The Veterinary Drug Directorate of Health Canada has recently approved for Canopy Growth, Canada’s largest cannabis company, to research how effective cannabidiol is for treating anxiety in certain animals.

A division of Canopy Health, called Canopy Animal Health (CAH), will conduct the research. CAH focuses on creating cannabis-based healthcare products for pets and other companion animals.

Executive vice-president and chief scientific officer for CAH, Dana M. Vaughn, said that CBD is becoming more common in remedies for ailments in pets and that this is the first time a company has sought regulatory approval at the federal level to add the substance to pet food.

“There has been very little (research) done with CBD or other phytocannabinoids in pets up until now,” said Vaughn. The addition of plant-derived compounds to pet food as so far been done “without regulatory approval, with the exception of hemp seed oil to products that contain fatty acids. But not CBD to any extent.

The company hopes to provide concrete evidence that demonstrates how CBD affects different animals and even different size animals within the same species.

“Our passion to create safe and effective products for animals is driven by the love we share for our pets,” said Marc Wayne, Managing Director of Canopy Health Innovations.

“The use of natural-occurring cannabinoids as a therapy for companion animals is a logical new forefront of medical discovery and the research we are working on a CAH is world leading. These trial approvals mark a significant milestone on the journey of making cannabis-based drugs accepted and recommended by veterinarians.

Cannabidiol (CBD) has long been praised for treating anxiety in humans and is becoming more widely accepted for its therapeutic benefits. CBD is also currently being used to help with conditions like arthritis in pets in the grey market.

CAH is currently building a portfolio of data for safety and dosing for certain animals which will be shared with the veterinary community and pet owners through conferences and publications.