CBD: What is it, and What is it Good For?
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| CBD Oil |
CBD, Cannabidiol, has been becoming increasingly popular, but very few people seem to actually know what it is. According to Jon Johnson's article in Medical News Today, "CBD is one of many compounds, known as cannabinoids, that are found in the cannabis plant." One of the main questions right now is whether or not CBD is marijuana.
In order to understand this we have to understand what marijuana is composed of. Marijuana contains CBD and THC which are two very different compounds that have very different affects on the body. So essentially CBD is just a component of marijuana, it is not marijuana itself. The THC is the part of marijuana that is known for producing the high that people feel after smoking or ingesting marijuana. CBD, on the other hand, is not psychoactive, but it also has been proven to have possible health benefits.
Most of the CBD used medically comes from hemp, which is a less processed form of the cannabis plant. Hemp and marijuana come from the same cannabis plant, but the plant is typically modified to be high in THC when it is used for marijuana.
Next its important to understand how CBD works on the body. Cannabinoids "attach themselves to certain receptors in the body to produce their effects." The human body already produces cannabinoids naturally and receives them through two receptors called the CB1 and CB2 receptors.
Many of the CB1 receptors are connected to the brain and affect coordination and movement, pain, emotions and mood, thinking, appetite, memories, among others. The CB2 receptors tend to be in the immune system and affect pain and inflammation. CBD acts on the body not directly, but it promotes the body to produce more of its own cannabinoids.
Some of the uses for CBD include pain relief and anti-inflammatory properties. Many researchers and medical experts feel that CBD may provide a much more natural substitute for painkillers.
Another possible use for CBD is to help people quit smoking, or to help ease drug withdrawals. A medical study found that "smokers who used an inhaler containing the compound CBD smoked fewer cigarettes but did not have any additional craving for nicotine." There has also been some research that claims that CBD may be helpful for people who abuse opioids. It has been noted that CBD may help to reduce users symptoms such as anxiety, mood symptoms, pain, and insomnia.
Some other conditions that CBD may be able to treat, or aide are epilepsy and other mental health disorders. CBD has been found to have anti-seizure properties and has few side affects. Another study found that "CBD may have similar effects to certain antipsychotic drugs and that it may be safe and effective in treating patients with schizophrenia."
A rather far reaching, but highly promising possible use for CBD is cancer prevention, or treatment. The British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology reports that "CBD appears to block cancer cells from spreading around the body and invading an area entirely." Apparently, CBD works to suppress the growth and also the death of cancer cells. It is promising because of its low toxicity levels, but still needs to be further researched and tested before it can actually be considered as a cancer treatment option.
A few other notable conditions that CBD may treat include: anxiety disorders; type 1 diabetes; acne; and Alzheimer's disease.
CBD oil is not only useful to humans, it can also be useful to dogs. CBD oil can be used to treat "seizures, nausea, stress, anxiety, arthritis, back pain, symptoms of cancer, and gastrointestinal issues, among other health conditions in dogs." I have seen these affects first hand on my fifteen year old golden retriever. He suffers from joint pain and stiffness and the CBD oil has been a world of difference for him.
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| CBD for Dogs! |
The difference between CBD and marijuana is also present in its U.S. legality. In many states where marijuana is still illegal, CBD is allowed to be sold at local stores, like in Pennsylvania. Some states require different levels of prescription to obtain CBD.
It will be very interesting to see how the research and possible uses of CBD as a treatment progress in the near future, and if it will have any impact on the legalization of marijuana in more U.S. states.
It’s interesting to examine the difference in legality between CBD and marijuana. The impact of legalization of both of these substances will drastically impact the economy of the product and the product economy of the country in this sense. It definitely will be interesting to see how this unfolds.
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty interesting to see that a component of marijuana can have therapeutic powers. We hear a lot about medical marijuana, but I never really knew what actual component was responsible for it. The most surprising fact you bring up is that CBD can potentially be used for cancer prevention or treatment. I'd be interested to see its effectiveness compared to other cancer prevention/treatment drugs and what specific types of cancer CBD is most useful against.
ReplyDeleteThe legality issue that you are talking about is very, very interesting. People have been using hemp to make fabrics since the beginning of like...time. The debate on the issue is quite interesting as these days it has turned from a public health issue to a clash of beliefs.
ReplyDeleteI think that CBD oil could be very beneficial towards everyone if it was nationally legalized. Personally, its frustrating that this substance is illegal just because it is associated with marijuana, something that some people see as evil. Both substances have proven to have many different physical and even mental/psychological medical benefits.
ReplyDeleteI know that cannabis does have a lot of benefits. I have even heard it helps with period cramps for those who have Dysmenorrhea which is a condition where women get period cramps that are so painful they cannot even stand up. I know Whoopee Goldberg created a company that makes different lotions and oils with cannabis to help with cramps (possibly put it in your next blog?)
ReplyDeleteHi Natalie! I had no idea that CBD and THC were both components that work together in marijuana. You brought up a lot of health related points about CBD, and it's amazing to see how much good it could do in the community. It makes me wonder why it is not utilized more often. Unfortunately, because it is tied into the stigma of marijuana usage, people probably perceive it negatively. But there really should be no issue for people to advocate for the use of CBD. Thanks for bringing new insight to this issue for me! Great Post!
ReplyDeleteI think that it is interesting that CBD oil is allowed to be sold in stores even though Marijuana is illegal, considering the fact that CBD is extracted from marijuana plants. I personally think that CBD will have positive effects on the population in terms of sickness and overall health for us humans and even dogs (as you mentioned). Your blog post was extremely informative and really showed the different ways CBD oil could be beneficial to us.
ReplyDeleteI had a rhinoplacy over thanksgiving break and rather than taking the prescribed oxycodon I took CBD oil and got acupuncture. It took away some of the pain but was most beneficial in making me feel less uncomfortable and more relaxed while not being completely out of it. I think the potential of these medicines is really promising and I hope they are continued to be developed. I did not know that marajuana and hemp came from the same plant.
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