You can hardly watch TV, open a magazine or drive down a highway without seeing advertisements for CBD oil. But what the heck is CBD oil anyway? Is it safe? Does it actually do the things it claims to? Are there side effects? Does it make you high? Keep reading to get educated on the facts, understand what isn’t yet known and hear about my person experience using CBD products!

So what is CBD oil?

The long technical name for CBD oil is cannabidiol oil which is a type of cannabinoid chemical found in plants from the cannabis family. One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding CBD oil is that it is exclusively made from marijuana plants. The truth, however, is that most CBD products (especially those sold online) are made from hemp plants.

What’s the difference?

Both hemp and marijuana are very similar in many ways, but the most well-known difference is hemp has less than 0.3% THC and marijuana has greater than 0.3% THC. What is THC you ask? That’s the component of marijuana that produces psychoactive reactions in your body…AKA it’s what gets you high. Marijuana is grown for medical and recreational consumption under very specialized conditions. It is grown indoors to better control fertilization which lowers the THC level. Hemp is grown in the US for many consumer goods including clothing, paper, bio-fuels, bio-plastics, dietary supplements, cosmetics and foods. If hemp is being grown for CBD oil extraction, it too is often grown indoors to prevent fertilization which also lowers the CBD levels. With both marijuana and hemp to be used for CBD oil, only the female plants are used.

Tell me more about CBD made from hemp…

Hemp plants that will be used for CBD oil are monitored for 4 to 5 months to continually check: THC levels, CBD levels and mold levels. When the plants are ready, they are dried very slowly to keep quality as high as possible. This usually takes 5-10 days. The CBD is then extracted by one of three methods: CO2 extraction, ethanol extraction, or water extraction. CO2 extraction is the most expensive of the choices, however, it is also the most efficient and safest method as well as yields the highest concentration of CBD. Some companies even go an extra step called “isolate extraction” to dissolve all the extra by-products that may be in the CBD leaving behind only pure CBD.

Is CBD legal?

Depends if it’s made from hemp or marijuana! CBD from hemp is legal at a federal level and illegal at the state level in Idaho, South Dakota and Nebraska. If the CBD is made from marijuana, it is illegal at the federal level and legal at the state level in some states (just like actual marijuana).

What does CBD oil help with?

• Anxiety: CBD is thought to change the way the brain responds to serotonin which in turn improves sleep, lowers stress, and improves symptoms of PTSD.
• Seizure treatment
• Neuroprotector: CBD is thought to alter the brain receptor CB1 which may help with Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and post stroke deficits. This may also be due to the anti-inflammatory effects of CBD on the brain.
• Pain management: CBD is thought to mess with pain receptors in the brain which can help treat pain from arthritis, chronic issues, multiple sclerosis, muscle overuse/injuries, and spinal cord injuries. This again may be due to the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD.
• Acne treatment
• Cancer treatment: Very early research suggests that CBD can prevent cancer cell growth by lowering the ability of some types of tumor cells to reproduce. The National Cancer Institute does not back these claims at this time.

Does the FDA back this?

At this time, the FDA does not approve the use of CBD oil for any medical condition (regardless of whether it’s made from marijuana or hemp).

How do you use CBD?

• Oral route: tinctures, edibles, capsules, powder
  – Peak levels: 1-6 hours
  – Best for long term use because it’s active longest
  – Absorbed best with full stomach because it is fat soluble
  – Can cause drug interactions with other medications
• Sublingual/Buccal: tinctures
  – Placed into cheek or under tongue where it is absorbed directly into the blood stream via capillaries in the mouth
  – Peak levels: 0.5-5 hours
  – Increased absorption if recently ate due to chewing increasing blood flow to the mouth
  – Keep in your mouth for 90 seconds or more before swallowing and swish around in mouth to increase absorption
• Inhalation: vape pens, dabs, high-CBD cannabis
  – Absorbed through the lungs into the blood streams
  – Peak levels: 10 minutes
  – Fastest peak time with shortest duration
  – Absorb approx. 2-56% of molecules in product into the bloodstream
  – For best absorption, use half an inhale to bring vapor into your lungs and use the other half of your inhale to bring in fresh air to push the vapors deep into your lungs. Then exhale only until you see vapor coming out; when you see the vapor, inhale again and repeat until there’s no vapor when you exhale.
• Topical: creams, lotions
  – Used directly on areas of concern
  – Little to no product enters the blood stream through this route

How do you know what dose to use?

Here’s the intimidating part — there is no set dose to use and the right dose for you completely depends on a ton of factors. The best method is to start with a very low dose, wait 6 hours for oral routes and 1 hour for vaporizers and see how you feel. If your desired effects are not achieved, try a slightly higher dose. This will be a series of trial and error before you figure out your ideal dose no matter what route you are using.

Are there side effects?

Even though many CBD advocates will tell you otherwise, there ARE potential side effects. These side effects can include dizziness, depression, hallucinations, low blood pressure and withdrawal symptoms such as irritability and insomnia.

Will it show up on a drug test?

Maybe! This is a grey area because every product is different and will contain a different amount of THC. Similarly, drug tests have varying levels of how much THC can show up in your sample without the test flagging positive. If you are someone who gets drug tested regularly, I would be VERY cautious using these products! The hemp-based CBD oil is not “suppose to” show up on a drug screen, but I personally wouldn’t take my chances. A physician once told me to make sure I didn’t use CBD products for 2 weeks prior to taking a drug screen so take that for what it’s worth.

Have you tried it?

After my mom died, I was having some trouble with panic attacks and anxiety so I decided to try out a hemp-based CBD oil in the form of a tincture as well as a marijuana-based CBD oil in the form of a vape pen. Personally, I felt that both methods helped me feel more calm and able to handle whatever situation was in front of me. It didn’t make me feel high or altered in any way and I found a lot of relief from it. My brother also tried hemp-based CBD oil for anxiety relief after he started college and found it to work well to lower his stress and make things feel more manageable. I also had another family member try the same product for anxiety issues and she didn’t feel like the oil made any difference. Everyone will have different results and preferences so do your research and try out a couple different brands to find what you like!

What do you recommend?

I really enjoy a hemp-based CBD oil from Pure Spectrum CBD! Click here to check out their products! If you enter your email address on their homepage to sign up for emails, you automatically get 15% off your first order! Also if you spend $150, your shipping is free. Or…

***Use code “PSC10” for 10% off any order PLUS free shipping!!***

In general with CBD products, you get what you pay for so don’t be surprised if they’re a touch expensive! Again, do your research and see which companies have the highest reviews and testaments before purchasing. If you’ve tried CBD oil already, comment below and tell me what brand and what your experience was like!

<3 Anxiety-free Travels