The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) recently published collected data on CBD safety, placing the information under its Yellow Card alert system, which lists various adverse reactions to drugs in general.
In the report, the agency notes that as many as 10 people have died from CBD and more than 870 experienced adverse reactions.
Following the issuance of the report, the Committee on Toxicity (CoT), which offers scientific consultation to the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) used the death data when explaining its position on the safety of CBD, reported Business Cann.
“It is not true to say that there have been no adverse reactions reported in the Community,” said CoT chair Prof Alan Boobis. “Please see link to the MHRA Yellow Card Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) scheme which includes CBD products and not just medicines.”
Industry Exerts Rise
Now, there’s a rising fear among the hemp community that CBD’s status can be changed to medical-only. Industry representatives and advocates are standing up to fight this possible change.
“This data is not supportive of either the CoT or FSA position and in fact undermines them,” Steve Oliver of Canna Consultants told BusinessCann. “Referring to data which when examined does not relate to the CBD products they claim to be assessing is disingenuous at best.”
“There have been no deaths and there is no consumer detriment that I am aware of in respect of safety. Mislabeling and poor product quality, yes, but the current regime does nothing to address that,” Oliver said.
UK Cannabis Industry Council chief executive Mike Morgan-Giles blasted the report, saying “these claims about CBD are virtually meaningless on the clarifications listed …