Eyeing pot compound that won’t get you high
Think about cosmetics, skin creams and arthritic topical creams Cannabis is being eyed by companies of all stripes.
It’s being touted as the next new miracle ingredient for everything from pet treats to antiaging face creams and elixirs that can help an athlete’s aching body recover faster.
But that’s not the only reason that cannabidiol or CBD, a compound derived from cannabis that doesn’t get people stoned, is being eyed by companies of all stripes including beverage giant Coca-Cola.
Regulations and attitudes are warming up to it and the potential for CBD-infused products to be available on grocery or pharmacy shelves — instead of in tightly-regulated pot shops — in the not-so-distant future.
Including in Canada down the road, says Trina Fraser, an Ottawa-based lawyer who advises the cannabis industry.
Globally, the market for CBD could be “massive,” she said.
“Think about cosmetics, and skin creams, and arthritic topical creams, and all sorts of types of products that you would go to a drugstore to buy that could have these potential- ly therapeutic effects from CBD ... That’s certainly not unrealistic, and I think in fact, odds are, we will be there (in Canada). I hope, within the next five years.” CBD is a compound found in cannabis and hemp heralded for its therapeutic effects, but does not produce a narcotic effect. Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the psychoactive compound that gives users a high.
Research evidence, as for cannabis overall, is slim but the an- ecdotal buzz about CBD is building.
“The body of research around it is still catching up, it’s still in progress, but that word of mouth is really what’s driving it,” said Bethany Gomez, a legal cannabis and CBD industry researcher with Brightfield Group.
Products with CBD in Canada are illegal unless authorized for medical purposes, according to Health Canada. When Canada legalizes pot for recreational use on Oct. 17, products with CBD will be regulated similarly to marijuana products.
World Health Organization experts said last year that CBD in its pure state “does not appear to have abuse potential or cause harm” and it should not be internationally scheduled as a controlled substance. WHO added that initial studies show that CBD could have some therapeutic value for seizures due to epilepsy and related conditions.
Some athletes now have the green light to use CBD. The World Anti-Doping Agency last year said CBD products would be OK for use, provided it does not have any THC, which remains banned.
Health Canada also put forward an exemption last month for industrial hemp farmers with the proper licenses to harvest and store the whole plant including the flower, where CBD is found, not just the stalk and seeds which produce little amounts of the cannabinoid. The farmers will be then able to sell it to a licensed processor for lrgal sale under the Cannabis Act.