CBD Oil – What It Does and How to Buy It

All of a sudden, CBD oil is everywhere. It’s being touted as a panacea, curing everything from cancer to hangnails.

The oil, formally named cannabadiol, is a product of cannabis plants, primarily marijuana and hemp. Marijuana-based CBD oils are only legal in states that have legalized medical and/or recreational marijuana because they contain THC (tetrahydrocanabinol), the stuff that makes you high and which has it own benefits.

For today, we’re just talking about CBD oils made from hemp, which generally have only trace amounts of THC. Products containing less than .03% are legal in all 50 states and can be shipped through the mail.

You can get CBD oil everywhere these days, even in gas stations and airport gift shops. It’s trendy. It’s cool.

And it works wonderfully for certain ailments, but only if you get a good product.

There hasn’t been a great deal of research on cannabis products because it has been illegal almost everywhere until very recently. But what we know is very impressive.

Here’s what we know CBD oil can do:

• Reduce inflammation, the underlying cause of many diseases and much pain. It may prove to be an effective and non-addictive alternative to opioids.
• Pain relief: In addition to reducing inflammation, CBD appears to affect pain receptors in the brain, adding to its potential value as an alternative to opioids.
• Anxiety relief, including reducing stress and depression, relieving insomnia and even addressing PTSD.
• Cancer treatment and prevention: Yes, it’s true. A handful of studies show CBD may prevent cancer cell growth. The National Cancer Institute also says CBD can reduce symptoms of several types of cancer and relieve the side effects of cancer treatments.
• Protects brain cells, including possibly preventing or reducing the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease.
• Reduces seizures, especially in people with epilepsy.

So there’s little doubt that CBD can help with lots of problems.

How do we get the good stuff and avoid being duped?

Here are a few simple guidelines for buying CBD oils:

1. Go organic and be sure the product is grown in the United States. You definitely don’t want pesticide residues in your CBD oil or anywhere.
2. Look for a concentration of CBD. You don’t want a watered down product. The bottle should say something like “1,500 mg of CBD” in a four-ounce bottle. That would mean that every ounce has 375 mg, a good concentration.
3. Be sure it’s pure: Your CBD oil should be certified as tested by a SO/IEC 17025:2017 Accredited Laboratory. This ensures it isn’t contaminated with pesticides, solvents from the extraction process, heavy metals or bacteria or fungi.
4. Extraction process: The cheapest way to extract CBD is through the use of solvents that can leave harmful chemicals in the oil. The best extraction process is through carbon dioxide, CO2.
5. A reputable company: Can you contact the company? Do they have a website? Call the phone number on the website and ask for the information in the points above. If there is no human to answer or if the answers are evasive, buy elsewhere.

They Mayo Clinic recommends 2.5 mg to 20 mg of CBD oil daily for chronic pain.

CBD oils can cost anywhere from $15 an ounce to $150 an ounce. An ounce should last at least two months and perhaps much longer, depending on your dosage. One product advertises 2.4 mg of CBD per drop, another advertises 25 mg per dropper, so you’ll have to do some math.

Cheap isn’t necessarily better or worse, to a point. Organic production and CO2 production are expensive and will certainly influence price. Sadly, in this crowded new field, you’ll just have to do your homework to find the best quality product.

And let’s all hope this will become easier in time!

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