THC shouldn’t be getting all the attention this 4/20 when CBD is out here, too.
Cannabidiol, abbreviated to CBD, is one of many cannabinoids found in cannabis. However, CBD does not have the psychoactive element that gives the “high” effect most of us associate with cannabis. CBD’s main appeal is its medical benefits.
According to Project CBD, CBD can help with inflammation, pain, anxiety, psychosis, seizures, spasms and more. According to Hemp Health Inc., CBD is the most prominent component in cannabis, taking up about 40 percent of the plant.
“In my personal experience, CBD has been most affective in helping with my anxiety and my pain,” said Madi Sword, a senior majoring in journalism and CBD user, in an email to The Collegian.
Its effects all happen at a molecular level and the exact way it works is still being studied by science and a lot of unknowns still remain when it comes to CBD.
“People haven’t been able to do the kind of systematic research that you would like,” said chemistry professor Dr. Anthony Rappe. “A lot of these things are kind of anecdotal as opposed to scientifically based. It’s not as studied as say the opioids.”
The molecule anandamide naturally occurs in our bodies. Anandamide is nicknamed the “bliss molecule” because it makes us feel a heightened sense of happiness. This is what CBD, as well as THC, binds to in our bodies. CBD interacts with various channels in our bodies to provide the effect it has. Enhancing the effects of these channels, namely anandamide, provides this blissful and therapeutic feeling, Rappe said.
“We know about endorphins and, if you will, people know how to enhance their production of endorphins,” Rappe said. “I don’t know if anyone has a clue how to increase their concentration on anandamides. There may be ways, as crazy as like yoga. There may well be things that we do that cause an increase in production of this, we don’t know but it’s there we know it’s a pain relief. It’s obviously serves a useful purpose, there’s just a lot we don’t know about it.”
Calling cannabis “recreational” could be incorrect.
Infinite Wellness Center is located at 900 N. College Ave.
“The term ‘recreation’ is a misnomer,” said Max Poling, the marketing manager for Infinite Wellness Center. “It should be ‘adult use’ because you need to treat a condition of some use doesn’t mean it requires medical marijuana. Specifically, the biggest difference between ‘medical marijuana’ and recreational marijuana, or adult use marijuana, is simply the Excise tax that we pay on it to the state and the purchase tax the customer pays on it directly to the state, so past those restrictions the only real differences you’re gonna see is potency on edibles and purchase amounts being different for people who qualify for an in-state Colorado medical card.”
For those who are reading this and thinking they know how it is going to affect their bodies, keep in mind that that may not be the case.
“Everybody’s different, every person’s endocannabinoid system is different and so everyone will have different reactions,” Poling said.
And the way you take it is going to be different, too.
CBD can be purchased at dispensaries and some smoke shops if you are 18 or older. You can also buy CBD to use in a tobacco vaporizer.
Collegian reporter Maddie Wright can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @maddierwright.
