Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a U.S. government institution, believes that cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive compound in marijuana, is “a safe drug with no addictive effects, and the preliminary data suggest that it may have therapeutic value for a number of medical conditions.”
Volkow made these comments in an op-ed published by The Huffington Post.
Studies have shown CBD to possess a variety of therapeutic benefits, including anti-cancer properties, anti-diabetic properties, and bone-stimulating activity. Clinical trials have documented CBD to possess anxiolytic (anxiety suppressant), anti-psychotic, and anti-seizure activity in humans. Other trials have further concluded CBD to be “safe and well tolerated” when administered to healthy subjects.
To date, 40 states have passed pro-marijuana laws that allow for the medical use of marijuana in some form.