CBD History: The Past, Present And Future Of Using CBD
Author Ted Stanton : May 31 2018
Many people assume that CBD is a rather new and innovative supplement, but CBD history actually goes back much further.
Actually, CBD as we know it today has been around for more than half a century. Let’s take a look at this chemical compound’s interesting history since it was first discovered and the journey it had to go through to become what it is today.
CBD HISTORY BEGINS IN THE 1940s
The first person who was successful in extracting CBD from the Cannabis sativa plant was a chemist who graduated from Harvard university, Roger Adams. However, when Adams first managed this in 1940 he wasn’t aware that he succeeded in extracting a chemical compound and didn’t even know what he had done. Years later, Adams and other scientists realized what he had done and started researching the possible benefits of CBD.
Modern CBD history begins in 1946, when Dr. Walter S. Loewe conducted the first CBD test on lab animals. These tests gave proof that CBD doesn’t cause an altered mental state. That same year Dr. Raphael Mechoulam identified CBD’s three dimensional structure and that’s why he’s often credited as the scientist who discovered CBD. Further research continued in the 1960s on primates and finally, the first CBD oil meant for therapeutic use was released by the British Pharmacopoeia.
In the next few decades, the research continued. In 1980, Dr. Mechoulam made another breakthrough in CBD history when he ran a study which showed cannabidiol could be a key factor in treating epilepsy.
HOW CBD IS USED TODAY
Today, the stigma surrounding CBD is starting to disappear as people are finally beginning to see its true potential.
Although CBD supplements and products are legal in all 50 states, there are cases in which it isn’t legal. The main factors in regards to its legality depends on a number of important factors determined by each specific state. The one crucial factor across all states is in relation to where the CBD is derived from, marijuana or hemp.
Even though CBD supplements made from industrial hemp are legal in all 50 states, there have still been some legal challenges. Major progress happened in 2014 when Alabama, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, and Wisconsin passed laws legalizing CBD for medical purposes. It’s also legal as a supplement in the UK and many other countries around the world.
When it comes to healing, people use products such as CBD oil, CBD water and various CBD lotions to try and treat pain, inflammation, depression, anxiety, stress and other illnesses. It’s commonly used by athletes to help relieve their bodies after workouts and performances, by people suffering from mental illnesses to calm their symptoms down and many others. Some people even replace classic painkillers and other medication with CBD products, claiming that they have a better effect and treat their symptoms quicker with little to no side effects.
THE FUTURE OF CBD
Nobody can know for sure what the future will bring but we can always be optimistic.
Since more and more people are seeing the benefits of CBD and hemp, it looks increasingly likely that hemp will be fully legalized in the U.S. soon. Scientists are still researching CBD and conducting experiments that reveal its beneficial uses. For now, it’s been discovered that CBD may be beneficial for treating arthritis, insomnia, epileptic seizures, diabetes and many other illnesses.
There are many organizations that are lobbying for the total legalization of hemp and they just might succeed.
Cannabidiol otherwise known as CBD
is one of the 104 chemical compounds known as cannabinoids found in the cannabis or marijuana plant, Cannabis sativa.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis, and causes the sensation of getting “high” that’s often associated with marijuana.
However, unlike THC, CBD is not psychoactive.
This quality makes CBD an appealing option for those who are looking for relief from pain and other symptoms without the mind-altering effects of marijuana or certain pharmaceutical drugs.
CBD oil is made by extracting CBD from the cannabis plant, then diluting it with a carrier oil like coconut or hemp seed oil.
Studies have shown that CBD may help reduce chronic pain by impacting endocannabinoid receptor activity, reducing inflammation and interacting with neurotransmitters
The human body contains a specialized system called the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which is involved in regulating a variety of functions including sleep, appetite, pain and immune system response.
“Endo”—what?
Understanding the science of marijuana began in the mid-1960s with the identification of THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) as marijuana’s main active ingredient. Twenty years later, scientists identified the sites in the brain and body where marijuana acts and called them cannabinoid (CB) receptors.
Scientists then discovered the body’s own natural chemicals—anandamide and 2-AG (2-arachidonoyl glycerol)—which also act on CB receptors. These chemicals (called cannabinoids), along with their receptors, make up the endocannabinoid (EC) system.
The EC system is found in many areas of the brain, which explains why it affects so many different body functions. Cannabinoids exert their influence by regulating how cells communicate—how they send, receive, or process messages.
CBD oil has shown promise as a treatment for both depression and anxiety, leading many who live with these disorders to become interested in this natural approach. These qualities are linked to CBD’s ability to act on the brain’s receptors for serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates mood and social behavior.
In one study, 24 people with social anxiety disorder received either 600 mg of CBD or a placebo before a public speaking test.
The group that received the CBD had significantly less anxiety, cognitive impairment and discomfort in their speech performance, compared to the placebo group Trusted Source.
CBD oil has even been used to safely treat insomnia and anxiety in children with post-traumatic stress disorder Trusted Source.
