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Lawmakers Consider Weed’s Long-Term Effects

Lawmakers
Cannabis gummies | Image by OlliverQueen/Shutterstock

Amid discussion of further regulating cannabis use, lawmakers are considering the substance’s possible detrimental effects.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) previously announced that it was seeking new pathways to regulate CBD products, as reported by The Dallas Express. CBD, or cannabidiol, is one of the two types of cannabinoids derived from the cannabis plant. The other cannabinoid is THC, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, which gives users a psychoactive “high” and has varying degrees of legality across the U.S.

Products containing CBD have quickly become commonplace. As previously reported by The Dallas Express, CBD gummy vending machines were added to Grapevine Mills Mall in October 2022.

CBD has been linked to reducing stress, anxiety, and inflammation, as well as improving overall sleep and wellness, according to Medical News Today.

Research conducted by the National Library of Medicine in 2018 also suggested a potential for use in the fight against obesity, which remains one of the top issues in the nation as rates continue to rise. This study focused on the relationship between obesity and cannabinoids, discovering that the cannabinoid receptor “ablation or inhibition” aided in the reduction of body weight and food consumption.

Despite the widespread use of CBD and the spread of legalized THC, some federal officials, medical authorities, and policymakers have begun pointing out how little is actually known about cannabis and its effect on health.

“We really have to slow down,” said Leana Wen, a practicing physician, former health commissioner of Baltimore, and professor of public health at George Washington University, speaking to Politico. “We’re getting so far ahead of where the research is.”

Thus, a major obstacle to the FDA’s better regulation of CBD products is that federal officials have not yet quantified how much of the substance could be consumed before causing detrimental effects.

“Under the law, any substance, including CBD, must meet specific safety standards to be lawfully marketed as a dietary supplement or food additive,” said Janet Woodcock, MD and principal deputy commissioner for the FDA, in a statement last month. However, she points out that the FDA has “not found adequate evidence to determine how much CBD can be consumed, and for how long, before causing harm.”

This FDA announcement came after Congress called on the agency to make these changes in order to minimize damages associated with the substance.

“Consumers need to be able to know how much THC is in the products they are consuming, as opposed to the unregulated market we are currently facing which makes it nearly impossible to know,” said Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), according to Politico.

Rep. James Comer (R-KY), chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, told Marijuana Moment that he would challenge the FDA in terms of regulatory practices for CBD products.

“I want to bring the FDA commissioner in front of the committee, and this is one of the things that we want to talk about,” said Comer, according to Marijuana Moment. “It’s not just their lack of action with respect to CBD and other types of hemp — it’s their inaction regarding a lot of areas of their jurisdiction.”

Other lawmakers have also called for more regulations on cannabinoid products. Such individuals include representatives such as Blumenauer and Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH).

“One of the reasons I have fought so hard to be able to legalize, regulate and tax is because I want to keep this out of the hands of young people,” said Blumenauer, according to Politico.

“It has proven negative consequences for the developing mind,” he continued.

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1 Comment

  1. R Reason

    If the concern really is about kids, maybe start with a non-candy wrapper; and then work on ending prohibition for adults.

    Oh that’s right, the feds can’t do squat while it’s listed as a Sched. 1 Narcotic, except arrest half the country, and throw them in jail.

    I’ll smoke a bud to that, if it is ever decriminalized, of course.

    Reply

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