A daily dose (or 2): Curious minds turn to CBD to treat range of ailments

With cannabis now legal in Canada, curious minds are seeking out marijuana-based treatments, like CBD a compound of cannabisfor treating ongoing medical conditions, with some people even using it to wean themselves off prescription medications.

A recent U.S. studyby a cannabis marketing and research firm for a medical hub, collected data from 2,400 CBD users. The study found 42 per cent of people stopped taking their traditional medications after usingCBD, and now take it to treat insomnia, depression, anxiety, and joint pain.

Former B.C. Health minister Terry Lake says CBD helped him get off years of on-again, off-again sleep medication.

Lake takes CBD orally with two sprays every morning under the tongue and two more at night. The treatment isworking, he said.

"I no longer have the need to use prescription sleeping medication."

CBD or Cannabidiol has low or no THC,the psychoactive component in cannabis, so it won't get you high, which is why research has shifted so heavily toward adopting it for therapeutic uses.

Concerns about side effects

Rielle Capler, a postdoctoral research fellow withtheB.C. Centre on SubstanceUse said people are making the switch because theyareconcerned about the side effects ofpharmaceutical drugs.

"They are looking at, and experimenting with CBDand other forms of cannabis," she said."It's something that we are seeing a lot of patients using it for ... and many are finding it very effective."

Lake moved from politics to the marijuana industryin August 2017, saying at the timehe wasoptimistic cannabiscouldbe used to substitute other types of medications.

And while he has a vested interest in the industry's success, hesays CBD sales are through the roof.

"We can't make it fast enough" he said.

The World Health Organization made headlines with its March, 2018 report that said CBD posed no health risks and in fact showed 'preliminary evidence' that it could be useful in treating Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and cancer, among other serious conditions.

Despite the positiveheadlines, manyexpertscaution thatmore research is needed to fully understand possible sideeffects

"We are just beginning to learn about the potential benefits of CBD ... but right now there is still a gap in research evidence,"said Dr. BonnieHenry, the Provincial Health Officer of B.C.

Henry said people who are trying it for the first time should go slow and tell their doctor, because CBD can interact with other medications.

Customer demand

In B.C., CBD is sold online through BCCannabisstores.com and at a government-run retail store in Kamloops

The BC Liquor Distribution Branch, which distributesnon-medicalcannabisfor the province, won't reveal sales figures, but CBD products on its website are often available in limited quantities, orsold out suggesting a growing interest in their potential benefits.

In a statement, the agencysaid it regularly replenishes its stock and "is continuing to add new products to its assortment in order to cater to customer demand."