For years the propaganda has said that people who use Marijuana were stoners, druggies just wanting to get high. Yet, while the war on drugs carried this message, people in chronic pain were quietly sharing the drug illegally as an incredibly effective source of pain relief.
Thankfully, the properties of the components within the cannabis and hemp plants are now becoming well understood. To the point where the element that is responsible for causing the ‘high’ and the component that caused pain relief were found to be separate parts, and able to be separated.
Pain Relief Using Marijuana
There is still a lot of misinformation about medical marijuana, and Cannabidiol, the primary pain-relieving component. However, because CBD can be separated from the psychoactive substance THC, we are now able to see options like CBD pain relief oil from Relevium.
Because CBD contains no THC, there is no ‘stone’, and all that is left is the medical and pain relief benefits. There is a lot of misinformation around medical marijuana, but it should not be equated with the readily available CBD products.
Do I Need A Prescription For CBD Products?
Hemp-based pain relief products do not require a prescription, however, there are products that are also available on a medical prescription, but these are generally used for the treatment of specific medical concerns such as relief from certain seizures.
Because you can purchase products that are designed to be used as a topical cream or ingested, you need to read the ingredients list and directions before using.
You should also be aware that the majority of products using cannabidiol as their pain relief ingredient are not FDA approved as a medical treatment (see here). This doesn’t mean that they aren’t effective, but it does mean you should consider your source before you purchase and read the full ingredients list.
Can I Buy Online?
Absolutely. There are a number of different suppliers that you can choose from. But, as above, check your source!
Things you should ask yourself are what products are they selling, and who are they selling to. Reputable sellers should be contactable (by more than just an email form), talk a lot about their products – in detail, not just repeat stuff from Wikipedia. The information should include who their products can benefit and how.
A company that is selling CBD beard oil and trying to say that their oils are also good for neck pain is sending out very mixed messages. While it is certainly possible that one oil could be used for both, it is the other ingredients that will likely make a difference to the effectiveness of either purpose.
Because of the sudden increase in demand and interest in hemp-based products, there are a lot of less than credible claims being made. There are also companies that are only in the business to make a quick buck. You wouldn’t purchase paracetamol or Tylenol from a questionable online source, no matter what the price is. Make sure you follow the same scepticism when purchasing any CBD product.
Does CBD Work For Arthritis?
In short – yes. The research into the oil is focusing on the endocannabinoid receptors as this seems to be the area most effecting by CBD products. However, the early research, and a lot of anecdotal evidence, suggests that these products have excellent anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties, and one of the big areas that see hemp-based treatments used are with people who suffer from arthritis.
This is one of the conditions, along with cancer, where trying to find pain relief is incredibly difficult. While flareups may be treatable with prescription opiates, the constant and unrelenting pain from chronic concerns such as Arthritis mean taking opiates or the majority of pain relief, can have dreadful consequences.
Addiction to opiates and prescription medication is an increasing problem, but worse, the more you take, the less effect they have. It’s a nasty cycle that doesn’t seem to occur with CBD products.
Is CBD Addictive?
While there have not yet been enough long-term studies to show without a doubt that this is not an addictive product, so far it seems that this is actually a really safe treatment for the vast majority of people. It has few side effects, with most people having no side effects at all.
Cannabis itself is not a highly addictive substance, although the other ingredients often mixed with the drug often are, and when it is taken as a drug for the high there are other issues that will cause addiction beyond the chemical composition of the cannabis. https://www.drugaddictiontreatment.com/types-of-addiction/marijuana-addiction/differences-between-hemp-and-marijuana/
With CBD oil it is certainly feasible that you could become ‘addicted’ to being pain-free, but the product itself doesn’t seem to be at all addictive.
Why Should I Consider Hemp-Based Products?
You will likely be hearing more and more about hemp-based products over the next decade. One reason is that it is an easy to grow crop, but also sustainable and does not strip the soil of nutrients.
It can be grown in a range of climates, but also the plant can be bred as different strains to produce differing levels of THC – meaning the product is going to become more effective as growing techniques continue to develop.
