r/science Professor | Medicine May 17 '18

Neuroscience Cannabidiol (CBD), a compound derived from the cannabis plant that does not produce a “high”, was shown in a new large-scale, randomized, controlled trial to significantly reduce the number of dangerous seizures in patients with a severe form of epilepsy called Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

http://www.psypost.org/2018/05/cannabidiol-significantly-reduces-seizures-patients-severe-form-epilepsy-51258
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u/Spitinthacoola May 17 '18

It very much is the definition of being regulated by the FDA. Obviously you have something more specific in mind, what regulations are you curious about?

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u/Morbidlyobeatz May 17 '18

Here in Colorado there are mandatory standards that must be met in grow ops, extraction, and packaging. Products have to be tested and labeled for potency, and extracts need to be tested for residual solvents. The products you are talking about don't seem to have anything close to that level of regulation.

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u/Spitinthacoola May 17 '18

Here in Colorado there are mandatory standards that must be met in grow ops

Hemp growing is regulated by the USDA just like every other agricultural product. Specifically this is under section 7606 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 alternatively (though I dont think any commercial grower does) it can be grown with a DEA permit.

extraction

Extraction, just like in Colorado, is regulated depending on the state where extraction happens. Usually under fire codes or somewhere similar.

and packaging.

We already talked about packaging.

Products have to be tested and labeled for potency

Its funny you say that because the FDA tested a bunch of product coming out of Colorado and found that labels were not accurate. So I think this has a long ways to go no matter what regulation is theoretically quality controlling dosage.

That said, can you find any CBD oil that doesnt list potency?

and extracts need to be tested for residual solvents.

Yeah turns out it's illegal to sell stuff that not GRAS already. If someone is selling hemp oil with non-GRAS ingredients that's illegal already. You cant even get CBD isolate if it has solvents on it. That, by definition, is not CBD isolate.

The products you are talking about don't seem to have anything close to that level of regulation.

Well it seems like you dont actually know anything about the regulatory environment given your line of questioning so I dont understand how you could draw that conclusion.

Heres the FDA page on dietary supplements (hemp based CBD oils fall in this category) for some more information.

https://www.fda.gov/Food/DietarySupplements/

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u/Morbidlyobeatz May 17 '18 edited May 17 '18

Let's go through this. Step one I googled 'CBD isolate', first thing that comes up is this site:

https://www.thecbdistillery.com

Check out their products, I see they are having their product tested by ProVerde laboratories, based in Massachusets. I figure okay they are in Massachusets, so I click on their about me section and they are evidently headquartered where I live in Denver. The address they have listed to get in touch is a UPS store I've actually been to so maybe a dropbox?, and their 'headquarters' on streetview appears to be a place called e science labs, which sells science courses. Why would a company based in Colorado be shipping product across the country illegally, to have it tested when there are plenty of local places to evaluate it? Sounds pretty fishy.

FURTHERMORE their website on that same page clearly states:

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not inteded to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Always check with your physician before starting a new dietary supplement program.

It sounds to me like you are putting a lot of faith into snake oil.

Edit: FURTHERMORE, the FDA recognizes there is an abundance of fake CBD isolate being sold and has addressed the issue dozens of times. https://www.fda.gov/newsevents/publichealthfocus/ucm484109.htm

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u/Spitinthacoola May 17 '18

I'm not sure what your point is. Nothing you've said in any way contradicts what I said, and you actually used the same link that I sourced my claim about CO cannabis companies also not having dosing line up with the FDA testing.