Subscriptions - Maximum Yield Cannabis USA November/December 2020 | Page 86

BD
OILby Monica Mansfield
EASING
THE PAIN
CBD has the potential to help a wide variety of
ailments, and scientists continue to explore more
ways it can help ease pain and other conditions.
Monica Mansfield breaks down what we know so far
and why CBD oils continue to grow in popularity.
CBD first started gaining mainstream
recognition when Charlotte Figi’s
story hit the news. Charlotte, who sadly
passed away earlier this year at the
age of 13, was diagnosed with Dravet
Syndrome when she was only three
months old. This rare form of epilepsy
is resistant to most drugs, which is
why Charlotte’s parents sought out
alternative options.
They were able to connect with
the Stanley Brothers in Colorado. In
2011, the brothers bred cannabis with
industrial hemp to create a low-THC,
high-CBD strain they named Charlotte’s
Web in her honor.
Before CBD, Charlotte was
experiencing 300 grand mal seizures
per week, with some lasting two
hours at a time. She was confined to
a wheelchair, unable to speak, and
experiencing repeated cardiac arrests.
Once she started taking CBD oil,
her seizures dropped down to only
two to three per month. Her story
inspired and helped thousands
of people and opened the door
for medical cannabis legislation
throughout the U.S.
WHAT IS CBD?
CBD, or cannabidiol, is the
second most abundant
compound found in cannabis
after THC. Unlike THC, it isn’t
psychoactive, which makes it
an ideal solution for children
and people prone to addiction.
CBD is anxiolytic, antiinflammatory,
antiemetic, and
antipsychotic. Studies suggest it
has therapeutic value for a wide
range of conditions, including epilepsy,
chronic pain, anxiety, depression,
neurodegenerative diseases, tumors,
cancer, diabetes, addiction, high blood
pressure, and heart disease, just to
name a few. As more jurisdictions have
legalized medical marijuana, more
studies are being done on CBD and
are sure to report more promising
results as time goes on.
In a comprehensive review of
132 original studies, the safety of
CBD is emphasized. CBD does not
alter blood pressure, heart rate, or
body temperature. Psychological
and psychomotor functions,
gastrointestinal transit, and food
intake are not affected.
Overall, chronic use
and high doses of up to
1,500mg per day are
tolerated well by humans.
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