CBD News Roundup: CBD Cannot Cure Coronavirus

Here is the latest CBD news:

• While research indicates CBD may have the ability to help with symptoms, CBD is not a cure for COVID-19.
• South Dakota legislature has passed a bill legalizing hemp and CBD oil that Governor Kristi Noem says she will sign.

CBD News Stories

1. CBD Cannot Cure Coronavirus, But It May Help
2. South Dakota Legislature Passes Hemp, CBD Legalization Bill

CBD Cannot Cure Coronavirus, But It May Help

There is no research available that CBD can cure coronaviruses like COVID-19; however, some studies indicate that it may help.

Cannabinoids, including CBD, work within the endocannabinoid systems of both humans and animals, regulating several functions to maintain homeostasis.

One of these functions is apoptosis, which is programmed cell death that helps kill diseased cells like cancer cells and virally infected cells.

As research has borne out, CBD and other cannabinoids can kill several harmful bacteria.

In June 2019, researchers from The University of Queensland found that CBD was “remarkably effective” at killing Gram-positive bacteria in vitro, including staph, strep, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria or “superbugs.”

Other studies show CBD is effective against viruses like hepatitis C, which is in the same family (Coronaviridae) as COVID-19.

CBD is also a well-known anti-inflammatory, which could have benefits against certain viruses that require inflammation to continue infecting cells.

Unfortunately, due to the lack of information about COVID-19, it is unclear whether the virus requires inflammation to propagate.

CBD’s ability to reduce inflammation also means that it is an immunosuppressant, which could reduce a person’s ability to fight coronavirus if, indeed, it does not require inflammation to further infect cells.

Another factor that works against the idea of using CBD, or cannabinoids in general, against these diseases is the fact that most research about CBD and viruses has not been conducted on humans.

To remedy this lack of knowledge, further research and study should be conducted to realize the potential of CBD, and other cannabinoids, to fight against viral infections like COVID-19.

South Dakota Legislature Passes Hemp, CBD Legalization Bill

The South Dakota legislature has passed a bill legalizing hemp that Governor Kristi Noem is expected to sign.

Last year, Governor Noem vetoed similar legislation, but in January of this year, she said she would sign a hemp bill if legislators held to her “guardrails.”

These guardrails included:

• Inspection and oversight from the Department of Public Safety and the Department of Agriculture regarding licensing and regulations.
• Smokable hemp cannot be allowed.
• The transportation of hemp should require a permit.
• The regulations should be self-funding through fees.

Funding for the program was the most difficult as lawmakers and Noem argued about the amount.

In the end, a proposal was included in the bill for $3.5 million to start the program.

If Noem signs the bill, it will go into effect immediately thanks to an emergency clause.

Once the bill becomes law, South Dakota will have to prepare and submit a hemp plan to the US Department of Agriculture for approval before farmers can begin growing hemp.

The USDA recently approved hemp plans for the states of Georgia and Montana, bringing the total number up to 10 approved states.