A division of the World Health Organization declared CBD oil to be safe, with many potential benefits, and recommended that it should remain fully legal.
The recommendations came in a report from the Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD), which advises the global body on how to handle various substances that could be addictive or otherwise harmful.
The authors were unambiguous about their assessment: “In humans, CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential.”
The report also outlines numerous potential benefits of CBD, though the authors emphasized that more research is needed. The findings are an important sign of the shift in attitudes toward this beneficial extract, which thousands of people use regularly. It also places WHO policy at odds with that of the United States: last year, the Drug Enforcement Agency issued frightening statements insisting that CBD remains illegal.
CBD oil is a nutritional supplement made from agricultural hemp, a close relative of psychoactive cannabis, or marijuana, the substance that people consume to feel high. By contrast, while CBD causes few if any side effects, a growing body of evidence suggests it could help conditions ranging from depression to some forms of chronic pain. The hemp industry has promised to fight the DEA in court, if necessary, and so far individual consumers haven’t faced legal trouble as a result of buying CBD-only products.
As we’ll explain below, we believe the latest findings from the WHO could be an important part of changing how CBD is treated, worldwide.
WHO: ‘CBD is not associated with abuse’ but has great healing potential
The ECDD’s report was actually published in November, but received renewed attention from policy makers and in the media after the Dec. 13 publication of a set of the committee’s recommendations for various narcotic substances. The committee raised a serious alarm about the risks posed by carfentanil, a dangerous synthetic opioid similar to the notorious fentanyl, but their response to CBD was sharply different.
While the ECDD wants to see the strictest possible controls put on carfentanil and other synthetic opioids, they argued that CBD should remain totally legal and recommended further investigation of its potential benefits.
Read more at Ministry of Hemp.
World Health Organization Says CBD Safe, With No Potential For Abuse
The World Health Organization declared CBD oil to be safe, with many potential benefits, and recommended that it should remain fully legal. Read more.
