BY: SAMANTHA BARTLETT, DVM
The use of cannabis in human medicine is a hot topic that has spilled over into the veterinary world. Currently about half the country has legalized cannabinoid products for human medicinal use. However, regardless of state laws, Federal laws still prohibit the use of these products. Cannabis is labeled as a Schedule I controlled drug only to be used for research purposes. One can imagine with all the controversy surrounding the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes in humans, there is even more uncertainty in the veterinary world.
Before getting into a discussion about the use of cannabis products, it is necessary to understand the differences between the varieties of products available. Historically medical marijuana products are cannabidiol or CBD, which is not as psychoactive as recreational marijuana products that contain a large amount of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). CBD products are basically essential oils that have been extracted from the marijuana plant. In addition, one must differentiate between marijuana products and hemp-derived products. A marijuana product is any part of the plant with a THC concentration above 0.3%. Hemp-is a product derived from the mature stalks of a plant or the fibers from such stalks with a THC concentration below 0.3%. That being said, the manufacture of these products is unregulated and its legality is still questionable.
Because of CBD and marijuana’s Class I controlled drug legal status, it is illegal for use in veterinary medicine and it is illegal for veterinarians to recommend the use of marijuana products to treat animal medical conditions. Even in states where medicinal marijuana is legal, they are to be manufactured for human use only. That has not stopped some pet owners from trying it on their own to relieve symptoms of terminal disease in their pets. The interest is such that Colorado State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital has funded clinical trials to study the efficacy of hemp-derived products to treat epilepsy and osteoarthritis in dogs.
One of the problems of the use of cannabis in veterinary medicine is the lack of proven research. At this point, most claims to effectiveness are anecdotal or extrapolated from human medicine. Hemp-derived products are readily available for consumers as botanical supplements. However, the lack of regulation puts the customer at risk of getting a product that is inferior or contains a higher concentration of THC than is legal. Currently the concentration limit of THC in hemp-derived products is 0.3%. This is the concentration that is being used in the clinical trials at CSU. These concentrations are believed to provide the medical benefits without altering the pet’s mental state.
Many owners and some veterinarians have weighed in on the perceived benefits of cannabis in treating end-of-life patients. Without research, it is hard to say whether the effects are real or a placebo effect. If the benefits are real, cannabis would provide another alternative when traditional pharmaceuticals fail in these patients. Another concern is the potential for overdose in pets. It is important for pet owners to know that overdose in dogs and cats is real. Many sites marketing hemp-derived products for pets advise owners to seek the advice of their veterinarian. As stated earlier, this puts veterinarians in an impossible situation as it is not only illegal for them to recommend the use of medical marijuana for pets, but there is also no good research to guide the use of cannabis for veterinary patients.
The bottom line is that we as a veterinary community need more research and data before we can discount the use of medical cannabis in our patients.
