People apply or take cannabidiol to treat a variety of symptoms, but its use is very controversial. The controversy is derived from the fact that there is a lot of confusion about what cannabidiol is and how it affects the human body.
Cannabidiol or CBD may have many potential health benefits. Products that contain the compound are now legal in many of the states in the U.S. where marijuana is not. CBD is one of many compounds known as cannabinoids that are located in the cannabis plant.
Is CBD Like Marijuana?
Until recent studies have surfaced, the most well-known compound found in the cannabis plant was delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol or most well known as THC. The reason why THC was the most well known compound is because THC is the most active ingredient in marijuana.
Marijuana contains both CBD and THC, and while these compounds are similar, but they both give different effects. THC creates a high that could be described as “mind-altering” when eaten or smoked by the consumer. The reason for this sensation is because THC breaks down when heat is applied and is consumed into the body.
CBD is a little different from THC in that it is not psychoactive. This means that CBD does not change a person’s state of mind when they consume it. CBD does not produce any significant changes in the body and research that suggests that it could have some medical benefits.
Where Does CBD Come From?
The least processed form of the cannabis plant is known as hemp. Hemp contains most of the CBD that people use medicinally.
Marijuana and Hemp come from the same plant known as cannabis sativa, but the two differ in many ways.
Marijuana farmers have selectively bred their plants to contain high levels of THC and other compounds that raised any sort of interest to them.
This is often because the compounds produced a smell or had another effect on the flowers found in the plant. However,hemp farmers have rarely made any modifications to the plant. These hemp plants are utilized to create CBD oil.
All cannabinoids, including CBD, produce certain effects in the body by attaching themselves to certain receptors in the body.
The human body produces certain cannabinoids on its own. It also has two receptors for cannabinoids, these are known as the CB1 receptors and CB2 receptors.
CB1 receptors are present throughout the body, but the majority are located in the brain. The CB1 receptors in the brain deal with movement, coordination, emotions, pain, appetite, memories, and other functions. THC attaches itself to these receptors. CB2 receptors are far more commonly found in the immune system. They affect pain and inflammation.
Researchers once believed that CBD attached to these CB2 receptors, but it now appears that CBD does not attach directly to either receptor. Instead, it has been known to direct the body to utilize more of its own cannabinoids.
The Therapeutic Value of CBD
People tend to lean on prescription or over the counter drugs to relieve pain and stiffness (including chronic pain). Some believe that CBD offers a natural and effective alternative therapeutic relief to mitigate those conditions as well as many others.
Some people believe that seizure related symptoms seem to be mitigated with the use of CBD. Lennox-Gastaut syndrome is a condition that appears between the ages of 3 and 5 years old and involves a variety of different seizures. Dravet syndrome is a rare genetic condition that can appear in the first year of life and involves fever related seizures that happen frequently.
These two types of seizures are difficult to control. People or parents of children that live with these conditions often turn to CBD to aid in the reduction of seizures and other symptoms.
There is also research that suggest that CBD may also help combat symptoms related to neurodegeneration, neuronal injury, and some psychiatric diseases.
CBD may also produce effects that are similar to those found with antipsychotic drugs. Antipsychotic drugs are mainly used to treat patients with schizophrenia. However, more research is needed to determine if these drugs can be replaced with the use of CBD.
Based on previous research, CBD may be proven to combat some forms of cancer.
The research noted that the CBD compound tends to suppress the overall growth of cancer cells, as well as promote the destruction of pre-existing cancer cells.
While more research is needed and is currently being conducted to determine CBD’s potential as an accompaniment to standard cancer treatments, the data seems to be promising.
CBD has also been noted as a treatment for acne, which is caused by inflammation and sebaceous glands in the body that have been overworked. Based on previous research, CBD helps to lower the production of sebum in the skin that leads to acne.
This is because of the anti-inflammatory properties in CBD.
In addition, CBD has been found to have an extremely low level of toxicity in humans, which would only increase the potential benefits.
The Legality of CBD
Cannabis is legal for either recreational or medicinal use in some parts of the United States. Other states have approved the use of CBD oil as a hemp product but not the general use of medical marijuana.
Different states require different levels of prescription to possess and utilize CBD oil. It is imperative that anyone that is looking to use CBD oil should speak with a local healthcare provider.
Some federal and state laws differ, and current CBD and marijuana legislation in the U.S. can be daunting.
While there are a large number of states that do not consider marijuana to be legal, they have laws that are directly related to CBD oil.
