The World Health Organization expert committee convened a meeting in Geneva in Nov of 2017 to review some of the scientific information on Cannabidiol (CBD). This substance is naturally occurring in the cannabis plant. They found it was very well tolerated, with few side effects and does not have any evidence of recreational use or public health related problems. Currently there are no actual medicines of CBD, just products that are dietary supplements.
CB has a wide range of effects because of how it works physiologically in the body. There are CB1 receptors in the central nervous system, and CB2 receptors on immune cells and in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
CBD does not affect blood pressure or heart rate in research studies.
CBD may be useful for a wide variety of conditions as research shows it seems to be neuroprotective, anti-epilepsy, anti-anxiety, anti-pain analgesic effects, anti-inflammatory, anti-asthmatic, anti-psychotic and anti-tumor.
There is only limited research in pregnancy, but in embryo animal studies there was no effect on development.
