Learn More About CBD

What is CBD and How Does it Work? 

CBD (Cannabidiol) is a compound found in the Cannabis plant. It can be used in several different ways including vaping, tinctures, capsules, and edibles.

Unlike its close relative, THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), CBD is completely non-psychoactive. This allows us to benefit from the many properties of the Cannabis plant without the negative side effects of “getting high.”

Because of this, CBD became a very popular option for those seeking a natural alternative to help them improve their lives. 

At first, many were skeptical, thinking that a natural compound, let alone a Cannabis-compound, could effectively improve the operation of our body's own systems and natural functions. But as medical researchers learned more, and the stories from tens of thousands of people began to stack up, the truth was undeniable. CBD works.

But how exactly does it work?

For starters, CBD inherits many of the medicinal properties of Cannabis such as being anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiolytic. This allows it to provide natural stress, anxiety and pain relief.

But this alone isn’t what gives CBD its powerful, beneficial nature. 

What allows it to effectively maintain balance of your body's major systems, and thus, maintain health and wellness in the body, is how how the cannabinoids found in CBD interact with receptors throughout our body.

Let’s talk about the Endocannabinoid System...

The Endocannabinoid System

What is the Endocannabinoid System?

In humans, it is the endogenous system that helps balance several physiological systems of the body in order to maintain homeostasis (balance) for optimal health. When consuming products containing cannabinoids like CBD, the cannabinoids interact with the receptors of this system to help regulate and maintain important functions within the body related to the nervous system, immune system and cognitive brain function. You can also find these receptors in other organs, tissues and glands throughout the body. Some results of these functions are stress relief, reduction in inflammation, restful sleep, increased appetite, and relief from anxiety. 

History of the Endocannabinoid System

In 1988, the first cannabinoid receptor was discovered in the brain of a rat. Researchers found that these receptors reacted specifically to THC, and were found primarily found in regions of the brain responsible for mental and physiological processes such as memory, high cognition, emotion, and motor coordination. Two years later, in 1993, the second cannabinoid receptor was found as part of the immune and central nervous systems. It was then that researchers started to realize that they may have been onto something, but these receptors were only found in rodents, so what’s the big deal right?

Fast forward to 1995, researchers discovered that these receptors, now officially referred to as the CB1 receptor and CB2 receptor, were found not only in rats, but within thousands of other species, including humans. Thanks to advancements in technology and knowledge and tons of clinical trials, researchers were able to reverse engineer what they’d discovered, trace back through the metabolic pathways of various cannabinoids, and uncover an entirely unknown signaling system between the CB1 and CB2 receptors in our bodies and receptors found in Cannabis compounds, which they called “endocannabinoids.”

Due to the role of endocannabinoids in this system, the system was officially named the Endocannabinoid System (ECS).

As researchers learned more about the ECS, they discovered that it was a vital component in maintaining the body’s homeostasis, which is the ideal balance between interdependent elements in the body.

To give you an idea on how the ECS helps maintain homeostasis, Let me give you an example. When we become stressed, our mind releases cortisol, which is the compound responsible for how we feel when we are stressed. Cortisol can be helpful when we need to react quickly to a dangerous situation; however too much disrupts the natural balance of our body and mind can result in serious health problems.

When certain endocannabinoids are introduced into the body, it not only helps provide stress relief, it helps manage our perception of stress so that we can look at the situation with a clear mind, and make the best decision. With all the scientific jargon, this last section may have been a little confusing. So just to clarify… Scientists discovered that there are systems in our bodies that are solelydependenton their interaction with cannabinoids, and these systems are part of vital functions in our bodies.

Basically, our bodies were designed to work with cannabinoids, and they can even be considered as essential to our overall health and wellness.

With such a discovery, you’d think we wouldn’t have to cover this next section… but here we go.

Is CBD Legal to Use?

So this is obviously a very important question for new users, but there isn’t exactly a one-size-fits-all answer.

Over the last 50 years, governments of the world prosecuted Cannabis for its psychoactive effects and deemed it as a “gateway drug.” Because of this, the world formed a negative perspective about Cannabis and anything related to it.

Now, thankfully, the general opinion is starting to shift in a positive direction, but there has still been a lasting impact on society, including our governing laws.

Every country has its own laws governing Cannabis and its compounds. In America, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has deemed CBD as federally illegal; while, at the state level, each state has its own laws on the matter, which is pretty confusing.

In one state CBD may be completely legal, while being illegal in another. Some US States even have different laws if the CBD is derived from hemp oil or medical marijuana.

With that being said, there isn’t a general answer to this question “Is it Legal to Use CBD?”.

At the federal level, and in most states, hemp-derived CBD is 100% legal, which is great news, as most CBD products are hemp-derived. Laws around marijuana-derived CBD are becoming less strict, but whether its hemp-derived or marijuana-derived strongly advise doing some research on your state’s CBD laws.