Cannabis has been a fixture of the American economy since the country’s inception. Back in the olden days, cannabis was used in textiles to make clothes.
It was also commonly used to make paper. However, nowadays, the usage of cannabis has greatly changed. One of the most common usages of it is to obviously smoke. Marijuana is a very popular recreational drug, despite it being illegal in many US states. Many people chase the euphoric high feeling caused by the THC content in marijuana. However, there is a new usage for cannabis that is exploding in popularity. Let me introduce you to cannabidiol!
About Cannabidiol
Alright so basically, cannabis has two main components. It has the THC component which gives users the euphoric high feeling whenever its consumed. However, it has a little known second component that is responsible for most of the health benefits that people attribute to smoking pot. This second component is known as cannabidiol. It does not provide any euphoric high feeling which is probably why so few people (at least in the “weed” community) know about it.
It definitely makes up for that lack of a high, though. Cannabidiol provides so many benefits for the body when consumed. It can help to improve blood flow by dilating your blood vessels. It has antioxidant properties to help protect your cells from free radical damage, which can lead to health issues such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, and even cancer.
In addition to that, cannabidiol has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety in humans far more effectively than prescribed medications – and without the mind numbing side effects. It can also help you get a better night’s sleep.
The most promising benefit of cannabidiol is that it can actually inhibit the growth of cancer cells, according to a South African study. Now, more studies need to be done to replicate this benefit, but just imagine if these findings can be corroborated in larger wide scale studies.
There Is No Reefer Madness!
American politicians are not the brightest bunch and their constituents are usually none the wiser. These politicians tend to group all cannabis-based products into the same group and stoke fears that all of them are hallucinogenic substances that would be a menace to society if legalized. That is hardly the case even with recreational marijuana use, but I digress.
Because of these fears, supplements that contain cannabidiol are not really allowed to market their products as cannabidiol-based products. This is due to archaic FDA regulations. I find it pretty ridiculous that the FDA barely regulates the supplement market, but has rules in place like this to try to put a speedbump in the road to glory for cannabidiol supplements.
Despite these obstructions though, cannabidiol-based supplements are eating up a huge share of the market. This is due to growing awareness about all of the benefits that I listed above. Not to mention, society as a whole is starting to open up to the idea that cannabis is not just a psychotropic drug. It has many health benefits and through cannabidiol and cannabidiol-based supplements, it can provide those benefits without making you high.
But Wait, There’s More!
Did you know there is a system in our brains known as the endocannabinoid system? That means that cannabinoid substances (such as cannabidiol!!) are actually naturally produced by the body and are needed by the body as well. It is no wonder that when you consumed cannabinoids like cannabidiol (and even THC to an extent), that your health will improve. It is like consuming an essential nutrient like vitamin A or vitamin D or zinc.
Various heads of cannabis research agencies are optimistic about the future of cannabis-based products like cannabidiol supplements. And it is really hard to argue with their positive outlook if you look at current trends. More and more people are catching on to the fact that cannabis is not just devil’s grass.
How To Overcome Certain Impediments
Legislative impediments only serve as speed bumps at this point. The aforementioned FDA regulations are not stopping people from hearing about these cannabidiol supplements and buying them. It is high time (no pun intended) for the FDA to scrap those regulations and instead focus their regulatory wrath on the flood of fraudulent supplements that are all over the health supplement market. That is a much better use of their time and money.
I could say the same to many politicians as well. They spend all this time commissioning health experts to argue their case about cannabis being such a dangerous herb. It is misdirected hate based on a century’s old propaganda campaign against marijuana. And unfortunately, even cannabis products that have none of the psychotropic or euphoric effects that marijuana have are still subject to the wrath of ignorance.
Increasing awareness and voting in politicians who are more open to the idea of cannabis legalization and acceptance into society are good ways to get over these bumps in the road.
Wrapping Things Up
Just to recap, cannabidiol has been proven to:
- Be a safer alternative to stress and anxiety medications
- Be able to improve your blood flow so that your blood pressure stays at healthy levels to eliminate your risk of heart problems
- Be able to boost the health and function of your brain to keep it from succumbing to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia
In addition to that, it has even shown to potentially be a cure or at least a safer treatment for cancer.
All of these benefits and somehow it is still in a legal gray area. And despite the legal gray area, sales of cannabidiol-based products have been exploding for the past two decades. Despite the fear mongering and ignorant claims from politicians and their closest supporters, cannabis prevails. Hopefully the current trend of cannabis legalization continues to all fifty American states. Once the negative stigma is removed, we can move forward in truly applying this incredible plant (and especially its cannabidiol component) to conventional medicine.
