Can CBD oil benefit you?

Background

CBD oil (cannabidiol) is derived from hemp. Many people confuse hemp with marijuana, but hemp is a very different plant. Marijuana and hemp may share the same scientific name, Cannabis sativa, but they are not the same.

Marijuana is grown primarily for its psychoactive cannabinoid, a chemical compound called tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, for recreational and medicinal use. Marijuana contains THC and CBD.

Hemp contains only a trace of THC, less than 0.3% compared to the considerable 5-35% of marijuana. The main cannabinoid in hemp is CBD, but there are over 100 cannabinoids in hemp, as well as compounds that produce flavors and aromas called terpenes (for example, citrus smell of oranges, unique aroma of pine trees, or sweet smell of lavender flowers. ).

For thousands of years, hemp has been cultivated for food, clothing, fiber, and fuel. It is one of the oldest domestic crops in the world. In the early days, hemp was a vital crop in the US During the 1700s, colonial farmers grew hemp primarily for its strong fiber.

However, hemp production came to a halt when the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 was passed. Mainstream attitudes towards cannabis began to lean heavily towards the negative. Hemp became the "weed" because it shares the same species as marijuana although it does not contain the abundant THC found in marijuana.

Over the years, many have speculated that the real reason for the anti-cannabis campaign came down to concerns that hemp could become a low-cost substitute for paper pulp. American industrialist William Randolph Hearst and the DuPont family invested heavily in the lumber and newspaper industries. They launched a smear campaign to destroy the lucrative hemp market for fear that the rise in hemp would undermine their profits. However, years later, it became known that hemp does not contain a high enough concentration of cellulose to be an effective substitute for paper.

Eighty long years later, hemp finally regained its legal status in the United States after the passage of the Farm Bill of 2018. Hemp, defined as cannabis with less than 0.3% THC, is removed from controlled substances in Schedule I. Hemp products are legal as long as they come from licensed hemp producers. More and more universities and hospitals have started to study it. Americans can now legally use Fleurs de CBD. It can be ordered online and shipped to all 50 states.

Marijuana laws are also changing at a rapid pace across the United States. Although it is still illegal at the federal level, many states have legalized marijuana. For the remaining states, some have allowed it for medical use and some recreational uses.

The human endocannabinoid system (ECS)

The cannabinoids made by our own bodies are called endocannabinoids (the prefix "endo" means inside). In the 1990s, researchers made an astonishing discovery that the ECS plays an important role in our overall health.

The ECS maintains constant communication with all organ systems in the body.

This communication involves messenger molecules called endocannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors in every cell that accepts them. Think of it as a "lock and key" system. Receptors are blocks and endocannabinoids are keys that bind to these receptors and unblock them.

There are two main types of receptors within the ECS: the cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) and the cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2).

The researchers found more than 1,000 receptors in the body. CB1 receptors are found primarily in nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, as well as in the eye and retina. CB2 receptors are predominantly found in the immune system and in organs and tissues, such as the brain, spleen, blood cells, gastrointestinal and urinary tracts.