In December 2018, U.S. Congress passed what is known as the 2018 Farm Bill, which formerly legalizes hemp and takes it off the class-one schedule of drugs.
Hemp comes from the same family as marijuana, but they differ in their chemical makeup and how the plant is cultivated.
After its legalizing, hemp-based CBD, or cannabidiol, products starting popping up everywhere. From creams and oils to gummy bears and teas, CBD products claim to help with conditions like arthritis, epilepsy, anxiety and more. But what is the science behind CBD? And the biggest question: is it safe?
Defining the Difference
“When hemp is grown, it has high levels of CBD. The plant is picked, dried, extracted and then purified,” says Max Maksimoski, director of research and development for Green Growth Brands. “It comes in several different types, but the most important difference is that CBD is not psychoactive.”
THC is the natural ingredient in marijuana and is the reason you experience a high. CBD is often confused with marijuana, but it does not affect the brain, even though some products can have a very low concentration of THC, and works to regulate the endocannabinoid system.
“The first thing I tell people when they are apprehensive is that it is not marijuana, it isn’t addictive and it is certainly not psychoactive,” Maksimoski says.
Maksimoski explains how CBD is a possible way to eliminate pain naturally.
“If you have a radio, and there is static in that, you want to get rid of that static. In your body, when you have static, it is in the neurotransmitters and nerves and equates to pain,” Maksimoski says. “When things aren’t right, CBD helps get rid of that static and smooth out that pain. It helps your body function more effectively.”
Hearing Both Sides
According to Maksimoski, there have been claims about CBD being a miracle cure, ridding people of cancers and even Alzheimer’s disease, but notes most have not been scientifically proven.
“To the greatest extent, they’ve been unproven,” Maksimoski says. “The only comprehensive clinical study was to look at CBD and its effects in treating childhood epilepsy.”
Within the last couple of months though, the FDA announced that CBD could cause injuries to the liver, negative side effects if mixed with other medicine, gastrointestinal problems, and changes in your mood and alertness.
Dr. Harrison Weed, a physician at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and the chair of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, confirms these side effects.
“Because it is metabolized in the liver, CBD can potentiate the effects of medications that are also metabolized in the liver,” he says. “For example, warfarin (Coumadin), cilostazol (Pletal) and citalopram (Celexa) are all potentiated by CBD. Therefore, people who take medications should talk with their doctors about possible effects of CBD.”
But just how people take Advil to help with headaches, CBD can be that extra boost to help with pain.
“Everybody’s body is a little different and pain management is a huge function,” Maksimoski says. “Aside from pain management, it may also be used as an anti-inflammatory and for some people can even help relieve anxiety and depression.”
As for Weed, he notes that since the short-term and long-terms effects of CBD are unknown, he wouldn’t classify it as safer than other pain medications.
“At least with other pain medication we have more information on the potential adverse effects,” he says.
In some cases, CBD is safe for children, especially in mitigating symptoms of epilepsy and seizure disorders, Maksimoski notes. There have also been cases in which it was useful in dealing with dry skin and eczema.
“If I was able to give it to my child, I would focus on the topical products available because they have a lower dosage and you can put it at the place it is bothering them,” Maksimoski says.
On the other hand, Weed notes an recent incident where an 8-year-old boy with a seizure disorder had a dramatic increase in seizures after taking a CBD oil product that contained a synthetic cannabinoid known to cause seizures.
“When you take commercially-available CBD it can be difficult to know if you are unintentionally taking other drugs, and to know how much CBD you are actually taking, if any,” Weed says.
Being Proactive
With the recent legalization of hemp and CBD, the FDA and USDA are still working on producing medical studies. In the meantime, industry leaders need to be careful and not report unrealistic claims to the consumer.
“The biggest thing is going to be the medical community latching on to it, doing the studies to really figure out the proper dosages and proper conditions,” Maksimoski says.
Weed notes that in a recent test on popular commercially-available products, 40 percent contained less than one-fifth of the amount of CBD claimed, and some also contained high levels of solvents and dangerous gases. He says some experts recommend using CBD products that are certified as organic by the USDA, been tested for pesticides and herbicides, and meet Current Good Manufacturing Practices by the FDA.
Weed says since the U.S. is new to CBD, European products may suit your fancy.
“Europe has a more established regulatory system for these products and European CBD products have a lower allowed concentration for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – 0.2 percent in Europe versus 0.3 percent in the U.S.,” he says.
As for Maksimoski, he’s all on board and already uses CBD products proactively.
“As you get used to it, get to an edible, it is a preventative,” Maksimoski says. “I personally take a pinch of one every morning. I don’t want to experience pain throughout the day, and if it’s in my body, it will be able to better combat that. It is the best way for overall personal health.”
Rocco Falleti is an associate editor. Feedback welcome at rfalleti@cityscenecolumbus.com.
