DEA eases restrictions (kind of) on CBD research

In the waning moments of 2015, the DEA made research into CBD a little bit easier… kind of. No matter the size, this is a step forward into researching the medicinal benefits of Cannabis and the specific cannabinoid, CBD. Cannabidiol (CBD) which is non-psychoactive, has shown tremendous benefits to children suffering from seizure disorders and has created a wave of families moving to states with legal Cannabis in hopes to treat their desperately sick children. Simply google "cannabis refugee" and you will find dozens of stories.

The recent changes only apply to a select group of researchers. According to the DEA spokeswomen, she said the changes currently applies to 76 researchers nationwide. All of these groups have FDA approval and the DEA's authority to conduct research into CBD, although the infrastructure in the current Cannabis industry has the potential to add significant resources should they be given permission or restrictions are lifted. The noteworthy change comes in the form of how the approved researchers expand their studies and obtain CBD through the federally supplied program or pharmaceutical companies already developing CBD based medicines. Big pharmaceutical companies, like GW Pharmacuticals, are the big winner here. In the previous system, studies would routinely be delayed as requests for more Cannabis needed approval, now they can "modify protocol and continue their research seamlessly".

Cannabidiol (CBD) jumped into the national spotlight a few years back with the CNN special "Weed" by Dr. Sanjay Gupta. The first in a series of special presentations, Dr. Sanjay Gupta travelled to Colorado and met with many of the Cannabis refugees. The episode focuses on a young girl named Charlotte, who suffers from Dravets syndrome. As their child suffered from dozens of daily seizures, her parents had tried everything under the sun, except for Cannabis. The results are truly amazing and we encourage you to watch the special presentation, which you can find HERE

As we move into 2016, we are headed in the right direction. It's not "whole plant medicine" which anecdotally seems superior compared to isolated compounds from Cannabis, but the fight moves forward. It's an encouraging step on the road to providing people of all ages relief from many common ailments and diseases. Medical Marijuana or Marijuana as medicine, is a real thing and soon will no longer be deniable as a myth.

#alternativewaystomedicate #health #mmjfacts