Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a phytocannabinoid from the cannabis plant. Hemp plants are highly CBD concentrated while marijuana is low with CBD.
Within a few years, cannabis has gone from marijuana to the modern mainstream. You can find this product everywhere. This product does not hold creativity. I meet products from chewing gums and capsules, to drinks and CBD tinctures.
Unlike THC, CBD is not psychoactive. When used alone, it by its nature cannot cause intoxication – such is the will of nature. On the other hand, THC appears to have been created specifically for the purpose of astonishing the minds of those who use it.
The cannabinoid plays a vital role in maintaining optimal health and wellness. This is one of the reasons why it has received so much attention lately.
CBD Use in the United States
Just 4 years ago, the US Congress signed the Agricultural Product Control and Improvement Act. This law completely removed hemp from the federal Controlled Substances Act, effectively legalizing CBD if it is derived from hemp. However, several states went against this law and left it outside the legalized society. Because of this, the legality of CBD products varies from state to state.
How Can CBD Affect Your Health?
Scientists to this day cannot surely say or argue with absolute certainty how exactly CBD affects the human body, good or bad.
However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Epidiolex. The same medicine that contains purified CBD from hemp, with the aim of treating rare seizures. The FDA has concluded that the drug is completely safe and effective for use by certain individuals. However, other products sold have not received the approval of the strict oversight department.
Potential harms and side effects
Thoughtfully speaking, the use of CBD is not safe, as it is not fully understood. The FDA has very limited data on the safety of this substance. Before using these gifts of nature, please read the side effects and risks:
- Liver damage
- Unexplained interactions with other medicines you are taking which can lead to serious side effects.
- Drowsiness or lethargy
- Diarrhea
- Mood changes or increased irritability
The use of CBD during pregnancy is strongly discouraged.
The potential health effects of using CBD products during pregnancy are currently unknown. In animals, high doses of CBD had a negative effect on the developing fetus.
Also, we do not know if CBD is transmitted to the baby through breast milk. Since there are negative effects associated with the use of CBD, breastfeeding women are advised to avoid CBD.
Unknowns
Let’s be honest, there’s a lot that humanity doesn’t know about CBD. At this time, we do not know how CBD consumption affects a person over time. We also don’t know how the different ways CBD is used (smoking, vaping, eating, applying to the skin, etc.) affect a person.
How do CBD laws differ from state to state?
As it turned out, each state has a different attitude towards the legalization of cannabis and its derivatives. Someone finds in it a certain benefit that can be used for the benefit of humanity, and someone sees this as a potential harm to humanity and US citizens in general.
In any case, we invite you to find out how the attitude towards marijuana differs from state to state:
| State | Is CBD legal? | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Yes | None |
| Alaska | Yes | No CBD-infused food/beverage allowed |
| Arizona | Yes | No food/beverage |
| Arkansas | Yes | No food/beverage |
| California | Yes | No food/beverage |
| Colorado | Yes | No baked goods |
| Connecticut | Yes | Food/bev must be registered |
| Delaware | Yes | Hemp grower must be affiliated with Delaware State University |
| Florida | Yes | Labeling is regulated |
| Georgia | Yes | No food/beverage |
| Hawaii | Yes | None |
| Idaho | No | Illegal in every form |
| Illinois | Yes | None |
| Indiana | Yes | Labeling is regulated |
| Iowa | No | Illegal in every form |
| Kansas | Yes | No food/beverage |
| Kentucky | Yes | CBD tea not allowed |
| Louisiana | Yes | Many product restrictions |
| Maine | Yes | OK only if CBD extracted from licensed Maine hemp grower |
| Maryland | Yes | Unclear |
| Massachusetts | Yes | CBD food/bev requires purity testing |
| Michigan | Yes | No food/beverage |
| Minnesota | Yes | No food/beverage |
| Mississippi | Yes | Must be at least 20:1 CBD:THC ratio |
| Missouri | Yes | Age 18+ only. Sales require state registration. |
| Montana | Yes | No food/beverage |
| Nebraska | Yes | No food/beverage |
| Nevada | Yes | No food/bev; CBD sales allowed in cannabis stores only |
| New Hampshire | Yes | Regulations coming |
| New Jersey | Yes | None |
| New Mexico | Yes | None |
| New York | Yes | No food/bev; purity testing required |
| North Carolina | Yes | No food/beverage |
| North Dakota | Yes | None |
| Ohio | Yes | None |
| Oklahoma | Yes | None |
| Oregon | Yes | Label regulations coming |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | No food/bev; label regulations coming |
| Rhode Island | Yes | Label guidelines coming |
| South Carolina | Yes | No food/beverage |
| South Dakota | No | Not legal in any form |
| Tennessee | Yes | None |
| Texas | Yes | Label guidelines coming |
| Utah | Yes | Registration required for sales |
| Vermont | Yes | Can’t combine CBD with meat or dairy. Maple syrup has its own rules. |
| Virginia | Yes | None |
| Washington | Yes | No food/beverage |
| West Virginia | Yes | No food/beverage |
| Wisconsin | Yes | No food/beverage |
| Wyoming | Yes | None |
Risk of Unintentional Poisoning
One thing to keep in mind is that many businesses that sell hemp and CBD products in particular also sell products that contain THC. You need to be careful not to mix up THC products with hemp or CBD products. Unfortunately, the content of THC in products can cause psychoactive effects, as well as other side effects.
Also, most CBD products are not regulated by the FDA. As such, consumers should be aware that products labeled as hemp or CBD may contain other ingredients such as THC, pesticides, heavy metals, bacteria, or fungi.
In 2021, the CDC issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) advisory to inform consumers that CBD can be synthetically converted to Delta-8 THC, which is psychoactive and understudied. This alerts consumers to having possible side effects due to underlabeling of products containing THC and CBD.
What You Should Know About Using Cannabis, Including CBD, When Pregnant or Breastfeeding
In recent years, cannabis and its derivatives have become increasingly available, and new varieties of this product are constantly emerging. This raises a storm of questions and concerns among many consumers. Let’s imagine if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding – this can lead to an even more aggressive tide of worries and questions about whether it’s safe at all, and how to do it so as not to harm the baby.
The FDA strongly advises not to use of cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and marijuana in any form while pregnant or breastfeeding.
What do we know about the effects of marijuana use during pregnancy and breastfeeding?
There are many potential negative health effects from the use of marijuana and other THC-containing products during pregnancy and breastfeeding. In fact, the Surgeon General of the United States recently advised consumers that marijuana use during pregnancy can affect the development of the fetal brain, as THC can irreparably harm blood flow and development of the fetal meninges. The surgeon general also said that marijuana may increase the risk of having a newborn with a low birth weight.
Studies also point at an increased risk of preterm birth and possibly stillbirth. While breastfeeding, it is important to know that breast milk can contain THC for up to six days after consumption. This THC can affect the development of a newborn’s brain and lead to hyperactivity, poor cognitive function, and other long-term effects. In addition, marijuana smoke contains many of the same harmful ingredients as tobacco smoke. Neither marijuana nor tobacco products should be consumed in the presence of an infant or children.
What do we know about the effects of CBD use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding?
There are no comprehensive studies examining the effects of CBD on the developing fetus, pregnant mother, or breastfed child. The FDA does not stop trying to collect and study data on the possibility of harming the child health during breastfeeding or pregnancy in parallel with taking CBD. However, based on what we know, there are serious grounds for concern.
High doses of CBD in pregnant test animals caused reproductive problems in developing male fetuses. Based on what we already know about CBD, we also expect some CBD to be passed on to babies through breast milk.
We also have the understanding that CBD products may be contaminated with substances that may pose a risk to the fetus or breast milk that the baby consumes, including the presence of THC. There have also been reports of CBD potentially containing other substances (pesticides, heavy metals, bacteria, fungi, etc.)
Based on human clinical studies, the risks may be as follows:
- Hepatotoxicity (liver damage)
- Severe drowsiness
- Harmful interactions with other drugs
Luckily, the FDA is trying to learn as much as possible about the effects of CBD and look at it from different angles, such as:
- 1. The use of products containing CBD as food, cosmetics, supplements throughout a person’s life
- 2. Consequences of using these products in combination.
Unfortunately, science has many unanswered questions, but this is no reason to stop.
How can marijuana affect adult health?
While more research is needed to fully understand some of the MJ health effects, we do know that marijuana use can have a wide range of effects on the brain and body.
Development and function of the brain
The brain development, such as that of infants, children, and adolescents, is particularly susceptible to the harmful effects of marijuana and THC. Marijuana use during adolescence or early adulthood, before the brain is fully developed, can affect how the brain makes connections for functions such as attention, memory, and learning. These effects can last for a long time or even be permanent.
Recent marijuana use (within the past 24 hours) directly affects areas of the brain responsible for decision making, coordination, emotions, reaction time, and can also impair important skills needed for safe driving.
Heart and lungs
Smoking any product, including marijuana, can damage lungs, increase the risk of bronchitis and scarring of small blood vessels. Marijuana smoking can also increase the risk of stroke, heart disease, and other vascular diseases.
Mental Health
Marijuana use has been associated with social anxiety, depression, suicide, and schizophrenia. Scientists don’t know yet if marijuana use directly causes these health problems, but it can make symptoms more severe.
Inhaling or using marijuana
Vaping products containing THC has been linked to lung damage and even death. The use of concentrates in vaping or dubbing devices provides very high levels of THC to the user and may carry health risks due to the high concentration or strength of THC used. Eating (food and drink containing marijuana) may take longer than smoking marijuana. The delayed effect of eating foods can increase the risk of overconsumption, which can lead to poisoning or serious injury.
References
- 1. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The health effects of cannabis and cannabinoids: the current state of evidence and recommendations for research. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2017.
- 2. Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. H.R.2, 115th Cong. 2017-2018.
- 3. Federal Drug Administration. What You Need to Know (And What We’re Working to Find Out) About Products Containing Cannabis or Cannabis-derived Compounds, Including CBD. consumer updates. 2020.
- 4. Huestis MA, Solimini R, Pichini S, Pacifici R, Carlier J, Busardò FP. Cannabidiol Adverse Effects and Toxicity. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2019;17(10):974-989.
- 5 Federal Drug Administration. What You Should Know About Using Cannabis, Including CBD, When Pregnant or Breastfeeding. 2019.
Conclusion
When such a wonderful plant as hemp appeared in a person’s life, this gave a rise to many contradictions. Some believed that this was a way to contact the deity, others believed that it was a poisonous problem that brings only troubles and corrupts the minds of people.
This story continues to this day. A lot of countries just can’t get over all the controversy that comes with CBD, THC, CBR and so on. Fortunately, there is some progress happening on this. Many American states already fully approve the use of this plant for medical purposes. Some European countries are also slowly paying attention to the tempting opportunity to approve this gift of nature, albeit with a little looking back and a shadow of doubt.
There is a parallel to this, studies showing that this plant still cannot give unambiguous answers. There are too many questions that can hardly be answered.
There is only one conclusion: If you want to use CBD or THC for any purpose in order to maintain your own health or plunge into the world of dope, first consult with your doctor. Perhaps your individual problems may become a stumbling block or the doctor may be able to find alternative or safer means to solve your problem. Remember – only we ourselves are the blacksmiths of our own destiny and we reap the fruits of our own mistakes. Everything is interconnected.