Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 3 april 2019
CBD is getting buzz, but does it work? And is it legal?

By CARLA K. JOHNSON and North Carolina. Though
CANDICE CHOI cosmetics aren’t subject to
Associated Press premarket approval by the
With CBD showing up ev- FDA, they could run afoul
erywhere, U.S. regulators of regulations if they make
announced Tuesday they specific health claims.
are exploring ways the Marijuana itself is illegal
marijuana extract could under federal law; most
be used legally in foods, di- states that have legalized
etary supplements and cos- it allow marijuana-infused
metics. The U.S. Food and foods and candies, called
Drug Administration said it edibles.
will hold a public hearing ARE CBD LABELS ACCU-
May 31 to gather more in- RATE?
formation on the science, What you buy may con-
manufacturing and sale of tain much less CBD than
cannabis compounds such the label states — or much
as CBD. In the meantime, it more. It may include more
issued more warning letters THC than you want and it
to companies for making may be contaminated with
unapproved health claims mold or pesticides. Ask to
about CBD products. see testing reports.
Products containing CBD A 2017 study in the Journal
are already in stores and of the American Medical
sold online, so it’s easy Association found 70% of
to believe there must be CBD products were misla-
something special about In this Friday, Jan. 4, 2018 file photo, a worker adds CBD oil to a drink at a coffee shop in Fort beled. Researchers used
the ingredient. But the Lauderdale, Fla. an independent lab to test
claims are largely unprov- Associated Press 84 products from 31 com-
en and quality control stan- sleep and keeps you fo- pany has revised some of how that would be man- panies.
dards don’t exist. cused. wording on its website to aged without oversight. “You’re really flying by the
WHAT IS CBD? Most claims are based on try to address the FDA’s And there are questions seat of your pants when
CBD is one of more than 100 studies in rats, mice or in concerns. about overlap if multiple you buy this stuff,” said au-
compounds found in mari- test tubes. Some human re- PotNetwork Holdings Inc. CBD products are used. thor Marcel Bonn-Miller of
juana. It’s extracted using search has been done, but of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, IS IT LEGAL? University of Pennsylvania.
alcohol or carbon dioxide in small numbers of people. did not immediately return For now, the agency has A product labeled as con-
in factories. It’s added to One exception: For two calls and emails seeking said CBD is not allowed as taining 100 milligrams of
oils, mixed into creams and rare seizure disorders, the comment on the warning an ingredient in food, drinks CBD may only have 5 mil-
lotions and sold in candies evidence for CBD was letters. or dietary supplements. ligrams or it may have 200,
and liquid drops. strong enough to convince Only drugs that have been In stating its position, the said Bonn-Miller, now an
Widely sold online, CBD the FDA to approve GW reviewed by the FDA as FDA cited a provision of adviser for a company that
now is going mainstream Pharmaceutical’s drug safe and effective can the law prohibiting food sells CBD and other can-
with major retailers offering Epidiolex, which contains a make claims that they makers from using active nabis products. He did not
salves and balms for the purified form. treat or prevent diseases or drug ingredients or those work in the industry when
skin. Prices range from $12 The FDA announced Tues- medical conditions. Many still undergoing substantial he did the research.
to $150 an ounce at high- day it has sent warning CBD producers attempt research. But the agency “I wouldn’t trust any of it un-
end shops. letters to three companies to sidestep the issue by us- doesn’t have the resources til I knew independently it
CBD often comes from a marketing products with ing only vague language to police all the CBD prod- was safe,” Bonn-Miller said.
cannabis plant known as what outgoing Commis- about general health and ucts that are already avail- WHAT’S AHEAD?
hemp, which is defined sioner Scott Gottlieb called well-being. able, said Marc Scheine- CBD research is planned
by the U.S. government as “egregious, over-the-line ANY SIDE EFFECTS? son, a former FDA official. or underway for cancer,
having less than 0.3% THC. claims” for CBD’s effects Scant research means not “They’re not going to pull autism, diabetic neuropa-
That’s important because on cancer, Alzheimer’s much is known about side a thousand products from thy, fibromyalgia, chronic
THC is what causes marijua- disease, fibromyalgia and effects either. In epilepsy re- the market,” he said. pain, alcoholism with PTSD
na’s mind-altering effect. drug addiction. Among the search, CBD changed the The FDA’s authority is over and psychiatric conditions.
CBD doesn’t get people cited examples: “CBD suc- way the body processed interstate commerce, and Results will take years, but
high, although it may be cessfully stopped cancer other drugs. That suggests local officials have taken some people aren’t wait-
calming. Keep in mind cells” in cervical cancer. CBD could interact with differing approaches. In ing.
some CBD products may Gottlieb said the agency medications in ways we still New York, Los Angeles and “They are vulnerable and
contain THC, whether or “won’t tolerate this kind of don’t know about. elsewhere, officials are really hoping to feel bet-
not the label says so. deceptive marketing to The most common side warning eateries to stop ter,” said Karen Hande,
People drug tested for vulnerable patients.” effects of the CBD drug selling it in food and drinks. a nurse practitioner at
work, addiction programs Dr. Young Lee, CEO of Ad- Epidiolex include sleepi- Maine passed a law allow- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer
or because they take pre- vanced Spine and Pain LLC ness, decreased appetite, ing it in foods and other Center in Nashville.
scription opioids should (doing business as Relie- diarrhea, increases in liver products in the state. She became an expert in
take note: CBD products vus), said his company had enzymes, exhaustion, rash Skin creams and cosmet- CBD because so many of
have caused people to fail taken down its website af- and infections. FDA’s Got- ics may be on safer foot- her cancer patients were
urine drug screens. ter receiving an FDA warn- tlieb noted Tuesday the ing with the FDA, but that trying it. She tells them the
IS IT A MIRACLE CURE? ing letter. potential for liver injury and too remains uncertain, said evidence isn’t enough to
If you believe the hype, C.J. Montgomery of Nutra other risks can be handled Camille Gourdet of RTI In- back the claims, but “they
CBD treats pain, relieves Pure LLC of Vancouver, with medical supervision ternational, a nonprofit re- want to believe something
anxiety and both helps you Washington, said the com- but less is known about search institute in Durham, is going to work.”q