New in Project CBD: Cannabidiol for tinnitus?

Contrary to an ignorant comment I recently read appended to a cannabis-related article on the New York Times website, CBD is not a scam. It's actually a pretty miraculous compound. However, its action is often subtle, requiring higher-than-expected doses, repeated administration (once or twice won't do it), or both. It acts in a wide variety of ways inside the body and has been shown in in vitro, in situ, and in vivo models to have a wide variety of positive physiological and biological effects. That's true in part because it interacts with your body's endocannabinoid system, which (if it's functioning properly) works all day and night to keep you healthy. 

But it is not a cure-all. See, for example, my recent article on the subject of tinnitus. There's some evidence that cannabis may help with this confounding condition -- but there's also evidence that CB1 agonists like THC may in fact hurt. CBD, which is not a CB1 agonist, may well be a worthwhile therapy. But that hasn't been shown yet. At the very least, maybe it can help people with tinnitus sleep better, or maintain lower levels of stress. My latest column looks at the evidence to date and raises a couple of important questions for future research. Find it here.