The Buzz About CBD : 28 Things You Have To Know About Cannabidiol (CBD)

The Buzz About CBD : 28 Things You Need To Know About Cannabidiol

By now, you may have come across the words cannabidiol, cannabinoids, or cannabis. The recent movement towards full legalization has led to a surge of activity surrounding CBD, CBD research, CBD products, and even more areas of discussion, from boardrooms to facebook. What is all of this buzz about anyway? Why should you care about this stuff and what does it even mean or do? Well, hopefully by the end of this article, you’ll have a better idea and understanding of Cannabidiol(CBD) and the emerging marketplace surrounding it.

1 : CBD Actually isn’t an Acronym

One of the most common misconceptions that pop up is the belief that CBD is an acronym of some kind. In truth, it’s not. CBD merely a shorthand abbreviation of the word “cannabidiol”. You have to admit, It’s also a lot easier to spell and to fit on a label for all the CBD products coming to market.

2 : Cannabidiol Does Not Get You High

While we’re focused on misconceptions, let’s ask another question. Does CBD get you “high”? While there are those that argue that cannabidiol does have psychoactive effects, because it affects the brain, taking CBD will not produce the “stoned” or “high” feeling you get when taking THC. Let’s be clear, ingesting products with THC will most likely create the “stoned” or “high” feeling and can contain other cannabinoids like CBD as well, but that effect is not due to the presence of CBD.

3 : CBD Does Indeed Affect Your Body and Brain

While cannabidiol doesn’t produce that “stoned” or “high” feeling, it does affect both your body and your mind. The natural cannabinoids within your body interact with two receptors called CB1 and CB2. These receptors exist primarily in the brain and body and CBD influences them to connect to more of the natural cannabinoids within the body.

4 : There’s Actually A Lot of Types of Cannabinoids

As we talked about above, CBD is but one of the cannabinoids that exist within the cannabis plant. Within the plant, there are more than one hundred (100) different cannabinoids and there are a large variety of different CBD products which make use of specific compounds. These products can come in tablets, oils, liquids, and foods to help better deliver the effect of these CBD and other cannabinoids to the consumer.

5 : CBD Occurs Naturally In The Human Body

Put simply, the human body is a massive amount of biochemicals all working together with a multitude of bones, flesh, muscles, and tissue. In that pool of biochemicals exists the endocannabinoids. Endocannabinoids are cannabinoids that are produced naturally by your body and interact with your nervous system as well as your body’s ability to break down foods and acids, among other things.

6 : Cannabis Is Not The Only Plant That Contains Cannabinoids

While cannabis is certainly the best known source of cannabinoids, there are other plants that contain cannabinoids and cannabinoid like substances as well. Phytocannabinoids – that’s what we call cannabinoids that are produced outside the human body – are found in black pepper, cocao, black truffles, liverwort, echinacea, sunflowers, and other plants that grow throughout the world.

7 : Today, There Are Three Main Types of CBD Products

There are a lot of different CBD products on the market today, but they are not all the same. As you are shopping for CBD, it’s important to understand the difference. Full-spectrum CBD products are products that contain the “whole plant”. What this means is that these products will have CBD, but they will also contain, terpenes, fatty acids, flavinoids, other cannabinoids and some trace amounts of THC. Broad-spectrum is a term that refers to CBD products that contain other parts of the plant – like terpenes, other cannabinoids, etc – but contain no trace amounts of THC. In addition to Full-Spectrum and Broad-Spectrum, one of the most popular types of products are made with CBD Isolate. CBD Isolate products are made with the purest form of CBD and, as long as you verify the purity of the isolate, there are no other trace elements in the product, just pure CBD.

8 : Full-Spectrum Products Contain A Variety of Different Compounds

Some might think that because full-spectrum CBD contains more compounds that it is more dangerous. Avid supporters will tell you otherwise, and there is a lot of science behind their argument. When you eat an orange for vitamin C, you also get other vitamins and nutrients from it as well and, as such, eating an orange – as opposed to just taking a vitamin C tablet – would be considered better for you by a lot of people. The argument is similar when we talk about full-spectrum CBD products, in that, the other compounds are natural and healthy for you as well.

9 : The Word “Full-Spectrum” is Used Very Loosely

The word “full-spectrum” is used very loosely within the industry as it does not have a clear-cut definition. This term can be used to mean one thing by one company and something totally different by another company. As such, there is much debate around the use and the meaning of the word. As an example, rather than use everything that comes naturally from the plant, some companies believe that compounds to CBD Isolate makes it a full-spectrum product.

10 : Isolate Is The Purest Form of CBD You Can Get

When you use CBD Isolate products, you are using the purest form of CBD you can get. CBD Isolate is the CBD molecule, isolated from all the other compounds within the cannabis plant. There are no fatty acids, terpenes, chlorophyll, or other cannabinoids in CBD Isolate.

11 : Broad-Spectrum Falls Somewhere In Between

When a CBD product is labeled as Broad-spectrum, it means that it contains CBD as well as some other compounds from the plant. It does not mean that it contains all of the other compounds and the compounds it does contain can vary widely from company to company and even product to product. What is generally accepted about the Broad-spectrum term is that these products contain no amounts of THC.

12 : There’s A Reason You Should Check The Label

When you purchase CBD products, it’s important to check the label. While CBD Isolate is the purest for of CBD you can buy, companies have been known to dilute their mixtures with other compounds. In addition, while the terms full-spectrum and broad-spectrum have generally accepted definitions, not every company follows those definitions and there are a wide variety of mixtures and blends on the market. It is very important to educate yourself and read the label when you purchase CBD products.

13 : There Might Be THC In Your CBD

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the substance that created the “stoned” or “high” feeling associated with marijuana. In addition, THC is a widely banned substance and lots of people would be adversely affected if they were drug tested and found to have – even trace amounts of – THC in their body. It’s important to know that there may be some THC in your CBD products. As we have stated about, full-spectrum products are defined as having trace amounts of CBD and, event though the generally accepted legal limit is .03%, there are companies that have been known to produce products above this specification and testing result have been known to be wrong. If THC, or testing positive on a drug test, is an important factor for you, make certain to do your due diligence, and know what CBD products you are using. In addition, it would be best to steer your CBD search towards CBD Isolate products.

14 : The FDA Has Its Eye On CBD

With the current boom in the CBD marketplace, there’s no shortage of malicious sellers and products trying to make a profit. To this end, they either provide misinformation or subjective advertisements which may suggest the use of cannabinoids as an effective treatment all types of ailments and medical conditions. In the past, the FDA had been lenient with many CBD product claims, but within recent months, they have given warnings to several companies about their products and the way they are being advertised and represented.

15 : CBD Is Actually FDA Approved To Treat Some Types of Epilepsy

In 2018, the FDA actually approved a CBD product called Epidiolex for the treatment of some specific types of epilepsy. Since that time, it has been the only CBD infused product that has been FDA approved to treat any type offmedical condition. Epidiolex was approved after a series of clinical trials involving over 500 patients. It is FDA approved for use with children, ages 2 and older, who have been diagnosed with specific types of epilepsy.

16 : There Is No Recommended Dose

When taking vitamins and supplements, many people refer to the Recommended Daily Allowance. Because CBD and CBD products are relatively new to the marketplace, combined with the legal controversy currently surrounding the CBD and other cannabis extracts, the FDA has not set a Recommended Daily Allowance for CBD. This can make it tricky to find the exact right amount of CBD for you. Most companies will make some sort of recommendation as to how they feel it is best to consume their products and that is another reason it’s important to read the label. One of the best ways to find your “right amount” is to go through a period of trial and error. Start small and gradually increase your personal amount of CBD until you achieve your desired result.

17 : CBD Cannot Be Sold As A Supplement

The FDA has made it very clear that CBD products cannot be marketed as supplements, although it also stated it is open to hearing and reviewing alternate evidence and opinions. Because of the emerging marketplace, regulation and understanding of CBD are changing across the entire world. It’s important to stay informed and stay educated about this vibrant and emerging marketplace.

18 : It’s Called A Certificate of Analysis

A Certificate of Analysis (COA) is a great way to ensure that the CBD-product a company is selling has been thoroughly tested to be safe and genuine. They are also a great indication that the information on the product’s label is honest and that the product complies with the legal limit for the amount of THC within the product.

19 : You Might Not Pass A Drug Test

Answering the question “Will I pass a drug test?” can be very complicated. Think about it like this. There are many types of drug tests, testing situations, and compounds that are searched for in different drug tests. There is no way to answer this question for every test. Another factor that makes this question difficult – or even impossible – to answer is that every person’s body is different. While one person will metabolize a trace amount of a substance one way, a different person will metabolize it in a totally different way. There is no way to say for absolute certainty what will happen in your body. In addition, even though the generally accepted legal limit of THC is .03%, there may be some testing instances where zero trace amounts are allowed and even ingesting a products that is generally accepted as legal would not be accepted as passable on a drug test in that specific instance. Because of this, answering the question “Will I pass a drig test?” is a very difficult question to answer. This answer is – obviously – very person. Educate yourself, read the label, ask questions, and know what you are putting in your body. This is a question that you really have to answer for yourself.

20 : There Are Lots of Ways To Use CBD

The popularity of CBD has created a vibrant and growing marketplace and there are now lots of different ways to consume CBD. Some of the most popular ways are tinctures, capsules, vape, infused foods, water and water additives and even coffee.

21 : You Could Use A Tincure

Tinctures provide one of the easiest ways to use CBD in that users can simply drip a few drops directly into their mouth, under their tongue or onto food they are about to consume. Tinctures are generally liquid oil based CBD products and allow for the effects of CBD to kick in quickly as it can be quickly absorbed under the tongue.

22 : Or You Could Vape CBD

Vaping CBD is also very popular. It provides a very quick means of delivery as the fumes from the CBD are directly inhaled into the lungs. Many people see vaping CBD as an alternative to smoking cigarettes.

23 : Edibles Are Trending

The advent of snackables and food infused with cannabinoids is becoming increasingly popular in today with many cafes and restaurants now offering these options in tasty little treats. The laws surrounding this area is hazy and mainly varies from state to state but within recent years, there have been movements made to do something about this and laws are changing as consumers let restaurants, manufacturers and lawmakers know their desire for CBD infused foods.

24 : You Can Drink Your CBD

When we talk about consumers products, beverages are one of the most popular categories. There are thousands and thousands of different types of drinks – from water to coffee – and thousands of different drink brands – from Coca-Cola to Nescafe. Because of it’s popularity, companies have started to produce lots of different types of CBD beverages. From water, to water additives, to flavored drinks mixed with all sorts of flavorful juices, to coffees, teas and even cocao. Today, it’s easy to drink your CBD.

25 : There’s Definitely a Difference in Eating it, Drinking it, and Smoking it

Generally speaking, consuming CBD through drinking or eating would take a longer time to achieve the desired affect because it has to travel and be absorbed through the digestive system. Typically, however, this means that the effect of the CBD will last longer. In contrast, vaping CBD or using a tincture under the tongue will yield a faster result, but the the effect will not last as long.

26 : CBD For Topical Discomfort

While there is definitely a need for further research and investigation, there is research and evidence that has shown CBD as a potent relief of discomfort for joint pain and skin irritation.
Because of this, there are many products in the marketplace that use CBD in conjunction with other proven ingredients that can be used topically. Products such as pain relief cream, topical balm, lip gloss and lip balm, skincare, lotion and others provide consumers with lots of ways to use CBD without taking it orally.

27 : The Inflammation Connection

The CB1 and CB2 receptors within the human body play crucial role in inflammation response. Because CBD, and other cannabinoids, help to influence these receptors, there is evidence that CBD helps reduce inflammation. This is particularly true when using products that combine CBD with other compounds proven to reduce inflammation such as tumeric and glucosamine.

28 : Don’t Be Anxious

It goes without saying that you should always seek medical advice from a licensed medial or psychological practitioner when dealing with issues of anxiety. Because of studies surrounding CBD and it’s positive affects on anxiety and anxious conditions, lots of people are using CBD for it’s calming effects. And, because of the multitude of delivery methods available for CBD, it’s easy to reach in your bag or purse right before heading into that big meeting, that important test, or that exciting date you are about to go on.

Keywords: Cannabidiol, CBD, CBD Products, Tetrahydrocannabinol, THC, Cannabinoids, FDA