Cannabidiol, or CBD as its often referred to, has become increasingly popular over recent years. Derived from the hemp plant (a relative of the marijuana plant), CBD is a natural chemical compound linked to improving physical and mental health. If you’re interested in finding out more about Cannabidiol why not check out our brief guide to buying CBD in the UK?
Why Is CBD Popular?
Limited clinical research has been carried out, but there’s still some debate as to the effectiveness of CBD. However recent studies indicates that CBD is proving very popular. Around 6 million people (a mixture of social classes and age groups) have tried CBD, indicating that there’s a high level of usage in the UK. Users take CBD to improve their health, in a bid to increase energy levels and focus. They also take it to ease symptoms related to:
- Joint and muscle pain.
- Skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and acne.
- Chronic pain.
- Neurological disorders such as epilepsy and multiple sclerosis.
- Depression
- Stress and anxiety.
- PTSD
- Addiction
- Schizophrenia
- Cancer
- Alzheimer’s disease.
CBD use isn’t just confined to humans either, people are even giving it to their furry friends! Poorly pets are treated with CBD in a bid to combat anxiety, join pain, and skin problems.
Is CBD Legal?
There are still plenty of misconceptions surrounding the use of CBD. While cannabis itself is illegal to buy and sell in the UK, CBD is classified as a medicine and legal to use (providing it has a THC content of less than 0.02%).
THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) is the main psychoactive component of cannabis and causes the intoxicated high we associate with the recreational drug. Providing it has a level of less than 0.02% THC, the CBD we use for medicinal or cosmetic purposes is considered to be safe and legal to use.
How Does CBD Work?
Our bodies contain endocannabinoids (cannabis-like substances that occur naturally), and our endocannabinoids send messages regarding appetite, mood, cognitive ability, sleep, and pain threshold. CBD can send messages to those receptors, thus enabling you to improve your health and well-being (so you can sleep better, feel less anxious etc).
How to Take CBD
CBD is can be found in many forms – you can eat it, drink it, smoke it, vape it, or apply it to your skin, here’s a quick rundown of what’s available:
Oils and tinctures
CBD infused oils and tinctures are easy to ingest, the CBD usually comes with a dropper – you simply place a couple of drops under the tongue for maximum impact and absorption
Sprays
Quick and effective, sprays are taken orally and are often flavoured to improve the natural flavour of CBD (which is often described as earthy).
Creams and lotions
CBD creams and lotions are widely used to ease skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. They are also linked to alleviating joint and muscle pain.
Capsules and pills
Pills and capsules are often used as a way to combat seizures and problems relating to digestion.
Vaping
Inhaling vaporized CBD oil is considered a speedy way to ingest CBD, as the compounds enter the bloodstream quickly.
Edibles
A more recent addition to the CBD product family, edibles are popular as they are easy to eat and discreet too. CBD products aren’t usually known for being particularly tasty (many say they have an earthy flavour) but edibles are designed to taste good.
Should I Worry About Any Side-Effects?
CBD is considered to be safe, but as with most medication and supplements, minimal side-effects have been reported by some. Symptoms include users experiencing a dry mouth and dizziness. It’s also important to remember that CBD can affect some prescription medications. If in doubt you should check with a medical professional before giving CBD a try.
Where Can I Buy CBD?
The popularity of CBD had led to a jump in sales, and CBD products are now considered more ‘mainstream’ than niche. However, it goes without saying that you should always buy from a reputable source.
Do your research (check out online reviews and ratings) to discover the best UK CBD stores and the quality of the CBD products on offer. Remember, CBD content can vary from product to product, so do check the packaging and don’t take more than the advised dose.
A Quick Re-cap of CBD Facts Before You Buy!
- CBD is a natural compound found in cannabis.
- CBD is non-psychoactive, so you won’t get high from taking it.
- CBD is thought to alleviate medical symptoms and improve well-being.
- CBD comes in many forms e.g. oil, vape, capsules etc.
- CBD stimulates the ECS (endocannabinoid system).
- CBD is considered safe and has few side-effects.
- CBD from HEMP is legal.
- CBD is now widely available, buy only from a reputable source.
We do hope you found this brief guide to buying CBD in the UK useful.