Some CBD products can set off alarms on drug tests
Q: In my state, marijuana use is illegal. I started using CBD products to treat nerve pain after a shingles attack.
I’m not sure that it worked all that well, but the CBD helped me get through until a neurologist could figure out a treatment program.
The problem is that I tested positive for marijuana even though I was only using CBD. How could that happen?
A: CBD is short for cannabidiol, a compound found in Cannabis sativa, the Latin name for marijuana. CBD does not make people high like another marijuana compound, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Despite this, some CBD products may contain enough THC or other cannabinoids to set off alarms on a drug test. It’s impossible to say whether this is due to inherent biological variability in the source plants or contamination during processing.
In theory, CBD has nothing to do with THC. But as Yogi Berra has been quoted: “In theory, there is no difference between practice and theory. In practice, there is.”
Q: About a month ago, someone wrote to you that Neosporin cleared up their toenail fungus in short order. I’ve been on prescription ciclopirox for three years without results.
I tried Neosporin ointment for a month and got absolutely no help. You need to fully investigate these claims by people. If they don’t work, print a retraction!
A: We understand your frustration, but even the most powerful Food and Drug Administrationapproved prescription drugs to treat nail fungus don’t work all the time. And they usually take up to a year for a complete cure.
So-called nail fungus is not always caused by a fungal infection. A study published in the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association (March 1, 2021) revealed that many cases are mixtures of bacteria and fungi, and a minority is caused by fungus alone.
Topical medicines like ciclopirox have a cure rate of less than 12% after almost a year. That’s not very impressive. The reader who got good results with Neosporin used it on the recommendation of a podiatrist who had tested the nails. Those nails were infected with bacteria.
Q. I read your article about a cat sickened by Voltaren gel.
The owner was using this topical NSAID to treat her sore thumbs and wrists. Cats groom themselves by licking their fur. I suspect that
the major factor in its kidney damage was this oral ingestion. Are there other products that cat owners should be careful about?
A: Thank you for reminding us how vulnerable animals can be to some human medications. Another compound of concern is the topical hair growth product called minoxidil (Rogaine). A report in the Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association (September-October 2021) described 87 cases of poisoning in cats and dogs. Cats licked the owners’ skin or pillowcase. Dogs more often found a container rummaging through the trash.
This product can make both dogs and cats quite ill, and 13% of the cats died. People who allow their pets in bed must be especially careful to avoid exposing their pets to topical medications. The residue left on a pillow from hair products can be toxic.