CBD has become a multibillion business with many potential health benefits and one FDA approved drug to treat epilepsy. Many people still wonder if CBD is legal or illegal and whether the FDA has outlawed CBD and hemp oil or not. Has FDA outlaw CBD and hemp oil? The short answer is ‘no’. However, the FDA hasn’t approved any CBD product that claim medical properties except for the aforementioned drug to treat epilepsy.
Some CBD products are being marketed with unproven medical claims and are of unknown quality. These are the kind of products the FDA target, especially the ones that have been marketed as ‘food supplements’. Under federal law, it’s illegal to market any CBD product as a dietary supplement.
What’s CBD Exactly?
CBD is a cannabinoid found in cannabis. There are two terms that usually are confused: hemp and cannabis (marijuana). Basically, hemp is the term used to define a cannabis plant that contains very low THC concentrations. In other words, very low concentrations of the psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Under federal law, only CBD products containing less that 0.3% of THC are legal.
CBD is mainly used to treat two forms of child epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. The FDA has only approved CBD for this specific purpose. However, CBD is also widely used to treat anxiety and anger. Many people claim improvements after a prolonged used of CBD.
These products still need to be researched and that’s why the FDA hasn’t approved any CBD products that have been marketed as “dietary supplements”.
CBD is the second most prevalent cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant. CBD obtained from hemp plant is legal in the US as these cannabis plants contain neglectable amounts of THC, which is the psychoactive cannabinoid. Nonetheless, cannabis plants are still illegal in most parts of the US.
Even though we still need more research about CBD, there are many people who claim that CBD does wonders to alleviate anxiety. In this video, Joe Rogan talks about CBD and how it relieves his anxiety:
Does CBD have any Dangers?
It has some dangers, especially because there are so many products that haven’t been tested. For example, some CBD products have been promoted as good for pets, but there are also some CBD products that have caused liver damage to pets. In other words, do not give CBD products to your pet before consulting to a vet.
Another problem with CBD product is that many CBD products contain much less CBD than claimed on the label.
The FDA wants to know to what extent CBD can cause any negative health impact or interaction with other drugs or medicines.
CBD and Ongoing Researches
Researches are still ongoing and according to FDA, CBD products can:
- Cause liver damage (some so called CBD products may contain other substances that can cause liver damage). It hasn’t been proved that CBD causes liver damage, the FDA is researching only potential liver damage caused by CBD intake.
- CBD can affect how other drugs you are taking work, potentially causing serious side effects and interactions (that’s why more research about dosage is important).
- “Use of CBD with alcohol or other drugs that slow brain activity, such as those used to treat anxiety, panic, stress, or sleep disorders, increases the risk of sedation and drowsiness, which can lead to injuries”.
- It may also cause male reproductive toxicity or damage to offspring of women that have been exposed to CBD. More research is needed about CBD and toxicity.
- Finally, CBD may have some side effects such as changes in alertness, diarrhea and changes in mood. Therefore, it’s important to address what happens if you take CBD daily for a prolonged time and how do the different intake methods affect us.
FDA outlaws CBD and hemp oil? No, the FDA does not outlaw CBD or hemp oil. However, it does not approve any CBD product promoted as a dietary supplement.
FDA outlaws CBD and hemp oil? What Does FDA say About CBD?
Other than the aforementioned prescription CBD drug to treat two rare forms of epilepsy, the FDA has not approved any other CBD product. This stems from the lack of information about side effects, dosage and long-term effects caused by CBD.
Claims that the FDA outlaws CBD and hemp oil are not true. The FDA is responsible for the approval of CBD products and to determine its potential usage. Taking CBD with other medications may increase or decrease the effects of the other medications. Therefore, the FDA needs more information about CBD dosage in order to approve its use as a dietary supplement. In addition, CBD experiments with animals have shown male reproductive toxicity. However, further testing is needed to determine to what extent it can negatively affect the human male reproductive system and fertility.
Basically, the FDA needs to determine the cumulative exposure, effects on elderly, children etc., and the effect of CBD on animals.
The quality of many CBD products may be in question. Many of these products have not been subject to any FDA evaluation. For example, the FDA has warned companies to stop market any products they state prevent cancer, help to treat Alzheimer’s disease or psychiatric disorders or even diabetes. These claims could be dangerous for vulnerable people.
In conclusion, the FDA warns consumers to think carefully before consuming products that haven’t passed any quality controls. For example, claiming that it cures cancer or any other disease.
Conclusion: FDA Outlaws CBD and Hemp Oil?
The FDA has only approved one product to treat two forms of epilepsy. Any other CBD products that has been marketed as “dietary supplement” is not FDA approved. In addition, FDA has tested the chemical content of cannabinoid compounds in some products, and many were found to not contain the levels of CBD they claimed to contain. Furthermore, the FDA publishes every year a letter containing the names and information of companies that market CBD products that contain less CBD that what they claim. If you want to access these lists you can click here.
Stay informed and only choose good quality CBD products. We need to understand that the CBD industry is “new” with lots of products and still many ongoing researches. Some people claim that FDA outlaws CBD and hemp oil, however, this claim is partially right. FDA does not outlaw CBD and hemp oil, instead, it has just approved one CBD drug to treat epilepsy. Further research is needed to approve other CBD products.