What We Still Don’t Know About CBD

The popularity of CBD (cannabidiol) is soaring, and many are enthusiastic about its apparent medicinal benefits.

More studies occur with each passing day, and they often discover that individuals with health problems like chronic pain, anxiety, depression, insomnia, multiple sclerosis, and certain seizure conditions tend to report better quality of life when using CBD. 

This is great news for individuals who prefer using alternatives to conventional medicine and for the $2 billion CBD industry. But there’s more to research before CBD can confidently join the mainstream products found in most household medicine cabinets.

What do we know about CBD? We’ve learned quite a bit about CBD, such as:

• CBD is a natural chemical that occurs in the cannabis Sativa (marijuana) plant
• Unlike THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), CBD doesn’t induce euphoria or intoxicationYou don’t have to worry about overdosing on CBD and that it won’t harm your ability to think or alter your brain while you’re using it
• An increasing number of studies show results that trend upward regarding the efficacy of CBD 
• You should always consult your doctor before taking CBD to ensure it won’t negatively interact with any other medications or conditions

What do we need to learn about CBD?

There hasn’t been enough scientific research to enable us to discuss the medicinal benefits of CBD in scientifically proven terms. Here’s a partial list of the key queries that we still need to sort out.

Are there long-term effects from using CBD?

While there is no evidence to suggest long-term effects directly related to using CBD, there haven’t been enough studies to validate this.Any drug you take regularly will alter your physiology or your normal bodily functions. 

Consequently, science needs to learn if a continual dosage of CBD over an extended period could be harmful. We also need to know if chronic users accumulate CBD in their systems to the extent that it negatively interacts with other drugs.

Is the CBD you buy always safe?

There are many legitimate online and other retailers that you can trust because they ensure that all their CBD products are third-party tested and their contents are accurately listed. However, the CBD industry is inadequately regulated. If you aren’t vigilant, you can purchase fake or contaminated CBD. CBD is sold as a supplement, not a medicine, and therefore it is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.

No government agency oversees CBD products to ensure every product that hits the market is properly tested, accurately labeled, and completely free of contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides, toxic mold, or other impurities. In a nutshell, we need to regulate CBD to ensure product safety.

Chow420 is one of the best places to buy CBD because we make sure our products meet our high-quality standards through a rigorous vetting process. 

Is CBD always effective?

There’s a growing amount of scientific evidence and an overwhelming amount of anecdotal evidence regarding the medicinal benefits of CBD. But without extensive scientific research, it’s impossible to state – even when CBD appears to work well – that a patient wouldn’t have been better off if they had taken conventional medication.

Studies are also needed to determine what kind of person benefits best. This can depend on their conditions, when CBD can be used in conjunction with other medications, or which medication a person takes.

Will CBD show up in a drug test?

While most evidence suggests that CBD will not show up in a drug test, no one knows for sure.

First, there’s the issue that jurisdictions throughout the country have different laws regarding what constitutes a positive drug test.

Second, some CBD contains traces of THC. The federal government has determined that less than 0.3% THC is legal. We don't know how a legal amount of THC will register on various workplace or roadside drug tests, but it is unlikely that it will pick anything up from your CBD. This needs to be studied, along with how results might vary, for instance, with:

• People who have different body chemistry 
• People who have other drugs in their systems
• People who have different conditions
• People who have an accumulation of CBD in their system because of using over an extended period

In Short

There are numerous indications by scientific studies and anecdotal evidence that CBD is a safe, non-toxic product that can enhance the quality of life for people suffering from chronic pain, insomnia, anxiety, and other conditions.

There have not been enough scientific human studies to state with certainty that all these reports are accurate. Without more research, we can’t verify the effectiveness of CBD or the appropriate doses for individuals with specific conditions.

Consequently, it’s important to purchase CBD only from a trustworthy, reliable source, and to always check with your doctor before taking CBD.