It may seem like, almost overnight, CBD (Cannabidiol) is suddenly the most talked about thing in the world. But why is CBD everywhere, and has it really been as swift an occurrence as it feels like it is?
The answer to that second question is, unsurprisingly, no. The Cannabidiol revolution has been brewing for a long old time, but changes in social attitudes, as well as some legal changes in certain places around the world, have opened the door to allow a once underground conversation to become a very public one.
Evolution of Attitude?
It feels like everything has changed in recent years. For a long time, CBD was grouped everything related to cannabis in a big ball of “things hippies do that it’s not acceptable to talk about”.
But things have been changing slowly for a long time now, and looser attitudes towards recreational cannabis use, and a great deal of attention towards the possible health benefits of cannabis in general, led to Cannabidiol taking centre stage, for a very simple reason.
Why Is CBD Everywhere?
It is no secret why CBD has got so much attention, even compared to other cannabis based products, it’s because CBD doesn’t get you high.
Unlike THC, CBD has no psychoactive properties, so despite some assumptions to the contrary, there is no high caused by using Cannabidiol products.
For some, that may feel like it takes away the point, but the like of this psychoactive side effect is a large factor in why science has started to pay more and more attention to the possible health benefits of this cannabinoid.
Legal Changes to make CBD Everywhere?
As you are probably aware, rules around cannabis have been changing in many countries around the world.
Over 30 US states have legalised medical marijuana, and a fair few of those have also legalised its recreational use. Canada has also legalised marijuana country wide.
As a result, the attention on CBD has grown in all of these countries, and changes brought about by the US Farm Bill in 2018 also helped to change attitudes towards CBD a little. Although, contrary to popular opinion, Cannabidiol is not legal on a federal level as a result of the Bill.
The EU has not legalised cannabis, with the exception of small pockets in some European countries with relaxed laws, but CBD is something that the EU has relaxed their laws on.
At this point, under EU law, it is legal to sell and buy Cannabidiol products as long as they come from a licensed supplier, and are derived from EU approved industrial hemp plants which have a high CBD content and trace amounts of THC (no more than 0.2% by law).
This legalisation in some places, has opened the door for Cannabidiol to be something that people can try without fear of repercussion (although recent events in Ireland show that isn’t always the case).
Possible Health Benefits
At this point, CBD is not considered a medical product by governments, with the exception of a single epilepsy medication, Epidiolex, which is the only CBD medication with FDA approval in the UK.
Where CBD is sold, with the exception of that one prescribed drug, it is done so as a dietary product. This does mean there is less regulation around CBD, so it is important to always be sure that you are using a trusted source for your CBD products.
However, there is a definite possibility that CBD will be considered a medical product on a wider basis in the near future. This is not a guarantee, and we are not here to give an opinion on it, but there is copious scientific research into the effects of CBD on a variety of medical conditions, a little time spent on Google will unveil some intriguing research into the topic.
The Future
So, Cannabidiol is everywhere already, but is that likely to increase? What is the next stage?
At this point, all we can do is make educated guesses on what the future holds for CBD, and it looks bright.
Much of the world seems to be leaning increasingly towards liberty of use when it comes to cannabis products as a whole, and at this point, CBD is very much at the forefront of that evolution.
The scientific studies will continue, and it would not be a surprise to see more medical products containing Cannabidiol to be accepted by regulators around the world.
Whether Cannabidiol itself will become an official medical product remains to be seen, but it certainly isn’t impossible.