Cannabidiol (CBD), a cannabis compound, has gained rapid popularity for its highly capable ability to help treat conditions like anxiety and depression. Yet it still remains technically illegal because it is a compound from the controversial cannabis plant.
Back in 1971, President Nixon outlawed cannabis along with its derivatives including CBD as part of a blanket ban on cannabis. CBD can be extracted in marijuana and hemp, cannabis cousins, although it’s only the former that’s often associated with the psychoactive effects of cannabis.
Yet with the increasing amounts of published studies and research continually confirming CBD’s incredible therapeutic benefits, supporters have been taking it into their own hands to allow people to benefit from its medicinal properties.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), for example, removed CBD from its list of prohibited substances, allowing athletes to freely consume cannabidiol during competitions such as the 2018 World Cup. This was great news for athletes who rely on the substance as a source of pain relief and relaxant.
A report by the World Health Organization (WHO) also confirmed that CBD had no harmful effects and that it is suitable as a versatile medicine. CBD is well tolerated by people as well as animals, and as it isn’t psychoactive, the WHO verified that there was no risk of abuse or addiction.
In fact, CBD is recognized for its ability to counteract the effects of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) by reducing the activation of CB1 receptors in the body that were triggered by cannabis. Some medicines were developed with this very fact in mind, such as Sativex, which is a mouth spray composed of an even ratio between THC and CBD.
The WHO report has prompted countries to re-examine its policies on CBD, with Mexico being the latest country to decriminalize medicinal cannabis and market it similarly to beneficial and harmless supplements to promote its health benefits for all their citizens.
More than just medicine
In 2017, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto officially signed off on legalization that allowed people to grow and manufacture medical cannabis goods, provided that they contain less than 1 percent of THC. This would ensure that cannabinoids with less than 1 percent of THC could be effectively incorporated into a wide variety of products such as edibles, topicals, and others.
The legislation effectively opened the floodgates for widespread CBD products allowing anyone to benefit from its consumption, but of course, things aren’t that simple.
HempMeds Latin America President Raul Elizalde said that “The Mexican government understands that CBD is not a danger to public health, so regulating quantity just doesn’t make sense. Usually, people take around 60 mg per day for medicinal purposes, but studies showing no health risks have tested doses of up to 250 mg per kilogram weight of the patient before researchers basically gave up. But you don’t see products like that.”
Elizalde is a personal supporter of CBD, as it helped his daughter suffering from Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, which is a rare form of epilepsy that causes seizures. His personal legal battle to get his hands on CBD to treat his daughter helped him realize that CBD should be marketed widely accessible to help those who could benefit from its consumption.
CBD was instrumental in the development of Epidiolex by GW Pharmaceuticals, as initial research confirmed CBD’s ability to treat Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, the same disease that Elizade’s daughter suffers from.
Based on the strong results from clinical trials and extensive testing, Epidiolex is now the very first cannabis-derived medicine to be approved by the FDA for that very ability to treat these rare forms of epilepsy. It is expected to cost around $32,500 per year with around a three week waiting period, which would place it out of the reach for many people.
Restricted access
Elizalde believes that CBD regulation only serves to prohibit its use by those who could benefit the most, such as people suffering from anxiety, depression, to even more serious conditions such as epilepsy disorders and even neurological diseases.
As CBD is not addictive and doesn’t pose any harmful effects on consumers, it would be ideal as a regular supplement as opposed to merely a prescribed medicine. This would help it branch off into multiple demographics through various modes of consumption, democratizing its use and preventing anyone from obtaining a monopoly on the product.
Restricting CBD’s use to a purely medicinal form does an injustice to the wide health benefits that it provides. CBD in medicinal form can be quite expensive as well as inaccessible for those requiring prescriptions. For those looking to add a few doses of CBD to help treat their ailments, this makes it difficult for them to access.
CBD derived from organic hemp contains very little amounts of THC if any. Companies such as PotNetwork Holdings, Inc. (OTCMKTS:POTN) provide a variety of CBD products, from edibles, tinctures, oil, vapes, and others to cater to the needs of CBD enthusiasts.
By utilizing supercritical CO2 extraction, this ensures that any impurities are properly filtered out and removed, resulting in quality hemp oil which is distributed through their subsidiary, Diamond CBD.
POTN also has partnerships with those who officially endorse their products such as cannabis figurehead Tommy Chong and NFL Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor. Chong’s Choice features premium quality CBD for enhanced effectiveness, while the LT Pain Master Cream was specifically formulated to assist athletes participating in contact sports as it promotes recovery and pain relief.
CBD continues to make headways as its varied health benefits can’t be ignored. Mexico is paving a new path which will hopefully allow its citizens to benefit from CBD through a variety of mediums such as supplements, rather than relegating it to just a medicinal form.
As a non-addictive and highly beneficial substance, CBD should be promoted on the highest levels and made available to all.
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