CBD can be prescribed as a medicine
Medical cannabis is often associated with THC, a heady cannabinoid that is still a scheduled drug in many countries. Some studies show that THC can potentially support patients with symptoms of certain serious conditions such as MS or some side effects of chemotherapy. But not all cannabis-based medicines contain THC.
While there is not enough evidence to say with certainty what cannabidiol can and cannot do, anecdotal evidence and early studies have given pharmaceutical companies enough information to create CBD-based drugs.
Epidyolex is an example of a medical cannabis product that does not contain any THC. Epidiolex, which is used by children and adults with epilepsy, is a highly purified liquid that contains high levels of CBD.
Please note that medical cannabis products with CBD must be prescribed by a medical specialist. This is due to the high CBD content in each dose, exceeding the amounts recommended for healthy individuals.
CBD is not a drug according to the European Court of Justice
According to a European Court of Justice ruling published in November 2020, CBD is not a drug.
As it is a non-intoxicating and generally well-tolerated compound, the EU court sees no point in keeping it on the list of scheduled medicines.
The decision finally put an end to the European debate on how to think and talk about CBD. However, there is still no single European policy on hemp or CBD. Each EU country is responsible for setting its own CBD rules and there are still places in Europe where CBD can only be sold in products intended for local use.
CBD can be produced in laboratories
Scientists can produce synthetic CBD in a laboratory setting. Synthetic CBD is any CBD that does not come from hemp or marijuana. It may not be very popular yet, but the debate over the benefits and drawbacks is an excited one.
Those who believe that synthetic CBD could be the future of cannabidiol point out that synthetic CBD will always be purer than natural CBD. Extracting pure CBD (CBD isolate) from hemp requires several steps that remove the CBD extract from any natural hemp compounds to achieve pure CBD. Such steps are not necessary when CBD is produced in a laboratory.
Opponents point out that synthetic CBD may not provide the same effects as natural CBD because it is produced and consumed in isolation from all other compounds found in cannabis. Some scientists believe that these other compounds may play a role in improving the potential efficacy of CBD.
Last but not least, price and efficiency are discussed. Proponents argue that CBD production in the lab can be cheaper and more efficient when done on a large scale. Opponents point out that there is no evidence for this and that producing synthetic CBD takes away all the environmental benefits of growing hemp.
Pets can benefit from CBD but should avoid THC
All animals have an endocannabinoid system.
Research on how CBD can affect animals and their endocannabinoid system is scarce, and what does exist is often not conclusive. Most of the evidence is anecdotal and told by veterinarians or pet owners who have seen improvements after giving CBD to their anxious or sick pets, usually after they ran out of other options.
If you’re curious about incorporating CBD into your pet’s diet, make sure you use products that are completely THC-free and ideally sold by pet-friendly brands. In countries where recreational cannabis is legal, many cases of accidental pet poisoning have been reported, and most of these are linked to an adverse reaction to THC that the animals have.
If your pet suffers from anxiety or is dealing with painful inflammation, talk to your vet to see if adding CBD to their diet could help.
Elephants at Warsaw zoo take CBD to cope with anxiety
Fredzia, a female elephant living in a Polish zoo, was given CBD to help her cope with the stress of losing one of her lifelong companions. Erna, Fredzia’s older friend, had recently died, leaving Fredzia confused and sad. She didn’t get along with her other companion, Bubba, and the whole experience was taking a toll on this normally happy-go-lucky elephant.
To see if CBD could help Fredzia and other elephants adapt to this change, caretakers at the Warsaw Zoo administered CBD oil into the elephants’ mouths or added it to their food.
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The experiment started in 2020 and we don’t have results yet, but we hope that Fredzia is improving.
CBD is not a new discovery
Although the legal status of CBD has only recently changed, allowing us to take advantage of its potential benefits, Cannabidiol has actually been around for decades. This cannabinoid was discovered in the early 1940s by American plant chemist Dr. Roger Adams. He even patented the technology he used to do it.
Dr. Adams then went on to research many other aspects of cannabis. He even managed to synthesize THC in his laboratory.
He felt strongly about the potential benefits of the plant (and many of its compounds), but was restricted from freely expressing his ideas due to prohibition, which began just 2 years before his discovery of CBD.
CBD oil and hemp oil are not the same
It is a common misconception among CBD users that CBD oil and hemp oil are the same thing.
CBD oil is a product containing CBD (Cannabidiol) extracted from legally grown hemp. Hemp oil, on the other hand, is a food product made from hemp seeds.
Hemp oil (also known as hemp oil) is made from cold-pressed hemp seeds and contains no CBD. This is because hemp seeds do not contain any CBD.
Interestingly, some CBD oils will contain hemp seeds. Any (legal) CBD oil you buy for consumption will contain cannabidiol and carrier oil.
Carrier oil is essential for proper digestion and dosage of CBD. Interestingly, some CBD oils will contain hemp seed oil as a carrier oil.
CBD deteriorates when exposed to light
Have you noticed how most CBD oils are sold in dark bottles? It’s not just about aesthetics.
CBD is not invincible. CBD deteriorates when exposed to UV light. Amber and black glass bottles protect the precious liquid from this.
This is also why it is always recommended to store products out of direct sunlight.
The sun will not render your products useless or expire faster. Instead, it will simply reduce the effectiveness of the CBD product. But since CBD is the main reason you bought it in the first place, it may be a good idea to store the product in a dark place.
Not all CBD is the same
Not all CBD is the same.
Firstly, CBD extracted from high-THC cannabis plants is still illegal in most parts of the world. Only CBD extracted from hemp plants with less than 0.3% THC is considered legal in various European countries.
Second, consumer products made from non-organically grown cannabis are significantly inferior to those made from organically grown cannabis.
Hemp is a highly absorbent plant and when grown on soil that contains toxins and heavy metals or has been exposed to various pesticides and herbicides, hemp will clean it up. Unfortunately, this means that products made from such hemp are likely to absorb these toxins and become contaminated and potentially harmful to human health.
Therefore, it is extremely important that you only buy products made from certified, organically grown hemp.
CBD may counteract some of the side effects of THC
We know that CBD and THC are very different. While both are cannabinoids, our bodies react to them differently.
Breeders responsible for creating new strains of cannabis (grown for recreational purposes) often focus on increasing the THC content. But scientists are finding that cannabis is a little more complex. Early research suggests that CBD may indeed play an important role when consumed alongside THC.
Some studies suggest that CBD might be able to prevent or counteract some of the side effects of THC. If this is indeed true, the discovery of the perfect ratio of CBD to THC could potentially be life-changing for recreational and medicinal cannabis users.
