To be honest with you… not much. I get this question a lot in the office and from my readers. I have been asked by several people to write an article about CBD, which I am happy to do, but I just feel inadequate when trying to provide information on this topic. CBD didn’t become popular until after I graduated medical school and finished residency training. So I have never had any formal training in the area. At the continuing medical education conference that I went to a couple months ago, the presenter only mentioned a few bullet points about CBD and then moved on.

For this article, what I would like to do is to give you the basic Q&A from what I know, and give you some of the sources that I recommend you look into further if you are interested.

What is CBD?

CBD stands for cannabidiol. It is one of the many compounds found in marijuana. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the more popular compound in marijuana. CBD does not have a psychoactive effect so it does not get you high like THC.

How Is it Made?

CBD comes in oil formulations that you can put under your tongue or rub on your skin. CBD comes in capsules and creams and some companies even infuse it into coffee and beer. My dog’s daycare sells a CBD doggy treat. Recently at the conference I attended, I was told that the high lipid content of the CBD oils makes it difficult to absorb through your skin. The presenters recommended using oral formulations of CBD over topical formulations.

What Does it Do?

Recently, companies have been marketing CBD as a kind of panacea that can be bought over-the-counter. You can buy it at most pharmacies now without a prescription. Manufacturers of CBD claim that it can help with anxiety, insomnia, pain, etc. Some of the more outrageous claims include curing cancer. However, the important thing to know is that these claims have not been supported by the FDA.

Who is Regulating the Over-the-Counter Products?

No one. So you really don’t know how much CBD is in each product. Another concern with these over-the-counters is that you don’t know if any THC has cross contaminated the product, which can happen.

Does CBD Show Up on a Urine Drug Test?

No. However as I mentioned above, if the CBD product you are using is contaminated with enough THC, then the THC component will turn up positive on a urine drug test.

What Does the FDA Say About These Products?

Just in the last few weeks, the FDA sent out warnings to 15 companies for illegally selling CBD products. The FDA is currently researching CBD and investigating ways to regulate the products effectively. Read more here: FDA

These are just a few of the popular questions that I get from patients on a regular basis. If you would really like to learn more, then I recommend listening to “On Something” podcast. This podcast is produced by Colorado Public Radio and it focuses on life in Colorado after legalization of marijuana. Listen to Episode 8: CBD: The Hype and The Reality. I thought it was insightful and quite well done.

I would also love to hear from any of you. Leave a comment below if you have had a positive outcome from CBD or if you have had a bad experience. Since doctors have no formal training in this, most of our knowledge comes from what our patients have told us. Perhaps by working together we can all become Wise Patients regarding CBD.