Cannabidiol (CBD) products are now widely available. Some say it can cure anything from cancer and chronic pain to ADD and anxiety. But can we be sure that children won’t be harmed?
Due to CBD’s relative novelty, studies assessing its efficacy and safety, particularly in children, are still in their infancy. Only one drug that is derived from marijuana has been approved by the FDA so far. Epidiolex is a medication for patients over the age of two with a rare form of epilepsy.
In addition, there aren’t many restrictions on what can and can’t be included in CBD products, CBD vape pen by CBDfx because the industry is still in its infancy. Quality varies widely across products. It’s even possible for one and the same product to contain varying amounts of CBD in each of its various packaging forms.
However, doctors warn that there are dangers associated with giving CBD to children due to the lack of available data. You never know what else might be lurking in your CBD oil or lotion besides CBD. It is also unclear at this time how much CBD you should give your child or if it interacts well with other medications.
Some research suggests that cannabidiol (CBD) oil may be helpful for anxiety, but these studies have only involved healthy participants who were exposed to stressful situations. No research has been conducted on people who suffer from chronic anxiety. CBD’s potential benefits for children with autism spectrum disorder are also being investigated. Initial findings are promising, but more study is required to determine safety and efficacy.
The prevalence of CBD cannot be overstated. They’re selling it everywhere from dive bars to dispensaries for medical marijuana because of the drug’s purported analgesic and mood-enhancing properties.
Although cannabidiol, or CBD, is derived from cannabis plants, it does not contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of cannabis.
CBD has been promoted as a treatment for a wide variety of ailments, from chronic pain to cancer to migraines to anxiety to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and it’s available in vapour, oils, lotions, cocktails, coffee, gummies, and pretty much any other form you can think of.
When even Consumer Reports publishes guides on where to buy CBD and how to use it safely, you know that the product, CBD vape pen by CBDfx has entered the mainstream.
Parents are increasingly turning to cannabidiol (CBD) to aid in concentration, sleep, relaxation, and other issues with their children.
However, there has been surprisingly little study into the safety or efficacy of CBD, especially in children, despite its rising popularity. Epidiolex is the first and only FDA-approved drug derived from marijuana, and it is used to treat a rare and severe form of epilepsy in patients aged two and up. There are risks associated with using products that have not been vetted by the FDA, and since cannabis is still in the early stages of legalization and regulation, there is a wide variety in the quality and dosage of products.
The current state of CBD knowledge.
Hemp has been grown and harvested for centuries because of its medicinal value. Marijuana has been used to treat epilepsy, migraines, and pain since it was included in the United States Pharmocopeia in 1851. However, there hasn’t been a lot of study on either marijuana or CBD because of the 1970 federal law that made cannabis and its derivatives illegal. Research into cannabis was severely hampered by the fact that it was a Schedule 1 substance.
There Are Some CBD-Related Concerns
Despite widespread anecdotal evidence of CBD’s benefits, using such products—especially among children—is not without risk. Below are just a few of the worries:
- It is difficult to know how much CBD you will get from a product. Most don’t provide third-party verification of their active ingredients, so they could have less or more than stated. Analyses of commercially available products reveal that many do not contain the levels of CBD they claim to contain. Dr. Mitrani warns, “So you can’t depend on the quality of what you’re getting.”
- Is there a measurement of absorption? Little is known about the precise amount of CBD that reaches the brain when using a particular product. There is a wide range of delivery rates depending on the method of administration (vaping, oral consumption, ingestion of baked goods, etc.). The effects of CBD can vary depending on the oil used to dissolve it. “Effects can vary considerably based on the delivery system used and the amount people are exposed.
- Potentially harmful additives to products have been found in the past. In some states, CBD products are not required to undergo laboratory testing, which would reveal information about the product’s CBD, THC, and contaminant content. It is more difficult to confirm the product’s safety if no CoA (Certificate of Analysis) is available. Bootleg Recent lung illnesses and deaths that have been attributed to vaping may have a connection to CBD. While the root cause of these illnesses is being investigated, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Medical Association both advise against vaping altogether.
- While CBD itself may be safe, it could potentially interact with other medications a child is taking that are also metabolized in the liver.
- In the case of sleep aids, “your child may become tolerant to it and possibly experience worsening sleep problems if stopped.”
- Since CBD use, especially among children, is still relatively novel, few people are familiar with dosing for children, making it difficult to ascertain an appropriate dosage for your child.
- The doses used in a hospital setting might be very different from those used in a cafe.
- It is still unclear whether or not CBD and other cannabis products are legal. CBD derived from hemp is legal on a federal level, while CBD derived from marijuana plants is state-by-state legal but illegal on the federal level. Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration issued a statement clarifying that CBD products, even if they are derived from legal, commercial hemp, cannot claim to have therapeutic benefits or be sold as dietary supplements unless they have been approved by the FDA for that use.
