CBD Facts & Myths
There's plenty of misinformation out there regarding CBD, but it's up to you to separate the facts from the myths. As a result, misconceptions about CBD and cannabis have many Americans making the best decisions regarding CBD use.
There are many CBD products on the market, and people must have the right information to guide their buying decision.
CBD Facts
Discovered 1940 and First Synthesized 1963
While the cannabis plant has been around for centuries, it was chemist Roger Adams who first isolated CBD in 1940, and in 1963 Raphael Mechoulam definitively defined its chemical structure.
CBD is One of Dozens of Cannabinoids Found in the Cannabis Plant
Based on scientific estimation, the cannabis plant contains roughly 60 and 113 cannabinoids, with CBD and THC as the most well-known and studied of all the compounds. Many cannabinoids exist in small amounts, which makes detection challenging.
CBD Doesn't Get Users High
CBD in its purest form will not cause euphoric intoxication in users. Unlike THC that causes a "high", pure CBD is non-psychoactive and lacks the intoxicating properties that can affect behavior.
CBD is Federally Legal, But CBD Products Are Not FDA Regulated
In 2018, the FDA approved the use of CBD drug Epidiolex to treat two rare types of epilepsy in patients age two and up. The FDA prohibits CBD-product marketing as a treatment for any health condition. The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, aka the Farm Bill, permits the use of hemp-derived CBD as long as the THC content is less than 0.3%.
CBD Myths
There's No Scientific Evidence That CBD Can Improve Health Conditions
It's possible to come across articles that claim that CBD hasn't been proven helpful in alleviating ANY health conditions. This assertion isn't true. Cannabis falls under the Federal Government's Schedule 1 classification, and it maintains that cannabis has "no medical value." However, the FDA approved Epidiolex after the results of clinical trials. Not all investigations into CBD and its usefulness in treating specific health conditions are conclusive. Still, there are a growing number of studies that show how CBD can help health conditions.
As a Schedule 1 Narcotic, CBD Has Not Been Researched
Cannabis is under Schedule 1 narcotic classification, which makes researching CBD a challenge. However, some universities have been granted permission to study the cannabis plant.
There's scientific evidence derived from research that supports CBD's benefits in helping certain health conditions, including epilepsy syndromes, anxiety and depression, PTSD symptoms, opioid addiction, ALS symptoms, chronic pain, diabetic complications, neurological disease, and arthritis symptoms. Outside of the U.S, countries such as Israel, United Kingdom, Italy, and Brazil have studied CBD and various health issues.
CBD is a Money-Making Ploy
Like any other industry, the wellness industry aims to make money, and as it turns out, CBD products can do just that and more. Some wellness companies may use CBD in their products that provide little benefit to consumers, hoping that consumers would more likely make a purchase with CBD on the label. This may not be right, but this marketing scam happens. However, not all CBD products are a marketing ploy simply for profit. Some applications of CBD are legitimate and worthwhile.
While there's much information about CBD, there's still much more to learn about its usefulness, efficacy, and safety. As attitudes continue to shift on cannabis and further studies are carried out on CBD, more will be discovered about CBD that will validate therapeutic claims. Do your due diligence before using CBD products.
