Governments worldwide have been under pressure from the cannabis and the medical community to overhaul cannabis laws for decades. We've seen some results in recent years, but people still see it as a drug rather than what it truly is; an over-the-counter health supplement.
Nevertheless, the benefits of CBD are still amazing and can't be denied. Let's dive into the myths and health benefits circulating CBD and cannabis in general.
Myths About CBD That Need Busting
Thanks to the bad reputation of its brother cannabinoid, tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, myths about CBD and cannabis have spread worldwide. However, researchers have been studying CBD for many, many years, and several results show the benefit of CBD.
There's a lot of confusion around what CBD (cannabidiol) is and what it can do for you. The conflation of cannabis/hemp and its derivatives between the medical community and consumers also contributes to the confusion.
Let's look at some of the CBD myths to decipher the reality.
CBD Makes You High (No, It Does Not!)
Since CBD gives you a sense of light-headiness and peace of mind, people have considered it a psychoactive drug. CBD comes from a family of plants, cannabis, with psychoactive cannabinoids. The most commonly known one is THC which you can find in larger doses in marijuana.
You might have heard people using the term marijuana in place of cannabis. However, they are not the same. Marijuana and hemp are part of the cannabis family. The core difference between the two lies in the concentration of psychoactive compounds.
Notably, CBD comes from hemp plants, which have minimal concentrations of delta-9 THC. Contrary to that, marijuana contains high levels of delta-9 THC and low levels of CBD. Therefore, the use of pot gives you a euphoric high, but consuming CBD products does not make you psychoactive.
Out of more than 100 cannabinoids of the cannabis plant, cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are the most popular. However, THC is far more notorious, and many believe all cannabis derivatives have the same psychoactive effects.
CBD Is a Schedule 1 Narcotic and Therefore Has Not Been Researched On
The fallacy has two parts. The first half concerns the research in the United States and the other concerns "no research has been done."
There is no doubt that cannabis falls under the Schedule 1 drug class. Therefore, there has been limited research on CBD. Still, US universities have contributed to research done so far with the government's permission.
Then there is another misleading point about CBD that is not at all researched, which is false. Besides the United States, several countries have researched cannabis plants and the significance of CBD. Also, the government of the United States funds many of those studies.
CBD Has No Side Effects (It Can Interact With Certain Medications)
Generally, CBD enthusiasts consider this cannabinoid to be pure from any adverse reactions. However, certain medications in your system while using CBD products can trigger an adverse reaction.
CBD impacts the way your body processes, absorbs and excretes certain medications. Due to this, there can be an alteration in that drug's therapeutic benefits and blood levels. Therefore, you should always seek professional advice before taking CBD if you have any treatments soon or are currently on medication.
CBD Is of No Use (Untrue, It Has Active Ingredients)
The human body produces endocannabinoids that work similarly to cannabinoids in cannabis. Everyone's immune systems have many endocannabinoid receptors that function to naturally treat various health problems.
The active ingredients in the CBD products available on the market attach to your body's endocannabinoid receptors. This results in producing the same benefits that your natural endocannabinoids show.
Health Benefits of CBD and Cannabis That You May Not Know
Over the years, scientists have worked hard to outline the benefits of CBD along with its complications. Multiple studies have shown that CBD has the potential to treat various illnesses or at least reduce symptoms. Some of the diseases that may be treatable with CBD are as below.
Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is one of the leading illnesses for which people use CBD oil, and science has proved its efficacy. CBD in cannabis has active ingredients that bind to your body's endocannabinoid receptors.
These receptors are present in various parts of your body and function to relieve pain. So, when CBD binds to the same receptors in your body, it may relieve chronic pain.
Drug Addiction and Alcoholism
A comprehensive review of CBD benefits has revealed that using cannabis may help people with opioid or alcohol dependencies. However, another study suggests that cannabis is an abusable substance that drives the risk of dependency and addiction.
It all depends on how and how much CBD or cannabis you consume. However, people who have been using cannabis since an early age have more risks of developing a problem. This doesn't apply to CBD, though, since it does not have any addictive properties.
Cancer
The use of oral cannabinoids is effective in treating vomiting and nausea, which is a byproduct of chemotherapy. Several studies have shown that smoking cannabis may come in handy in alleviating these symptoms of cancer treatment.
Oher research on cancer cells suggests that cannabinoids may affect some types of cancer by slowing growth or killing the cancerous cells.
Epilepsy
In June 2018, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) legalized the consumption of medicine containing cannabidiol (CBD). The FDA approved the medication for treating two specific, severe, and rare types of epilepsy: Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome.
Both of these conditions are difficult to treat and control with other medications. Therefore, the FDA approved a CBD-containing drug called Epidiolex. This drug contains the purified concentration of CBD after reviewing its benefits in research and findings.
A study published in 2017 showed that the use of Epidiolex resulted in far fewer seizures in children with Dravet syndrome.
Cannabis and CBD: Good or Bad?
Just like other substances, consuming CBD and cannabis has two sides. Your intention and the way of consumption decide whether these plants are a boon or a bane for your health.
Despite all the fuss around cannabis, there are scientific findings backing the cannabinoids present in hemp. CBD has the potential to be an effective medical treatment for many ailments, including cancer, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis.
Since CBD can treat your body well in fighting different diseases, more and more people are inclined toward its use. Out of all the products, CBD oil has gained much appreciation. So, if you, too, want to yield the health benefits of this beneficial cannabinoid, check out this CBD oil for sale to start your journey right.
