FDA changes its advice for consumers using CBD products

The FDA recently legalised CBD under the 2018 Farm Bill and has, since then, becoming increasingly popular. However, a new consumer advisory released by the agency has found that it could still have the potential to harm users in some cases.

CBD is a non-psychoactive component of cannabis and it doesn’t have any intoxicating properties. It’s believed to have many health benefits, including pain relief, being able to reduce inflammation in the body, and the reduction of anxiety and depression symptoms.

The latest announcement from the FDA says that, although CBD is widely regarded as safe, it doesn’t currently have enough scientific evidence to confirm the advice that it is “generally recognized as safe among qualified experts for use in human and animal food,” as previously thought.

The advisory says that there are possible side-effects. Some of these include liver injury, change in the metabolism of other drugs the person might be taking, and increased risk of drowsiness and sedation when combined with alcohol or other Central Nervous System depressants.

The FDA said that the compound may cause changes in alertness and drowsiness, or in mood, and many consumers aren’t aware of this. It added that it’s still investigating the long-term effects, including how it might interact with other substances.

“The FDA is concerned that people may mistakenly believe that trying CBD ‘can’t hurt,’” the FDA said, adding that it “wants to be clear that we have seen only limited data about CBD’s safety and these data point to real risks that need to be considered.”

“Aside from one prescription drug approved to treat two pediatric epilepsy disorders, these products have not been approved by the FDA and we want to be clear that a number of questions remain regarding CBD’s safety – including reports of products containing contaminants, such as pesticides and heavy metals – and there are real risks that need to be considered.”