The academic articles are confusing, the lists are too long, and there’s buzzwords galore; it can be difficult, if not impossible, to parse through all of the information on CBD well enough to feel like an informed buyer or user without putting a great deal of dedicated time into it.
Not to worry, though. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering about the pros and cons of buying and using CBD, here is a CBD oil benefits list (and a CBD oil drawbacks list) to help you to make up your mind.
Pros of CBD
CBD seems to be an effective pain and stress reliever.
Even for people who have never used CBD, CBD is likely thought of primarily as a pain and stress reliever. And this is for good reason, too — beyond the anecdotal accounts of CBD as a powerful analgesic, CBD has been documented to relieve pain, especially when paired with a variety of other cannabinoids like THC.
Additionally, CBD is proven to be an effective anti-inflammatory, which may ease internal pain and help protect the body’s cells. CBD has also had a promising run as a potential treatment for certain types of chronic pain, including arthritis pain, cancer pains, and migraine pains. While the ethos of the medical community is to say that it is too early to definitively tell, CBD seems to have a great deal of potential in the world of pain relief at the very least.
CBD has the potential to serve as an alternative treatment for a variety of illnesses.
In addition to relieving pain, CBD has been used in a whole variety of medical contexts as a potential treatment for illnesses which may not be responding promisingly to other treatments, with a large variety of results. Some of these suggested conditions which CBD has been thought to be able to treat include:
Again, the research is varied. Some conditions, like epilepsy, have shown very promising results when treated with CBD. Others show conflicting results between studies.
CBD is largely safe.
First of all, you cannot overdose on CBD. It would take an extraordinary amount of CBD extract taken all at once to feel severe effects, and even at that point, it would be unlikely that it would be lethal. Additionally, CBD is non-habit-forming, meaning there is no chance of getting addicted to it. The long-term effects of CBD remain to be seen — the sale of hemp products was only legalized in 2018, after all — but by-and-large, it appears to have no acutely negative effects in the short term.
CBD is non-psychoactive.
Unlike its sister cannabinoid, THC, CBD is non-psychoactive — meaning it cannot get you high. This is great news for individuals who experience a great deal of anxiety after smoking cannabis, as it means that CBD will give you all of the mellowness without any of the potential for paranoia or severe intoxication.
CBD is legal.
The production of hemp, the plant from which CBD is derived, is technically federally legal in all 50 states.
Cons of CBD
CBD’s legal status is not exactly the same everywhere.
Ever since the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized the production of hemp and hemp products so long as the crop contains less than 0.3% THC by dry weight, CBD has had its biggest expansion into the world of traditional consumer markets. CBD is federally legal, so long as it abides by this (and a few other) restrictions.
Despite this, however, CBD’s legality may still be in flux in certain parts of the country. Different states and cities may have their own legislation that creates a legal gray area when it comes to the sale and use of CBD. This is especially true given the fact that some CBD products may not abide by the less than 0.3% THC rule.
CBD is not always well-regulated — which can lead to problems with labeling.
CBD is typically used in the same way as an FDA-approved drug or dietary supplement, but CBD products are often sold as cosmetics. Cosmetics and cosmetics labels, unlike food and drugs, do not require FDA preapproval. While this doesn’t necessarily lead to dishonest labelling, it can leave a lot of room for vagueness that is inappropriate for a product like CBD. Some products may have less CBD than they say do, or more THC than the label claims. Additionally, some manufacturers will make grand claims about their product in spite of the FDA’s regulations against unfounded health claims.
While CBD is, again, by-and-large an incredibly safe supplement, it’s never good to leave consumers partially in the dark about what they’re consuming. That’s why we’ve put together a directory of the safest CBD products with the best, most pure results.
CBD may have unwanted side effects.
For some individuals, CBD may cause mild side effects. These can include:
- Drowsiness and fatigue
- Dry mouth
- Diarrhea
- Reduced appetite
While generally not severe, these can be unpleasant when experienced. It may be worth starting with a low dose of CBD and working your way up if you’ve never taken it before in order to gauge the potential side effects and how they may impact you.
Additionally, there is some evidence to suggest that long-term CBD usage may have an impact on your liver.
The benefits aren’t certain.
The research on CBD is still quite young. At the moment, CBD’s only FDA approved medical usage is as a treatment for seizures.
While the supplement does have great potential, it is still too early to tell if it will end up being the miracle cure that it’s thought to be. The precedent is there, historically — Cannabis has been used medicinally for centuries across a span of cultures. However, most of the studies on CBD’s efficacy have been either small-scale, or have yet to make it to the stage of human testing.
CBD can have unwanted drug interactions.
Similarly to grapefruit juice, CBD and certain over-the-counter and prescription drugs may not mesh. These can include Clobazam, Valproate, Theophylline, Warfarin, and more.
CBD is metabolized by a group of enzymes called CYP450 enzymes. Any drugs that are also metabolized by these enzymes are subject to becoming a little wonky, as the interference in metabolization may either lead to a greater or lesser amount of the targeted drug entering your bloodstream. While in small doses this can generally be manageable, it can still be dangerous, and it’s worth consulting a doctor before beginning a CBD regimen to make sure none of your medications will conflict.
Certain CBD products may impact drug testing.
Though CBD is non-psychoactive and legal, there is a small caveat: certain CBD products may contain trace amounts of THC. They are found in the same plant, after all, and not all methods for deriving CBD products effectively filter out 100% of the THC.
While CBD isolates and broad spectrum CBD products will (if labelled correctly) contain no THC, full spectrum CBD products may contain anywhere from 0% THC to 0.3% THC to potentially more, even though the latter option is not legally kosher in states with strict marijuana laws.
Conclusion
CBD, like any new drug or dietary supplement, comes with a range of caveats and drawbacks. However, the benefits seem to outweigh the negatives, at least in terms of attempting to start a CBD regimen in order to see for yourself. CBD is incredibly safe, and most of the issues surrounding its use have to do with it either not living up to its purported potential as a medication, or with it delving into the world of the illegal or taboo occasionally when THC percentages and label mix-ups occur.
No matter where you may fall on your opinion of CBD, if you’re looking to try some, make sure you purchase it from a reputable source. CBD Facilitator offers a wide variety of CBD products and ingestion methods to choose from, from isolates, to full-spectrum, to broad-spectrum, to oils, creams, and hemp flower.
