cbdMD is the Official Founder of National CBD Month, an initiative to raise awareness, provide education, and bust myths about one of the great wellness breakthroughs of our age.
Ever since the most recent Farm Bill became law in late 2018, CBD has been federally legal and ever more in demand. This demand has helped further loosen state and local cannabis laws since then, bringing the powerful benefits of CBD to more and more consumers in the form of oils, edibles, topicals, and more.
But even after all the intense media coverage and discussion, many people are still full of questions about CBD. Can CBD get you high? Is it equally legal everywhere? Which CBD sellers can you trust? And what’s the best CBD oil for you?
cbdMD officially founded National CBD Month to combat these problems head-on. Throughout the month of January, we aim to shine a spotlight on the hemp-derived substance, clear up misunderstandings, change perceptions, and set standards for superior CBD products.
And it all starts with…
CBD Meaning: Just What Is It?
One of cbdMD’s main goals for National CBD Month is to offer consumers a better understanding of what hemp-derived CBD is, where it comes from, and how it may help them achieve their wellness goals. And while that may seem like a relatively straightforward task, it’s actually quite a challenge.
Hemp gets a bad rap due to its similarity to marijuana. They’re both strains of cannabis, they look and smell identical, and both were illegal for decades.
But there’s one major difference. Marijuana contains lots of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – the substance that makes users feel “stoned.” On the other hand, federally legal hemp contains only trace amounts of THC (0.3 percent to be exact) and CBD is abundant.
It’s also important to note that CBD does not cause a high. There are also plenty of THC-free* options available, like the CBD products available from cbdMD.
So long as CBD comes from hemp rather than marijuana, it’s legal at the federal level. States that have legalized marijuana usually also allow marijuana-derived CBD, but you’re better off avoiding that if you’re trying to steer clear of THC.
For more detailed CBD information, see our page What Is CBD? On the legality question, check out our state-by-state guide.
CBD Myth Busting
Another problem information seekers face is misinformation about CBD.
Many citizens of the Internet – including some CBD sellers – make unproven claims about CBD. There are plenty of encouraging studies about CBD and its possibilities, but let’s be clear: Anyone who says that consumer CBD products can cure or treat a disease does so without proper evidence.
Instead, CBD is best described as a way to support your existing health and fitness routine.
Another common myth is that all CBD products are essentially the same.
High-quality CBD products are made with care, precision, and premium ingredients while others are produced using shortcuts and the cheapest stuff available.
Even worse, some CBD offerings are little more than mislabeled counterfeits that contain little or no CBD. They may also contain dangerous contaminants.
The good news is that industry leaders like cbdMD take your health and wellness seriously.
Reputable CBD producers always provide consumers with third-party safety tests from ISO-certified laboratories. That way, you always know exactly what’s in your CBD of choice.
For more myth-busting, see CBD Facts: The Real Truth About CBD Oil.
CBD Benefits
As we noted, the federal government has not accepted any claims that CBD can cure or prevent disease. So what does it do?
CBD, like other products of cannabis, works by interacting with the body’s endocannabinoid system. This is a set of neural receptors that help regulate many processes, including mood, memory, digestion, the immune response, and even staying upright. Overall, it helps preserve homeostasis: the balance your body maintains even when stresses from your environment try to throw it off.
By enhancing this system, CBD isn’t so much a targeted treatment of anything as a way to maintain whole-body wellness. Many people find that taking daily CBD helps them stay calm and focused, and boosts their sense of well-being.
How to Buy CBD Oil
If all that sounds good to you, the next question is: what product do you buy? There are many, many CBD-infused products out there, and ingenious retailers keep coming up with new ones.
We’ve gone into great detail about this in our CBD buyer’s guide. But when it comes down to it, there are just a few ways to deliver CBD into your body, so the differences between the various products often amount to what extra ingredients are involved (if any) and personal taste. Here’s a quick guide:
- CBD oil tinctures and CBD oil capsules are best for keeping up a daily CBD regimen. The tinctures can work faster if you take them sublingually – that is, let them absorb under the tongue – because that way the CBD doesn’t have to go through your digestive tract. Still, the capsules can be faster to swallow, and you can be sure you’re taking the same amount of CBD every time.
- CBD edibles such as gummies work in a similar way to capsules, but have the added benefit of being delicious and sometimes include extra nutrients. You can also create your own CBD edibles by putting CBD oil into various recipes.
- CBD sleep aids combine CBD with other ingredients to help relax, such as melatonin, valerian root, chamomile, and so on. Our CBD PM sleep aid is available in both tincture and capsule form.
- CBD topicals come in a huge variety, because you can add CBD to almost anything applied to the skin. Our main CBD topicals page is for unisex products focused on temporary pain relief through added ingredients like menthol or lidocaine, and soothing dry skin with moisturizers and balms. Our cbdMD Botanicals brand is a line of CBD beauty products aimed at keeping skin radiant and blemish-free.
- CBD pet products are just what they sound like. Research says that all mammals respond to CBD in similar ways, so we’ve created pet CBD tinctures, pet CBD edibles, and pet CBD skin care products that especially appeal to our furry friends.
Stay Tuned to cbdMD for More During National CBD Month!
We’ve covered a lot already, but there’s more on the way! Keep watching this blog to learn more about CBD benefits, different CBD products, and how they can fit into your daily life.
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From all of us at cbdMD, Happy National CBD Month!