Cannabidiol (CBD) has been gaining attention in recent years as a potential treatment for opioid addiction. CBD is a cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant, and it has been found to have a number of therapeutic benefits, including reducing anxiety and pain. In light of this, researchers have been exploring the potential of CBD to help people with opioid addiction. Dr.
Hurd, a professor of psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, was one of the first to explore the potential of CBD for treating opioid addiction. He conducted a study to test the effects of CBD on a large number of people. He found that CBD seemed to meet several criteria for taking a safe approach to preventing drug use behavior. It is not an opioid, it is not addictive, it is relatively long-lasting, and it seems to reduce anxiety, which is common among people with substance use disorders. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued warning letters to two companies for illegally selling unapproved products containing CBD in a manner that violates the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD&C).
This measure is part of the FDA's efforts to prosecute companies that illegally market CBD products on the grounds that they can treat medical conditions, including opioid addiction, or as an alternative to opioids. According to FD&C, any product intended to treat a disease or that has a therapeutic or medical use in another way, and any product (other than food) that aims to affect the structure or function of the body of humans or animals, is considered a drug. The FDA has not approved any CBD product other than a prescription drug for human use to treat rare and serious forms of epilepsy. Unlike FDA-approved drugs, the FDA has not evaluated whether these unapproved products are effective for their intended use, what the appropriate dosage might be, how they might interact with FDA-approved drugs, or whether they have dangerous side effects or other safety problems. Consumers may also postpone obtaining important medical care due to unsubstantiated claims related to CBD products. For this reason, it is important for consumers to talk to a health professional about how best to treat diseases or conditions with approved and existing treatment options. In March 2020, the FDA presented updated information on its work related to CBD products with a focus on protecting public health and providing clarity to the market. The FDA remains concerned that some people mistakenly think that the large number of CBD products on the market have been evaluated by the FDA and determined that they are safe, or that consuming CBD is “not harmful”.
The FDA remains focused on educating the public about the number of outstanding questions regarding the safety of CBD. There may be risks that need to be considered before using CBD products outside the supervised framework of a prescription from your healthcare provider. The FDA is responsible for protecting public health by ensuring the safety, effectiveness and safety of drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human and veterinary use, as well as medical devices. Cannabinoids such as CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the chemical in marijuana that causes its intoxicating effects, act through a natural system that influences eating behavior and pleasure. CBD is one of approximately 100 so-called cannabinoids in cannabis (the scientific name of marijuana), a grey-green mixture of dried flowers containing more than 500 chemicals. However, research has found that products containing only CBD also relieve pain and can be used as an alternative to painkillers.
Scientists are now studying CBD with improved bioavailability (meaning that it enters the body faster) and will control desire in real time using a mobile application that tracks behavior and analyzes both short-term (weeks) and long-term (6 months) effects. The U-M team discovered that more than 70% of people with fibromyalgia who used CBD replaced their painkillers with CBD. If clinical trials confirm these results and block the desire to consume opioids, companies may be willing to continue developing CBD as a treatment for preventing relapse into opioid use disorder. From a clinical point of view, it is imperative to open up lines of debate on the use of CBD for chronic pain, said Boehnke.
This is for reasons of drug safety as well as “improving therapeutic alliance and improving patient care”.
CBD
, short for cannabidiol, has been gaining attention as a potential treatment for opioid addiction due its therapeutic benefits such as reducing anxiety and pain. The FDA has issued warning letters to two companies for illegally selling unapproved products containing CBD. The FDA has not approved any CBD product other than a prescription drug for human use to treat rare and serious forms of epilepsy.Scientists are now studying CBD, with improved bioavailability, as an alternative treatment for opioid addiction.
