Tag: cannabidiol

  • Potential CBD Treatment for Fentanyl Addiction

    Potential CBD Treatment for Fentanyl Addiction

    Credit: Anankkml

    Researchers at Augusta University have identified a new method to treat fentanyl addiction using a cannabidiol, or CBD, based therapy. The new research, which was published in “Cannabidiol reverses fentanyl-induced addiction and modulates neuroinflammation” by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory’s bioRxiv, offers a promising alternative approach to combat the opioid epidemic, which has claimed hundreds of thousands of American lives.

    Babak Baban, a neural immunologist and associate dean of research at AU’s Dental College of Georgia, has pioneered medical use of CBD. Baban partnered with Phillip Wang, a neuroscientist in the Medical College of Georgia’s Department of Neurology, to co-lead the collaborative research efforts to shed new light on effective treatments for fentanyl addiction.

    Nearly 250,000 Americans have died from opioid overdose since 2018. At the center of the opioid epidemic is fentanyl.

    “Our method is not only effective but also easily applicable, enabling individuals to navigate their journey to recovery safely and with minimal supervision. This is a vital step in addressing the broader social and health impacts of this pervasive issue.”

    Babak Baban

    When studying a mouse model of fentanyl addiction, the AU team found that fentanyl use dramatically elevated neural inflammation and significantly changed innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), part of the innate immunity in the brain, according to a press release. With mounting evidence implicating neural inflammation and ILCs in maintaining and modulating the functions of the central nervous system (CNS), this led them to hypothesize that altered CNS immune systems may also be crucial in fentanyl-induced maladaptation.

    Baban and Wang have shown previously that CBD can reduce neural inflammation restore changes in ILCs, so they decided to apply a similar approach to fentanyl addiction. They found CBD treatment significantly reversed both the elevated neural inflammation and many addiction-related behaviors.

    “With most labs focusing mainly on the neuronal and synaptic plasticity mechanisms of fentanyl addiction, the association between changes in neural inflammation, especially ILCs and addiction, is somewhat surprising and very interesting,” said Wang. “This study helps to improve our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms subserving drug addiction.

    “There is clearly a lot to be learned how inflammation and ILCs interact with learning and memory at behavioral level, with neural plasticity at the synaptic and neural network level, and with the reward pathways at the anatomical level.”

  • Study Finds CBD Cream Helps Repair Skin Damage

    Study Finds CBD Cream Helps Repair Skin Damage

    Credit: ZayNyi

    Topically applied nanoparticle-encapsulated cannabidiol cream helped prevent and repair damage to the skin from ultraviolet A radiation, according to a study.

    “The impacts of ultraviolet (UV) radiation are well described from accelerated skin aging to skin cancer and, while sunscreens and other protective measures are certainly helpful, none of them are full proof,” Adam Friedman, professor and chair of dermatology at George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences and a member of Healio Dermatology’s Peer Perspective Board, told Healio. “We need other ways to address these exposures and cumulative exposures to UV radiation.”

    According to a study conducted by Friedman and his colleagues and published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, CBD has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that could potentially mitigate damage from ultraviolet A exposure, according to reports.

    “UVA radiation is, in some cases, more dangerous than ultraviolet B,” Friedman explained. “For one, it doesn’t burn even close to as much as UVB, so you don’t really know you’re getting exposure.

    “It also gets through clouds and penetrates deeper into the skin, which causes accelerated skin aging by destroying the support structures in the skin like collagen [and] elastin, as well as preventing rebuilding,” he added.

    As a result, Friedman and his colleagues evaluated the potential of CBD as a topical photoprotective and possible reparative agent against UVA-induced skin damage in a prospective, single-center, pilot clinical trial.

    In the study, 19 participants (age range, 22 to 64 years; Fitzpatrick skin types I-III) applied nano-CBD cream, formulated for the skin, or vehicle cream to random, blinded areas of the buttocks twice-daily for 14 days. The treated sites were then irradiated with three or less UVA minimal erythema doses. After 24 hours, the researchers obtained and examined punch biopsies for histology, immunohistochemistry and real-time polymerase chain reaction.

    Results showed that 21% of the participants had less observable erythema on the parts of their skin that were treated with CBD cream vs. the areas that were treated with vehicle. Histology results confirmed that CBD-treated skin had reduced UVA-induced epidermal hyperplasia — a thickening of the epidermis — compared with the vehicle-treated skin (mean change from baseline, 11.3% vs. 28.7%; P = .01).

    Immunohistochemistry also detected reduced cytoplasmic/nuclear 8oxo-guanine glycosylase 1 staining in CBD-treated skin vs. vehicle-treated skin, meaning the CBD-skin experienced less oxidized DNA modification (P < .01).

    According to Friedman, their study also showed that in 50% of individuals, CBD cream stopped UVA-induced deletion of ND4 — a specific injury to DNA that occurs from UVA exposure — compared with vehicle-treated skin. Additionally, no side effects were reported.

    So, what is the future of CBD cream in this indication? Will it replace sunscreen? According to the researchers, it absolutely will not.

    “This isn’t a sunscreen,” Friedman emphasized. “The idea here is not that this will replace sunscreen but that it will prevent or repair damage.”

    Friedman explains that the sun harms the skin by breaking it down and inhibiting the mechanisms that allow collagen to rebuild. However, CBD may be able to regulate that damage.

    “It’s not just that CBD is inhibiting the sun,” he said. “I think it’s actually having a biological effect on the skin and helping move things just like how our own endocannabinoid system would do this.”

    Practically applied, Friedman describes that the use of CBD cream to combat UVA rays could be akin to a moisturizer that is put daily on the skin.

    While this study showed CBD’s potential as a sun-protectant for the skin, Friedman believes that its indications could expand.

    “This isn’t simply about UV exposure,” he said. “We used UV exposure as a way to induce injury to show that CBD can be reparative and protective. But I think it’s not just in the setting of UV, it’s also in general in terms of overall skin health.”

  • Chill Brands to Sell CBD Vapes in WH Smith Stores

    Chill Brands to Sell CBD Vapes in WH Smith Stores

    Credit: William

    Chill Brands said it will sell its nicotine-free CBD vapor products in U.K.-based WH Smith stores.

    The cannabidiol-products company on Monday said a range will be for sale in an initial 150 of WH Smith’s 1,700 stores, according to a press release.

    “These first outlets are WH Smith U.K. travel stores located in airports, train stations and other high-traffic hubs including Heathrow, Gatwick and Kings Cross Station. These areas benefit from an estimated combined daily footfall of more than 500,000 passengers per day,” it said.

    Further to the agreement, it has now secured initial orders worth more than 350,000 Pounds ($428,365) from U.K. retailers, it added.

    Chill Brands said that it continues to work to expand its retail distribution network in the U.K. and the U.S.

  • U.S. FDA Envisions Harm Reduction Approach to CBD

    U.S. FDA Envisions Harm Reduction Approach to CBD

    Credit: Sofia

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration envisions a harm reduction framework for CBD (cannabidiol, an active ingredient in cannabis that doesn’t make you high) through which consumers could make informed choices.

    That’s the pathway described last week by Patrick Cournoyer, who heads the FDA’s Cannabis Product Committee, at the annual Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI) conference.

    In January, the FDA announced that it would not issue long-awaited guidelines for the inclusion of CBD in food and beverages, because the agency’s existing regulatory framework was not appropriate.

    The FDA’s decision came nearly five years after the federal government legalized hemp-derived CBD containing less than 0.3 percent of the psychoactive compound Delta-9 THC via the 2018 Farm Act.

    Concerns over the ingestion of CBD derive from the 2018 approval of the prescription drug Epidiolex, which contains CBD for the treatment of seizures associated with two forms of epilepsy.

    Studies at the time showed a significant potential risk of liver disorder and other side effects from ingesting CBD.

    Cournoyer shed more light on the FDA’s January decision by calling safety concerns regarding CBD in food and beverages “important toxicological red flags that are not typical for food ingredients,” as reported by Cannabis Wire.

    “What’s envisioned here is really a harm reduction framework. The existing pathways that we have for foods and supplements don’t really allow for risk or harm. If it’s shown to be harmful or we can’t really show that it won’t be harmful, then it’s not allowed to be there,” Cournoyer said.

    “What we’re proposing here is a more permissive category where it is acknowledged that there’s a risk here. We can’t eliminate it, but we would view that people can make an informed choice.”

    He did not provide a timeline for the development of a harm reduction framework the FDA could develop in collaboration with the U.S. Congress.

    Congressional lawmakers in the U.S. have refiled a pair of bills meant to provide a pathway for the regulation of hemp derivatives like CBD as dietary supplements and food and beverage additives.

    Earlier versions of the bills were filed last Congress and ultimately did not advance, but advocates and industry stakeholders feel that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recent announcement that it wouldn’t be taking steps to regulate CBD will put pressure on lawmakers to act this time around.

  • Hong Kong Makes First CBD Arrest Since Start of Ban

    Hong Kong Makes First CBD Arrest Since Start of Ban

    Credit: Proxima Studio

    Customs officers have made Hong Kong’s first arrest over cannabidiol (CBD) products after taking a clubhouse worker into custody when he showed up to collect a parcel from Denmark containing two bottles of the recently banned oil.

    Officers found two more used bottles of the same CBD skin oil and four grams of cannabis buds from the man’s locker at the clubhouse of a residence in Yau Ma Tei on Wednesday, according to SCMP.

    Combined with the banned CBD product, the haul was worth about HK$5,000 ($637).

    The case was the first such arrest and seizure since CBD was added to the Dangerous Drug Ordinance, according to Isaac Tsang Yau-chuen, a senior investigator from the customs airport investigation division.

  • U.S. FDA to Seek Congress’ Help in CBD Regulations

    U.S. FDA to Seek Congress’ Help in CBD Regulations

    • “FDA Concludes that Existing Regulatory Frameworks for Foods and Supplements are Not Appropriate for Cannabidiol, Will Work with Congress on a New Way Forward”

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has concluded that a new regulatory pathway for cannabidiol (CBD) is needed. The regulatory agency states it will seek guidance from the U.S. Congress. The new rules would need to balance individuals’ desire for access to CBD products with the regulatory oversight needed to manage risks, according to a press release.

    The FDA is also denying three citizen petitions that had asked the agency to conduct rulemaking to allow the marketing of CBD products as dietary supplements.

    “A new regulatory pathway would benefit consumers by providing safeguards and oversight to manage and minimize risks related to CBD products,” the release states. “Some risk management tools could include clear labels, prevention of contaminants, CBD content limits, and measures, such as minimum purchase age, to mitigate the risk of ingestion by children. In addition, a new pathway could provide access and oversight for certain CBD-containing products for animals.”

    FDA Principal Deputy Commissioner Janet Woodcock stated that a working group she chaired on the subject of CBD regulations closely examined studies related to the CBD-based drug Epidiolex, published scientific literature, information submitted to a public docket, as well as studies both conducted and commissioned by the agency.

    “Given the available evidence, it is not apparent how CBD products could meet safety standards for dietary supplements or food additives,” she stated. “For example, we have not found adequate evidence to determine how much CBD can be consumed, and for how long, before causing harm. Therefore, we do not intend to pursue rulemaking allowing the use of CBD in dietary supplements or conventional foods.

    “CBD also poses risks to animals, and people could be unknowingly exposed to CBD through meat, milk and eggs from animals fed CBD. Because it is not apparent how CBD products could meet the safety standard for substances in animal food, we also do not intend to pursue rulemaking allowing the use of CBD in animal food. A new regulatory pathway could provide access and oversight for certain CBD-containing products for animals.”

    Woodcock said the FDA will continue to take action against CBD and other cannabis-derived products to “protect the public, in coordination with state regulatory partners,” when appropriate.

    The U.S. House Oversight Committee plans to grill U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf about why the agency still hasn’t developed CBD regulations.

    The FDA has said it is planning to release CBD guidance this year.

  • U.S. House Oversight Committee to Grill FDA on CBD

    U.S. House Oversight Committee to Grill FDA on CBD

    Credit: Dogora Sun

    The U.S. House Oversight Committee plans to grill U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf about why the agency still hasn’t developed CBD regulations.

    The FDA has said it is planning to release CBD guidance this year.

    Rep. James Comer, chair of the Oversight Committee, said during an interview with the U.S. Hemp Roundtable advocacy group that his panel wants to ask Califf about the FDA’s “lack of action” on issues including hemp-derived CBD that fall under the agency’s regulatory jurisdiction, according to MJBiz Daily.

    “I want to bring the FDA commissioner in front of the committee, and this is one of the things that we want to talk about,” Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, told the U.S. Hemp Roundtable.

    “It’s not just their lack of action with respect to CBD and other types of hemp – it’s their inaction regarding a lot of areas of their jurisdiction.”

    Comer said he believes the FDA’s focus on Covid-19 and vaccines might have prevented the agency from addressing other issues.

    According to Hemp Today, the FDA has focused on enforcement rather than clarifying what the rules are.

    In March, for example, the FDA and Federal Trade Commission sent letters to several CBD companies warning them about making health claims related to Covid-19.

  • Hong Kong Bans all CBD Products Beginning Feb. 1

    Hong Kong Bans all CBD Products Beginning Feb. 1

    Credit: Proxima Studio

    Hong Kong announced that it will ban all products containing cannabidiol (CBD) beginning on Feb. 1. CBD will be added to the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance (DDO) and will join over 200 substances already listed in the ordinance (including fentanyl, ketamine, heroin, and many psychoactive compounds, eg lysergamides).

    CBD will be added with the already covered “cannabinol and its tetrahydro derivatives (THC); and their 3-alkyl homologues.” Following this change, anyone who possesses or consumes CBD faces up to seven years in jail and fines of up to HK$1 million ($128,000). Manufacturers of CBD may also face life imprisonment, according to Lexology.

    While many users around the world have been promoting the anxiolytic and pain-relieving properties of CBD, Hong Kong’s Security Bureau has taken the view that such claims “lack authoritative scientific proof”. This directive appears to be in line with the ban imposed in China last year for the use of CBD in cosmetic products.

    From the Government reports it remains unclear as to whether other cannabinoids (e.g., CBG, CBDV, CBC, etc.) will be included in the ban. However, from the Narcotics Division memorandum in November, the main concern of the Government appears to be with CBD products that may contain some THC, either “through decomposition or conversion”, and the lack of international regulations for such products.

    “It does appear that with better international regulation and scientific data it is conceivable that the policy around CBD may change again in the future,” the authors write. “Therefore, given that there are no restrictions in Hong Kong for pursuing patent protection for CBD and related technologies, it remains prudent to maintain patents and pending applications in Hong Kong for CBD-related innovations should the position in Hong Kong change, as we have seen in other countries in the region, such as South Korea, Malaysia and Thailand.”

  • Google to Allow Limited CBD Advertising in 3 Markets

    Google to Allow Limited CBD Advertising in 3 Markets

    Credit: NMann77

    In a sudden change of policy, Google will allow the advertising of hemp and topical CBD products in California, Colorado and Puerto Rico under an update to its policies on “Dangerous Products and Services and Healthcare and Medicines.”

    Google did not make clear why it is restricting the advertising to the three distinct markets, according to Hemp Today.

    Advertising for CBD for internal human consumption remains off limits, the company said, including those for “supplements, food additives, and inhalants.” Also, masthead advertising on YouTube (owned by Google), which appears at the top of the page in the main feed across all devices, is not available to hemp and CBD products, under the policy revisions.

    Google also said pharmaceuticals approved by under the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may now also be advertised in those jurisdictions. That part of the rule change will benefit only one producer, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, whose high-CBD Epidiolex is the lone such product approved by the agency to date. Epidiolex is prescribed for severe seizure disorders in children. It was approved by the FDA in 2020.

    The changes take effect Jan. 20. Advertisers can request certification with Google starting on that date, when an application form will be published.

    Google said it has contracted with LegitScript, a Portland, Oregon-based internet and payments compliance company that provides certification in high-risk industries, as a clearinghouse to determine products’ advertising eligibility. Only products that pass muster with LegitScript can be promoted on Google platforms.

    Those seeking certification to advertise on Google must provide samples of their products or THC testing and provide LegitScript with third-party certificates of analysis, according to Google.

  • U.S. FDA Could Drop CBD Guidance ‘Within Months’

    U.S. FDA Could Drop CBD Guidance ‘Within Months’

    Credit: Sofia

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is planning to make recommendations on how to regulate the use of the popular cannabis compound cannabidiol (CBD) in food and supplements, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing agency officials.

    After weighing the evidence on the compound’s safety, the FDA will decide within months how to regulate legal cannabis and whether that will require new agency rules or new legislation from Congress, according to the report.

    In an interview, Janet Woodcock, the FDA’s Deputy Commissioner and leader of the agency’s cannabis regulation efforts, expressed concern about the safety of CBD and whether current regulatory pathways for food and dietary supplements are suitable for this substance.

    However, the agency is interested in determining whether it is safe to consume CBD on a daily basis for extended periods of time or during pregnancy.

    Woodcock mentioned concerns about potential effects on fertility in the future, but, at the same time, her comment signaled that the agency is working to establish regulatory frameworks for the legal sale of appropriate cannabis and cannabis-derived products.

    CBD is a chemical compound found in cannabis plants. It is one of the main ingredients in cannabis, but unlike THC, it does not cause a high or have psychoactive effects.

    The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp cultivation in the U.S., which led to significant growth in the market for CBD products. These products, sold as dietary supplements, are believed to have health benefits. As a result, many businesses in the cannabis industry are now selling CBD products across the country.

    In recent months, the FDA posted warning letters to at least nine companies for illegally selling products containing CBD. The companies are accused of selling products containing CBD that the FDA states some people may confuse for traditional foods or beverages that do not contain CBD or were making medical claims about their CBD products.

    In 2021, The FDA told Charlotte’s Web Holdings Inc., one of the world’s largest CBD companies, that its cannabidiol product cannot be sold as a dietary supplement, signaling that CBD reform may have to wait for congressional action.

    The FDA has not approved any CBD-based products for use as dietary supplements. The only CBD-based product the FDA has approved is Epidiolex, a prescription medication used to treat seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome in children two years of age and older.