There is a lot of uncertainty around alternative medications still. Even though we’ve come a long way in the progress of people switching to medicines that aren’t prescribed by the big pharmaceutical companies, there is still some hesitation or uncertainty. It’s not surprising, and it’s quite expected, but it’s important for you to get educated so you can make the right decision about the medication you want to take.
One of the most popular alternative medicines out there is cannabidiol, also known as CBD. CBD is not like THC, which is the psychoactive chemical in the same marijuana plant, but it does have medicinal benefits. If you’re thinking about trying out CBD for yourself, then you’ll want to check out these questions you may be asking to find out some answers.
Is CBD Legal and Available Where I Live?
CBD has quickly become more widely accepted in the U.S. and across the world. There are plenty of countries that allow the use of CBD and even THC products recreationally and medically. Canada, Germany, Italy, Brazil, and South Africa, among a whole host of nations around the world, have made CBD legal, with varying degrees of rules around it.
In the U.S., the legality depends on a state-by-state basis, with places like Colorado, California, and Oregon having very open laws regarding hemp and cannabis products, while states like Mississippi, Indiana, and Texas are much stricter. It’s good to look into where it is legal as this question can change quite a bit, but it’s important to know and to abide by the rules.
What Benefits Does It Offer Me?
You might also be wondering how CBD is beneficial to you. The answer is also very open-ended and it comes down to personal needs. Many people take CBD for pain relief, in joints and muscles, and for chronic aches. Some people take CBD because they need help with anxiety or depression. It’s also very common for cancer patients or former cancer patients to use CBD to help with nausea from treatments and for appetite stimulation/suppression. It offers a lot of benefits and you will find plenty of overlap as well, so there is a good chance that you can benefit from CBD in one way or another.
What Form of CBD Do I Want?
THC, which is the psychoactive chemical from the marijuana plant, is mostly used to get high, with some medicinal benefits as well, but it comes in numerous forms like a bud, edibles, tinctures, etc. The same can be said about CBD, and you can find CBD Pre Rolls, tinctures, creams, gels, teas, capsules, and more. This gives people who want to use CBD a wide range of options to get the medicinal benefits they need in more than one way.
Should I Care About Where the CBD Was Sourced?
This is a matter of preference. Some people like to know that the hemp or cannabis products they are using are coming from an ethical source. There are plenty of organic farms that grow, make, and distribute the products themselves, and even more large-scale industrial operations. If you’re concerned about the ethics of where your products are being sourced, many brands or sites will offer a good view of where you are buying them from. It’s also good to know if the THC content is regulated properly from its source to determine if it is legal where you live (THC % being the main way for governments to regulate its legal status).
How Can I Tell the Quality of the CBD Products?
There are a few ways you can tell if the quality of your CBD products is legit. The first is that they come from a reputable source. Plenty of reviews, good partnerships, and a strong track record of success. Other, more technical ways are to figure out if the products are CBD isolate or full-spectrum, which means that they are either pure CBD from the plant, or if it contains the other parts of the cannabis plant in the product (flavonoids, terpenes, etc.). This is a matter of preference, but it’s also important to note if the CBD is extracted by CO2 (highest quality), oil extraction (clean, but not as potent), or solvent extraction (dangerous method, lowest quality).
When you can ask yourself all of these questions and know what you’re looking for by using the information here to get good answers, you can find the right CBD products for you if you’re looking to use alternative medicines.