Q. Hello Dr. Misty! I have been hearing a lot about CBD oil and I wanted to know a little bit more about it. What is it? Is it legal? Is it the same as marijuana? Do I have to have a medical marijuana card to use it? Mike A., Del Tura, NFM
A: CBD is one of the many chemical compounds in a class called “cannabinoids” that naturally occur in cannabis plants. While THC is the most famous of cannabinoids for its ability to get us “high”, CBD is a rapidly rising star for its capacity to deliver mental and physical benefits “without giving you a buzz.” CBD stands for cannabidiol which is a chemical extracted from the hemp plant. Hemp is a type of cannabis plant, just like marijuana. To simplify things, let’s just say hemp and marijuana are cousins. If you extracted the oil from the hemp leaf, you get CBD. If you extract the oil from the marijuana leaf, you get THC. THC is the chemical in marijuana that is associated with hallucinogenic effects… Or in other words it is what “gets you high”. CBD on the other hand is not associated with any mind altering effects but it has shown to impact the body‘s response to inflammation as well as influencing pain receptors throughout the body.
Although CBD is not considered to be psychotropic—meaning it won’t alter our perception of reality or produce a feeling of euphoria—it is still working on our brains. CBD does not activate our brains’ cannabinoid receptors in the same manner as THC, but it does target a wide variety of proteins in the brain and nervous system that regulate cell activities all over the human body. By interacting with the brain’s signaling systems in various ways, it can provide relief from pain, anxiety, and nausea. Beyond our brains, CBD may benefit our bones and immune systems and work broadly throughout the body as an anti-inflammatory agent, affecting conditions driven by inflammation such as fibromyalgia and other auto immune conditions.
Pure CBD oil contains .3% THC concentration or less, and is legal in all 50 states states. Because it is legal in every state, it does not require a medical marijuana card for use. In our office we offer CBD in three different ways. First, we offer CBD oral gel capsules that work from the inside out, helping to impact widespread inflammatory processes among other things. We also offer CBD massages with CBD oil mixed into the massage oil, used during the massage session over a larger area of the body, finished with an application of a topical CBD salve for a more concentrated affect in the problem area. The layering of the two CBD products provides tremendous on-site pain relief with almost immediate therapeutic effects.
Dr. Misty Green is a local Chiropractor serving the Cape Coral/North Fort Myers, Florida area for over 20 years. She can be reached at (239) 772-5777 to schedule an appointment. Check out our website at AskDrMisty.com for short and sweet video health tips.
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