CBD is the new trend! Everyone is ranting and raving about it. Just because everyone loves it doesn’t automatically mean it’s effective. But what exactly is CBD and how does it work within the body? Can CBD really treat medical conditions? In this article, we will answer all your questions!
Here at Tennessee Marijuana Card, we want to give you the most up to date information on the trends in the marijuana industry that could help solidify your decision to get your marijuana card with us once Tennessee marijuana program is up and running. CBD is one of those new marijuana rooms that we will be discussing today!
We will be reviewing everything you need to know about CBD to see if it’s the best choice for you! What it is, how it works and how it can help your medical condition. After reading this article you will be a CBD aficionado!
So What is CBD?
What exactly is CBD? Is it marijuana or something different? The short answer is yes. Keep reading for the long answer!
CBD is best known for being the cannabinoid, or chemical compound, in cannabis that is non-psychoactive. Meaning that you don’t get the typical “high” that is associated with marijuana use. If you don’t want to experience the psychoactive effects of marijuana, CBD is perfect for you!
So why exactly does CBD not make you feel high? Most people think that marijuana makes you no matter what strain you use but that is actually not true.
THC and CBD are both cannabinoids but they also have two very different effects on the body. THC triggers the CB1 receptors (which we will get into greater detail about later). This makes people generally feel euphoric, but for some can insight anxiety or paranoia.
CBD on the other hand does not activate the CB1 receptor. This is why we don’t feel the same psychoactive effects with CBD that we do with THC.
CBD can actually help reduce the effects of THC! CBD acts as a blocker for some of the unwanted effects that can come along with high THC marijuana strains. This makes CBD a great option for those who are more prone to anxiety and paranoia!
Another plus of CBD is that it comes in many forms. CBD can be extracted from the marijuana plant to make products so you can get products that you don’t have to smoke. This helps patients feel more comfortable about their marijuana use since they are not using marijuana in a stereotypical recreational style.
We will have to see once Tennessee passes a medical marijuana program which products are available in the state but generally CBD can come in oil, tinctures, gummy edibles, inhalers and much more!
How Does CBD Work?
Our bodies have a system called the endocannabinoid system (ECS) which is responsible for maintaining balance throughout the body. The ECS has a set of receptors, called CB1 and CB2 receptors, which interact with CBD and THC cannabinoids found in cannabis. CBD activates the cannabinoid receptors and encourages the body to produce natural endocannabinoids which helps create that balance in the ECS.
CBD is a super compound because it also can interact with opioid, serotonin and dopamine receptors. This is why everyone loves CBD! Its ability to interact with so many different receptors shows how it can help so many medical conditions.
How Can CBD Help Me?
CBD Can Aid Anxiety:
Anxiety is the number one condition people use CBD to treat. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, over 40 million people over 18 in the U.S. have anxiety and with the pandemic, this number is growing.
Research on how CBD affects anxiety has been sprouting up more and more in recent years. There is evidence that points to it being a medically rich treatment for people who are battling anxiety. Although most of the CBD research has been preclinical or using animal testing, we are more seeing more research using humans in clinical studies now. While there is a lot of anecdotal evidence supporting CBD use for anxiety, is it nice to have that backed up by science too!
One of the most recent and exciting studies was a double-blind study done in 2019. This study looked at 37 teens that were diagnosed with social anxiety disorder (SAD). They either received 300 mg of CBD oil or a placebo every day for a total of four weeks. During the same time the teens were assessed using survey data in order to measure their symptoms. After the 4 weeks, the teens who took the CBD oil saw a reduction in their SAD symptoms. This study further showed that the relief CBD brought about was comparable to a common drug used to treat SAD!
Another similar study performed in 2019, outpatients at a mental health facility in Colorado were sampled. There were 47 patients who shared concerns about their anxiety symptoms. Over three month, a majority of these patients were given 25 mg of CBD daily with their treatment. Within the first month alone, 79.2% of patients saw a major improvement in their anxiety. This number rose to 78.1% after two month when patients reported even further improvements from the first month.
CBD Can Reduce Pain Significantly:
Chronic pain is one of the most rigorously studied medical conditions treated by medical marijuana! This is most likely because chronic pain is the number condition that people use medical marijuana for.
A comprehensive review, led by Harvard Medical School, looked at 28 studies that examined the effectiveness of cannabinoids on the treatment of pain. This review concluded that marijuana is an effective treatment for chronic pain based on the review level of high quality research. Out of the studies that were reviewed, all of the studies on chronic pain as well as all of the studies on neuropathic pain showed that patients found a significant improvement in their symptoms after using cannabis for treatment!
In another study from the University of Michigan, published in the Journal of Pain, it was found that cannabis improved the quality of life for patients, reduced the use of opioids patients used by an average of 64% and decreased the side effects of other medications that patients were using.
The effects of CBD on chronic pain are so profound because CBD is an anti-inflammatory and has major painkilling properties which is exactly what is needed to treat chronic pain!
CBD Can Also Help You Sleep Better:
Treating insomnia is often the first step to helping your medical condition. Sleep helps you recover! Everyone knows that good sleep helps you wake up refreshed, ready to tackle the next day ahead.
Although there is not much research on the benefits of CBD on sleep, there is tons of anecdotal evidence as many people take CBD for sleep issues. Dosage is what seems to play a role in how CBD helps insomnia. For example, a study done in 2019 showed that those who took a much higher dose of CBD slept for a longer duration than those who didn’t. Those who took small doses of CBD saw no effect on their insomnia.
An easier way to think about how CBD can help with insomnia is to shift your focus away from the research and instead to what is keeping you up at night. Not much is understood about if CBD can cause you to sleep but since it can help your medical condition, it can in turn help you sleep better! If you have chronic pain that wakes you up in the middle of the night, CBD can aid your medical condition first, which in turn can help you sleep better. This is the magic of CBD!
Can I Get CBD In Tennessee?
With the passing of SB2125, it is completely legal to have CBD products in Tennessee, as long as they contain less than 0.6% THC. This is because the bill changed the leg definition of hemp to include cannabis strains that have less than 0.06% THC in them.
So you can definitely get CBD in Tennessee now before a fully formed medical marijuana program is legalized. But it’ll be much easier for you to get CBD products once the program is up and running!
It will be simple and easy with us to get your medical marijuana card in Tennessee! As long as you start the process with us, you won’t have to worry about a thing.
Doctors Who Care. Relief You Can Trust.
At Tennessee Marijuana Card, our mission is helping everyone achieve wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to medical marijuana. Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce stigma for our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
If you have any questions, call us at (833) 781-5611, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
Check out Tennessee Marijuana Card’s Blog to keep up to date on the latest medical marijuana news, tips, and information.