Every country has its own cannabis laws, and CBD is more readily available in some regions than others.

In the United Kingdom, for example, CBD was recently declared as medicine by the National Health Service (NHS). In the United States, however, the legality of CBD may depend on where it was sourced. There are two types of CBD products available: products derived from “hemp” and products derived from “marijuana”. The CBD found in both of these plants is the same, it’s the legal definition that is not. Under the United States Controlled Substances Act, all cannabis products are considered a schedule 1 drug. That means that they have no accepted medical value and possession of such a substance can result in criminal penalties. Recently, the DEA published a new rule that lumps CBD products into the category of “cannabis extracts”. According to the DEA’s new statement, CBD is illegal. The agency clarifies, For practical purposes, all extracts that contain CBD will also contain at least small amounts of other cannabinoids.  However, if it were possible to produce from the cannabis plant an extract that contained only CBD and no other cannabinoids, such an extract would fall within the new drug code 7350. However, prospective lawsuits and hemp industry experts question whether or not the DEA has the legal right to include CBD under the definition of “marijuana”. Back in 2004, the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals voted in favor of hemp in a different case. This time, it was in response to an “Interpretive Rule” posted by the DEA. 

The rule included language explaining that “any product that Element X contains any amount of THC” would fall under the category of a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance. The DEA’s new ruling also contradicts an amendment made to the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Farm Bill). Farm Bill federally legalized the production of industrial hemp in state-managed pilot programs. These pilot programs allow a small number of growers to cultivate, process, and market hemp products. Under Farm Bill, hemp plants are cannabis plants that contain less than 0.3% THC. However, how the DEA’s new definition interacts with Farm Bill of 2014 is not clear at this time. Until this plant is either reclassified or legalized, the harsh federal restrictions on cannabis prevent adequate research on the impacts and health benefits of CBD and the cannabis plant. If there’s one point to bring home in this article, it’s this: CBD has tremendous therapeutic potential. But, scientists need more hard-hitting research. Already, the discovery of THC and the endocannabinoid system has opened major doors in biochemical and psychiatric medicine. Until we address the legal and political barriers that prevent us from exploring cannabis as medicine, our opened doors will remain unexplored. Cannabidiol is a chemical in the Cannabis sativa plant, also known as marijuana. Over 80 chemicals, known as cannabinoids, have been identified in the Cannabis sativa plant. While delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the major active ingredient, cannabidiol makes up about 40% of cannabis extracts and has been studied for many different uses. 

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), because cannabidiol has been studied as a new drug, products containing cannabidiol are not defined as dietary supplements. But there are still products labeled as dietary supplements on the market that contain cannabidiol. People take cannabidiol by mouth for anxiety, bipolar disorder, a muscle disorder called dystonia, seizures, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and schizophrenia. People inhale cannabidiol to help quit smoking. How effective is it? Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate. The effectiveness ratings for CANNABIDIOL are as follows: Insufficient evidence to rate effectiveness for... Bipolar disorder. Early reports suggest that taking cannabidiol daily does not improve manic episodes in people with bipolar disorders. A muscle disorder called dystonia. Early research suggests that taking cannabidiol daily for 6 weeks might improve dystonia by 20% to 50% in some people. Higher quality research is needed to confirm this. Epilepsy.

Some early research suggests that taking cannabidiol daily for up to 18 weeks might reduce seizures in some people. However, other research shows that taking cannabidiol daily for 6 months does not reduce seizures in people with epilepsy. Reasons for the conflicting data are unclear. Possibly the studies were too small. Huntington’s disease. Early research shows that taking cannabidiol daily does not improve symptoms of Huntington's disease. Insomnia. Early research suggests that taking 160 mg of cannabidiol before bed improves sleep time in people with insomnia. However, lower doses do not have this effect. Cannabidiol also does not seem to help people fall asleep and might reduce the ability to recall dreams. Multiple sclerosis (MS). There is inconsistent evidence on the effectiveness of cannabidiol for symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Some early research suggests that using a cannabidiol spray under the tongue might improve pain and muscle tightness in people with MS. However, it does not appear to improve muscle spasms, tiredness, bladder control, the ability to move around, or well-being and quality of life. Parkinson’s disease. Some early research shows that taking cannabidiol daily for 4 weeks improves psychotic symptoms in people with Parkinson's disease and psychosis. Schizophrenia. Research on the use of cannabidiol for psychotic symptoms in people with schizophrenia is conflicting. Some early research suggests that taking cannabidiol four times daily for 4 weeks improves psychotic symptoms and might be as effective as the antipsychotic medication amisulpride. However, other early research suggests that taking cannabidiol for 14 days is not beneficial. 

The conflicting results might be related to the cannabidiol dose used and duration of treatment. Quitting smoking. Early research suggests that inhaling cannabidiol with an inhaler for one week might reduce the number of cigarettes smoked by about 40% compared to baseline. Social anxiety disorder. Some early research shows that taking cannabidiol 300 mg daily does not improve anxiety in people with social anxiety disorder. However, other early research suggests that taking a higher dose (400-600 mg) may improve anxiety associated with public speaking or medical imaging test in people with SAD. Other conditions. More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of cannabidiol for these uses. How does it work? Cannabidiol has antipsychotic effects. The exact cause for these effects is not clear. However, cannabidiol seems to prevent the breakdown of a chemical in the brain that affects pain, mood, and mental function. Preventing the breakdown of this chemical and increasing its levels in the blood seems to reduce psychotic symptoms associated with conditions such as schizophrenia. Cannabidiol might also block some of the psychoactive effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Also, cannabidiol seems to reduce pain and anxiety. Are there safety concerns? Cannabidiol is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth or sprayed under the tongue appropriately in adults. Cannabidiol doses of up to 300 mg daily have been taken by mouth safely for up to 6 months. Higher doses of 1200-1500 mg daily have been taken by mouth safely for up to 4 weeks. Cannabidiol sprays that are applied under the tongue have been used in doses of 2.5 mg for up to 2 weeks. 

Some reported side effects of cannabidiol include dry mouth, low blood pressure, light headedness, and drowsiness. Special precautions & warnings: Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There is not enough reliable information about the safety of taking cannabidiol if you are pregnant or breast feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use. Parkinson’s disease: Some early research suggests that taking high doses of cannabidiol might make muscle movement and tremors worse in people with Parkinson’s disease. Are there interactions with medications? Moderate Be cautious with this combination. Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) substrates) Some medications are changed and broken down by the liver. Cannabidiol might decrease how quickly the liver breaks down some medications. In theory, using cannabidiol along with some medications that are broken down by the liver might increase the effects and side effects of some medications. Before using cannabidiol, talk to your healthcare provider if you take any medications that are changed by the liver. Some medications changed by the liver include chlorzoxazone (Lorzone) and theophylline (Theo-Dur, others). Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) substrates) Some medications are changed and broken down by the liver. Cannabidiol might decrease how quickly the liver breaks down some medications. 

In theory, using cannabidiol along with some medications that are broken down by the liver might increase the effects and side effects of some medications. Before using cannabidiol, talk to your healthcare provider if you take any medications that are changed by the liver. Some medications changed by the liver include amitriptyline (Elavil), haloperidol (Haldol), ondansetron (Zofran), propranolol (Inderal), theophylline (Theo-Dur, others), verapamil (Calan, Isoptin, others), and others. Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 1B1 (CYP1B1) substrates) Some medications are changed and broken down by the liver. Cannabidiol might decrease how quickly the liver breaks down some medications. In theory, using cannabidiol along with some medications that are broken down by the liver might increase the effects and side effects of some medications.