7 Misconceptions About Cannabidiol by Aaron Cadena at CBD Origin
The Truth About Cannabidiol: Facts vs. Fiction
Over the past year, there has been a growing interest in the marijuana plant, and, no it’s not just because more people want to “get high.” In fact, THC, the psychoactive compound in the marijuana plant responsible for the “high” has been sharing the spotlight with its non-psychoactive counterpart, Cannabidiol (CBD). Because CBD is completely non-psychoactive, it is able to deliver the many healing properties of the marijuana plant without the negative side effects of getting high. This has made CBD a very popular alternative for patients seeking all-natural options for treating various conditions. This popularity, however, has been accompanied by a variety of misconceptions. That being said, we’d like to debunk these misconceptions and close the gap between fact and fiction. Here are 7 misconceptions about cannabidiol.
1. CBD can get you “high.”
Because THC and CBD both yield from the marijuana plant, many assume that, like THC, using CBD will get you high. While this is a genuine concern, it is completely false. Within our body’s central nervous system is a group of receptors called the Endocannabinoid System, which researchers believe controls our appetite, mood, pain sensation, memory, and other important functions. Within the Endocannabinoid System are several different receptors, one of which is the CB1 receptor. When the CB1 receptor comes into contact with THC, it causes the psychoactive effects associated with “getting high;” however, when the CB1 receptor comes into contact with CBD, not only does it not cause psychoactive effects, it actually blocks THC from interacting with the CB1 receptor. This allows CBD to inhibit some of the negative effects caused by THC, such as anxiety and memory loss.
2. CBD is most effective without THC or the other cannabinoids
As patients start to understand how CBD can be used to alleviate their symptoms, they are often faced with a choice between using products made from pure CBD isolate or from CBD including THC and the other cannabinoids. It was previously believed that CBD in its isolated form was more potent and concentrated than full spectrum CBD; however, in 2015, the theory was debunked by a study from the Lautenberg Center for General Tumor Immunology in Jerusalem. In the study, researchers administered full spectrum CBD and CBD isolate to two different groups of mice. When comparing the data of the two groups, the results proved that the group administered with full spectrum CBD were provided with higher levels of relief. Furthermore, the study demonstrated that full spectrum CBD continued to provide relief as the dose increased, while CBD Isolate did not provide the same effect when there was an increase in dosage.
3. CBD is legal in all 50 United States
If you’ve ever visited an online CBD store, you’ve likely seen how companies claim CBD is “legal in all 50 states,” and strongly urge you to buy it for your uncle, mother, sister, and neighbor. While we are huge supporters of Cannabidiol, we know that it is, in fact, not legal in all 50 states, nor is it legal for everyone and anyone to use. Currently, CBD is legal at a state-level in 44 states; however, the law’s vary from state to state, with some states having “CBD-only” laws, meaning possession and usage of CBD are legal under certain medical circumstances. While there has been a lot of progress over the years, the laws are still not well-defined. In the years to come, we are confident that CBD will reach full legality because of the wondrous benefits it offers; however, as of right now, it is not “legal in all 50 states.”
4. CBD didn’t work for me, so it must be a hoax
We’ve heard many stories when someone used Cannabidiol, and for whatever reason, they didn’t get the results they were looking for, so they automatically assumed that CBD was a hoax. The countless scientific studies and tens of thousands of people who have experienced life-changing results would beg to differ. Because the CBD industry is still in its early stages, there isn’t a whole lot of research in regards to what dosage should be used for various conditions, or what is the best method to intake CBD for a person’s unique situation. That being said, there are numerous reasons why CBD didn’t work out for you. For example:
- You took a very small amount, and after the CBD passed through your body’s digestive tract, there wasn’t much to impact your body
- Your condition called for a higher amount of CBD than you took, so the impact was not enough for you to notice a difference
- You purchased a low-quality product that could have contained no CBD, synthetic CBD, or other garbage (always do business with trusted companies!)
- You assumed CBD was like THC and thought it would get you high
And the list goes on! In our business, we do a lot of testing; and from our experience, the case with the most evidence wins, and there is definitely a ton of evidence backing CBD.
5. CBD is the only good part of the marijuana plant
Because “getting high” is sometimes looked at with a negative perspective, some believe that THC, and the marijuana plant, in general, is bad; while non-psychoactive CBD is given praise for all its medical benefits without getting the user high. This is a completely false notion; because while CBD does indeed provide numerous health benefits, these benefits come from the marijuana plant. Furthermore, these benefits are amplified by the combined usage of CBD, THC, and all the other cannabinoids found in marijuana. In fact, there doesn’t even need to be enough THC to induce any psychoactive effects in order for you to achieve the health benefits.
6. All CBD is created equal
A big misconception is that all CBD is created equal. “I used CBD before and it worked great, so if I use this other CBD product I’ll get the same results.” Not always. In order for quality CBD to be yielded, it must be grown, manufactured, extracted, and formed into a final product with very high standards. Just as with any product, in any industry, the manufacturer of a CBD product could cut corners at many different points, resulting in a lower-quality product. It’s unfortunate, but it is the world we live in. That being said, it is very important to always do research on a company before you do business with them, and make sure to purchase products from a company that is known to be trusted in the industry and has a good track record. If you experienced a low-quality product, don’t lose faith; CBD could provide the relief you need. Feel free to visit our recommended vendors page for suggested products.
7. CBD is a miracle “cure all” solution
While some view Cannabidiol as a huge health movement, others see it as an opportunity to make a ton of money. While the intentions of some are pure; others are not so pure and they’ll do whatever they can to take advantage of this opportunity including making bold claims about how CBD can pretty much cure anything. While CBD definitely offers a ton of medical benefits, it is not the end of all diseases as we know it. If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. As with buying anything, don’t always be so trusting of what someone has to say, especially when they’re selling you something. Always do your research.
We recently wrote an article which lists over one hundred scientific studies covering how CBD can benefit over 50 medical conditions. If you have a specific condition, here’s a link to the article: Research Shows CBD Benefits 50+ Conditions
We certainly hope that this article helped clarify some questions you might have had! If you have any additional questions or wanted to say something about this article, please engage in the comments section below.
Thank you for reading!
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