Is CBD effective for different Addiction Treatments?

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With the ever-increasing mental health problems, we have seen that in recent years drug addiction has become very common.  Patients of anxiety depression and panic disorders seek relief by taking different drugs.  Drug-related deaths are also increasing day by day.  In a study conducted in the United States, it was estimated that almost 130 people die of opioid overdose in a day.  Not only this, the death rate due to other drugs such as heroin cocaine and alcohol are also raising concerns.

 CBD or cannabidiol has become famous in the last few years for its exceptional health-related benefits.  Research has proved that CBD can have a very sound effect on the body and mind.  It is helpful in pain relief, inflammatory responses, depression, anxiety, seizures and skin health problems.

Can CBD cause addiction?

 CBD is one of many compounds extracted from the cannabis or hemp plant.  It is non-psychoactive and does not cause a high.  The intoxicating compound of the cannabis plant is called tetrahydrocannabinol.  Its presence in the solution can cause addiction.  However, all legal and authorized products of CBD contain only less than 0.3 % of THC making CBD completely safe to use.  Such a minute amount of THC cannot cause any damage to the cognitive abilities of the body.  Once the scientist came to know that CBD was not addictive they started researching on how CBD can work for drug addiction control.  The ability of CBD to regulate the stress response and compulsive behaviour of the body makes it an ideal choice for drug addiction treatment.

CBD to reduce opioid addiction

 Opioids are over the counter drugs given for chronic pain. To our surprise, opioid addiction has become one of the major problems of the time.  Reports say that about 11.4 million people around the world are misusing the prescriptions of painkillers.  Opioids are addictive and it is very hard to stop using them but sometimes they are the only solution for chronic pain, for example, pain caused by cancer treatment methods such as chemotherapy.  Withdrawing opioids can cause symptoms like fever, sweating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, nausea, body aches and dilated pupils.  Using CBD can reduce anxiety and control insomnia.  It can have a very positive effect on the nervous system and in the reduction of addictive behaviour.

CBD for cocaine addiction

 The number of cocaine addict around the world is increasing by folds.  Withdrawing from cocaine can cause fatigue, irritability, education, paranoia and anxiety.  In a study carried out on rats, it was found out that applying CBD on the skin can also reduce impulsivity and anxiety caused by addiction to alcohol or cocaine.  Scientists think that CBD oil can be equally helpful in treating addiction to cocaine in humans.

CBD for alcohol addiction

 About 40% of the people who take admission to drug treatment centres are addicts to alcohol.  It is easily available and it causes many other health issues other than addiction.  Withdrawing from alcohol can be a very unpleasant experience for the addicts.  It can cause anxiety, tremors, sleep disorders, nausea, hallucination, fits, irritability, and sweating.  CBD can help in reducing anxiety and fixing sleep patterns.

CBD for tobacco addiction

 Excessive use of tobacco can cause several forms of cancer.  Withdrawing from tobacco addiction may not cause severe symptoms like other drugs but it is still very difficult to get over this habit.  Nicotine is the main addictive substance of tobacco.  Studies have shown that if CBD is added to inhalers, it can reduce the urge to smoke.

CBD for marijuana addiction

 Pot smoking is a dangerous sport because marijuana can cause adverse effects on different systems of the body.  Addicts may develop a marijuana use disorder in which nothing seems more important than pot smoking.  Withdrawing from marijuana can cause restlessness, irritability, reduced appetite and insomnia.  Excessive intake of cannabinoids in the form of marijuana can reduce the sensitivity of our endocannabinoids.  The body may take up to 3 weeks to recover from the damage done by excessive cannabinoids in the body.  The main psychoactive compound in marijuana is THC which interacts with the cb1 receptor of the body.  CBD is non-addictive and it can also indirectly interact with cb1 receptors.  CBD can reduce anxiety and fix the sleep patterns which decreases irritability and restlessness.

Other health benefits of CBD

CBD is available in several different forms such as gummies, oil, creams, lotions, vapes, and chewing gums. you can choose the right product according to your condition and what your doctor advises.

Here are a few more health benefits of CBD.

·         CBD is found to be very effective in treating epilepsy in children. it can reduce the frequency of seizures and create an overall positive effect on the body.

·         CBD is an excellent treatment method for depression and anxiety disorder. it can be used to treat the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. it increases the production of serotonin that lifts mood and creates a happy internal environment.

·         CBD is a non-addictive alternative for opioids which are given for relief from chronic pain caused by cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. it also reduces the inflammatory responses of the body such as acne and symptoms of psoriasis.

·         CBD topical can be used to treat skin conditions like redness, sensitivity and wrinkles, eczema and irritability.

Wrap up

The health benefits of CBD have remained shadowed for a long time but scientists are carrying out extensive research on how CBD can improve our daily life functions. It is an effective treatment of addiction caused by various potent drugs. However, do not forget to consult your doctor for the right product and its recommended dose.

Why could CBD be labeled as a dietary supplement?

Seasoned CBD users know a lot about CBD legislation and regulations. As per the food, drug, and cosmetics act (FDCA), CBD is a drug but not a dietary supplement. Consequently, selling and marketing of CBD products as nutritional supplements are unlawful.

A particular exclusion clause in the FDCA’s definition for the dietary supplement is the reason behind this rationale. It states, “any article that is approved by FDA as a drug cannot be sold as a dietary supplement”. Epidiolex is a CBD based drug approved by the FDA, and the approval came well before CBD-infused dietary supplements hit the market.

Many stakeholders in the industry put forth a different perspective stating that CBD could be labeled as a dietary supplement. They claim that they market and sell products that contain full-spectrum and broad-spectrum hemp extracts, which is not the same as CBD isolates.

The debates remind us of the court verdict on the status of lovastatin, which is a compound present in red yeast rice. Red yeast was a health product that was in use from thousands of years. The FDA approved the isolated compound (lovastatin) as a drug for treating cholesterol. Consequently, the FDA challenged the use of lovastatin in a dietary supplement.

The court held that the lovastatin utilized in the nutritional product was from a single strain red yeast rice grown under lab conditions. The court added, “the product maker purposely chose and carried out a technique to deliver explicit levels of lovastatin that are distinct than those typically present in red yeast rice.

There are more than hundred distinct cannabinoids plus terpenes present in the hemp plant, and CBD is one of them. Hemp is processed using organic and synthetic extraction methods. Individually, the cannabinoids can be isolated using various extraction methods.

Epidiolex doesn’t contain any cannabinoids other than CBD. Also, it doesn’t contain THC or terpenes that are available in the full-spectrum CBD extracts. Likewise, broad-spectrum CBD extract is another variant that includes several cannabinoids other than CBD.

The similarities of the Pharmanex case and the CBD dietary supplements can’t be overlooked. It may seem that the argument is reliable, but the reality could be different. However, none of the CBD manufacturers filed a legal case with the said argument to oppose the FDA’s stance on CBD infused dietary supplements. Notably, the FDA stated that it may consider the facts against the exclusion clause that prevent the sale and marketing of full-spectrum and broad-spectrum products.

The 2016 draft guidance from FDA says that the FDA secretary has the authority to overrule a particular clause in drug exclusion rule, and the same can be done by issuing a regulation.

A recent congress bill (H.R.5587) would remove the barriers on the sale and marketing of hemp CBD as a dietary supplement across states. Likewise, it seems the lawmakers are not particularly happy about the agency’s stance on CBD, and they would support the regulation of CBD as a dietary supplement.

All we can do is to wait for the FDA’s response in this matter. Nevertheless, it is prudent that the stakeholders in the CBD industry would put forth the similarities of lovastatin case and CBD products as a legal theory to counter any unfavorable actions from the FDA.