CBD Oil and you: What it is and what it can do

The finally legalized cannabis compound could have substantial health benefits

Published in The Burr Magazine, Fall 2019. Photo by CBD Infos on UnSplash.

After a lot of back and forth, Ohio legislation finally legalized the sale of cannabidiol, or CBD oil, and the cultivation of hemp. 

According to Leafly, the world’s largest informative cannabis website, hemp is one of the oldest domesticated crops known to man. It has been used for paper, textiles, ropes and cordage. Hemp and marijuana come from the same plant but are distinguished by their uses, chemical makeup and the way they are cultivated. 

Legal hemp plants under the new Farm Bill must contain less than 0.3% THC. However, CBD and THC are very different. CBD is a compound, or cannabinoid, found in the cannabis plant that is not psychoactive and has significant medical benefits. THC is the psychoactive, mind-altering compound in cannabis that creates a “high.”

What does it do?

There has been a lot of confusion surrounding CBD and THC, as many people do not know or understand the differences between the two compounds and the effects they have. 

Diamond CBD, an online CBD distributor, sends out an informative pamphlet with every order called “The Ultimate CBD Pocket Guide.” CBD has been found to have a multitude of health and wellness benefits and has been used to treat conditions such as chronic pain, anxiety and insomnia. 

According to Harvard Health Publishing, the strongest scientific evidence of health benefits from CBD is in its “effectiveness in treating some of the cruelest childhood epilepsy syndromes, such as Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, which typically don’t respond to anti-seizure medications. In numerous studies, CBD was able to reduce the number of seizures and in some cases it was able to stop them altogether.”

In 2018, the FDA approved the first cannabis-derived medicine, containing CBD, for these conditions called Epidiolex.

How does it work?

According to Nature World News, the most common methods to use CBD effectively are sublingual (under the tongue) tinctures and ingestion, though there are topical applications and inhalation methods as well. 

CBD interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system, which is made of of two types of receptors called CB1 and CB2. These receptors are neurotransmitters involved in physiological processes like appetite, pain sensation, mood and memory, according to the Ultimate CBD Pocket Guide. These cannabinoid receptors are activated by cannabinoids whether they are generated naturally in the body or introduced by CBD. 

CB1 receptors in the body are predominantly found in the brain and nervous system. CB1 receptors in the brain control coordination, mood, appetite and other various functions. When introduced to the body, THC attaches to these receptors. 

CB2 receptors are commonly found in the immune system and affect pain and inflammation. 

“Researchers once believed that CBD attached to CB2 receptors, but it now appears that CBD does not attach directly to either receptor. Instead, it seems to direct the body to use more of its own cannabinoids,” according to Medical News Today.

Could lessen anxiety and depression

Anxiety and depression are typically treated with pharmaceutical medications that could have negative side effects or even be potentially addictive. 

In a study on cannabidiol as a potential treatment for anxiety disorders published on the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) website, researchers found that “evidence from human studies strongly supports the potential for CBD as a treatment for anxiety disorders.”

CBD has also displayed effects similar to antidepressants in studies with mice, published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, that showed to be similar to the effects on humans.

Freshman zoology major at Kent State UniversityKaitlynn den Hoed has been using CBD oil for a year and a half. She uses it to help manage her anxiety and depression, specifically to help with racing thoughts.

“One of my main problems with anxiety is I have racing thoughts and that prevents me from sleeping a lot,” she says. “I’ll be awake until 4 a.m. regularly and then me not sleeping leads to worsening depression, and CBD oil helps calm my brain down so I can think slower, so it’s not as much of an issue and I can sleep better.”

Ease pain and inflammation

Several studies have been conducted to evaluate the legitimacy of using CBD for pain relief for conditions like arthritis, multiple sclerosis and chronic pain. 

The European Journal of Pain found that CBD applied on the skin could help lower pain and inflammation due to arthritis.

In 2019, the Arthritis Foundation published guidelines on their website about how to use CBD properly and effectively, making them the first patient advocacy group to release guidelines on using the substance.

Help manage nausea and vomiting 

According to Project CBD, a nonprofit that promotes and publicizes research for CBD for medical use, “CBD interacts with serotonin-releasing receptors and when given in relatively small doses has been shown to help alleviate both nausea and vomiting.”

A PubMed study found that CBD can also be used to reduce nausea and vomiting in cancer patients due to side effects of chemotherapy. There are already medications available that are supposed to alleviate those side effects; however, they may not always work, which leads patients to seek alternatives. 

Although in studies CBD has been found to help reduce symptoms related to cancer and cancer treatment, more research is needed in that department to fully judge its efficacy and safety.

Heart health

The anti-inflammatory properties of CBD could potentially reduce risk factors leading to heart disease, like high blood pressure. 

In a 2017 study conducted by JCI Insight, healthy human volunteers were subjected to exercise, cold and mental stress, and when they were given a dose of CBD, it lowered their blood pressure. 

Along with reducing inflammation in the cardiovascular system and managing blood pressure, CBD has also been found to strengthen artery walls and reduce vascular tension.

Experiences

According to a market report from Infinite CBD from a 2017 study conducted by HelloMD and the Brightfield Group, 59% of CBD consumers were female. Thirty-one percent were between the ages of 35 and 49, with people ages 26 to 34 and 50 to 60 making up 22%. 

Despite these findings, CBD is commonly used among college students as well.

Kaitlynn den Hoed had been using melatonin to help her sleep until her therapist mentioned CBD oil. 

“I had been using melatonin for a while, but it just stopped working,” she says. “I don’t know if I just got used to it or what, but [my therapist] recommended [CBD], and my mom went and bought some for me. It worked so much better than melatonin or chamomile tea or meditation, so I stuck with it.”

Brookie Brooks, a senior public health major at Kent State University, has been using CBD to help with anxiety and pain for two years. 

“I was never big on medication, so I use [CBD oil] because it helps kind of calm my anxiety and panic attacks that I get,” she says. “It also helps with the pain I have, because I have an injured knee. Advil helps take away a little bit of swelling and the pain, but the CBD oil really helps the inflammation that causes the pain.”

Both Brooks and den Hoed say they would recommend CBD oil to others to use. 

“I recommend it 100%,” den Hoed says. “I think people who struggle with the same problems I do or even things like physical pain should definitely take a look into it.”

Where do you get CBD in Ohio?

The highest quality CBD oil is sold in licensed dispensaries throughout Ohio. However, the only way to get into those dispensaries is with a valid medical marijuana card, which requires a very long and detailed application process. 

However, non-medical marijuana patients can still access CBD. 

Way of Leaf, an informative medical marijuana resource, recommends ordering online from reputable brands to ensure you are buying a safe and quality product. 

Some companies Way of Leaf recommends in their review of online retailers for Ohio residents include PureKana, Green Roads and Premium Jane. 

The CBD oil from these companies are often tested in a third-party lab and are found to be free of pesticides and other chemical solvents that could be harmful to users. 

CBD oil can also be purchased from retailers like vape shops and head shops.

When buying CBD in any case, it is important to research the company and read customer reviews to ensure you are purchasing something safe, organic and legitimate.

“I definitely think there’s a stigma around it,” den Hoed said. “But I would definitely recommend using it to someone if they asked.”