When I first started hearing about CBD, I wanted nothing to do with it.  I instantly thought of marijuana, getting high, and having an altered state of mind.  However, the more the medical community published the results of CBD for various symptoms as an alternative to pharmaceutical drugs, the more I felt the need to learn more.

Interestingly, in the 1990’s researchers discovered a system of the body called the endocannabinoid system. It is a complex cell-signaling system. Researchers are still trying to more fully understand the endocannabinoid system, but so far understand it plays a role in regulating things like sleep, mood, and appetite.

Cannabinoids are found in cannabis, a group of plants known for there psychoactive properties. The Endocannabinoid System is active in your body even if you do not use cannabis.  
Although the terms cannabis and marijuana are used interchangeably, they are not the same. Cannabis refers to all products derived from the plants. Cannabis stavia is one of the three plants and contains over 500 chemical substances, including CBD and CBG.

The marijuana plant refers to parts of the plant or products produced from the plant that contains more than .3% of tetrahydrocannabinol or THC.  THC is the primary substance that changes your mental state.  Some cannabis plants contain very little THC.  These plants under U.S. law are known as industrial hemp, rather than marijuana.  There are also products that do not contain any THC.

Although the 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp-derived CBD products from the list of Controlled Substances, laws, and regulations governing the possession vary from state to state.

Everyone metabolizes CBD differently.  There is no “one size fits all”.  How a person responds can vary depending on weight, body chemistry, and the concentration of CBD of each product. 

Some questions you can ask when considering purchasing CBD products:

  1. What is the percentage of THC in the product?
  2. Specifically where the product is produced?
  3. What are the manufacturing procedures in place for its consistency, potency, and quality controls?
  4. Is there a certificate of analysis guaranteeing testing and indications of things like pesticides and heavy metals.
  5. Does the company include information about the product shelf life and how it should be stored?
  6. Is the manufacturing facility Kosher, Halal, and/ or NSF certified?
  7. Are the products free from the following:
    • GMO
    • Gluten
    • Lactose
    • Soy
    • Chemicals
    • Sugars
    • Colors

To learn more about the products I recommend click here.