The CBD has seen some serious growth, and there is a conservative estimate of it being a £12.5 billion industry by 2025. Today, the extract has been added to toothpicks, cheeseburgers, and breath sprays. A survey of 5,000 people was carried out by Brightfield Group, a cannabis market research firm, and it showed more than 60% of CBD users choose it for their anxiety. Insomnia, chronic pain, and depression accounted for most of the rest CBD usage. Some celebrities have said how CBD helped them. One good example is Kim Kardashian who turned to CBD when she was “freaking out” over the birth of their baby. Bubba Watson, a professional golfer, said it helps him with sleep. Martha Stewart’s dog uses it too., while here in the UK, CBD hemp oil can be found in Hampshire.
What is CBD?
Cannabidiol, or CBD, comes from the cannabis sativa plant but is not as popular as THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, which is the one responsible for a person feeling high. The plant has been around for long and can be traced to Central Asia, and it is estimated that the plant was used medicinally or for rituals around 750 B.C. though there are other estimates.
The plant has over 100 cannabinoids. CBD and THC are the two most popular. THC is said to be psychoactive while CBD might or might not be. This is a matter that is still out for debate. THC has been shown to increase in anxiety. THC is also responsible for cravings and addictions, but studies are being done on how CBD can help people in recovery.
Cannabis that contains 0.3% or less THC is known as hemp. Farm Bill was able to legalize hemp under federal law last year, but the Food and Drug Administration was left to oversee the products derived from cannabis.
Claims of CBD
CBD has been widely advertised as being great for people suffering from depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. It has also been marketed to people who have a hard time sleeping because it promotes sleep. CBD has become popular because it is seen as “nonpsychoactive”, which means users can be able to get all the health benefits that come with cannabis without getting high.
The farms growing it have increased, and the same can be said about the marketing of CBD. From oils to lollipops and suppositories to nasal sprays, it seems there is no place where CBD cannot go. It is something that has taken over because there are a lot of wild uses of CBD today, according to Dr Brad Ingram.
Does it Work?
Using CBD is relatively safe and this is what has promised different therapeutic avenues. Many different studies and research are trying to find the benefits of CBD.
F.D.A last year approved Epidiolex, which is a CBD extract that has been purified, to be used in treating seizure disorder in patients who are two years or older. This was after three-randomised trials were done using it and a placebo-controlled process was used. The trials showed that when Epidiolex was used alongside other medications, it helped in reducing seizures. When doing these studies, the participants are divided into groups by chance, and the groups don’t know whether they are the ones taking the medication or the placebo. This method has become a gold standard in medical studies.
While there is a lot of promise when it comes to the plant extract being used to treat other conditions, Epidiolex is currently the only drug derived from CBD that the F.D.A has approved. Most research has been on animals because the popularity of CBD is outpacing science.