It seems as though every season brings a new round of CBD products for consumers to try. Whether it’s CBD coffee, fresh CBD tinctures, or CBD capsules, innovators are always coming up with new ways to take cannabidiol. While it is great to create new things and expand the CBD market, some products just aren’t meant to succeed. An example of this is the idea of injectable CBD products, which was coined by Biota Biosciences. The products that were planning to be released did not yet have specific instructions for how they should be used. Instead, the company stated that they would bypass the liver’s absorption and deliver CBD directly into consumers’ bloodstream, an idea that proved much too dangerous for the FDA.
The Food and Drug Administration must approve all new drugs before they go on the market. Upon reviewing these novel injectable CBD products from Biota Biosciences, the FDA decided to send the company a letter urging the company to cease sales. The FDA rationalized this warning by saying that Biota Biosciences was violating federal regulations by selling a new drug that had not yet been approved as well as failing to label the medication correctly. While the FDA did not officially stop the sale or marketing of the products in their letter to the company, Biota Biosciences voluntarily recalled their injectable products shortly after receiving the message.
After recalling their products, Biota Biosciences took responsibility for all of the risks posed by these products, of which there were many. According to the FDA, some of the main issues raised by injectable CBD products is that they are administered directly into the bloodstream. With this delivery method, the drug bypasses most of the human body’s natural defense mechanisms against harmful bacteria or toxins. When these toxins make it into your bloodstream, you can quickly develop grave conditions that include sepsis, which could lead to death.
Biota Biosciences envisioned an opioid-free future with their injectable products and aimed to market them as a possible alternative to opioids and to help with detoxing. The CBD vials were initially marketed as a non-addictive pain reliever, which makes sense as CBD has been shown to have some pain-relieving qualities. While the company reported to the FDA that no adverse effects had been reported after using their products, they still decided to take action steps to revise their marketing and distribution.
While many people are avid CBD users, taking delivery to an intravenous level is an extreme step. Very few risks are posed by taking CBD in a sublingual or edible form because it passes through your digestive system like any other dietary supplement. However, injectable CBD products could present significant health risks that may result in extreme injury or death. It’s highly advised by the FDA to avoid these injectable CBD products. Not to mention that they are unregulated and untested in a clinical setting. Self-diagnosis is always risky. However, it becomes significantly more dangerous when you are considering administering injectable drugs on yourself.
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