Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few years, you’ve very likely seen a massive influx of CBD products popping up in online marketplaces and even on the shelves of brick-and-mortar retailers like pharmacies and grocery stores. Even other businesses like the dog treat and beauty industries have begun releasing products with CBD, and have begun releasing articles about why you should take CBD everyday.
But why are so many people just now hopping on the CBD bandwagon, and why is CBD good for you? Keep reading to find out.
What Exactly is CBD?
Before we explain why CBD is so widely popular, we first have to explain what exactly it is.
The cannabis plant produces psychoactive compounds known as cannabinoids. Scientists have isolated over 100 unique cannabinoids, though there are two specific ones that are by far the most common—CBD and THC. Both CBD and THC affect our brain and body by interacting with a system of neurotransmitters inside of us known as the endocannabinoid system (ECS). However, the interactions are very different. THC molecules bind directly to the CB1 and CB2 neurotransmitter receptors that partially make up the ECS, whereas CBD molecules don’t fit so snugly. Scientists speculate that this key difference accounts for the two compounds’ wildly contrasting effects.
THC is known as an intoxicating compound. When we consume it, our perception of the world changes, and we feel inebriated. It’s this cannabinoid that produces the infamous “high” associated with smoking marijuana. On the other hand, consuming CBD doesn’t make users feel high or intoxicated, which appeals to the millions of people who want to use cannabis therapeutically without ending up stoned.
Is CBD Legal?
The laws around all cannabis-related products are a little hazy, though the laws regulating CBD specifically have drastically loosened during the last few years. In 2018, the most recent iteration of the Farm Bill included a section that effectively legalized hemp and hemp-derived CBD on a federal level. The bill makes a distinction between hemp and marijuana based on the plant in question’s THC percentage. Any cannabis plant with less than 0.3% THC per dry weight is now considered by the federal government to be hemp and therefore legal. This piece of legislation is largely responsible for the uptick in CBD products since, for the first time in nearly a century, hemp farming is once again legal in the United States.
Ultimately though, it’s up to each individual state to set its own laws governing hemp and CBD. Fortunately, the vast majority of states have followed the Federal Government’s lead and legalized hemp.
Why Use CBD?
So if CBD doesn’t get you high, what’s the point? Why should you take CBD every day?
Despite not yet being approved by the Food and Drug Administration, early research suggests a myriad of benefits to using CBD.
The stressors of our modern world can be a lot to bear, and psychotropic pharmaceuticals designed to help alleviate our anxieties often come with debilitating side effects. Preliminary studies indicate that CBD may be helpful in helping us relax, stay calm, and manage stress and anxiety.
It’s not just the mental stress of the world that can weigh us down; our lives are often physically demanding as well. Physical stress can leave our joints aching and our body feeling exhausting. Multiple peer-reviewed studies point towards CBD being an effective pain and inflammation reliever. For those with chronic pain, a therapy such as CBD that has little to no negative side effects would be a game-changer.
Best Way To Use CBD
CBD is commonly sold in the form of CBD oil or in an edible such as a CBD gummy. Just because these are the most available CBD administration methods doesn’t mean that they’re the most effective.
In fact, an edible CBD is by far the least effective way of getting the cannabinoid into your body. It has to do with bioavailability. Bioavailability measures how much of a drug your body is actually able to use. When we take edible forms of CBD, over 70% of the cannabinoids don’t actually end up making it to your bloodstream.
That’s why we designed the elon® to maximize bioavailability, which translates directly to a stronger effect from a lower dose. Some of the CBD vape benefits are that you can double your CBD’s bioavailability. While most conventional vapes rely on synthetic e-juices, our innovative elon® pairs with an eco-friendly disposable cartridge called a stelo™ which is filled with sustainably grown naturally CBD-rich hemp. Order a Starter Bundle to receive the elon® device, as well as your choice of two of our original hemp blends, stelo™ Uplift, stelo™ Relax, or stelo™ Relief.
