The Future of CBD
The future of cannabidiol (CBD) use in medicine looks promising. The non-addictive, non-toxic, and non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in the marijuana plant, is being heavily researched in labs around the world for its potential medical benefits. Many strains have been bred for medical marijuana use that are very high in this cannabinoid. The chief medical officer of HelloMD wrote in an article about the compound called CBD: The Medicine of the Future, “…recent research has shown that cannabidiol may present more health benefits than any single manufactured drug that’s being prescribed today.”
That is a bold claim, but one with a lot of advocates. However, there is a rather big roadblock that keeps CBD from the prominence that many believe it deserves. CBD is extracted from the cannabis plant, and though the compound is not physically or psychologically addicting, the federal government and Drug Enforcement Agency are not likely to move the plant from a Schedule I drug to a legally obtainable drug in the foreseeable future.
Nonetheless, scientists and researchers continue to study CBDs, and pharmaceutical companies are taking stock of some of the positive findings by producing CBD-based medications. In fact, U.K.-based biotech, GW Pharmaceuticals, is seeking FDA approval for their CBD-based drug used to treat rare forms of epilepsy. The company’s leading product, also marijuana-based, is approved to treat sclerosis spasms and cancer pain in 22 countries, but not the U.S.
The federal government’s disconnect between separating the benefits from any perceived negatives about CBD use is one many hope will be filled with the science and positive discoveries being noted about the drug. Time will tell, but if anything, that patient advocates for the compound have led to the legalization of marijuana in many states, at least for medical use, is a sign of the times. And, with more doctors and scientists noting the benefits of CBD for treating a wide range of conditions, from autoimmune diseases to arthritis, there is hope that CBD will find its place in the medical world.
