News on the Green

FDA to Study CBD Products

The US Food and Drug Administration is looking for a contractor to study CBD as it creates regulations around the compound.

Marijuana Moment reports that the FDA recently published a notice that it will be “collecting samples and assessing the quantities of CBD and related cannabinoids, as well as potential associated contaminants such as toxic elements, pesticides, industrial chemicals, processing solvents and microbial contaminants, in foods and cosmetics through surveys of these commodities.”

The agency said the data will be used to inform future policy decisions. “The goal will be to collect and analyze a statistically relevant number of samples, between 1000-3000. The reliability of the results will be supported by specified quality assurance/quality control processes within the study. The types of samples to be collected for these studies will include food and cosmetic products from across the United States, mainly including CBD-containing packaged and processed foods.”

FDA is now looking for a company to handle 1,000 to 3,000 samples of CBD-infused foods and cosmetics from across the country. Those products will be analyzed for CBD, CBDA, THC, THCA and other cannabinoids. The contractor will also test for toxic elements, pesticides, residual solvents and microbiological contaminants in the products.

Canada: Terminal Patients Can Use Magic Mushrooms

The Canadian government has agreed to allow four terminal cancer patients to receive psilocybin mushroom therapy.

According to CNN the patients will be taking part in treatments that will use psychedelic psilocybin mushrooms to help mitigate symptoms of depression and anxiety as they face death. The patients requested approval for the treatments over 100 days ago and only received their answer this month. “The acknowledgment of the pain and anxiety that I have been suffering with means a lot to me, and I am feeling quite emotional today as a result,” said Laurie Brooks, one of the four patients. “I hope this is just the beginning and that soon all Canadians will be able to access psilocybin, for therapeutic use, to help with the pain they are experiencing, without having to petition the government for months to gain permission.”

A study published by researchers at NYU Langone Health found that patients with cancer-related anxiety and depression showed reductions in these areas as well as an improved attitude toward death after taking a single dose of psilocybin combined with psychotherapy.