CBD is one of the hottest therapeutic trends to hit the market in years. People are buying CBD oils, pills and aerosols to treat an incredibly wide range of conditions, from aching joints to acne to anxiety — and that’s just the letter “a.”
As far as the scientific community is concerned, the jury is still out on the medicinal value of CBD. While there is much positive anecdotal evidence of CBD’s effectiveness and the research is quite promising, there is still a great deal we do not know about CBD. CBD’s legal status varies and is in continual flux from state to state. The side effects of CBD are not clearly understood, and even the mechanisms by which it works in the human body is still a matter of theory.
Because the production and sale of CBD products have been inconsistently regulated and because legitimate scientific research of the substance and its effects are still in the early stages, people are naturally confused about what CBD is and whether it is safe to use. Complicating matters further, overzealous or outright unscrupulous promoters of CBD have been prone to sweeping statements that make CBD sound like nothing more than the latest variety of snake oil.
The accompanying resource offers some clarity about what CBD is, how it works, and what it can do for human health. If you are thinking about trying CBD, or you have a condition that perhaps CBD can treat, the infographic should prove extremely helpful.
One element of confusion to clear up right away is the issue of getting “high” from CBD. You can rest easy on this score: While CBD is indeed extracted from marijuana (and also from hemp), it is not a psychoactive compound. THC is the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.
One reason the legal status of CBD products is confusing is that some jurisdictions make a distinction between CBD derived from hemp and CBD derived from marijuana; either way, however, CBD will not get you “high” — unless the CBD product also has THC in it, which is often the case.
With all this in mind, it’s important to scrutinize the ingredients in a CBD product with great care before making a purchase. In addition, it’s well worth the time to research the product, seller and manufacturer in as much depth as you can. Like any medicinal product, quality control is essential. At this stage, there is no single standard for quality control of CBD products.
Despite the challenges, all indications show that CBD can provide substantial relief for mild or serious conditions — and in some cases, with far fewer and less severe side effects than traditional medications and treatments. In the treatment of child epilepsy, for instance, CBD has established a strong scientific case and proven to be a near miraculous gift for many suffering children and their parents. To learn more about how CBD works, check out the resource.
Author bio:
Michael Barnes is the founder and CEO of 420DC, a cannabis marketing platform in Washington, D.C. He has 15-plus years of experience in marketing as well as the cannabis industry.
This infographic was created by 420DC, a dispensary directory
