Jump on any wellness-related website and you will find glowing accolades for CBD Oil. Along with the accolades, you will find references to various studies that attempt to prove the point and further entice you to make a purchase. The issue, at least for me, is that there is a lot of technical mumbo jumbo in these articles and that many of the studies cited are not what I would call scientific let alone peer-reviewed.
A study with 24 test subjects and no control group is not a study. Neither is a study where the test group consisted of a group of 50 rats. A study of how a handful of subjects deal with anxiety while using social media is simply not relevant.
I wish I could say these are extreme examples but they are not. They are everywhere.
So what is the big deal about CBD Oil? Is it the real deal when it comes to dealing with anxiety, depression, insomnia, aches, pains, and cancer? (The emphasis is mine.) Or is it 21st-century snake oil?
In this article, I hope to summarize, in plain English, what I have learned, so far, about CBD oil.
It is important to note a few things from the onset.
First of all, I am not a healthcare professional although I have received input from my own physicians regarding CBD oil. Second, although I have immersed myself in learning about CBD, I am not an expert and will continue to research CBD and update this article as I feel necessary. Finally, I will do my best to speak in layman’s terms, without the using highly scientific and technical terms that for me, at least, make the discussion of CBD oil confusing.
CBD Oil Explained: How Does it Work?
Cannabidiol, or CBD for short, is a non-intoxicating natural medicine that is derived from the hemp plant, cannabis sativa. It is extracted from the plant’s flowers and leaves and not from the seeds. This is an extremely important point in that “hemp oil” per se, is extracted from the seeds of the hemp plant and contains no CBD whatsoever. I will go into this a bit later, but it is an important distinction to make from the get-go.
CBD is just one of numerous pharmacologically active compounds called cannabinoids that can be extracted from cannabis and used for therapeutic value. These cannabinoids bind to special receptors in the body that are known as the endocannabinoid system or the ECS. This system regulates mood balance, fear perception, fight-or-flight response, memory, emotional outlook, sleep/wake cycles, pain sensation, motor control, immune system function, and body temperature.
A question that many consumers ask is whether CBD oil contains THC. For those of you that don’t know, THC stands for tetrahydrocannabinol which is the psychoactive component associated with the “high” produced by marijuana. Full spectrum CBD oil can legally contain 0.3% or less THC. This amount is so minute that it will not make you high and you will not get stoned.
Let me repeat: CBD is non-intoxicating and cannot cause psychoactive effects when purchased from a reliable source that publishes third-party testing results and shares them with the consumer.
On the other hand, this minute amount of THC can show up in drug tests so if you work for an employer who may perform a drug test (for example, after an industrial accident), you need to be mindful that even this minute amount of THC will show up in testing. There is an alternative, however. CBD oil isolates are available that contain no THC whatsoever.
Full Spectrum vs Broad Spectrum vs Isolate
CBD oil comes in many forms and you will hear terms such as Full Spectrum, Isolate, Broad Spectrum and more. Depending on your personal situation, one may be better for you than another and it would be inappropriate to rank them in order of preference.
Before I describe each, let me explain the various extraction processes used to make CBD oil.
To extract CBD-rich cannabis oil, one must start with high-quality, CBD-rich plant material. From what I have learned so far, organic, farm-grown, and non-GMO hemp grown in Colorado and California are likely to produce the best CBD oil available at this time. I am not clear why.
The extraction of the CBD component of the hemp plant is done by distillation or with a solvent. There are good methods and poor methods for each. Focusing on the good, the two extraction methods to look for are CO2 extraction (distillation) and ethanol (solvent).
CO2 extraction uses carbon dioxide under high pressure and extremely low temperatures to isolate, preserve, and maintain the purity of the resultant CBD oil. This process requires expensive equipment and a steep operational learning curve. Similar to the distillation of essential oils, It is not a DIY process that you can do yourself at home.
Ethanol extraction is done using high-grade grain alcohol. While safe, this extraction method destroys the plant waxes, some of which may have health benefits that are favored by some product-makers.
Full Spectrum CBD Oil
Full-spectrum CBD oil includes the full cannabinoid profile of the hemp plant, as well as other compounds that are present, including other cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes. Terpenes, as a special note, are a part of the hemp plant that has also been linked to a number of health benefits, particularly when combined with cannabinoids like CBD. Terpenes are included in full spectrum CBD oil.
Because full spectrum CBD oil includes other natural compounds found in the hemp plant, it results in what is called the “entourage” effect. This entourage effect with CBD oil is similar to the synergies I often write about relative to essential oils whereby the combination of two or more EOs may add up to more than double the results.
As far as I can tell, full spectrum CBD oil will always include a small amount of THC.
Broad Spectrum CBD Oil
Broad spectrum CBD oil has had all THC removed. Then, once that is done, has had useful cannabinoids added back in. This means that the user will still get the entourage effect.
Isolates
CBD Isolates are usually extracted from the hemp plant leaves and flowers using food-grade ethanol rather than CO2 extraction. At least that is what my own research indicates. Isolates may come in crystalline form (used as a food additive) or may be dissolved in an oil.
The important thing to know is that isolates include pure CBD and nothing else, which may or may not be a good thing, depending on your needs. One of those needs may be “good taste” since I have heard that the taste of full spectrum CBD oil can be particularly gross, for lack of a better term.
Isolates go by different names such as Zero High, Zero-THC, THC-Free, or simply CBD “Isolate”. Some vendors only produce and sell isolates which is something you need to keep in mind to ensure you are getting your preferred product.
Which is Better?
At one time, it was thought that a CBD oil isolate was more potent then full-spectrum or broad-spectrum CBD but that theory is changing, mostly as a result of current research being done at Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Lautenberg Center for General and Tumor Immunology. Researchers are finding that the aforementioned entourage effect (the functioning of CBD along with other cannabis plant compounds) delivers better results than when CBD is used by itself.
Most likely, the source of the cannabis and the reputation of the processor as well as the vendor are as important as the type, be it a full-spectrum, broad spectrum, or isolate.
What is it Used For?
This is the part that got me started on this journey.
My husband has chronic back pain that transcends the healing properties of essential oils. Although topicals such as my Aches and Pains Salve with wintergreen essential oil help mitigate arthritis pain, back pain is a whole different animal. Eighteen months ago he underwent some time-consuming and expensive procedures with a pain specialist, knowing at the time, the results would be temporary. Before starting up all over again, I asked if he would be willing to try CBD oil. His answer was yes.
Here are the most common ailments that CBD oil is said to resolve:
Pain
Anxiety
Stress
Insomnia/Sleeplessness
Nausea
Moodiness (or what I call the “moody blues”)
Migraine headaches
Side effects of chemotherapy
If you do an internet search (or visit some CBD vendor sites online), you will find many other uses. I do not prescribe to the school that CBD will cure a major disease because there is simply not enough research and peer-reviewed studies are sparse. On the other hand, I do believe that CBD oil may prevent certain diseases from spreading. At the very least, CBD may go a long way in mitigating the symptoms that make life miserable.
Hemp Oil versus CBD Oil: They Are Not the Same Thing!
Let me repeat what I stated earlier: CBD oil is extracted from the flowers and leaves from the hemp plant. Hemp seed oil, on the other hand, is pressed from hemp seed and contains no CBD, no THC, and no plant cannabinoids to speak of. It is often confused with CBD oil and is sometimes priced similarly. When consumers purchase this product and do not get results, they discount the efficacy of CBD oil and lump it into the bucket we call snake oil.
That is not to say that hemp oil is a bad product when used in a non-therapeutic manner and or a food supplement, but pain relief? Not so much.
As an aside, I purchased hemp oil a few years back because it was being pitched as being a superior carrier oil for essential oils. I found the odor disgusting and the viscosity sticky and gross. I did try some in my Miracle Healing Salve and ended up tossing the batch.
Why You Will Not Find Genuine CBD Oil on Amazon
This brings up another topic: why will you not find CBD oil on Amazon?
This is only a guess but I believe it is because the US FDA views CBD as a pharmaceutical drug. There is already at least one CBD “drug” classified as a pharmaceutical (Epidiolex) for treating two forms of pediatric epilepsy. As a result, our big-pharma controlled FDA maintains that it is illegal to sell hemp-derived CBD as a dietary supplement let alone a natural remedy.
The crazy thing is that the 2018 Farm Bill legalized the cultivation of industrial hemp (defined as cannabis with less than 0.3 percent THC) in the United States and removed various derivatives of hemp, including CBD, from the purview of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Controlled Substances Act.
Are you as confused as I am on this point?
Is CBD Oil Legal in all 50 US States?
Yes and no. Let me explain.
If CBD oil is derived from hemp, and not marijuana, it is legal provided the following:
- The hemp must contain less than 0.3% THC
- The hemp must adhere to the shared state-federal regulations
- The hemp must be grown by a properly licensed grower
Some states have legalized marijuana-derived CBD oil for medicinal and/or recreational use. That said, marijuana-derived CBD oil is beyond the purview of this article.
Notwithstanding the legality of hemp-derived CBD oil, as recently as last week some payment processors (certain Visa purveyors, as an example) have pulled the plug on using a Visa card to pay for CBD oil purchases. I have not researched the reason beyond learning that some vendors are less than honest with their labeling and that the sale of CBD oil is considered to be a high-risk transaction.
So now you may ask: is CBD oil regulated? To the best of my knowledge, the answer is currently no although that may change in the future.
Factoid from the “why I am not surprised” department: The United States government holds a patent on non-psychoactive cannabinoids, including CBD, as a treatment for specific illnesses. Patent 6,630,507, titled “Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants,” was issued on Oct. 7, 2003.
That bears the question as to why there is some holdout on legitimizing CBD oil as a bona fide medicine. If you are interested in pursuing this line of thought, start by reading this article, What is Patent 6,630,507? Why The Feds Hold a Patent On CBD Treatments, and expand your research from there.
What My Doctors Told Me
Now that you have a basic understanding of CBD oil, let me get into some specifics of how it is used.
The first step to using CBD oil should be a discussion with your doctor. Heck, in certain instances I recommend this for essential oils as well.
In my case, I checked with our primary care provider (“no issues and knows first hand that it has helped some of her patients”), my husband’s cardiologist (“no concerns whatsoever”) and my ophthalmologist who went into a great amount of detail in explaining that being plant-based, CBD oil was far less toxic then even the most common OTC remedies such as ibuprofen, NSAIDs, and Tylenol. He also said that there may be a bit of a placebo effect which is altogether not such a bad thing.
Once I had these reassurances, I pursued my CBD oil education in earnest.
How to Use it: Less is More
Almost everyone I know that is using CBD oil is using it sublingually, under their tongue. They place the oil/tincture under the tongue and hold it there for about a minute then swallow what remains with plenty of water or another liquid. CBD used in this manner is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, then distributes itself evenly throughout the body.
There are other ways to use CBD oil including in gel caps and gummies, as a food additive, in energy drinks and vaping, and of course, topically for spot relief.
When it comes to the proper dosage, things get dicey. Almost every source indicates less is more and yet the dosage listed on the CBD oil label seems huge.
Rules of thumb seem hard to come by since CBD oil is sold in various strengths and the dosage is dependent on whether you get, for example, a bottle with 500mg total CBD, 1000MG CBD, or something else. Other factors include age, body weight, health issue, and the form of the CBD product (tincture, capsule gummy, etc.). This is the one aspect of CBD oil that is confusing to me, so much so, it makes my head hurt just thinking about it.
Still, with what I have read so far, it appears that a good starting dose for pain is 10mg once or twice a day. That would be half a dropper full, or 8 drops, of 500 mg CBD concentration. Applying the generally accepted philosophy of less is more, starting with 2 to 4 drops twice a day seems reasonable, gradually adding additional drops until (and if) the desired results are achieved.
To help with dosing, a reputable supplier will provide you with information about the CBD concentration per drop, per milliliter (ml), and per bottle.
Now that I have said all of that, many of my friends are already using CBD for anxiety or sleep disorders and they use a single drop of low concentration CBD nightly before going to bed. So, as with essential oils, your mileage may vary.
Why I Am Doing My Own Research and Case Study
If you have made it this far, you will realize that there are a lot of unknowns with CBD oil. Even though it has been around in one form or another since ancient times, there are very few peer-reviewed studies. Most results are anecdotal which is why I want to test things out myself. Having an in-house Guinea pig with back pain issues will allow me to learn about CBD oil in a real-life situation. In addition, I plan to use a small amount myself, just to gauge how I feel after the fact and also how it tastes, a real concern for me.
I plan to make my own salve using CBD oil and will do a direct, if not so scientific, comparison to my own DIY wintergreen salve for joint pain. I have a number of close friends who have indicated a willingness to test the salve for me as well. This will be an important comparison because the cost of a CBD salve, even DIY, will be far more than an essential oil salve.
Resources for Additional Information
To say I have been totally immersed in learning about CBD oil is an understatement. I have found some excellent resources and a lot of crap (pardon the language) during this quest. I have found commercial websites that are factual with a ton of information and others that seem only interested in a grab for your money.
If you want to pursue some additional information, here are a few of the better resources I have found:
Project CBD: This site is a wealth of information and all of it appears credible. Be sure to check out their 10 tips for buying CBD: https://www.projectcbd.org/guidance/10-tips-buying-cbd
CBD: A Patient’s Guide to Medicinal Cannabis–Healing without the High: If you only get one book on CBD, consider this one. Most of the low-cost or free eBooks on Amazon are useless. This book, by Leonard Leinow, Juliana Birnbaum, and Michael H. Moskowitz is not cheap and not free. I am still working my way through it and recommend that you make this book a part of your self-care library.
Frequently Asked Questions about CBD Oil: This is a top-level FAQ that answers questions such as “Will I get high if I take CBD?” Answer: No, CBD is non-intoxicating and cannot cause psychoactive effects) and “What are the Side Effects of CBD”. This FAQ is on the OrganicaNaturals site, a company that I order products from.
Disclosure: I have become an affiliate for Organica Naturals. This means that eventually if I chose to promote products, this company will pay me a small commission. I chose this company after researching at least a dozen different sources for CBD oil and feel they offer a quality product at a fair price. Time will tell whether I made the right decision but so far, each time have patiently taken the time to answer my questions, no matter how basic. This company is not an MLM.
Followup reading: What I Learned Using CBD Oil
Summing It All Up
CBD Oil is showing up everywhere and a lot of bloggers are writing about it even though they have no practical experience using it. Anyone can take the time to research a product and then write about it. It happens with essential oils all of the time and infuriates me. I know for a fact that many authors of essential oil articles have never used the oils themselves and are solely writing content for hire or in the pursuit of affiliate income.
I refuse to do that and so for that reason, am planning to use CBD oil on myself and my husband before going more in-depth into specific products. I also have a number of friends that are currently using CBD oil and are willing to share their experiences.
At the end of the day, my goal is to cut through the hoo-ha and help you with information that will allow you to come to your own conclusions.
Yours for a Joyful Life,
Gaye
P.S. Do you have some first-hand experience with CBD oil? And would you be willing to share it with me?
Strategic Haul
Because this is a no-pitch post, I am only going to recommend one thing: a book that you should read if you have any interest at all in CBD oil. That said, I am also going to include links to the two companies that I have purchased from. At this point, I am not making an endorsement or recommendation but simply sharing what I have done.
CBD: A Patient’s Guide to Medicinal Cannabis–Healing without the High: If you only get one book on CBD, consider this one. Most of the low-cost or free eBooks on Amazon are useless. This book, by Leonard Leinow, Juliana Birnbaum, and Michael H. Moskowitz is not cheap and not free. I am still working my through it and recommend that you make this book a part of your self-care library. From the description on Amazon:
This practical, accessible guide to using CBD-dominant cannabis contains a wealth of information for both first-time explorers and experienced patients who want to know more about safely treating a number of health conditions with remarkable results and low to no psychoactivity or negative side effects. CBD (cannabidiol) is a component of cannabis that can provide relief for conditions such as seizures, pain, inflammation, anxiety, depression, arthritis, and a number of other issues. This book offers guidance on various forms of the medicine such as oil infusions, alcohol-based tinctures, capsules, and CO2 concentrated extracts. The information is organized by health condition and also by recommended CBD-rich strains, which do not produce the “highs” associated with THC. With dosage suggestions, potential side effects and contraindications, and the pharmacology of the plant, this is an essential guide for both doctors and patients looking for a nontoxic alternative to opiate-based pain medications and other pharmaceuticals.a number of health conditions with remarkable results and low to no psychoactivity or negative side effects.
OrganicaNaturals: This company specializes in tinctures for both humans and pets, including a zero-THC option. Their cannabis plants are from Colorado and California, where they grow outdoors under natural sunlight using organic and sustainable farming practices. The plants are non-GMO and pesticide-free. All products are third-party tested and shipping is always free. Note: They are offering a 20% discount when using code “gayelevy” at checkout.
Additional Reading
What You Need to Know About CBD Oil
What I Learned Using CBD Oil
CBD Dosing: How Much CBD Should I Take?
Homemade CBD Salve that Really Works
Create a CBD Rollerball for Joint & Arthritis Pain Relief
~~~~~
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Want to give CBD Oil a try? Get a 20% discount using code "gayelevy" at checkout. Free shipping on orders over $100 and a 60 day return policy.
I use this topically on my chronic rotator cuff shoulders (waited 8 years to get diagnosis, too late) and on a knee pain I have. Seems to help with the pain almost instantly. Not 100% pain free, but about 75% of the pain goes away for several hours.
Really can’t tell much with oral dose at bedtime, but I have figured out..not boozing in the evenings equals much better sleep quality. Who knew???
After posting this article last night, and drinking a glass of wine before dinner, I realized I had not looked into interactions with alcohol. Not that we are heavy drinkers but 6PM is synonymous with wine-time now that I am retired LOL.
How much of an oral dose are you using (if you do not mind sharing).
I wait till dark, take a glass, my radio tuned to 70s/80s, turn off porch light, and listen/watch my street.
Interesting–no one goes out after 8???
Orally I use about 2/3 of the glass dropper bulb thingy per night. But I’m a “large Marge” at 6-5″ and 340 lbs.
Also retired here, but if I stop all bourbon for a couple days, my sleep quality gets very good, compared to daily consumption of Knob Creek.
For what it’s worth, I am a cancer patient of 8 years and have been using CBD oil for approximately 1-1/2 years now. I use Charlotte’s Web Extra Strength CBD Oil with 16.65mg CBD. My research was limited on study and your article will help me re-evaluate if I’m on the right track with CW.
For myself, it has helped me tremendously with pain and a restful sleep. As I have other supplements as part of my regimen during my chemotherapy, CBD plays a role in my supplement menu. In our state however, it is considered illegal and many shops that began to sell the various oils that are out there, are now being “raided”, (yes, raided) and CBD products being removed. All this while reminding the public that these products are illegal in our state. So, check your local laws to be sure purchasing these products are legal to be in possession of.
Another consideration to keep in mind, CBD oils are recognized as using cannabis and could affect one should they consider purchasing a gun at a gun store.
I read about the origin of the Charlotte’s Web product and it being named for the little girl with epilepsy for which it was initially developed. As I recall, Charlotte’s Web was the name given to the hemp plant that was hybrid and it was much later that a consumer product was developed. Charlotte’s Web scientists were the true pioneer’s in this field. (I think the story is in the NYTimes article that is linked in my post. It is also talked about in the CBD book I recommended.)
Interesting about the issues in your state since almost all companies will ship to all 50 states. I assume you have a medical cannabis card which makes this super troubling.
Are you using the drops more than once a day or all at once? Do they taste bad?
Thanks for sharing and fingers cross that your cancer is under control if not gone.
Thanks for the reply, Gaye. Your reading of the CW origin is basically what steered me to using their products. I have been very pleased with the results. They have a purchase reward system that utilizes points into dollars that can be used towards future purchases. I’ve even run into a couple issues and their support staff has been very helpful as well as willing to add reward points just for my troubles. Overall, I find their products very good and their service is impeccable. I use about a half-dropper in the morning and evening before bedtime.
Their flavors are regular which is a similar flavor to olive oil while they offer a Chocolate Mint flavor that I like better. Either flavor takes a bit of getting used to, but I don’t consider it to be awful in taste.
CW is very aware of the laws from a federal law perspective and will ship to one’s personal location. I spent time speaking with them on this and they know they cannot violate laws on the federal level and maintain constant monitoring for changes. That’s enough for me. Having a medical cannabis card is the kicker which allows a patient to consume these products legally. And follows same with medicinal marijuana. Personally, I choose not to obtain such a card as I love to hunt and have tools for personal security. Too many nightmares out there of people losing their 2nd Amendment rights due to medical situations that involve certain supplements as well as pain medications in the opioid category.
Thanks also for the good vibes regarding my condition. Initial diagnosis stated average life expectancy around 5 years and I’ve been fortunate with my supporting medical teams to continue living a good life with other options available to me. With all things considered as part of my regimen, I do believe the outpouring of prayers and support from family and friends have played its role as well. I consider myself very blessed and see this condition only as a challenge, rather than a burden.
I tried to use the code “summer” at checkout with Joy, it would not accept it, although i was able to use their welcome!15 coupon. Maybe next time.
Thanks for this article, it was well written and very informative.
I used CBD oil a few years ago, but I really don’t think it did much for me. I don’t remember exactly which one I used. I did not have your research to go by then.
Back then all the research pages were like reading a chemistry textbook.
Thank you for this.
The code SUMMER does not start until May 23rd. They gave me another code, gayelevy15, for 15% but sounds like you have things covered.
My pal George Ure purchased so-called CBD oil from Amazon a couple of years back and told me it did nothing for him. I had him dig out the bottle, which he still had, and sure enough, it was hemp seed oil not CBD. The bad news, other than no relief, is that he paid more for it than the cost of the real thing.
What product are you planning to use?
Here is a fantastic story – CBD Oil is a part of it.
If you know someone who is diagnosed with cancer – It is a must read.
And this is not Internet quackery – It is verified. The Author was even on TV few weeks ago.
https://www.mycancerstory.rocks/single-post/2016/08/22/Shake-up-your-life-how-to-change-your-own-perspective
Thanks for the research and the even handed report.
I felt like Charlotte’s story was an amazing one, and I have read many stories about the curative effects of Phoenix Tears too, which is just straight THC extraction (cures of cancer’s). The police also recently arrested a great grandmother in Florida at Disney World for having a bottle of CBD oil in her purse. She was thrown in jail with a $2,000 bond in a state where medical cannabis is legal now, she also had a Dr.’s note!!! They dropped the charges,but that was a mystery. Your article was quite informative Thanks for the good work.
I don’t have personal experience with CBD oil…but I am in a FB group for various mental health issues…anxiety and depression high up on the list…and you’d swear it was a bunch of junkies the way they toss out CBD as the end all/be all treatment for both…and everything else you could get! 😜
I’ve often wondered what the heck they were gonna do if anybody had a random drug test…but it’s reassuring to know that not all forms interfere with that. 🤔
Thank you for doing the research on this. I am tempted to try it myself for my anxiety which seems to be much worse the older I’m getting, but I honestly didn’t even know where to look for it. Plus I’ve got some hardworking guys who could probably benefit greatly from a workable salve. So. Good luck on your testing! Hopefully the guinea pig survives…er…feels better! 😂 In the meantime…is the other salve hard to make? I’d like to try a test batch of that to see if it helps.
I would guess that hundreds of folks have made my salves over the years, starting with Miracle Healing Salve. It is very easy to make and does not take long. I always make up a big batch of base salve so when I need to put together a new concoction, all I need to do is add the oils to the pre-made base.
If you want to wait a couple of weeks, I will be posting instructions for the CBD salve I plan to make along with notes on whether it works any better than my EO salve.
Hi Gaye, Great article. You’ve read my mind- I was actually thinking of making the salve with CBD oil but was unsure about proportions. I look forward to your next article. Thank you!
Bernie – I will be using 500mg of CBD oil per 1 oz of base salve.
I had a neighbor’s son die of colon cancer. What shocked me was after the funeral I heard the wife say, we should have given him cbd. Shocked a lot by that statement coming from that family.
Although, the wife only wanted to try this 2 weeks before his death–sorry, too little, too late.
I have been using CBD capsules from a company called solcbd.com. It is certified USDA Organic. I take 30 mg once a day (sometimes twice) for a pinched nerve running from my shoulder up my neck. It also works for toothaches, headaches and kicks my general aches and pains as well. Their articles and explanations are great and you can email them with any questions you may have. Many people who are addicted to opioids claim that it has helped them greatly. My son takes it for back pain and to relax enough to fall asleep. If Big Pharma gets hold of this industry it will probably be so expensive that none of us can afford it. But OTC drugs that cause great harm seem to be okay. It’s all about the $$$.
Been using CBD for about a year. Works great on aches and pain. Husband has Parkinsons and helps when tremors get really bad. Saw an article on NBC news where two grandmothers were arrested in Disney World and charged with felony for having a “controlled substance” CBD. Am going on a cruise to Alaska in June so called and they consider CBD a controlled substance that is not allowed on board and told I could be arrested by customs if I bring it on board.
That was very smart of you to call. This makes me wonder whether the drug-sniffing dogs will detect a CBD salve. I am thinking yes.
Thanks Gaye. It is wonderful knowing that you thoroughly research a topic or product before ‘sticking your neck out’. I like knowing that what you are writing about is a result of due diligence, not what you are being paid. You are like my Prepper Consumer Reports! Hope you are doing well and thanks again for your time and advice.
Thanks, Gail!
I have been using CBD oil for the past two months as an augment to chemo. I have been taking .50 ml of
High Gorgeous: Plain Jane cannabis drops (CBD only, no THC)
at approximately 12 hour intervals. I have found it works wonderfully to combat nausea and also seems to help fight diarrhea. The flavor is vanilla and tastes rather like a Nilla Vanilla wafer without the crunch. There is no aftertaste.
I am blessed to live in California where it appears I need don’t need a medical letter and have full access to recreational marijuana (CBD) including plant propagation (to a certain degree). I was fortunate to (finally!) find a licensed dispensary only a mile from the facility from where I receive my chemo. The tinctures are batch tested at Stage 3. (The label verifies what they found the concentrations to be in each batch.) I am also using (periodically)
Wally Drops CBD lozenges (no THC), 20 pieces per bag, 2.5 MG per piece.
The flavor is Peach and I can’t tell any difference this between this and regular hard candy save for the CBD.
I concur about the Project: CBD website. It is a wonderful resource and I printed out some of the pages for my doctor.
I would be glad to answer any questions you may have based on my limited experience and look forward to your salve receipe.
First of all, hoping that your chemo treatment is going well and that you will be moving beyond it soon.
Even with all of my research, I struggle with understanding dosing with many OTC CBD products. I am referring to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and the like. It is driving me nuts that some retail vendors are misleading the public by not educating buyers relative to strengths and dosing. I dropped Spark Naturals for this very reason: I no longer had confidence in their product representation relative to CBD. They were headed into a direction that made me extremely uncomfortable. which is too bad because their EOs are wonderful.
What is the strength of the .5ml CBD you are taking at 12-hour intervals and how does that translate into drops? I know that the 1 drop of 1000mg I take at night is equal to 2mg of CBD.
As far as the salve goes, I finally was able to get the consistency right (I used olive oil as a dummy while figuring that out) and began using the salve yesterday. We were in the car for 3 hours yesterday and my husband was sitting on his wallet and ended up with butt pain LOL. Used the salve and the pain was gone within 15 minutes. It will be a week or perhaps longer before we have used it enough to know whether it is worth the expense (versus using drops and other delivery methods).
Thanks for offering to answer questions; I appreciate it.
Gaye
I fell and broke my leg (just below my right hip) just after posting this. They won’t let me have my CBD in the rehab facility so I can’t look anything up for you right now. Not sure how long before I’m home again. I’m reasonably sure it was the chemo that weakened my bones. Thanks for the explanation about Sparks Naturals. I admit to being curious.
I love how you mentioned the uses of CBD oil and how it can help people who have pain, anxiety, stress, etc. My husband has recently been diagnosed with insomnia and is always looking for things that can help him get back on his regular sleep schedule. We will keep these tips in mind as we search for a professional to help him find CBD oil for him.