You might be hearing the new buzzword cannabidiol or CBD from various different sources and wondering what all the hype is about. This is an all-inclusive guide to help you understand everything you need to know about CBD or cannabidiol. Here you will find details about what is CBD, the different ways to use CBD, how much CBD to take, and what are some of the advantages of taking CBD. CBD wholesale enthusiasts claim that it can help with many different medical conditions such as anxiety, insomnia, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and much more.
What Is Cannabidiol?
There are more than 779 strains of the cannabis plant which can be distinguished as being one of a kind of the cannabis plant. These are just some of the formally recognized strains of the plant. At the same time, there can be a virtually endless number of strains that exist naturally but have not been formally identified. Gardeners all around the world are keen on developing unique strains that have special curative properties.
There are more than 421 substances in every cannabis plant and 61 of those chemicals are cannabinoids. A cannabinoid is anatomically similar to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which is identified as the psychoactive compound in the cannabis plant. THC is a psychoactive substance that causes users to feel a high or euphoric feeling after using raw cannabis. Cannabidiol is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid, meaning it does not cause users to feel a high or euphoric feeling, and it is extracted from the cannabis plant.
Cannabidiol is the substance that is often abbreviated as CBD on various products and it is a non-psychoactive substance. CBD provides the human body with numerous physical and psychological advantages by influencing the endocannabinoid system. The endocannabinoid system comprises of parts of the brain, the central, and peripheral nervous system and it is responsible for plenty of critical bodily and metabolic functions. We will discuss the endocannabinoid system in more detail later on.
Is CBD Legal?
Before December 2018, when The Hemp Farming Act was not officially included in the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, hemp-sourced CBD production was not legal. The 2018 Farm Bill began the era of legalized manufacturing and marketing of hemp products and pertinent extracts. The bill recognizes THC as a psychoactive component in all CBD products because both THC and CBD are extracted in the same way. This is why the federal limits for the concentration of THC in any product are up to 0.3 percent for the product to be legal.
All states can exercise their authority to maintain state-based rules for CBD extraction, production, and marketing of CBD products used for medicinal or recreational purposes. This is why all forms of CBD are illegal in Idaho, Nebraska, and South Dakota. It is uncertain whether hemp-sourced CBD is legal in South Dakota. A majority of the states still consider marijuana-sourced CBD illegal for purely recreational purposes.
Residents of the following European countries can make use of CBD products with a prescription or otherwise:
- Austria: with a prescription
- Australia: with a prescription
- Belgium: with a prescription
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Estonia
- Finland: with a prescription
- France
- Germany: with a prescription
- Greece
- Hungary: with a prescription
- Ireland
- Italy
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal: with a prescription
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
The Middle East represents a dichotomy on the subject of CBD products. Israel is a leader and pioneer in the world conducting research related to the substance on multiple national and international levels. From another point of view, an individual can be executed in Saudi Arabia for possession of CBD products. It is not recommended to travel to any Middle Eastern country with any kind of CBD product even if you have a prescription.
In a majority of countries in the African continent, the market for CBD products has not yet fully developed except for South Africa. Lesotho and Zimbabwe are the only countries within Africa that consider cannabis products legal for medicinal reasons, even so, it is extremely hard to find CBD products here. There are penalties for possession of cannabis in Africa but these laws are often not being implemented properly. It is not recommended to travel to Africa with CBD products.
What Are Some Of The Benefits Of CBD?
The cannabis plant is referred to by a variety of different names such as sour diesel, purple haze, purple urkle, skywalker, Durban poison, power flower, and Maui wowie. One of the roles of CBD is that it helps maintain equilibrium on many different bodily functions within the body. To explain the function of CBD in the body’s metabolism take the example of a wound that pierces the skin. One of the reflex actions of the skin is that it will begin to swell around the wound to ensure that minimum blood is lost from the injury.
Simultaneously, the epidermis will also try to recuperate and regenerate the skin that has been damaged. The body must know when to stop the swelling and regeneration process which is when the wound has completely healed. CBD incites the endocannabinoid receptors to speed up the healing process with a fresh lesion and to slow it down once the laceration has healed. This is done by the endocannabinoid system which is a network of nerves and receptors associated with the brain and nervous system located across the human spinal cord.
CBD stimulates the body to function efficiently and there is a corollary effect on the rest of the body. One of these effects includes the body’s ability to efficiently maintain blood pressure. Here are some other benefits of CBD for potential users.
- Anxiety
Researchers in Brazil placed 57 adult males under a test of nerves by requesting them to make a speech at a public speaking event. It was found that the 15 men who received a 300mg dose of CBD before their appearance on stage were able to control their nerves. The other individuals who received a dose of either 150 mg or 600 mg of CBD were not able to effectively control their anxiety. These researchers proved that CBD has a positive effect on anxiety.
- Pain Relief
Research into whether CBD can provide effective pain relief is still in the initial stages of the investigation but the information that has come forward is encouraging. According to research, CBD could possibly provide alleviation from pain and swelling. CBD creams are available in the market that claims to deliver topical relief to injuries. Although medical professionals discourage the use of any cannabis-related products during pregnancy.
- Restraining Epileptic Seizures
One of the first FDA-approved medications for epilepsy is Epidiolex. This is a medicine that was produced by GW Pharmaceuticals a British company and an American-affiliated company by the name of Greenwich Biosciences. The medicine only works for people with Dravet syndrome or Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Both of these forms of epilepsy develop from a young age and remain uncured for the rest of their life.
According to the American Epilepsy Society research is underway to understand the affiliation and the effect of CBD on the nervous system. The organization is investigating CBD as a potential long-term solution for epileptic individuals. This is why they are also researching possible drug interactions and side effects of the substance.
Expectations From First Administration Of CBD Drugs
Some people might find that the first dose of CBD has a favorable influence on their overall health. But understand that people with persisting conditions will need to take CBD for a longer time for the drug to have a positive influence on their condition and body metabolism. It is impractical to think of CBD as a miracle cure that will heal all within a few short doses. The diseases and conditions that CBD is being taken for have developed over a long time and they will not be cured instantly.
Alternatively, if you are taking CBD for symptoms that have just recently occurred there is a possibility that they can be cured quickly. Think of the intake of CBD as a lifestyle change rather than a speedy resolution to any form of long-term illnesses and conditions. Initially, the drug will help individuals control the symptoms of the condition to help them achieve a better physical state. Individuals will be able to achieve better physical and emotional health with prolonged usage.
What Are The Possible Side Effects Of CBD?
There are short-term side effects of CBD and long-term side effects. Short-term side effects will be experienced immediately after taking the drug within the first few hours. Everybody will not experience the same side effects because everybody has a unique body metabolism. This is a list of the possible short-term side effects
- Skin irritation
- Nausea
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhea
- Feeling exhausted
- Cottonmouth
- Intermittent low blood pressure
- Avoid eating grapefruits with CBD
Long-term side effects will take a much longer time to develop and they will not become obvious from the first use. It is important to keep in mind that the nature of CBD is that it affects very quickly and has very few long-term side effects. But some possible side effects can occur with regular usage over a long period of time.
- Feeling exhausted
- Excessive weight loss or gain
- Liver damage
- Drug interaction
In addition to these side effects, there is a possibility that CBD can influence the efficiency of some of the other medications that you are taking. It is not necessary that everyone experiences all of these symptoms.