(Newswire.net — December 15, 2020) — If you were born between 1946 – 1964, you’re a baby boomer. If you’re a baby boomer, there’s a good chance you were a hippie, as the baby boomer generation is also known as the hippie generation. Although the majority of people at that time weren’t hippies, the political and pop culture values of the hippies remained secure and eventually seeped into mainstream society.
The hippie generation also included smoking marijuana. For those not a part of the movement, understanding why people smoke weed may be difficult. But, it’s time for everyone, including baby boomers, to not only understand but accept that marijuana gummies has health benefits, especially CBD.
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Is CBD Legal?
CBD is legal on a federal level in the United States as long as it contains less than 0.3 percent THC, according to the FDA. CBD legalization was made into law with the 2018 Farm Bill on December 20, 2018, causing a precedent for the legalization of medical marijuana and recreational marijuana in some states. You can now buy CBD edibles just about anywhere, including pharmacies, grocery stores, dispensaries, and even gas stations.
What is CBD?
CBD is a molecule compound found in the cannabis plant. It’s one of 130 cannabinoids in cannabis. Included as one cannabinoid in the plant is THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the molecule compound that makes you “high.” CBD, on the other hand, doesn’t get you “high.”
That’s what makes CBD so attractive. You can get all the health benefits from the plant by using CBD without being afraid of THC’s psychoactive effects.
CBD (and THC) interacts naturally with the body’s Endocannabinoid System (ECS), an intricate system that creates homeostasis in the body, such as sleep cycles, blood pressure, temperature, and more.
Will CBD Make You High?
As mentioned above, CBD won’t make you “high.” The most you’ll feel is a calm effect. CBD does this by offsetting the number of stress hormones your body produces, such as cortisol. These stress hormones give you a get-up-and-go kind of feeling, which is known as the fight-or-flight response. But, CBD counteracts the flight-or-fight response, giving you a calm feeling.
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Will You Fail a Drug Test?
You can’t fail a drug test for THC if you consume isolate or broad-spectrum based CBD. You can pass a drug test if you take full-spectrum CBD.
What’s the difference?
Isolate CBD is produced by extracting all the other compounds, including THC, from the cannabis plant. Broad-spectrum CBD contains CBD, as well as all the other compounds, excluding THC. Full-spectrum CBD contains less than 0.3 percent THC.
Because of the differences, you must read the label before purchasing a CBD product.
Will CBD Interact with Your Medications?
Like all drugs, CBD will interact with your medications. Whether or not it has adverse effects depends on which ones you’re taking. Interaction with medications also depends on the type, quality, and purity of the CBD that you consume. Although there’s some evidence with certain medications that there are negative effects, more research is necessary.
For those medications that have been researched, here are two drugs that are known to interact with CBD:
CBD and Your Blood-Thinning Medications
Drugs used for blood-thinning, such as warfarin, or ones with a blood-thinning risk, such as ibuprofen, can cause an increased bleeding risk when interacted with CBD. CBD increases and prolongs the effects of blood-thinning medications.
CBD and Your Sedative Medications
Cannabinoids, such as CBD and THC, can interact with sedative medications by interacting with the central nervous system causing heavy sedation. THC’s sedative effects cause drowsiness and lethargy, while CBD has a more calming, wake-inducing effect.
Cannabinoids increase the sedative effect when combined with sedative medications with an “additive effect.” While there are no immediate adverse effects on CBD and sedative users, the long term effect is still not known. Because of this, it’s advised to avoid taking CBD with sedatives.
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What are the Health Benefits of CBD?
There are so many health benefits of CBD that it’s difficult to pinpoint all of them. But, six health benefits are widely known and accepted. Reduction of pain, a decrease in anxiety and depression, and a decrease in cancer-related symptoms, such as pain, nausea, vomiting, reduction of acne, neuroprotective properties, and heart health are all the known CBD health benefits.
Other potential health benefits that are being researched are:
- Antipsychotic effects
- Substance abuse treatment
- Anti-tumor effects
- Diabetes prevention
All six of the known health benefits of CBD have been extensively researched. However, you must consult with your doctor before administering a CBD regime.
CBD is quickly growing into a money-making business. In 2018, the CBD industry made $512 million. It’s estimated that the number will grow to a whopping $23 billion by 2023. With the rise of popularity of CBD and it’s growing list of health benefits, it’s a given that baby boomers, like you, would consider taking it.