ABCs of CBD…Taking the mystery out of Cannabinoids
January 17, 2020
By: Jody Moss
Email: jody.moss@dshs.wa.gov
You see it and hear about it all the time, CBD, Cannabinoids, CBD oil, salves, tinctures, gels, gummies, supplements, mints, cookies, butters and drinks. And all this hype arrives just as the aches and pains of aging do as well. But it can be hard to sort through information on CBD. There is a lot of information out there and not enough research…yet.
Let me be clear – I’m not pushing drugs, and neither is Olympic Area Agency on Aging or Information and Assistance. CBD does not get you high. Let me repeat that, CBD does not get you high. BUT…before trying anything new, it is best to speak to your own medical provider first, as your condition and medications may have contraindications (reasons/side-effects not to take a medication or treatment) for introducing CBD into your regimen.
What we do want to do is clear up confusion and provide access to information to people who want to know more about this new possible option for symptoms, pain and anxiety management.
There are now 47 states as well as Puerto Rico and Washington DC where some form of CBD is legal. In 30 states one does not need a medical prescription to purchase other forms of CBD.
Cannabidiol or CBD is a compound of the cannabis plant. According to a report from the World Health Organization (https://www.who.int/medicines/access/controlled-substances/5.2_CBD.pdff), “In humans, CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential.” Marijuana is a cannabis species with higher levels of THC or tetrahydrocannabinol which delivers the psychoactive impact in marijuana, or the high experience. Hemp is a cannabis species with high concentrations of CBD and lower concentrations of THC.
The lack of research may be surprising, but keep in mind that since the 1930’s it has been illegal to use marijuana, which has precluded performing much in the way of research. In fact, we really only have a limited number of studies on the impacts of cannabis. It was only in June 2018, the Food and Drug Administration approved Epidiolex, the first prescription medication to contain CBD. It’s used to treat rare, difficult-to-control forms of epilepsy.
According to the website History.com, Ancient cultures didn’t grow the plant to get high, but as herbal medicine, likely starting in Asia around 500 BC. There’s some evidence that ancient cultures knew about the psychoactive properties of the cannabis plant. They may have cultivated some varieties to produce higher levels of THC for use in religious ceremonies or healing practice.
The cannabis or hemp plant originally evolved in Central Asia, moving to Africa, Europe and the Americas. Hemp fiber was used to make clothing, paper, sails and rope, and its seeds were used as food. It is an extremely fast-growing plant, easy to cultivate and has many uses, hemp was widely grown throughout colonial America. In the early 1600’s, some colonies even required farmers to grow hemp.
A Forbes online article (found here), noted that according to a Gallup Poll, almost one in five adults over 50 now uses some sort of CBD product. Adults our age are the fastest growing user of almost all cannabis products. Not surprising, as we have more time, more aches, some may have tried it when young. Some assisted living residential facilities are actually taking residents on bus trips to local shops as it is the residents’ wishes to do so.
According to the Harvard Medical School Health Blog ( full article here):
“CBD is commonly used to address anxiety, and for patients who suffer through the misery of insomnia, studies suggest that CBD may help with both falling asleep and staying asleep.
CBD may offer an option for treating different types of chronic pain. A study from the European Journal of Pain showed, using an animal model, CBD applied on the skin could help lower pain and inflammation due to arthritis. Another study demonstrated the mechanism by which CBD inhibits inflammatory and neuropathic pain, two of the most difficult types of chronic pain to treat. More study in humans is needed in this area to substantiate the claims of CBD proponents about pain control.”
The same blog offers these warnings: “Side effects of CBD include nausea, fatigue and irritability. CBD can increase the level in your blood of the blood thinner coumadin, and it can raise levels of certain other medications in your blood by the exact same mechanism that grapefruit juice does. A significant safety concern with CBD is that it is primarily marketed and sold as a supplement, not a medication. Currently, the FDA does not regulate the safety and purity of dietary supplements. So you cannot know for sure that the product you buy has active ingredients at the dose listed on the label. In addition, the product may contain other (unknown) elements. We also don’t know the most effective therapeutic dose of CBD for any particular medical condition.”
An online Healthline article concluded:
- CBD, especially in combination with THC, may be effective in reducing pain associated with diseases like multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
- Using CBD has been shown to reduce anxiety and depression in both human and animal studies.
- Though CBD has been shown to help reduce symptoms related to cancer and cancer treatment, and may even have cancer-fighting properties, more research is needed to assess its efficacy and safety.
- CBD may have beneficial effects on acne due to its anti-inflammatory qualities and its ability to control the overproduction of sebum from the sebaceous glands.
- Though research is limited at this time, CBD has been shown to ease symptoms related to epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease. CBD was also shown to reduce the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in test-tube and animal studies.
- Though more human studies are needed, CBD may benefit heart health in several ways, including by reducing blood pressure and preventing heart damage.
- Some studies suggest that CBD may help with diabetes, substance abuse, mental disorders and certain types of cancers. However, more research in humans is needed.
- And a cautionary note: Although CBD is generally considered safe, it can cause adverse reactions like diarrhea and fatigue in some people. It may also interfere with certain medications.
On page 14 of a research paper produced by the World Health Organization (found here) listed the following diagnoses for which, based on research, cannabis may have some therapeutic results:
Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson ’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Huntington’s disease, Hypoxia-ischemia Injury, Pain, Psychosis, Anxiety, Depression, Cancer, Nausea , Inflammatory diseases, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Inflammatory Bowel and Crohn’s diseases, Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetic Complications.
This same article also stated: “Non-Medical Use, Abuse and Dependence: At present, there are no case reports of abuse or dependence relating to the use of pure CBD. There are also no published statistics on non-medical use of pure CBD.
There is unsanctioned medical use of CBD based products. These are produced from high CBD content plants and distributed in a variety of forms, including oils and capsules. These products are sold online as unapproved treatments for a variety of disorders including epilepsy, cancer, AIDS/HIV, anxiety, arthritis, pain, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Additionally, CBD is being used in skin and beauty products such as shampoos and skin creams.[78, 79] Also see Annex 1: Report on WHO questionnaire for review of psychoactive substances”
From Mayo Clinic’s Dr. Bruce Bauer (blog article here), “CBD use also carries some risks. Though it’s often well-tolerated, CBD can cause side effects, such as dry mouth, diarrhea, reduced appetite, drowsiness and fatigue. CBD can also interact with other medications you’re taking, such as blood thinners.
Another cause for concern is the unreliability of the purity and dosage of CBD in products. A recent study of 84 CBD products bought online showed that more than a quarter of the products contained less CBD than labeled. In addition, THC was found in 18 products.
If you plan to use products containing CBD, talk to your doctor.”
Most of the articles I looked at said the use of CBD products appears to be well tolerated and CBD does not “get you high”. But again, you should check with your medical provider – and without embarrassment – you are not asking about a drug that gets you high, but a promising treatment that needs more research and may help reduce symptoms for many conditions. It has been my own experience that many medical providers are interested in learning more about these options as well.
On a very positive note, there are studies showing that use of cannabis can reduce the use of opiates.
Finally, a highly cautionary note about the other form of cannabis, smoking or otherwise ingesting a marijuana THC product…
- First of all if you are using a vaping tool – STOP! This is the means of ingesting marijuana and tobacco that has recently been considered potentially dangerous.
- The most significant risks to seniors are the risk of falling and the risk of interactions with other medication. Be careful standing up and when moving around when you are high. Talk with your doctor about drug interactions.
- Marijuana strength, dosage, and other elements are not well defined and the marijuana today is much stronger than it as 30 to 40 years ago. Limit your intake as you try a new product.
- Edible products may start slowly and last longer. Don’t keep taking more because you “don’t feel high yet.”
- High levels of THC can worsen anxiety.
- THC can have a negative impact on high blood pressure.
- Smoking marijuana can cause breathing difficulties.
- There can also be negative effects from long term use of marijuana.
So what do we know and what should we do?
- CBD products seem to help certain people and certain conditions
- Much more research is needed.
- Talk to your doctor about whatever you are using
- If you are interested in learning more, talk with your doctor
- Visit a few marijuana stores, ask questions, see what if anything works for you
- Or feel free to ignore this altogether.
Jody Moss is the Director of Contracts Management & Planning for the Olympic Area Agency on Aging and can be reached at 360-379-5064. For help with senior or adults with disability questions call Information and Assistance at 360-452-3221 in Clallam and 360-385-2552 in Jefferson.