By now, you’ve certainly heard of CBD products. You may have used them yourself or know a friend or relative who swears by them. But how much do you know about CBD? Do you feel confident that you can hold an intelligent conversation about CBD?
Would you try CBD as an alternative pain killer? The purpose of this blog post is to educate our readers on this wondrous substance and how you might add it to your arsenal of pain and stress relievers.
Read on, loyal adventurers!
A Short History of CBD
*Note: We will use hemp and cannabis interchangeably throughout this blog post, as CBD is derived from both sources.
The Early Days of Cannabis and Hemp Use
Scholars have known of the usefulness of cannabis for thousands of years. Cannabis, in many forms has been employed by humans around the world, and across cultural lines for much of recorded history.
Studies have shown that the Chinese were using cannabis as far back as 6000 BC! Archaeologists tell us that cannabis was used in ancient India, Rome, Greece, and Egypt. Our ancestors found that cannabis produced feelings of physical and psychological wellness.
In Europe and North America, cannabis usage grew in popularity by the 1500s. Hemp was an important industrial product, used in rope and fabric production. Henry VIII of England required farmers to grow hemp to support England’s growing empire.
In fact, once England set up her colonies in America, farmers in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Virginia were required by law to grow hemp. Hemp was so valuable that the seeds were considered legal tender for the purchase of goods in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.
Cannabis and Hemp Usage in the Industrial Age
Throughout Europe and Asia during the 1700s and 1800s, medical journals were documenting the positive effects of hemp. Science was developing into what we would now recognize as modern, and researchers were able to make positive links between usage and effects.
These were the days before the FDA, so just about any substance could be cultivated and used with no concern over prosecution. For example, you may know that the original Coca-Cola was produced with coca leaves (cocaine). So, it was easy for researchers to freely observe the effects on people.
By the 1900s, cannabis-based medicines began to fall to the wayside. Opioids had made their appearance and were developed for medical use as pain relievers. Morphine is a prime example of such an opioid-based anesthetic. But, cannabis-based medications were still being produced in smaller quantities as sleep aids and relaxants.
Cannabis and Hemp and Uncle Sam
Historians tell us that the US Government’s attack on cannabis and hemp products came about due to racism against the Black and Latino populations of the country. There seems to be some truth to this concept, as these groups were seen to use the drug more frequently than Whites.
It was for this reason that the ban was placed on the production and usage of cannabis and hemp, with punishment ranging from fines to jail time.
In 1970, the US Controlled Substances Act listed cannabis and hemp as Schedule I substances with no medicinal benefits and a high risk of addiction. This new legal status made it difficult for researchers to work with the plants, so very little work was done to deeply explore the benefits of cannabis and hemp.
The discovery of the human endocannabinoid system was key to the understanding of how cannabis and hemp interact with human and mammal bodies. Finally, researchers could show positive linkages between human systems and substances derived from cannabis and hemp.
Well known medical experts have been throwing their weight behind the utility of cannabis and hemp, and this has loosened public opinion around the subject.
In 1996, California was the first state in the US to legalize the use of cannabis as a medicine. Although the US Government had (and still has) a ban on the substance, California granted the right to dispensaries to offer cannabis products to patients who presented medical cannabis credentials.
These credentials were issued by physicians who determined that medical cannabis would offer a non-synthetic alternative to lab produced chemicals for the relief of pain and anxiety.
Cannabis and Hemp Usage at This Moment
Today (7/6/21), cannabis is legal for recreational and medicinal use in 18 states, plus Washington, DC. Some states allow both medical and recreational use, while some restrict usage to medical purposes only.
The US Government still considers cannabis to be an illegal drug, but that seems to be changing. It’s very likely that the US Government will remove the restriction on cannabis in the near term. There has been a huge push in many states to legalize cannabis use for medical AND recreational purposes.
Cannabinoid (CBD) products are derived from cannabis and hemp plants. The good news is that CBD products are legal in all 50 US states. CBD can be purchased in various forms through the mail and in stores, with no restrictions other than usage by those under 18.
This is perfect for those who wish to treat pain and anxiety with non-prescription drugs. The current opioid crisis has been a huge disaster, and one must wonder if more access to cannabis and CBD could have helped lessen the usage of opioids.
CBD research has exploded, and researchers are exploring how CBD affects the human body through the endocannabinoid system. The technology needed to produce high quality CBD products has greatly improved, with major strides being made into techniques of extracting CBD while eliminating THC (the compound responsible for causing the high) and producing a non-psychotropic product.
This is vital, as CBD products are NOT for getting high, and in fact, must remain below .3% THC to be legally sold as a CBD product in the US.
We’ll be exploring CBD in detail in further blog posts. At Nurstuff, we believe that CBD products can be a useful aid in pain management, anxiety relief, and for helping with sleep issues.
And because mammals share an endocannabinoid system, CBD has been shown to be helpful for our pets as well! So, if Bowser is feeling a bit off, his vet might give you the OK to slip him a CBD treat. Yep, CBD chews and treats are available for our furry family members.
We’ll be adding regular CBD blog posts as we move forward. There is new information emerging almost every week on the benefits of CBD, and we want to keep you informed.
The Takeaway
1. Cannabis and hemp have been used by mankind for thousands of years
2. Ancient humans discovered the positive effects of cannabis and hemp and consumed them to relieve pain and aid sleep
3. Cannabis and hemp were openly used in their natural forms and in medicines up until around the 1930s
4. Racism against Blacks and Latinos is often said to be the reason for the criminalization of cannabis and hemp
5. The human endocannabinoid system was discovered in the 1960s and its beneficial linkage to cannabinoids such as CBD was established soon thereafter
6. Pets can use CBD!
7. Modern CBD extraction techniques extract the CBD compounds eliminating the THC. THC is the component in cannabis and hemp that causes the “highness.” CBD products can have no more than .3% THC