone wants to get in on the latest craze.
Young people are becoming increasingly more aware of the vast claims
made about this “magical elixir” as well; so it is important to learn
more about it so that you can share the facts with them and help them
cut through the extravagant marketing claims.
What is this supposed miracle potion; is it safe; is it legal; and what
exactly does it do?
By definition, CBD is short for cannabidiol, a compound found in and
extracted from the cannabis plant. CBD oil may contain very low levels
of THC, the compound in marijuana that produces a “high” – but that is
not always the case.
The claims of health and wellness benefits stretch far and wide. In
fact, ads for CBD oil claim it can address:
Inflammation
Pain
Anxiety
Depression
Post-traumatic stress
Insomnia
Cancer
Liver health
In addition to assertions of medical benefits, there are claims that
CBD can prevent hangovers, help with acne and assist in social
situations. You can now find CBD in health and beauty care for both
people and pets; lip balms, bath bombs, sleeping masks, shampoos,
massage oils, anti-wrinkle serums, anti-acne lotions, soaps, mascara,
dog food, and cat treats. You name it and there seems to be a CBD
oil-infused product popping up for it.
Health experts say consumers should be advised—just because a product
is being sold online or on a store shelf does not mean it is credible
or dependable.
Necessary research is being conducted with regard to the potential
benefits CBD may provide. This research has led to the Food and Drug
Administration approving a cannabidiol-based drug called Epidiolex. It
is the first and only FDA-approved prescription cannabidiol (CBD), and
it can be prescribed for Dravet and LGS—two severe forms of epilepsy.
Preliminary research also indicates that CBD may aid in reducing the
symptoms of schizophrenia. As for other benefits, the jury is still out.
Unlike the CBD lip balms and serums you might find on the Internet,
Epidiolex also has instructions for dosing the drug and lists of known
adverse reactions and drug interactions that can only come with
clinical tests.
The newest claim is that marijuana and CBD could help people avoid
opioids. However, according to National Families in Action and The
Marijuana Report, people who use various forms of marijuana for medical
use are more—not less—likely to abuse prescription drugs including
painkillers, stimulants, and tranquilizers.
Physicians also warn that research is in its infancy and there are
potential hazards with experimenting with CBD. Because of the general
lack of oversight of the various CBD products available, there is no
way of knowing exactly what is in these products. There can be
contaminates from pesticides, herbicides, and solvents used in the
extraction process. There can also be a mislabeling of the amount of
THC in a product, which can be especially concerning for children. And
when researchers put a large number of CBD products to the test, many
showed to contain synthetic CBD, while others contained little or no
CBD at all—contrary to what the packaging promoted. CBD can have
negative interactions with other medications as well. And health
experts say that there are many different strains of the cannabis plant
with differing strengths and differing effects, and that purity and
dosage in many of these products on the market are not reliable.
As far as the legality of CBD oil, that depends on your state. But as
far as the federal law is concerned, cannabis and cannabis products
remain illegal in every state—other than prescription cannabidiol
Epidiolex. Confusing, yes.
CBD may not exactly be today’s snake oil, but it isn’t likely to be the
miracle in a bottle that so many people are banking on either. The good
news is, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved purified
CBD to treat two extreme forms of epilepsy. However, no other forms of
CBD have been approved to treat any other disease or condition; nor has
it been proven to take away our wrinkles or acne, aide in liver health
or improve our pets’ lives. While CBD may have further potential, it is
important to allow the experts to conduct their research and take the
appropriate measures to ensure that any product that reaches us and our
family members are promoted in a factually correct manner, and its
contents have been proven to be safe and effective.
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