Cannabis is legal to use in 26 states and also in DC, and can be used recreationally in seven, but despite what some people might have you believe, users are not just lazily getting high every day. More people are using marijuana and marijuana compounds for medical reasons without having to experience the hallucinogenic or psychoactive effects. The primary product is called cannabidiol which is also referred to as CBD oil or just CBD. CBD is just one of the approximately 80 cannabinoids found in marijuana, but may be considered the most medically potent one.
So here is what CBD oil isn’t. It is not hemp oil or hempseed oil which can be found alongside sunflower, safflower, and grapeseed oil at the supermarket. Hempseed oil is made from crushing hemp seeds and while it is great for you nutritionally, it lacks many of the healing properties found in CBD. You can use it on a salad, use it on your fingernails for smooth cuticles, but don’t expect to get high from it or to relieve your pain and nausea. One doctor compared the chance of getting high from hempseed to the chance of getting high from poppy seeds (like you would from morphine which is made from poppy seeds). It just does not work that way.
CBD oil is altogether different. It comes from the cannabis sativa plant and has no psychoactive properties, but its therapeutic uses have been well documented and continue to be so. It has been shown to relieve pain, manage seizures, lower diabetes risk and insulin levels, reduce nausea, kill some lines of cancer cells, improve sleep, reduce anxiety, improve mood, and help protect skin from free radicals. Some people have used it on painful areas like knees and other joints as a massage oil and found quick results with relief.
Some of the best CBD oils available are organic and free from pesticides. Since CBD is not regulated by the FDA, it is critical to select items from reputable brands and manufacturers who do not use any synthetic chemicals in their formulations. AmericanHempOil.net is one company that tests their hemp oil multiple times to ensure accuracy in potency information cannabinoid content. In a time of such demand, it is not unheard of to find unsavory characters trying to pass off regular oils, such as corn oil, as CBD. Consumers need to do their due diligence and find a quality supplier.
Once you receive the CBD, you can take it by mouth, just a few drops per day under the tongue, or you can massage the drops into your skin. Some even keep it in their kitchen and add it to salad dressings, but remember, just a few drops will do! Another good use in the kitchen is with creating edibles such as gummies or candies with the oil. As is the case with any supplement, you should always check with your doctor before use and be sure to use a journal to note any particular affects you experience.