Want to learn the truth about CBD? In this article, we’ll bust some of the most common misconceptions about CBD and help you understand exactly what CBD is, how it works in the body, and how it can help you.
Health professionals, close friends, family, virtual friends on social media, everybody is talking about CBD these days. And, the more you hear about it, the more confused you are. You may hear completely different things about CBD from different people. Well, that’s because there are many contradictions about this natural remedy. And, these contradictions have led to plenty of common misconceptions that keep on spreading.
So, what’s really the deal with CBD? Well, the thing is that understanding CBD science is still a work in progress. Researchers are still looking for and discovering new things about CBD by the day.
Here are 7 common misconceptions about CBD and the truth about them:
1. CBD gets you high
This is certainly the most common misconception about CBD products: they get you “high.” Well, this isn’t true!
People wrongfully believe that CBD has intoxicating effects because they know that it is a compound found in the marijuana plant. However, the truth is that CBD doesn’t have intoxicating effects. What actually gives the “high” feeling is another compound found in the cannabis plant called THC. So, when using marijuana, people get “high” due to THC, not CBD.
CBD is a non-intoxicating compound and doesn’t cause people to experience the euphoric feeling that they experience when using products with THC. However, CBD products only contain 0,3% THC, as required by the law for the products to be legal, so there’s no way that people can get t “high” feeling from using CBD products.
However, it’s wrong to say that CBD isn’t psychoactive. While it doesn’t give the “high” feeling, it does have some form of impact on our brain’s molecules. For example, similar to caffeine, CBD also falls into the psychoactive category.
2. CBD is illegal
Another extremely popular misconception about CBD is the fact that it is illegal. However, this, too, is incredibly wrong.
Here’s the deal: In 2018, the Agriculture Improvement Act 2018 changed the definition of marijuana to exclude hemp across the US. From that moment, hemp cultivation and the selling of hemp-extracted CBD products became legal. However, once again, this is applicable if the products contain 0,3% or less THC. Reliable and legal hemp growers such as Pure Hemp Farms produce their CBD products to contain less than 0.3% THC.
In Colorado, Washington, New Mexico, Nevada, and other states where recreational marijuana use is legal, marijuana-derived CBD products are also legal to be sold.
3. CBD is addictive
CBD addiction is another myth that isn’t true. CBD, no matter the form it comes in, is not addictive. In fact, several studies suggest that this compound is great at helping to minimize addictive side effects of other pills used for pain management without giving addiction to it.
4. CBD only comes in the form of oil
CBD oil is the most popular form of CBD product. However, CBD doesn’t only come in the form of oil.
CBD sellers have adapted their products to today’s CBD users and their specific needs. For this reason, CBD comes in various forms that cater to unique preferences and needs. More precisely, CBD can be found in the form of topical creams, edibles, drinks, vape juice, smoke flowers, pills, and capsules.
So, if you think about starting to use CBD products, you don’t have to limit your choice to CBD oil. You can do your research and see which other CBD products are more suitable for your preferences and needs.
5. CBD’s medical benefits aren’t backed by science
People who think that CBD is nothing but a marketing buzz don’t know that CBD is actually now an FDA-approved drug that is used to treat several seizure disorders. What’s more, there are dozens of scientific studies that suggest the fact that CBD is a great natural remedy for various medical conditions, including anxiety and depression, cancer treatment-related symptoms, epilepsy, acne, and many others.
However, it is true that there’s still a lot to find about CBD’s potential role in treating these conditions. Yet, it’s wrong to say that CBD’s benefits aren’t backed by science because there are plenty of studies showing that it can be a very powerful natural treatment for many serious medical conditions.
6. CBD activates cannabinoid receptors
While this misconception may sound so right, it is actually incredibly wrong. We’ll have to get a bit specific on this one to help you understand why CBD doesn’t actually activate cannabinoid receptors.
Here’s the deal: our bodies have something called the endocannabinoid system. This system is basically a natural collection of endocannabinoids, which are the messenger molecules that impact people’s health and mental state by activating the message-receivers in the system known as cannabinoid receptors.
Now, THC, the intoxicating compound found in the marijuana plant, is a plant-based cannabinoid that can impact these receptors, just like our bodies’ natural endocannabinoids do. Yet, when it comes to CBD, although it is structurally extremely similar to THC, and it is even classified as a cannabinoid and even named so, researchers found that it does not activate cannabinoid receptors.
Yes, we know it’s bizarre and confusing, but this is what scientists have found about this compound. Instead, CBD impacts the cannabinoid system in two different ways. More precisely, CBD encourages the body’s natural production of endocannabinoids and dampens the activity of some cannabinoid receptors, but it does not activate them.
7. CBD starts showing improvement within a few hours
Another thing that people get wrong about CBD is that they expect to see if it works or not in a matter of a few hours. However, that’s not how CBD works.
Some people may indeed notice an immediate improvement of their symptoms. Yet, some people don’t feel any change. For some, it may be necessary to take CBD for a longer period before noticing any difference. For others, it may not do anything at all, and this is usually the case when people take CBD without suffering from a medical condition. It’s obvious that you don’t see that CBD isn’t treating anything if there’s nothing to treat.