CBD Sorting fact from fiction
There’s no question that CBD, also known as cannabidiol, is having a moment. From gummies to supplements, ingestible oils to creams, vapes, dog treats and even tampons, cannabisderived products are quickly lining up (and flying off!) the shelves of high street pharmacies and health food stores. A report by the Centre for Medical Cannabis estimates that 1.3 million Brits are regular users, and that the UK market (which currently brings in £300 million a year) is set to reach £1 billion by 2025.
Advocates claim CBD can help to cure chronic pain, alleviate anxiety and help us get a good night’s sleep. High concentrations are even being touted as the new side-effect-free solution to conditions as varied as epilepsy, ADHD, cancer and Parkinson’s. In an effort to separate fact from fiction, we take a closer look at CBD, where it comes from and whether there’s science to back up these bold claims.
What is CBD?
CBD is one of 113 cannabis chemicals (known as cannabinoids) that have been detected in the flowers of the Cannabis sativa plant. CBD is the second most abundant cannabinoid, clocking in just behind the infamous THC (or tetrahydrocannabinol), which is responsible for the ‘high’ associated with smoking marijuana. While this psychoactive strain remains illegal in the UK, CBD is not associated with any such high and can be sold both online and on the high street.
Though very much the in-vogue supplement on the wellness scene today, cannabis is certainly not new and has a long history of medicinal use. (1550 BC), which describes women preparing ‘oxymel’ (a mixture of cannabis and honey) to be inserted vaginally. Similar references are made in ancient Chinese and Ayurvedic texts, but cannabis doesn’t appear in Western medical literature until the 1800s, when it was a popular treatment for both period pain and sciatica. There is even evidence that it found its way to Buckingham Palace, where a royal physician reportedly prescribed cannabis to Queen Victoria to help treat her monthly cramps. Towards the end of the 19th century, however, cannabis was eclipsed by a new generation of pain-relief medications, such as aspirin and purified morphine. It continued to be used as a sleep aid until 1971, when it was removed from the list of UK-approved medicines due to inconsistencies in quality and delivery.
