Every once in a while, a substance comes along that everyone suddenly becomes convinced is the next best thing. Some natural health fads have come and gone, but others have settled into reliable patterns of growth and demand.
Medical cannabis, for instance, was once viewed as nothing more than a transitory alternative health fad, but it has evolved into a multi-state industry involving widespread legalization of adult recreational use. An offshoot of the cannabis market, CBD, has attained nationwide popularity as an alleviator of various conditions.
What is CBD, and why is this substance now so hyped that it’s featured on the front pages of mainstream publications like TIME and Discover Magazine? Learn more about CBD and why so many find it useful.
What Is CBD?
CBD is a non-intoxicating extract of the cannabis plant. Called hemp since they contain less than 0.3% THC, CBD products are sold in the United States under the 2018 Farm Bill, which began the process of separating hemp from cannabis for regulatory purposes.
The FDA, the new “ward” of the CBD industry, has done little to change how the federal hemp market operates. CBD products are widely available online, and this cannabinoid continues to undergo intensive scientific scrutiny as researchers the world over try to determine its usefulness as a legitimate treatment.
What Does CBD Do?
Chemically speaking, there’s one massive difference between CBD and cannabinoids like delta-9 THC: CBD doesn’t bind with cannabinoid receptors, the sites in the brain that result in cannabis intoxication. Instead, CBD appears to bind with neurochemical sites like your 5-HT and TRP receptors, which are involved in everything from mood to pain — just not intoxication or euphoria, which fall within the domain of THC-activated dopamine.
Does CBD Get You High?
CBD doesn’t have the one effect most characteristic of cannabis: intoxication. Instead of getting you high, CBD makes you feel mildly relaxed but not euphoric in any way. As a result, CBD has no use as a recreational drug. If it’s scientifically confirmed to be useful at all, it will be considered a fully medicinal substance with practically zero potential of misuse or overdose.
Why Is CBD So Popular?
People like CBD due to its perceived combination of safety and efficacy. Most conventional medications are seen as effective but often posing downsides while natural alternatives are usually viewed as safer but potentially not worthwhile. CBD offers a combination of proven scientific value and minimal side effects that can seem very appealing to individuals jaded by opioids, SSRIs, and other conventional treatments.
How Do You Use CBD?
CBD is usually used orally in the form of capsules or a tincture. Gummies containing CBD are also remarkably popular, and some users choose to apply this cannabinoid topically. Used orally, CBD will usually start taking effect within 30 minutes and continues offering benefits for 2-3 hours.
What Are the Best CBD Products?
From a regulatory perspective, CBD remains in an odd place despite no longer having any legal connections to illicit drugs. Instead of proving their safety and value to regulators, CBD companies generally have to prove themselves directly to consumers in the form of third-party lab reports and customer reviews. As you select a high-quality product, keep in mind that only broad-spectrum and full-spectrum CBD have the potential to offer the entourage effect.
CBD: Worth the Hype or Not?
Is CBD a genuine natural health revolution, or is it no more than a quasi-effective placebo? What’s certain is that CBD has received an ever-growing amount of research attention. The international scientific community hasn’t turned away from CBD in disappointment, and neither have consumers.
On the contrary, the CBD market has spawned interest in other hemp cannabinoids like CBD and CBN, which are growing in popularity by the year. People are learning more about CBD all the time, and hemp cannabinoids certainly appear to have secured an enduring place in the future of natural health.
Qrius does not provide medical advice
The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act) outlaws the recreational use of cannabis products in India
CBD oil manufactured under a license issued by the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 can be legally used in India, for medicinal purposes, only with a prescription, subject to specific conditions. Kindly refer to the same here for the legalities of use in India
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