# FDA approves marijuana-related drug

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fda-approves-marijuana-related-drug/816804>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [June 26, 2018, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fda-approves-marijuana-related-drug/816804 "2018-06-26T22:17:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fda-approves-marijuana-related-drug/816804/1 "2018-06-26T22:17:02Z")

</div>

A LOT of people in Colorado have waited a long time for something like this to happen.

> [@](#):
>
> U.S. health regulators on Monday approved the first prescription drug made from marijuana, a milestone that could spur more research into a drug that remains illegal under federal law, despite growing legalization for recreational and medical use.
> 
> The Food and Drug Administration approved the medication, called Epidiolex, to treat two rare forms of epilepsy that begin in childhood. But it’s not quite medical marijuana.
> 
> The strawberry-flavored syrup is a purified form of a chemical ingredient found in the cannabis plant — but not the one that gets users high. It’s not yet clear why the ingredient, called cannabidiol, or CBD, reduces seizures in some people with epilepsy.

[http://gazette.com/article/1628309](http://gazette.com/article/1628309)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fda-approves-marijuana-related-drug/816804/2 "2018-06-26T22:47:41Z")

</div>

I’m not sure why they’re waiting in Colorado. You could buy CBD or strains of mj that have CBD but little or no THC in pot shops. It wouldn’t be prescription grade, but better than nothing.

As I understand it, there will still be a wait for the DEA to reclassify CBD as other than Sched I. Apparently they can do that without reclassifying marijuana itself. That doesn’t really make sense, but this is drug policy, so sense is not required.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fda-approves-marijuana-related-drug/816804/3 "2018-06-27T14:38:25Z")

</div>

> [@dtilque](#):
>
> I’m not sure why they’re waiting in Colorado.

Eh, the feds still haven’t given us any indication they are going to leave us alone. A crackdown could come any time The Don decides he needs another diversion. So, you buy legit with the understanding that tomorrow you could be considered the sort of criminal federal agents are interested in. It’s unlikely, but it doesn’t help with pushing down the paranoia. 🙂

That someone on the federal level has at least considered some small (entirely un-fun but mega helpful) part of the plant to be okie dokie is a small ray of hope that this schedule I nonsense will be reconsidered.