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FDA Calls Marijuana Ingredient ‘Beneficial,’ Wants To Know More

By Eric Kiefer (Patch Staff) - Updated August 15, 2017

Marijuana. Ketamine. Fentanyl. One of these drugs is not like the others, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. On Monday, the FDA issued a call for comments in the Federal Register in an effort to help the United Nations' World Health Organization decide whether 17 controversial drugs should face international restrictions under the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances. Read the full notice here.

The drugs up for consideration include marijuana, specifically cannabidiol (CBD), one of the plant’s non-psychoactive components, which is responsible for much of its pain-killing properties.

Other substances up for review include Ketamine, Ocfentanil, Furanyl fentanyl, 4-fluoroamphetamine, Etizolam, Pregabalin and Tramadol.

However, CBD is the only drug on the list that the FDA specifically called “beneficial.”

Here’s what the FDA wrote about CBD:

“Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the active cannabinoids identified in cannabis. CBD has been shown to be beneficial in experimental models of several neurological disorders, including those of seizure and epilepsy. In the United States, CBD-containing products are in human clinical testing in three therapeutic areas, but no such products are approved by FDA for marketing for medical purposes in the United States. CBD is a Schedule I controlled substance under the CSA. At the 37th (2015) meeting of the ECDD, the committee requested that the Secretariat prepare relevant documentation to conduct pre-reviews for several substances, including CBD.”

If you have direct experience with the medicinal benefits of CBD or any of the other substances under consideration, the FDA wants your input. Submit a comment via Regulations.gov here. The deadline for comment is Sept. 13.

As of Tuesday, more than two dozen people have weighed in about the benefits of CBD and cannabis. Comments include:

“I find CBD to be something of a miracle drug, and I'd encourage the FDA to not just legalize, but further study of the benefits of this compound. As a medical cannabis patient, I use CBD frequently to relax and as a pain-relief alternative to acetaminophen and ibuprofen. I also have a dog with epilepsy, and CBD reduces the frequency of his seizures from once every two weeks to once every five weeks. (He also takes prescription medication.)”

“CBD has helped me with fibromyalgia, anxiety and IBS. Pharmaceutical drugs caused me side effects. With CBD I have no side effects. For me it makes life normal again. Imagine living every day of your life in different pain and add on anxiety so strong you get scared to leave your house. The worry of the pain and what might happen is crippling. Now imagine taking pharmpills that add on more symptoms. Then you choose to live in pain to avoid the side effects. When I started using CBD everything changed. I finally felt comfortable out in public again I finally felt like myself again. My pain has been eased my life has been given back to me.”

“My job is that of patient advocate at a dispensary. We have countless patients that depend on using CBD so they can have a comfortable quality of life. We have firsthand accounts that patients have been able to supplement or fully replace [prescription medicines] in their daily regiments. If you came to my place of business for just one day you would see how important CBD and cannabis is for many people from all walks of life.”

“I have been using CBD for over a year. Since then, my sleep has improved, my eczema has all but disappeared. My mood and focus are fantastic. It is not addictive (unlike other products which are completely acceptable to the FDA including alcohol and nicotine). I have seen no negative side effects.”

“It has been extremely helpful in reducing my pain and muscle spasms without having to use something like an opiate or muscle relaxer which affects my cognitive abilities also.”

Source: https://patch.com/new-jersey/montclair/fda-calls-marijuana-ingredient-beneficial-wants-know-more