5 misconceptions about CBD

Cannabidiol (CBD) has attracted the attention of scientists and the media for its therapeutic properties and its lack of psychoactive effects, unlike its bro THC. Many companies have begun manufacturing CBD products, vigorously touting the «miraculous» properties of this molecule—from pain relief to curing cancer. But as knowledge of the potential of cannabidiol When it comes to health, there are many misconceptions about CBD. Here are 5 of them, along with an explanation of each.

CBD is for medical use; THC is for recreational use

The fact that cannabidiol is non-psychoactive (that it doesn't get you high) leads some people to distinguish between, on the one hand, the THC, which is psychoactive and therefore used recreationally, and on the other hand, CBD.

In fact, THC has many therapeutic properties. One a highly targeted study on Alzheimer's disease For example, it has been shown that THC inhibits the formation of the beta-amyloid protein, which is responsible for the dementia associated with the disease.

France is also gradually rolling out a drug containing synthetic THC, the Marinol, used as a last resort to treat chemotherapy-related nausea or to stimulate patients' appetites.

CBD is more effective without THC

THC and CBD are a bit like Jay-Z and Beyoncé: they’re stronger together than apart—a synergy that’s part of the’entourage effect. CBD and THC interact synergistically and mutually enhance the therapeutic effects of each cannabinoid.

A British study showed that CBD enhances the anti-inflammatory properties of THC in an animal model of colon inflammation.

Scientists from the California Pacific Medical Center concluded in San Francisco found that a combination of THC and CBD had greater antitumor effects than either cannabinoid used alone, based on tests conducted on brain cancer cell lines.

Same as above for the struggle for neuropathic pain.

To date, research does indeed indicate that CBD and THC each have different effects, but may be more effective when combined.

The molecule alone is more effective than the plant

The medical view of cannabis in France is roughly as follows: specific components of the cannabis plant (THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids) have medical value, but the plant itself does not.

However, the plant contains hundreds of different compounds, including flavonoids, terpenes, and all the other cannabinoids besides THC and CBD. Each of these compounds has specific therapeutic properties.

A a 2015 Israeli study However, it has been shown that the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD are more effective when an extract from a plant very rich in CBD is administered rather than the CBD molecule alone.

Psychoactivity is necessarily an adverse effect

Even today, cannabis is still viewed more as an intoxicant with therapeutic properties than as a medicine that can have intoxicating effects, according to Dr. Tod Mikuriya, the grandfather of the medical marijuana in the United States, who helped draft Proposition 215, which legalized medical cannabis in California.

In his view, the euphoric effects of cannabis are sought after by both sick and healthy people alike. He couldn't understand why a mild sense of euphoria was inherently negative.

It doesn't matter where the CBD comes from

Cannabidiol can be extracted from industrial hemp varieties, but these are not always an optimal source of CBD.

Industrial hemp varieties contain far less cannabidiol than CBD-rich cannabis varieties. Enormous quantities of hemp are required to extract even a small amount of CBD, and this process also reduces the levels of terpenes and other cannabinoids. As mentioned above, CBD is often more effective when included in a full-spectrum extract to boost the therapeutic effects of cannabis.