Currently, the only CBD product approved by the Food and Drug Administration is a prescription oil called Epidiolex. It is approved to treat two types of epilepsy. Medical marijuana received a lot of attention a few years ago when parents said that a special form of the drug helped control seizures in their children. The FDA recently approved Epidiolex, which is made of CBD, as a therapy for people with very severe or difficult to treat seizures.
In some studies, some people experienced a dramatic drop in seizures after taking this medication. This creates a vicious circle in which marijuana and CBD are not fully legal because there is no data on their safety and effectiveness, and their medical use is not proven because there is not enough evidence because it is illegal. Cannabinoids, the active chemicals in medical marijuana, are similar to chemicals that the body produces that are involved in appetite, memory, movement and pain. While it is less applicable to CBD oil because it lacks the high level of THC that is present in prescriptions for medical marijuana, doctors must also ensure that the patient has no history of substance abuse.
The details, which appear in the journal Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids, could help doctors prescribe medications more safely to people who use cannabinoid products. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) considers marijuana to be a Schedule I drug, as are heroin, LSD and ecstasy, and is likely to be abused and lacking medical value. That means that the strength and ingredients of medical marijuana can differ greatly depending on where you buy it. To avoid questions about improper prescribing of CBD oil for medical conditions, the FSMB recommends that doctors first ensure that they have a documented and existing medical relationship with the patient before recommending products such as CBD oil.
But at the same time, the many manufacturers who promote CBD-laden oils, lotions and foods as a panacea for various health problems, often with minimal respect for local laws or medical evidence, are putting medical advocates of CBD in an awkward position. As the use of CBD oil and marijuana for medical purposes increased, and more rules and regulations developed, the recommendation should become less legally strained.
