CBD Oil

            Whenever I start seeing amazing medical claims for “natural” substances, especially if it reaches viral stars on social media, my “too good to be true” BS meter starts clanging.  The most recent clang is from the hype surrounding CBD oil.  Just as a spoiler alert, I do think there are some legitimate uses for this product, but it comes with some caveats.

            Any discussion of CBD oil has to start with understanding the difference between it and associated products like Hemp, marijuana, and cannabis. Let’s start at the very beginning, for it’s a very good place to start (I just saw The Sound of Music again!).  Cannabis is a plant classification that contains a number of different plant species.  Two of those species are hemp and marijuana.  Understand that these are different plants that are related but distinct. It’s like penicillin and ciprofloxin are both antibiotics but they are very different drugs.  Both marijuana and hemp contain multiple compounds called cannabinoids.  In addition to substances known as terpenes, the cannabinoids are what give each plant its unique properties.

            Here is the big distinction.  Marijuana has a high concentration of a cannabinoid called THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) that makes you want to eat massive amounts of cheesy poofs and say things like “hey dude” and “wow”.  In other words, THC is psychoactive and makes you high.  Hemp has little if any THC so you could smoke an acre full and not get loopy.  One of the major cannabinoids in hemp is CBD (Cannabidiol) which is what makes up the majority of active substances in CBD oil.

            I’ll make it simple:

Marijuana (THC)  gets you high    illegal nationally       gain weight and act stupid

Hemp  (CBD)      no high               legal in all states      used for pain, anxiety, and sleep

            Hemp is primarily used for industrial purposes as it is capable of producing hundreds of resources such as paper, clothing, building materials, biofuel, food products, oils and more. With the fast-growing popularity of CBD across the globe, hemp is also used to produce a wide variety of THC-free CBD products.

            Now that distinction is clear, what does the science tell us about the benefits of CBD oil?  Here’s where the hype comes in.  Unfortunately, there are a number of sources that say Hemp extract or CBD oil (essentially the same for these purposes) can treat anything from childhood seizures to bad breath.  I could find studies that were well done that basically showed three main areas of legitimate use.  It has been shown in some to reduce chronic pain and decrease the need for narcotic/opioid use.  Also, it may reduce anxiety and depression in some folks and has been shown to help with chronic insomnia.  Honestly, there is a great deal of interest in this compound now, so I suspect many more studies in the future.

            Like any OTC product, you have to be a critical consumer and do your homework.  There are a lot of charlatans and cheats peddling bogus concoctions, so research a product and company thoroughly before spending your hard earned moolah.

            If you suffer from chronic pain (arthritis, fibromyalgia, etc.), have anxiety, and/or trouble sleeping it may be worthwhile investigating CBD oil use, but always talk to your doctor about potential side effects or contraindications in your health history.  A couple of good websites to get additional information are: 

https://medium.com/cbd-origin/cbd101-the-cbd-beginners-guide-986274bbdf1b (unbiased article written for the lay person)

https://anandaprofessional.com(product specific but educational)

https://search.nih.gov/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&affiliate=nih&query=CBD+oil&commit=Search (NIH site especially good for research papers)