DEA Makes CBD Extracts Illegal Under Schedule 1 Drug

So, the dispute between Drug Enforcement Agency and marijuana marketplace is tensing up with DEA clearly stating that marijuana extract and cannabidiol falls under the drug classification of Schedule 1. So, all forms of the plant have become illegal under the federal law as per the latest reports. Now all the extracts of marijuana will be listed as Schedule 1 Drug and classified under the same drug as heroin and cocaine.

Ingredients in Marijuana plant

Well, the proposal to label CBD as a Schedule 1 drug took place in 2011 and was not finalized till recently. The timing of the ruling is pretty interesting, which was consider a sort of intermit issue for the administration, but now it becomes a quite priority. The marijuana plant is constituted of two main components . They consist of THC, which contains the psychoactive ingredients also known as “the high”, and the other one is CBD or cannabidiol. CBD has no psychoactive effects when having medicinal value. This is the reason why patients who have epilepsy find it so helpful. CBD brings about temporary relief from those epileptic attacks. DEA has revealed an identification number for the extract, defined as an extract comprising one or multiple cannabinoids derived from the plant genus of cannabis. This kind of novel identification number will assist in tracking marijuana effectively and in carrying out legal, scientific studies. By coming up with this distinction, there is hope for better compliance with international drug control treaty.

The new drug code for marijuana extract

On the 14^th of December, DEA came up with an update in the Federal Register establishing a new drug code for CBD extracts and marijuana extracts. There are several marijuana trading and extract companies who have invested their time and money in selling and marketing products based on CBD or cannabidiol. This move has a new set of rules on CBD extracts hurting the industry. DEA seems to believe that it is a move made to track the various research carried on the extract of Marijuana separately and to let it comply with the international treaties. Speculations are made that the new attorney can reverse the legalization efforts and this has set the marijuana extract industry on high alert. So, the ruling has open up the door once again over the debate about cannabidiol.

Arguments against DEA

The act of DEA labeling CDB extract as illegal has been objected by Nate Bradley, the Chief Executive Director of California Cannabis Industry Association. According to him, the federal government with its action against CBD has shown how it has not caught up with the modern sciences. He lashes out that the medicinal uses of CBD are already established. According to him, CBD has an array of benefits and so it is used for making medicines. It helps in managing the effects of epilepsy and also assists in reducing inflammation resulting from a muscle injury. To deny such things, DEA showed a complete disregard for the medicinal uses of the CBD and the associated facts.

The various uses of Cannabinoids

CBD is present in marijuana naturally. In fact, it is being cited as a very promising treatment for those who have cancer and some chronic pain. It can treat a variety of ailments, and above all, unlike THC, it will not get the users high. But then, now CBD is considered a Schedule I substance and is treated in a similar way as heroin or LSD. This is done since there is no medical use of CBD proven till now. Apart from this, according to DEA, CBD also has a very high potential for abuse. Efforts are made to dig deeper and collect accurate information.

Is CBD useful to the people with epilepsy?

With clinical studies and trials with epilepsy, cannabidiol can help control seizures. Epileptic patients are benefiting from their daily dose of CBD. People living with epilepsy are getting relief from the ailment with the help of cannabinoids. They get relief from polymorphic seizures, epilepsy attacks, but now it is labeled as Schedule I controlled substance. However, the move by the DEA will obstruct medical researches that have produced powerful and effective CBD derived medicines for the treatment of psychotic disorders. It was only recently when Epidiolex, meant for treating Dravet’s syndrome and developed by GW Pharmaceuticals, was gaining FDA approval and this action by DEA came up. To this, Robert Hoban states that the action taken by the DEA is beyond its authority. Hoban, the Colorado attorney disagrees with the DEA’s action of labeling CBD as Schedule I. He states DEA has no authority to do that or categorize CBD as illegal. Such an action is nothing less than a silly outrage. DEA’s act of quietly adding CBD under the classification of Schedule – I, is creating a lot of noise. Any extract comprising cannabinoids derived from the plant belonging to genus Cannabis will be labeled as Schedule I as per the DEA.

It is not over!

The final rule as published by DEA has not fully changed the legal status of cannabidiol. HIA (Hemp Industry Association) has reviewed the entire thing and stated that the ruling would not impact the status of CBD. As per the latest speculations, DEA’s ruling will not last for long. It will get narrowed down with rescinded and clarifications. However, with so much of a battle between DEA and CBD producers, the year 2017 seems to be a year of twists and turns.