Although cannabis is no longer as counter culture as it was during the 20th century, cannabis is now moving into the mainstream and breaking down stigma’s associated with the propaganda that it was painted with for best part of the last century.
With legalization taking place throughout the United States and across the rest of the globe we will see cannabis where it rightfully was supposed to be, a nutritional supplement that has many benefits for our personal health and our modern civilization.
Since California decriminalized medical marijuana already in 1996 only 9 states have legalized recreational cannabis use but the large proportion has broadened their medical marijuana and finally allowed safe adult access to cannabis. The cannabis industry has exploded over the last 12 months which has seen countries like Canada fully legalizing recreational cannabis use and already has an established medical marijuana industry that has been developing over the last few decades. Also back home there have been significant steps for our government to finally recognize the benefits of this magical and ancient plant. Just last year the US Food and Drug Administration finally approved their first cannabis-based medicine which is known as Epidiolex. Epidiolex is primarily based on the cannabinoid CBD.
“I am convinced that there are genuine and valid levels of perception available with cannabis (and probably with other drugs) which are, through the defects of our society and our educational system, un-available to us without such drugs.” ― Lester Grinspoon
Cannabidiol is more commonly known as CBD and is one of the over 100 cannabinoids found in the cannabis sativa plant. There are many claims made about the medicinal properties of CBD from being a simple nutritional supplement through to help treat many conditions such as pain, inflammation, anxiety and depression to name a few. Luckily today with the development of technology and more liberal cannabis laws access to cannabis for research and scientific testing is happening at many laboratories. The evidence is piling up thick and fast about the potential medicinal properties of cannabis and the results of peer-reviewed studies are looking alarmingly positive. So one could suggest, with evidence, that the trippy hippies of yesteryear where spot on about how smoking a joint would help them to relax, be more creative and even help with their pain management. Below is some peer-reviewed evidence of the medicinal properties and results of cannabis, especially CBD:
Pain
“We report that systemic and intrathecal administration of cannabidiol (CBD), a major nonpsychoactive component of marijuana, and its modified derivatives significantly suppress chronic inflammatory and neuropathic pain without causing apparent analgesic tolerance in rodents.” Source
Inflammation
“ Cannabidiol may have utility in treating a number of human diseases and disorders now known to involve activation of the immune system and associated oxidative stress, as a contributor to their etiology and progression. These include rheumatoid arthritis, types 1 and 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer disease, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, ischemia-reperfusion injury, depression, and neuropathic pain.” Source
Anxiety
Studies using animal models of anxiety and involving healthy volunteers clearly suggest an anxiolytic-like effect of CBD. Moreover, CBD was shown to reduce anxiety in patients with social anxiety disorder. Source
So no longer just a hippy’s past time of choice, cannabis and now CBD is making mainstream culture happy and healthy. Soon to be legalized in your State. Source
References:
Pain: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22585736
Inflammation: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21238581 Anxiety: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22729452
Epidiolex: https://www.fda.gov/newsevents/newsroom/pressannouncements/ucm611046.htm