The Growing Popularity of CBD

Marijuana is legal in 33 states and 11 of those states have made in recreationally legal. In all 33 you will find CBD. If you live in one of the states with a medical requirement for purchasing any type of marijuana product then you should speak with your healthcare provider about receiving medical marijuana for treatment.

What is CBD?

CBD or Cannabidiol is the portion of marijuana that does not get you high. It is a compound found within all marijuana plants that can be used to treat medical conditions. It is a safe way to find relief for many people without the fear of addiction.

How does CBD help medically?

CBD works with the brain’s neurotransmitters to help with memory, cognition, pain and motor skills. This is increasingly a way to help the body’s endocannabinoid system function as it is desired. As more research is being done thought, the uses for CBD are increasing as they are found to react well with the immune and gastrointestinal systems as well.

CBD encourages the body to produce more endocannabinoids which are being shown to help medically treat a lot of different disorders such as anxiety, inflammation, pain, and PTSD.

Where is CBD legal?

CBD is legal where marijuana has been legalized for at least medical purposes. It is still classified by the federal government as a Schedule I substance which makes it ineligible for legal use and possession, but the agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 has made hemp, a cannabis product that can be made into a usable resource for clothing and craft products, legal.

CBD is part of the hemp plant which is legal, but if it is derived from the marijuana plant than it is still considered illegal by the federal government. This makes it difficult to define legal and illegal because it must contain less than 0.3% THC to be considered legal.

What health benefits are available?

CBD is not a cure-all product, but it has been shown to help many different disorders, but not all are recognized across state lines. Being classified as a Schedule 1 drug restricts medical testing on CBD which makes it hard to confirm or deny what it can treat.

CBD is being tested in certain facilities and early research is showing that it can possibly treat epilepsy, anxiety, pain, and some schizophrenic symptoms. While the research is not conclusive completely, the FDA did approve a cannabis-derived drug called Epidiolex to help treat two different types of epilepsy.

How to use CBD

CBD is available in multiple forms and should be taken medically in the way the best treats the patient. It can come as Edibles, oils, tinctures, pills, capsules, topical, and vaping. The choice of delivery should be discussed with a doctor and tested as directed because not all methods of delivery will work for the type of medical disorder.

Are there any risks?

CBD is relatively safe in its pure state, and humans and animals will not be physically dependent upon it. There are few safety concerns surrounding CBD, but there can be side effects that include drymouth, lightheadedness, drowsiness and low blood pressure. It should also be noted that limited research has been done for the extent of CBD use and regulations for the quality and type of CBD is still unregulated. There can also be poor drug interactions as testing has not extended how it interacts with all types of medications. Being pregnant or nursing while using CBD is still untested and unadvised.