Cannabidiol is one of the most controversial medical treatments of the decade. While plenty of people swear that they experienced varied health benefits after using CBD, some are more cynical, citing a lack of scientific research on the efficacy and side effects of the cannabinoid. Indeed, the limited amount of scientific research and evidence has been a thorn in CBD’s side, and it’s one of the main reasons a lot of people shy away from the product. However, there may be a reprieve for those who turn to CBD for their medical needs.
The Center for Medical Cannabis Research (CMCR) recently announced $3 million in research grants to explore new applications of cannabis for a variety of medical applications. Located at the University of California San Diego’s School of Medicine, it is the nation’s oldest research center for scientific research into the safety and efficacy of cannabis.
The cannabis plant produces over 100 cannabinoids. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive agent of cannabis and CBD, which has been touted as the newest miracle drug, are the most well known. The grant will fund research on CBD, and most of the study will be on the effectiveness and side effects of the product.
The grant funding is to be allocated to five California based research teams. These research teams will use the funds to study the effectiveness and safety of medical cannabis for schizophrenia, rheumatoid arthritis, insomnia, alcohol dependence, and anxiety linked to anorexia.
Igor Grant, a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and the Director of CMCR, says that the hope is that CBD could be a useful option for treating conditions that are disabling or challenging to treat.
California’s Proposition 64, which legalized recreational marijuana in the state, was responsible for funding the five grants. Subsequently, tax revenue was allocated for research on potential new drugs, treatment, health, and safety programs related to medical cannabis.
Kim Cadenhead, MD, professor of psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine and colleagues were awarded the $825,000 grant. This was the CMRC’s first-ever grant of this kind, and it was intended for proof of principle studies to establish a basis for any future research. It will be used to explore whether medical cannabis could act as an alternative treatment for patients facing early psychosis. This comes at a time when most traditional treatments, such as antipsychotic medications, are moderately effective but produce extreme side effects.
It is widely believed that the entire CBD industry, including players like The Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. (TSX.V: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) and VIVO Cannabis Inc. (TSX.V: VIVO) (OTCQX: VVCIF), is eagerly waiting for the research to get underway and increase the body of knowledge available on what CBD can do.
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