A drop of CBD oil a day keeps the pain at bay.
By Chelsea Pribble
Mistakenly associated with the high from the cannabis drug, CBD oil gets a bad rap. Yet the trending oil’s broad range of benefits, success stories and stamp of approval from many in the medical industry are turning its misguided image around.
Looking for a healthy alternative to traditional medicines for her clients and epileptic pup, Sarah Scott founded Austin-based Hemp Doctors USA, which sells American-grown natural oils, tinctures and salves for people, dogs, cats and horses.
Scott, an advocate for hemp-derived CBD products, sat down with Austin Woman to debunk the top myths surrounding CBD oil.
CBD OIL IS NOT DOPE.
So, what exactly is CBD oil? It’s derived from the cannabis plant, but it does not cause the euphoric high often associated with the plant. Instead, CBD oil, which is legal in Texas, is extracted from the hemp plant and is akin to other legal, readily available hemp products such as hemp milk. Most notably, it is said to have anti-inflammatory, antianxiety and antiseizure properties, making it a viable product for an array of medical issues.
“Hemp-derived CBD gets people healthy, not high,” Scott says. “First, CBD is not marijuana. CBD stands for ‘cannabidiol,’ one of more than 120 different cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. CBD is found in hemp and marijuana. CBD from hemp is non-psychoactive. Hemp has higher amounts of CBD and, as a result, CBD makes up a good portion of hemp genetics.”
The reason some consumers may avoid CBD products is likely due to its sometimes unclear relationship with THC.
“The component responsible for giving users a high is tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which is prevalent in marijuana, not hemp,” Scott clarifies. “The sale of full-spectrum hemp-derived products containing less than .3 percent THC is legal in all 50 states.”
QUALITY MATTERS.
“It is important to know that your products were not grown in soils that have lead, arsenic, mercury and other environmental toxins,” Scott says. “When evaluating a full-spectrum hemp-derived product, know where it is grown, make sure it is processed in an FDA-registered facility and utilizes third-party-verified good manufacturing practices.”
When shopping for the product, Scott says to look for “CBD-rich hemp-oil products that encompass the whole plant and are capable of providing the ‘entourage effect,’ ” a term denoting the synergy between cannabis compounds that magnifies the therapeutic benefits.
Scott warns that some CBD-labeled products are not always full spectrum and whole-plant-based.
“Full-spectrum, entourage cannabis extracts are more effective for your wellness,” Scott says.
CBD OIL’S BENEFITS ARE EXPANSIVE AND GROWING.
“What has been most exciting for me is witnessing many of my clients and pets titrating off of pharmaceutical medications either completely or partially,” Scott notes, adding that the oil is beneficial for any number of ailments, including lessening everyday aches and pains, easing anxiety and depression, and reducing the severity of symptoms associated with more acute conditions, like epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
From acting as an anticonvulsant and anti-inflammatory agent to easing neuropathic pain and even aiding in reducing symptoms of such maladies as Crohn’s disease, CBD oil offers benefits that spread far and wide. However, since most sustainable hemp products are classified as dietary supplements by the FDA, testing on specific claims about its use as a treatment for disease and other health conditions is still underway.
“When applied topically, taken orally or both,” Scott says, “CBD dovetails with the human body’s central regulatory system of receptors responsible for establishing and maintaining human health.”
