Health Canada Confirms It: CBD Is 'Safe And Tolerable'

According to a report titled “Review of cannabidiol: Report of the Science Advisory Committee on Health Products Containing Cannabis,” published in July by Health Canada (the country's federal agency for public health) CBD is “safe and tolerable” in healthy adults and should be available without a prescription.

“The committee unanimously agreed CBD is safe and tolerable for short-term use (a maximum of 30 days) at doses from 20 milligrams per day (mg/day) to a maximum dose of 200 mg/day through oral administration (i.e. by mouth via capsules or oils) for healthy adults provided they discuss the use of any other medications with their pharmacist,” reads the report. “There is not enough evidence to support that long-term use of CBD is not harmful for people, even at doses lower than 200 mg/day.”

Paul Pedersen, CEO of Nextleaf, a firm that makes CBD and THC extracts, estimates Canada’s current illicit CBD market to be worth about $4 billion a year. Pedersen believes now CBD products will be easier to find in grocery and supplement stores. “Anywhere that sells vitamins, we’re excited to be able to sell CBD in those environments,” Pedersen told MJBizDaily.

The committee recommended that all health products containing CBD should carry statements on potential interactions “between CBD and other drugs or alcohol, and should not be used for individuals who are pregnant, lactating, or considering pregnancy, or people with allergies or hypersensitivity to cannabis, cannabinoids, or other components of the manufacturing process.”

The committee also recognized CBD is not habit forming and recommended that health products containing cannabis “should carry a warning to clarify they are not intended to help reduce consumption of opioids or alcohol as there are no definitive studies that have validated its use for those indications.”

In addition, the committee advised that the approval of health products containing CBD should be accompanied by public education to explain possible benefits and risks, information on safety, and on gaps in research knowledge around the non-prescription use of CBD.