Cbd Research Paper

The legal status of CBD is one of the most misunderstood issues in the medical marijuana discourse. Outside of formal legal opinion, some make the argument that CBD is entirely legal, while others argue that it is illegal. Roughly a half of all U.S states have passed marijuana legislations that permit the use of medical marijuana to treat specific conditions. While this has been the case, the Federal Government has shown no indication that they will reclassify marijuana from its status as a Schedule 1 drug under the Controlled Substances Act. Listing marijuana in this category is a disappointment to many marijuana advocates, as well as medical marijuana users who have found particular cannabinoids to be beneficial in treating their medical

condition, in a way that conventional medicine has failed. Despite Federal laws, several states have taken their own position on the issue of medical marijuana, and are granting hope to thousands of individuals. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is essentially the marijuana police, and has recently clarified that all marijuana extracts, CBD included, is a Schedule 1 substance. What does this mean for CBD products?
Schedule 1 Status
The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has listed marijuana in the most restrictive category.

This means that marijuana is viewed by the DEA as a drug with a very high probability for abuse, and one that lacks medical value. According to the DEA, “Schedule I drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medicinal use and a high potential for abuse.” Source https://www.dea.gov/druginfo/ds.shtml Along with marijuana (cannabis), heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), ecstasy, methaqualone, and peyote all falls into this category. With the exception of adolescents, science has shown that cannabis is not dangerous for adults and has considerable medicinal benefits in treating cancer, epilepsy, diabetes, and many other ailments. The question remains, “why is marijuana classified as a Schedule 1 drugs?” The answer appears to be rooted in politics more so than any arguments about abuse and safety. Still, the debate surrounding medical marijuana is only expanding, especially in light of a growing interest in the cannabis compound cannabidiol

(CBD).
DEA and CBD
Typical marijuana plant sourcing and industrial hemp plant sourcing of CBD is a distinction that is vital when confronting the legality of CBD.

The general argument is that CBD derived from marijuana is illegal because of the THC content that it contains, while CBD derived from industrial hemp is legal because THC levels are significantly low, and has no ability to cause a high in users. This argument might hold up in states that have established medical marijuana laws. While this may be a collage of state statuary and case laws, they serve as clear examples of the exceptions when it comes to describing the illegality of cannabis. However, the DEA contends that CBD oil, along with all other cannabis component is federally illegal. The fact that individual states have established their own CBD laws is a clear indication that they recognize this as the current

law.

At present, the Federal Registrar established an amendment to “21 CFR Part 1308,” creating a new code number (58) in Schedule 1 for “Marihuana Extract” (7350). Source https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-12-14/pdf/2016-29941.pdf According to DEA spokesperson Russell Baer, “The purpose is to drill down and get more accurate information about research that’s being conducted with CBD in particular.” Source http://www.findingtheanswer.org/the-weed-extract-cbd-wont-get-you-high-but-the-dea-still-treats-it-like-heroin/ The good news is that the DEA cannot create a new law and schedule controlled substances, because that power rest with Congress who would need to establish a piece of legislation to that effect. The DEA’s attempt to categorize the non-psychoactive cannabis compound cannabidiol (CBD) as a schedule one substance is a prime example of the DEA exceeding its authority. Furthermore, while the DEA has authority over marijuana, it does not have the authority to reclassify CBD that is extracted from the hemp plant.
The DEA has classified marijuana as a Schedule 1 substance, placing it in the same category as some of the most dangerous drugs. Despite the medicinal benefits that cannabis components, such as CBD have shown to provide, the Federal government still maintains that cannabis has no medicinal value and has a high risk of abuse. More recently, the DEA has established CBD as a Schedule 1 substance. While CBD derived from marijuana may be subject to this new classification, this is not the case for CBD extracted from the cannabis hemp plant, since the DEA has no governance where hemp is concerned.