I grew up in the “just say no” age and have to admit to trying pot back in the day but I never really enjoyed the way it made me feel. Perhaps that is why I am ambivalent, even reluctant, to embrace the CBD oil craze. If I can put away my old ideas and look at things from a new perspective, perhaps I can find a solution for problems I never faced back then, physical aches and pains associated with aging and difficulty sleeping. And it might be a miracle medication for my husband on his journey with PD.

It is important to understand the differences between Medical Marijuana and CBD. Marijuana gives you a high, CBD is extracted from the plant and has minimal amounts of THC, the chemical responsible for that sensation. CBD comes in different forms including pills, oils, vape pens and creams that you can rub on sore muscles. It has been legalized somewhat in all 50 states now and is available at many retail outlets. Only one version of CBD Oil has been approved by the FDA and it is limited to the treatment of epilepsy. There are still strict federal limitations on studying the medical effectiveness of this compound. While some international studies have been done, much of the data on whether it works or not is anecdotal coming from people who have tried it and found success.

Much of the information about CBD is positive but not all. There is a grey area surrounding benefits versus long term risks, and studies that still need to be done. My biggest consideration regarding the use of CBD is that without industry oversight there are no controls on where the CBD is sourced, who manufactured it and whether they can be trusted. I see videos on the internet of People with PD who are suddenly walking again thanks to CBD. I hear stories from friends and family of how it is working for them, taking away their pain and helping them sleep. Perhaps it is the miracle drug of the future, I am just not sure I am ready to go there quite yet.

To learn more about CBD Oil and PD, check out this blog post on the APDA website- CBD for Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms | APDA (apdaparkinson.org) written by Dr. Rebecca Gilbert, MD, PhD, Vice-President and Chief Scientific Officer of the American Parkinson’s Disease Association. To get the latest on FDA approval, check this out from their website FDA Concludes that Existing Regulatory Frameworks for Foods and Supplements are Not Appropriate for Cannabidiol, Will Work with Congress on a New Way Forward | FDA.  See what the Mayo clinic has to say here Is CBD Safe and Effective? by Dr. Bauer.