Cannabis has been reportedly used for thousands of years for a wide range of ailments. The cannabis plant produces more than 100 cannabinoids, with the main one, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, known as THC, producing psychoactive effects. However, there is increasing interest in another of the cannabinoids, cannabidiol (CBD), which shares the same molecular formula as THC but has different chemical properties.
With CBD now being available in a wide range of products, it is important to understand its safety as a novel food – foods which have not had a significant history of human consumption. A recent and pivotal report by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the UK has established a new safe limit for CBD consumption of 10 mg per day. The report also states there is evidence for intake above this level, and over a period of time, to have adverse impacts on the liver and thyroid.
In this hour-long webinar we delve into the evolving landscape of CBD integration in food products. During the event, our speakers clarify the reasoning behind the new FSA guidelines, giving you insights into the endocannabinoid system to understand how CBD interacts with the body. Ruth and Stephen also explore the current research on its potential therapeutic applications.
Watch the recording and learn from experts working at the heart of CBD science and policy about how they’re assessing the ever-evolving data to identify how CBD can be used safely. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain a clear and evidence-based understanding of dietary CBD.
Meet the speakers
Ruth Willis
Ruth Willis is the team leader for novel foods and food innovation risk assessment at the Food Standards Agency, UK. She has a BSc in biological sciences and has been working in a range of scientific and regulatory roles in the UK government since 2004. For the last eight years she has specialised in novel foods risk assessment and regulation, which includes the consideration of CBD as a novel food. Ruth is the technical secretary for the UK’s Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes. Since 2018 she has been leading the teams developing the UK capability to take forward assessment of regulated products such as novel foods post-EU exit. Most recently she has led the team who developed the UK’s provisional acceptable daily intake for 98% and above CBD novel foods and the first UK safety assessments for CBD.
Stephen Alexander
Stephen has been at the University of Nottingham, UK, since 1988 and, for about 30 years of that time, worked on cannabis-related medicines. He collaborates with colleagues with a variety of disease focuses although working predominantly on cellular and molecular models. Stephen studies signalling at cannabinoid and cannabinoid-related receptors and the enzymes associated with the endocannabinoid system. He also develops assays for measuring these activities ex vivo as well as for high-throughput screening. Stephen was elected president of the International Cannabinoid Research Society for 2015 and continues to be a member of the board of directors. He has also provided expert knowledge for consideration of changes in UK drug policy, principally associated with cannabis preparations.
No comments yet