Cannabis Oil: What You Need to Know
Liv Tyler unwinds with a tube of cannabis oil every day. Kim Kardashian uses cannabis oil to deal with her anxiety about having her fourth child. Bubba Watson, a professional golfer, uses cannabis oil to help her sleep. Even Martha Stewart’s French bulldog is a fan of cannabis oil for calmness.
What is CBD oil?
There is no doubt that cannabis oil is sweeping the globe. According to Healthline, Cannabidiol (CBD) oil is a cannabis-derived product. It’s a cannabinoid, which are chemicals found naturally in marijuana plants. Despite the fact that it is derived from marijuana plants, CBD does not produce a “high” or any form of intoxication; this is caused by another cannabinoid known as THC.
THC, Tetrahydrocannabinol, is the active ingredient that causes hallucinations and euphoria. It is an active substance that acts directly on the mind and can lead to mild addiction. Cannabidiol CBD, on the other hand, is said to be different, with the two having completely opposite effects. Simply put, most people believe it alleviates anxiety and may even eliminate THC’s effects on the body, transforming it into a counter-acting substance that aids in detoxification.
However, CBD research is still in its early stages; the effects have yet to be confirmed by comprehensive clinical studies at any level, and the few studies that have yielded positive results have mostly come from CBD product manufacturers. As a result, the explosion of cannabis oil is actually a result of marketing and has become a new selling point for many brands.
Most people use cannabis oil to treat anxiety, insomnia, depression, and chronic pain; others use it for skin care, cooking, or dental health, among other things. The list is endless. The cannabis industry has exploded in recent years and the CBD oil products come in a variety of forms, including oil, spray, lollipops, capsules, and suppositories.
CBD Living, a California-based company founded in 2013, offers over 100 CBD-related products. The company highlights two key differences between itself and other companies. For starters, it is a leading innovator in breaking down CBD particles into nanoparticles the size of 1/1000th of a red blood cell, resulting in significantly improved absorption rates. Furthermore, CBD products in the United States are allowed to contain up to 0.3% THC under federal law, but the company claims that all of its products, whether for humans or pets, contain no trace of THC and are completely safe.
Previous data suggested that the CBD market in the United States could exceed $20 billion in sales by 2024. And according to the most recent data, the global market share of hemp oil and CBD for consumer health products will rise to $123.2 billion by 2027. This is due to the massive increase in demand for relaxation and anxiety relief caused by the pandemic’s outbreak in 2020; it is also inextricably linked to the growing number of countries legalizing cannabis, as well as the growing awareness of cannabis oil.
CBD and mental health
It is never easy for consumers to remain immune to sudden and passionate craze waves. However, as previously stated, more research is required to demonstrate its effectiveness. The most serious issue facing the CBD industry is that its popularity has far outpaced what scientific studies can confirm.
One study said Giving cannabis oil to socially anxious students reduced their nervousness and cognitive impairment. Yet another showed that emotionally healthy participants did not react differently after taking CBD oil when exposed to upsetting words and images. Harriet de Wit, co-author of the study and professor in the University of Chicago’s Department of Psychological and Behavioural Neuroscience, stated, “If it’s a calming drug, it should change their responses to the stimuli. But it didn’t.”
Clinical trials of a CBD product discovered that one of the side effects was that patients felt sleepy, giving rise to the theory that CBD could aid in sleep or even treat insomnia. Other studies, however, found CBD oil relieved anxiety but did not improve sleep in 72 patients with mental illnesses.
According to a study published in Chemical Neuroanatomy, rats showed virtually no signs of depression after being given CBD oil. “Amazingly, the cannabis oil appeared to work faster than traditional antidepressants.” According to the article, mice and rats given cannabis oil were more resilient under chronic stress. However, this has never been proven in human subjects and exists only as a hypothesis.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs funded the first CBD oil study in the case of PTSD, which is common in postwar soldiers. “Our most important treatment is to break the link between trauma reminders and fear responses,” says assistant professor Mallory Loflin of the University of California, San Diego. “We believe CBD, at least in animal studies, can help accelerate that process.” Yet again, psychologists have found no strong evidence of this treatment’s efficacy on humans at this time.
Epidiolex, the first and currently only FDA-approved CBD drug to treat a rare form of epilepsy in patients over the age of two, is the only case of positive CBD effects. Epidiolex was found to reduce seizures in combination with other medications in three randomized, double-blind controlled clinical trials involving 516 patients.
Overall, CBD is still not regarded as a viable option when dealing with mental health issues. Of course, a few drops of hemp oil in a coffee or milkshake will not harm you and may even have a placebo effect. “If patients choose these unproven products to help themselves, it could lead to a delay of serious treatment,” says Dr. Smita Das, president of the American Federation of Psychiatrists.
CBD and skincare
In this previous post, we covered what CBD oil is and its effects on our mental health. In fact, the use of CBD oil in the skincare industry is even more prevailing. Beauty companies have been promoting the the anti-inflammatory properties of the CBD oil and say the ingredient can inhibit skin oil production, thereby reducing acne, as well as to address issues such as skin redness and irritation.
For example, Herbivore Botanicals’ Emerald CBD + Adaptogens Deep Moisture Glow Oil contains 100 mg of high-quality CBD harvested from Colorado and claims to relieve skin stress and suppress redness, sensitivity, and skin problems caused by environmental stress.
But if you ask a dermatologist, he/she could give you a handful of simple and effective skincare ingredients that have been backed up by data, safer and have the same effect as CBD if not better.
Hemp seed oil, also a cannabis-related oil, is one of them. It’s been long and widely used in the skincare industry. It is high in linolenic and linoleic acid and is an excellent antioxidant and moisturizer. It can moisturise skin without clogging pores, while stimulating the production of natural oils, anti-aging, and anti-wrinkle. Hemp seed oil differs from cannabis oil in that it has almost none cannabidiol in it.
CBD oil safety
Concerns are growing about the safety of CBD oil, especially since many people are using it to relieve stress. “If you take pure CBD oil orally, it should be safe,” says Marcel Bonn-Miller, an assistant professor of medicine at Penn State.
However, whether or not commercially available CBD oil is pure is determined by the company’s conscience. Forensic toxicologists investigated nine products claiming to be 100% cannabis extract and discovered that one contained the cough suppressant dextromethorphan, which can be addictive if abused. Other four products contain synthetic cannabinoids, which can cause anxiety, psychosis, tachycardia, and even death.
Previous research looked at 84 products on the market and discovered that nearly one-third of them had CBD levels that did not match the label. Furthermore, some CBD users have failed drug tests, and the products contain an abnormally high concentration of THC (0.3%).
In 2020, US poison control centres treated 1,090 cannabis oil patients, with more than a third requiring medical attention and 46 being admitted to intensive care. This does not necessarily imply that CBD oil is the cause of the problem, but there is a strong possibility that CBD oil may react with other foods or drugs and contribute to the issue.
The FDA issued a warning letter to Curaleaf Inc. The company claimed that their cannabis extracts could treat a variety of conditions such as anxiety, depression, and even cancer, as well as help with marijuana addiction recovery and pet emotional stability. The company has since stated that it will actively cooperate with the FDA, and that the products mentioned in the warning letter have been discontinued.