Cannabis is one of the earliest crops cultivated in the history of mankind. It was used as both food and medicine. The earliest oral use of cannabis as a treatment for anxiety appears in a Vedic text around 2000 BC. This has been one of the most common uses of the plant throughout history and across many different cultures.
Studies of the cannabis plant in more recent times have discovered the main active ingredients THC and CBD. THC is the psychoactive component of the cannabis family of plants and occurs in higher concentrations in the Marijuana plant. It has been shown to increase anxiety in some patients while reducing it in others.
CBD on the other hand is found in higher concentrations in the Hemp plant. This is the non psychoactive ingredient. High CBD cannabinoids can be very effective in reducing chronic anxiety and stress. They can also protect the body from the physiological effects of both.
In 2012 a number of international studies concluded that CBD has been shown to reduce anxiety, and in particular social anxiety. More clinical trials are called for. In 2014 an animal study related to stress and the endocannabinoid system was conducted. It determined that “augmentation of the endocannabinoid system might be an effective strategy to mitigate behavioral and physical consequences of stress”. For more information I highly recommend the book CBD A Patient’s Guide to Medicinal Cannabis. https://amzn.to/3gLzLde
On a personal note, I’ve noticed a significant reduction in my stress and anxiety levels since starting taking CBD. I’ve also noticed an improvement in my sleep quality. My regimen is 50mg of CBD from a broad spectrum Hemp oil daily. Dosages vary from person to person so it is always a good idea to consult your physician before starting a CBD regimen. For more information http://markloesales.kannaway.com
Hemp is believed to be one of the first crops ever cultivated by early mankind. There is some debate as to whether it was already present and cultivated by the early native American indians? Or did the European settlers bring it with them? Either way, records show it being farmed in the Jamestown area from about 1611.
The early settlers and farmers grew the crop for it’s food, oil and fiber. This produced rope, paper and lantern oil. Over the years hemp became such a staple crop in the colonies that it’s cultivation was legally mandated by England. Hemp production continued to grow in the early colonies up to and beyond the War of Independence. The crop played a prominent role in the development of early America right up until the early 1900’s.
WW1 – WW2
After WW1, the availability of cheaper hemp fiber from foreign sources like Russia, led to farmers starting to move away from the crop. Added to this was the federal government’s anti drug efforts which culminated in the passing of the Marijuana Tax Act in 1937. This placed heavy taxes on the sale of cannabis. The combination of these factors led to the rapid decline of the hemp industry.
During WW2 outside hemp supplies were cut off by the Japanese. There was a temporary suspension of the Marijuana Tax Act to allow locally produced hemp. However, after the war it was reinstated and hemp became illegal again.
Hemp is a non-drug variety of cannabis that is grown legally
1970 – Present
Conflict with other big business interests eg Tobacco and the anti Marijuana movement led to even further decline. This culminated in the passage of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. This classified THC as a Schedule I substance so making all cannabis and hemp cultivation federally illegal.
Finally in 2004, businesses were allowed to import dietary hemp products. This was followed by the 2014 Farm Bill. This empowered individual states to allow hemp to be grown and processed for pilot projects and research.
Then came the 2018 Farm Bill. Hemp was deemed federally legal so that it could be grown, transported, processed and sold commercially, including the extraction of CBD oil. Over 40 states have already passed legistation relating to hemp cultivation and production.
The hemp and CBD industries are rapidly growing with experts predicting that the market by 2022 will be worth $22 Billion. As a result of this rapid growth the industry is not regulated very consistently. We can look forward to the FDA getting more actively involved and also the coming of regulation. Maybe even total legalization may be possible in the not so distant future. Who knows? History in the making.
The CBD industry can be very confusing. There are lots and lots of companies and products out there. Different products help with different ailments. The amount of CBD present in the various supplements also varies from brand to brand, as does the dosage. Each person is different so what works for one may not necessarily work for another. There is also a lot of misinformation out there that I will attempt to clear up here.
Hemp and Marijuana and CBD and THC
Lets clear up some confusion. The Hemp and Marijuana plants are different plants that belong to the same Cannabis family or genus of plants. Sort of like Orange and Lemon belong to the Citrus family of plants. In simple terms,the Marijuana plant has high levels of THC and some CBD, while the Hemp plant has high levels of CBD with some trace amounts of THC in it’s make up.
THC is the compound that has psycho active properties while CBD does not. Generally therefor, products made from the Hemp plant have no psycho active effects and are high in CBD content. CBD extracts from the Marijuana plant can have psycho active effects depending on the THC content after processing. This is why it’s important to know if your CBD products have been made from Hemp or from Marijuana plants.
Composition with hemp oil on wooden table
CBD and the FDA
Hemp containing less than 0.3% THC is no longer an illegal substance under federal law, however the FDA continues to regulate cannabis products. Also, different states have different regulations which can range from legalization (subject to certain restrictions) to prohibition. Any cannabis product marketed with a therapeutic claim, whether derived from hemp or otherwise, must recieve FDA approval before it can be sold. As a result, marketers must walk a fine line in promoting their CBD products without making therapeutic claims. Without FDA testing and approval no therapeutic claims can be verified. Anecdotal evidence can be used but you still have to be careful not to run afoul of the FDA.
Not all CBD is created equal…
Without FDA testing and approval, and depending on which state you live in, the guidelines for labelling and contents of products can be problematic for the customer. This ranges from companies that have proper labelling and ingredients as well as how much CBD is cotained in the product. Some also have QR codes on the packaging and maybe even certified by the US Hemp Authority. On the other end of the scale are hand written labels or none at all with verbal information from the seller. Be careful and do your own research and checks.Not all hemp is grown and processed equally either.
Hemp is a “bio accumulator” plant which means that it accumulates in it’s cells what is extracted from the soil. Therefor if it is grown using lots of fertilizers, weedicides or pesticides then these chemicals are absorbed into the plant and into the CBD oil extract. Mold is also a problem and some affected plants could end up in the extraction process. The extraction method used could also affect the finished product. Some use solvents eg butane and ethanol etc. so it’s good to know where the hemp itself is grown and processed.
Dosage and Usage
How much CBD is enough? Which tincture or product should I take? Can I give it to my children? These are just a few of the questions I’m asked on a regular basis. I am not a doctor so I cannot give medical advice. What I can say is that every person is different and these CBD products are completely organic so are not “drugs”. I personally started out on 25mg per day but I had no underlying medical issues and my quality of sleep improved within a week.
Best to do is check with your doctor before starting on CBD and also the person supplying the product. Normally they would have a wealth of anecdotal and personal experience and can help advise you. I hope this was helpful and perhaps cleared up some misconceptions about CBD for you. Please feel free to contact me at mark.loe@markloesales.com if you have any questions or want to chat. If you want to check out our products please follow the linkhttp://markloesales.kannaway.com
