But since marijuana and cannabis-related products were made illegal in the US in 1970, there has been a dearth of research about either marijuana or CBD.
And since cannabis is in the early stages of legalization and regulation, there is a huge variety in the quality and dosage of products - risks associated with using products that have not been vetted by the FDA. And in approving the first CBD-based drug, Epidiolex, last year the FDA expressed enthusiasm for the research boom that is sure to come, paired with stern words for the flood of marketers of products claiming unsubstantiated health benefits.
Meanwhile, the FDA issued a statement making clear that products that contain CBD - even if they are derived from legal, commercial hemp - cannot claim to have therapeutic benefits or be sold as dietary supplements unless they have been approved by the FDA for that use.
While anecdotal evidence of the benefits of CBD is common, there are risks associated with using these products, especially in children. But popular use of CBD is blowing up with very little research into its safety or its efficacy, especially in children. Without a CoA (Certificate of Analysis) it’s that much harder to verify the safety of the product.