From country to country around the world, with the recent legalizations of marijuana that continue to take place globally, research pertaining to the industry and plant matter has been conducted more easily, openly, and frequently which has indeed shed some light on CBD.
Yet what many are now only learning is that even before the legalization of marijuana, CBD has generally been legal in many countries already for a number of years. As a result, there have been studies underway and the research has shown how beneficial CBD can be for various medical conditions, as well as containing many health benefits.
Consumers will have noticed how easily accessible and available CBD is today, as well as relatively affordable and easy to consume at that, really honing on all individual's preferences.
Considering these factors, it's led us to the pivotal question probably on a lot of people's lips, will CBD change the medical landscape?
It's easy to get
As CBD is very easy to get your hands on these days, it makes it even more accessible than ever before. It's also now largely legal pretty much anywhere, from supermarkets in the form of soaps, to online head shops for vapes, yet keep in mind that some state's laws do vary slightly.
Today you'll find cannabis in all sorts of end-products ranging from food and drinks, to creams and vape concentrates.
Yet there is still one slight problem in the industry…Many products for sale are labelled and sold as CBD, but not all products are guaranteed to get you your money's worth and don't always contain what is promised. Some products advertised as CBD, do contain concentrates of it but just in doses that are so meniscal, it could reduce the effectiveness of the product. So do always inspect your labels!
What is it currently treating?
One of the pivotal reasons as to why CBD could change the medical landscape as a whole is based on because of how versatile the plant is. As a result, it is utilised to treat an abundance of various conditions, some more serious than others.
Firstly, it's important to understand how CBD works with the human body…When one consumes CBD, it interacts with what's been termed as our endocannabinoid (EC) system found in all humans. As the CBD enters the body, signals are sent from your EC system to various cannabinoid receptors found in different parts of the body.
Our primary cannabinoid receptors are our CB1 (located in the brain and central nervous system) and CB2 receptors (found mainly in the immune and gastrointestinal system).
When one experiences pain for example, as you consume CBD, your EC system is alerted, sending off signals to these receptors. The CB1 receptor found in the brain is thought to help reduce the amount of pain the body experiences by working with the brain's neurotransmitters.
When feeling depressed, the body's serotonin levels drop and in fact, CBD has the ability to help rebalance these, reducing feelings of anxiety and depression, or helping to treat PTSD.
There are various ways to take it
A major factor in its popularity is because CBD is quite accessible due to the fact that there are many delivery methods when it comes to choosing the way you want to use and consume cannabis.
Vaping, for example, enters the body's bloodstream immediately via the lungs as you inhale the vapour, making it fast-acting and usually consisting of a higher concentration of cannabinoids, such as CBD or THD, over other methods. Vaping offers a more discreet option than say smoking a joint/bong/pipe.
If you're not into the idea of any sort of smoke/vapour entering your lungs, you may want to opt for a topical such as creams and balms. These are a fantastic option for pain that's easy to use and is applied directly to the skin/effected area. If you're hesitant about physically consuming cannabis, this is the ideal winner.
Edibles are any food or drink made/infused with CBD and they take the longest to feel the effects, yet these effects last the longest, sometimes up to eight hours. If you're looking to treat a serious ailment over the course of the day, these are a great choice. Plus, edibles usually make users feel more comfortable, especially first-timers.
Sublingual methods include tinctures and oils usually taken under the tongue. They are pretty fast-acting and can take up to one hour to feel the effects, but they're super easy to use and you can even add them to your coffee or hot chocolate, smoothie or breakfast bowl.
There aren't too many negative side effects
Users have found that using CBD doesn't lead to many negative side effects which is what makes it a product that almost anyone can use. Some of the known side effects include drowsiness, loss of appetite, red eyes, and a dry mouth.
It's pivotal to note that Cannabidiol (CBD) is possibly unsafe to use if you are pregnant or breast-feeding however, this one is up for debate in industry research.
Other scenarios include those suffering with liver disease whom may need to use lower doses of CBD than your normal user.
With everything there are cautions, and if using the prescription Cannabidiol product Epidiolex, it's safe recommended dosage, taken orally, stands at up to 25 mg/kg daily for children, so it's important to follow this information.
