252
Nonetheless, the American Veterinary Medical Association discourages the use of CBD products on pets, and the FDA has not approved the use of cannabis in any form on animals, as the safety and effectiveness of the product has yet to be demonstrated with respect to therapeutic claims. In other words, there is a lack of clinical data on its effectiveness. However, pet supply shops can’t keep the product on the shelves. It has become very popular, so popular that there is a waiting list for customers interested in CBD products at some locations in the mid-west United States.
Researchers have been hamstrung by federal regulations such as the requirement that a “Section 56” exemption be obtained to legally possess cannabis for research purposes. This is the same exemption required to possess cocaine, heroin and other Schedule 1 substances for scientific research. Only since legalization was on the horizon has there been a more widespread investment in scientific research exploring the therapeutic possibilities of cannabis and its derivatives. This also means that the majority of the evidence researched and collected have been anecdotal.
One of the main challenges of pet owners is understanding how to safely determine dosage for different sizes of different animals but if Canopy Growth Corporation can achieve positive results in this regard, it will be HUGE in providing valuable information to vets and pet owners. More on that study later.
Despite anecdotal evidence to date, it seems to be enough for a growing number of pet owners to use CBD to treat their pets for various conditions.
However there is still skepticism or at least the stigma that needs to change. Just in researching for this article, I noticed two headlines that stood out. One in the Toronto Star, “Health Canada approves clinic trials for cannabis-laced pet food to treat animal anxiety”. The other in Newsweek magazine, “Pot for Pets: Canada’s biggest cannabis company to trial dope-laced food for anxious animals”. Really? LACED? It is this stigma that has to change. Simon Fraser University professor Steven Kates suggests that “cannabis lifestyle products” will boom as the stigma around cannabis use decreases, and new products will emerge, and as more products emerge, stigma will be less and less.
Despite anecdotal evidence to date, it seems to be enough for a growing number of pet owners to use CBD to treat their pets for various conditions. And as legalisation comes near, it warrants a look at the publicly traded cannabis-related companies in this space in one form or another.