Fact: CBD is not a drug and will not cure anything.
But, it may help you get relief from certain afflictions (particularly anxiety/stress, insomnia, and chronic pain).
In one study, CBD helped relieve anxiety in 80% of people who took 25 mg twice daily and 66% experienced some improvement in sleep.
CBD doesn’t have any impairing effect and will not get you high.
THC is the molecule that causes the psychoactive or “stoned” effect marijuana is famous for.
Full spectrum (or “whole plant”) CBD derived from hemp contains trace amounts (<0.3%) of THC. Contrary to popular belief, a little bit of THC is actually a good thing …
Despite THC’s reputation, here’s another little-known fact: THC and CBD are the “power couple” of cannabis compounds—they work better together.
Studies have demonstrated that CBD and THC interact synergistically to enhance each other’s beneficial effects.
CBD also lessens the psychoactive effects of THC.
This is admittedly a tricky one.
According to the U.S. Drug Testing Centers website:
Most CBD consumers won’t have trouble passing a drug test. For those using extremely high levels of CBD or hemp oil (over 2,000 mg per day), it’s possible, though unlikely, that this could produce a “false positive” result on a drug test. Even then, a follow-up test can provide more conclusive results.
As long as you’re using hemp-derived CBD, it’s unlikely to result in a positive test because hemp-based CBD products don’t contain THC levels above 0.3%.
However, full spectrum CBD products from hemp still do contain trace amounts of THC, which every body metabolizes differently.
So it’s not likely but there always is a small risk, depending on the type of test and how long you’ve been using it.
That’s why if you’re at risk of losing your job or getting in trouble because of drug testing, we recommend avoiding CBD altogether.
All CBD is definitely not safe.
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that:
- Only 26 of 84 samples of CBD oils, tinctures, and vape products purchased online contained the amount of CBD claimed on their labels (a paltry 31%).
- 20% of products had THC levels possibly high enough to result in intoxication or impairment, especially among children.
- 25% had less CBD than advertised.
The facts don’t lie. That’s why it’s so important to choose products from companies who can provide proof of lab testing so you know it’s safe!
The 2018 U.S. farm bill removed hemp (including hemp-sourced CBD) from the list of Schedule I illegal substances.
It also gave the U.S. Food and Drug Administration oversight of regulating hemp-based CBD products.
The FDA’s position is that CBD cannot legally be added to food or marketed as dietary supplements … and they have enforced this.
To date, the FDA has sent warning letters to several CBD companies, mostly due to medical claims.
Some don’t think the FDA is doing enough but the bottom line is, the FDA doesn’t have the capacity to police the thousands of CBD brands available for sale now.
It’s up to you as the consumer to do your due diligence and first talk to a healthcare professional to determine if CBD is safe for you and only then making sure you’re choosing a CBD product that has been lab tested to verify you’re getting what it says on the product label.
And hopefully the FDA comes up with a common set of safety guidelines by which manufacturers must abide sooner than later.
Taking CBD may come with side effects for some people.
There are also potentially serious interactions with other medications (such as with the anticoagulant drug warfarin).
This should go without saying, but talk to your doctor before taking CBD—especially if you’re taking other medications.
Here’s what the FDA has to say about CBD on its website:
The FDA is working to learn more about the safety of CBD and CBD products. More specifically:
- The effects CBD could cause in the body, such as toxicity to the liver, when someone ingests CBD regularly over a long period of time. During its review of the marketing application for Epidiolex — a purified form of CBD that the FDA approved in 2018 for use in the treatment of certain seizure disorders — the FDA identified certain safety risks, including the potential for liver injury. These are serious risks that can be managed when an FDA-approved CBD drug product is taken under medical supervision, but it is less clear how these risks might be managed when CBD is used far more widely, without medical supervision and not in accordance with FDA-approved labeling.
- The cumulative exposure to CBD if people access it across a broad range of consumer products. For example, what happens if you eat food with CBD in it, use CBD-infused skin cream and take other CBD-based products on the same day? What if you use these products daily for a week or a month?
- The effects of CBD on special populations (e.g., the elderly, children, adolescents, pregnant and lactating women) or types of animals.
- The safety of CBD use in animals.
Long story short …
