Is cannabidiol a scheduled controlled substance? Origin makes the difference
Cannabidiol (CBD) is the main cannabinoid naturally occurring in hemp. It has recently attracted the attention of the scientific community because of its numerous pharmacological activities. However, its legal status changes depending on whether it is chemically synthesized or extracted from the plant: extracted CBD is a scheduled controlled substance, whereas synthetic CBD is not under control.
Highlights
• Cannabidiol is the main non psychotropic cannabinoid in Cannabis sativa.• Extracted cannabidiol is a Schedule I substance of the 1961 Single Convention.
• Synthesized cannabidiol is not under international control and freely marketed.
• The new WHO recommendations could dissolve the dichotomy of cannabidiol.
In Europe, extracted CBD is excluded from the cosmetic ingredients of the CosIng database. Given the confusion surrounding these different forms of CBD, there is an urgent need for clarity to shed light from both a regulatory and a chemical point of view. The impurity profiles of synthetic and natural CBD are different and could currently represent the only means to distinguish the origin of this substance. Continue on cannabidiol “classification
Check also the “Role of Excipients in CBD Products” by pharmaexcipients.com
