Cannabis is still classified by the US government as a Schedule 1 substance, along with heroin, even though an increasing number of states allow medical and recreational use of marijuana. It is considered effective for chronic pain in cancer, chemotherapy-induced nausea, spasticity in multiple sclerosis and some forms of epilepsy. In fact, there are FDA-approved medications for these uses in the US and Canada.
But what about safety? The US Surgeon General issued an advisory in 2019 about potential risks of fetal growth restrictions, low birth weight, preterm birth, neonatal intensive care admission and stillbirth. It is unknown if there are potential harms for the developing brain in childhood and adolescence.
Epidiolex is the only cannabis product approved by the FDA for epilepsy. It is eligible for prescription coverage, a boon to families who have been covering the expense of artisanal products. More such compounds are in development, utilizing oral and transdermal routes of administration.
Keep in mind that CBD has potentially harmful drug interactions. And an important unresolved question is the long-term developmental and cognitive effects of CBD.
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