Many people think hemp and marijuana come from the same plant, but this is a common misconception. Although they are closely related, these plants have essential chemical differences that suit them for different purposes. Marijuana plants (Cannabis sativa indica) contain high levels of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and some cannabidiol (CBD). Hemp plants (Cannabis sativa sativa) on the other hand have a legal maximum of 0.3% THC and higher levels of CBD. Hemp flowers can’t give you a high like marijuana can, but they do have a spectrum of scientifically-verified health benefits.
CBD Can Be Used to Reduce and Even Stop Chronic Seizures
Cannabidiol is promoted for use with a wide variety of health issues, but the strongest scientific evidence is for its ability to treat childhood epilepsy, such as Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. These syndromes don’t respond well to antiseizure medications, but according to several studies, they do respond to CBD treatment. It’s so effective, in fact, that the FDA recently approved the first-ever medicine to contain cannabidiol, Epidiolex.
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CBD Can Be Used to Treat Anxiety
Aside from being able to help people who suffer from debilitating chronic seizures, hemp flower products show promise in being able to help those who suffer from clinical anxiety find relief. As noted in this paper, existing preclinical evidence strongly supports cannabidiol as a treatment for generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. This is because of CBD’s effects on the endocannabinoid system.
The endocannabinoid system is a neurochemical network within the human body that is speculated to have evolved hundreds of millions of years ago. Because it evolved so long ago, it has had plenty of time to develop and become connected to many different physiological and neurological functions:
- Appetite
- Memory
- Pregnancy
- “Runner’s High”
- Emotional stability
- Seizure protection
- Cardiovascular health
- Immunity
- Inflammatory response
…Just to name a few. The result? CBD therapy promotes overall wellness, and that’s one of the reasons why it seems to work so well for the mysterious complaint that is anxiety.
CBD May Help With Both Falling Asleep and Staying Asleep
For those who have trouble sleeping due to anxiety-related complaints, science suggests that cannabidiol may be able to help with that, too. Historically, the Cannabis plant has been used to treat a range of physical and mental health problems, and more recently, it has been discovered that it may be able to increase the quality and duration of sleep. Formal research reports less dramatic results for sleep scores than in reducing anxiety, which may mean that this therapy is best used for those who suffer from anxiety-induced sleep disorders, such as insomnia.
CBD Can Be Used to Treat Chronic Pain
Many proponents of CBD claim that it can be used to help manage chronic pain, and the sheer amount of anecdotal evidence has prompted scientific research on the subject. In animal studies, it has been noted that when cannabidiol is applied topically, it can help lower pain and inflammation due to arthritis.
CBD seems to be particularly effective at preventing inflammatory and neuropathic pain, which are two of the most difficult types of chronic pain to treat. Inflammatory pain includes arthritis, certain autoimmune diseases such as Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis, and minor conditions such as headaches, cramps, and muscle aches. Neuropathic pain, on the other hand, tends to be associated with conditions such as multiple sclerosis, multiple myeloma, diabetes, trigeminal neuralgia, and cancer treatment.
However, more long-term studies with human subjects are needed to substantiate these claims.
CBD is not addictive
Perhaps best of all, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), cannabidiol has no potential for becoming addictive or forming a dependence. In fact, CBD seems to have effects that are directly opposite to those of THC (which is known to be potentially addictive). Furthermore, it has demonstrated very low potential for toxicity or abuse, which makes it very safe compared to many medications on the current market. CBD becomes an especially compelling alternative for relevant medications when one considers that many of these medications are addictive or put users in danger of forming a dependence.
According to a USDA estimate, 20% of hemp lots are expected to exceed the 0.3% THC limit in 2020. And since hemp is currently generally classified as a supplement rather than a medication, the FDA doesn’t regulate its purity. So if you want maximum CBD benefit from your hemp, you will need to be careful about how you source your hemp products and make sure it comes with legitimate independent lab testing verifying its makeup. When choosing a source of a hemp product, beware of manufacturers and retailers that make wild claims, such as CBD being able to cure cancer (which it is not). If you decide to try CBD, talk to your doctor to make sure it won’t affect any other medications you are taking.
Can you trust our hemp flower products? Yes, you can!