Now that recreational and medical marijuana are legal in some states, it’s become a source of hot debate for people who are both anti- and pro-marijuana, including those who want it outlawed entirely and those who believe it should be legal everywhere. But you may not be aware that marijuana’s close cousin, hemp, is also a hot topic.
This is true despite the fact that unlike marijuana, hemp contains only trace levels of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the chemical component that gives marijuana its euphoric qualities. Instead, hemp is primarily known for its fibers, commonly used to make rope, fabrics, auto parts, industrial materials, and a variety of other products. Hemp is also known for its highly-nutritious seeds (a.k.a. hemp hearts), which have been shown to benefit heart health, skin diseases, and more.
These days, however, people are most excited about the properties of a chemical component of hemp called CBD, short for cannabidiol — myself included. This chemical component has been linked with reduction of pain and seizures, improved mood and sleep, protection of the nervous system, and a range of other health benefits.
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Unlike marijuana, hemp is legal in all 50 states according to state laws. On December 20, 2018, the president signed the 2018 Farm Bill, which replaced the 2017 version that expired in September. It includes the Hemp Farming Act of 2018, which makes the use and sale of products made from hemp completely legal across the nation. It does not affect the legal status of marijuana.
This is great news for hemp farmers and consumers interested in CBD, an industry that’s predicted to hit $22 billion by 2022. However, the CBD market has all the makings of a wild west show, with many businesses anxious to get in on the action and make a tidy profit. As such, you’re likely to see CBD-infused products with prices all over the map. And with no official system of checks and balances, it will be hard to tell how much CBD is actually present or what quality it is.
Your top CBD questions, answered
Learning how to make informed choices which choosing and using CBD will help you gain the most benefit from this unique and powerful plant extract. If you plan to take advantage of CBD’s benefits — or even if you already are — read on for answers to all your CBD-related questions in this essential guide.
Why did humans start using cannabis?
Cannabis sativa was one of the earliest plants cultivated by humankind. The very first use of cannabis was documented in China around 4000 BC. A very versatile plant, it was used for food, medicine, religious and spiritual rituals, industrial fiber, and, of course, recreation.
From China, cannabis spread to India, the Arabian Peninsula, and then on to Europe with the spice trade. Through European colonization, use of cannabis spread to the Americas, Caribbean, and throughout the world. How the plant was used depended on the variety of cannabis, the parts of the plant, and how the plant was cultivated.
The variety of cannabis known as hemp was traditionally valued primarily for its fibers with high tensile strength, making it ideal for creating rope and textiles. Hemp seeds and sprouts were eaten as a good source of high-quality protein and beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. The variety of cannabis known as marijuana was specifically cultivated for the euphoric properties of THC, which is concentrated mostly in the flower buds of the plant.
Only recently have the unique medicinal properties of both hemp and marijuana been fully recognized.
How are hemp and marijuana different?
Cannabis sativa has several alter egos, but marijuana and hemp are the two best known. Though both plants look the same, their chemical composition is quite different.
The chemical difference has to do with the presence or absence of certain enzymes. Both marijuana and hemp contain a chemical substance called cannabigerol (CBGA), which is concentrated mostly in the flower buds of the plant. Marijuana contains an enzyme that converts CBGA into THC; hemp contains a different enzyme that converts CBGA into CBD (cannabidiol).
Whereas marijuana contains both THC and CBD, hemp contains almost exclusively CBD — THC occurs only in very trace amounts. Remember, though, that there are many varieties of marijuana and hemp plants, and their concentrations of THC and CBD vary. Those with high THC are used primarily for recreational use; plants with low or no THC and high CBD are best for medicinal use. Only cannabis with less than 0.3% THC can be legally classified as hemp.Back to Top
What’s the difference between THC and CBD?
Both THC (in marijuana) and CBD (in hemp) belong to a class of plant chemical compounds called cannabinoids. There are different receptors for cannabinoid compounds located throughout the body.
For instance, CB1 receptors are found in high concentrations in the brain and nervous system. CB2 receptors are located throughout the body, but predominantly within the lower body and immune system.
THC’s intoxicating powers come from its ability to mimic anandamide, an endocannabinoid or naturally occurring mood-altering substance in the body that binds to CB1 receptors in the brain and is associated with having a rosy disposition. THC binds to anandamide’s CB1 receptors even more tightly than anandamide itself, triggering an exaggerated or euphoric response — in other words, you get high.
Compared to THC, CBD has very different properties. It weakly binds to both CB1 and CB2 receptors in the brain and body, gently stimulating and blocking them at the same time. This not only mildly activates the receptors, but is also thought to trigger the body to create more CB1 and CB2 receptors, a process known as upregulation. It also results in increased natural levels of anandamide.
When the body experiences an increase in CB receptors, it becomes more sensitive to the natural endocannabinoids (anandamide and others) already present in the body. The end result of taking CBD is an uplifted mood and improved pain tolerance without an exaggerated euphoric response, so you don’t get high when you use it.
CBD also modulates other receptors in the body. For instance, modulation of the 5-HT1A receptor (involved with serotonin, a mood hormone) provides mood-balancing properties: It’s calming, but not highly sedating, so it’s considered neutral — though it often results in improved sleep for many people. Another example is modulation of opioid receptors, which provides pain relief and tissue-supporting properties.
Beyond THC and CBD, Cannabis sativa plants contain over a hundred other cannabinoids that have a similar effect as CBD, but milder — THC is the only one known to be intoxicating. Cannabis plants also possess a wide spectrum of different chemical components offering a range of medicinal properties. Back to Top
What are terpenes, and why are they important?
Aside from cannabinoids, one of the most prominent chemicals in cannabis plants is terpenes, organic and aromatic compounds found in essential oils. Interestingly, it’s the terpenes that give marijuana its distinct “weedy” odor and taste, not the cannabinoids.
Terpenes are beneficial on their own. For instance, research in the British Journal of Pharmacology found that terpenes are gastro-protective, suggesting they may be beneficial to people with ulcers, and that they have anti-inflammatory properties.
Also important is terpenes’ ability to enhance the properties of CBD. This phenomenon, called the “entourage effect,” is considered by many experts in the industry to be essential for gaining the full benefit of the plant. It also points to the importance of using a full-spectrum extract of hemp, which provides a full range of chemical components including terpenes, as opposed to purified CBD or CBD isolate, which contains only CBD.
What are the benefits of taking CBD?
Cannabinoids, including cannabidiol (CBD), work by mimicking natural endocannabinoids like anandamide (described above) in the body. Endocannabinoids are part of a complex messaging system in the body called the endocannabinoid system. The endocannabinoid system oversees or regulates parts of the nervous system, endorphins, immune system functions, hormones, mood and emotions, metabolism, and many other chemical messengers in the body.
My mimicking endocannabinoids, CBD offers a wide range of benefits, including:
- Decreased pain
- Enhanced sense of well-being
- Increased calm
- Improved sleep
- Reduced stress (thanks to CBD’s adaptogenic properties, which make you more resistant to various types of stress)
But because CBD doesn’t cause euphoria or impair motor skills, you can use it any time of the day or evening. Let’s explore in more detail how it works for various health concerns.
Nervous system conditions
Like other cannabinoids, CBD readily crosses the blood brain barrier, making it ideal for affecting central nervous system conditions. CBD helps calm the nervous system, reduces inflammation, and is strongly neuroprotective. Not surprisingly, clinical studies evaluating cannabidiol for treatment of anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), seizure disorders (especially childhood seizures), and even schizophrenia have shown remarkable effectiveness.
Chronic Pain
Management of chronic pain is another application for which CBD is ideally suited, and it works in a number of ways. It and other non-THC cannabinoids found in hemp flower-bud extracts work to block pain-conducting nerve impulses, which reduces your perception of pain. Stimulation of CB1 in the brain increases dopamine, which counteracts pain. Just as importantly, these same chemical substances reduce inflammation, the driving force behind pain, which allows healing to occur.
CBD and other cannabinoids also reduce pain by affecting endorphins, the feel-good chemicals we naturally produce to suppress pain. Unlike opioids (heroin, narcotics), which mimic endorphins and ultimately suppress natural endorphins, cannabinoids modulate endorphins.
This means, in effect, that CBD and cannabinoids increase natural endorphins. So instead of causing dependence and addiction like opioids, CBD and cannabinoids do the opposite — so much so that CBD has proven valuable for countering narcotic and cocaine addiction. From a medicinal standpoint, the fact that CBD has the potential to relieve pain without causing euphoria, intoxication, or addiction makes it an intriguing therapeutic option — it has high potential for being at least a partial solution to the current opioid epidemic.
by Dr. Bill Rawls
Updated 1/30/19
