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<\/p>\n CBD products are now widely available after the Hemp Farming Act of 2018 legalized hemp-derived products in the United States.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Getty Images<\/p>\n <\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n Once a fringe health trend, CBD has become so mainstream that you can buy products with it at pharmacies, grocery stores and countless online retailers. You can largely thank the\u00a0\u00a0for that, which <\/span>\u00a0in 2018, allowing CBD products to be sold over the counter across the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n CBD has also gained popularity as more states have legalized medical and recreational cannabis products that contain THC, the chemical compound in cannabis responsible for the “high” feeling.<\/p>\n This story discusses substances that are legal in some places but not in others and is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You shouldn’t do things that are illegal — this story does not endorse or encourage illegal drug use. \t<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/span>, you can find CBD at , your local gas station, <\/span> — even <\/span>. The only thing spreading faster than CBD appears to be confusion over what exactly it is and who it’s for. Whether you’re already a user or are just CBD curious, this primer will help you cut through the misinformation and get up to speed.\u00a0<\/p>\n CBD, or cannabidiol, is a chemical compound from the family that naturally occurs in the . Scientists have isolated of cannabinoids in cannabis.\u00a0 <\/p>\n Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is probably the best-known cannabis chemical compound thanks to its psychoactive properties — but CBD is quickly gaining ground due to its potential therapeutic benefits.\u00a0 <\/p>\n CBD (and THC) work by interacting with our body’s , a regulatory system made up of naturally occurring cannabis-like molecules. These endocannabinoids, as they’re called, work like neurotransmitters, shuttling messages through the body to help maintain homeostasis. Cannabinoids like CBD and THC interact with the endocannabinoid system at two known receptors: .\u00a0 <\/p>\n CB1 receptors are mainly present in the brain — where they’re involved with cognition, memory, motor skills and pain — but also in the peripheral nervous system, liver, thyroid, uterus and more. THC attaches itself to these receptors, inhibiting the release of neurotransmitters and possibly increasing the release of others, altering normal functioning. <\/p>\n CBD oil is one popular way people ingest CBD<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n R+R Medicinals\/Unsplash<\/p>\n <\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Researchers once thought that CBD did the same thing, but with CB2 receptors — which are abundant in the immune and gastrointestinal systems, as well as the brain and nervous system. However, they no longer believe that to be true.\u00a0 <\/p>\n Although the exact way CBD affects our bodies is still unknown, scientists think CBD encourages the body to produce more of its own endocannabinoids, which may help reduce anxiety, <\/span> and inflammation. <\/p>\n Read more: <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>, but the answer isn’t quite so cut and dried.\u00a0 <\/p>\n The cannabis plant comes in many different varieties. For decades though, the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) treated them all the same, classifying cannabis as a . Schedule I drugs are considered to have “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse” and are thus illegal to produce or possess.\u00a0 <\/p>\n However, the (aka the Farm Bill) changed all that. The Farm Bill legalized “hemp,” which the legislation defined as cannabis that contains no more than 0.3% THC, nationwide.\u00a0 <\/p>\n Cannabis that contains higher levels of THC is now listed as “marijuana” and remains a Schedule I drug.\u00a0 <\/p>\n CBD products are sold online, or at dispensaries in states where cannabis is legalized.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Alex Person\/Unsplash<\/p>\n <\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n In other words, if a CBD product comes from a hemp plant, it’s legal; if it comes from a marijuana plant, it’s federally illegal, despite local laws. And even if it does come from a hemp plant, there’s often no guarantee it won’t contain THC, thanks to things like cross-pollination and the absence of industry regulation (see “What are the risks of taking CBD?” below). <\/p>\n \u00a0has been exploring ways to study and regulate CBD for several years now. At this time, no are FDA approved or cleared, and there’s no nationwide standard for CBD products. However, some states, including and , require cannabis products to be tested for potency and purity.\u00a0 <\/p>\n Read more:<\/strong> <\/span> <\/p>\n CBD is being marketing as a bit of a cure-all, with manufacturers claiming it can do everything from relieving anxiety to stopping the spread of cancer. However, cannabis’s classification as a Schedule 1 drug has severely hampered American scientists’ ability to study CBD, making it hard to support or refute these claims. The studies that are available tend to be small or are done on animals or in laboratories<\/a>.\u00a0 <\/p>\n That said, CBD is showing promise. Early experiments suggest that it may help , and <\/span> (though the latter is often done in conjunction with THC). <\/p>\n The strongest evidence of CBD’s effectiveness, though, is in relation to . In 2018, the , a medication used to treat Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet syndromes, two rare and severe forms of epilepsy. In 2020, it approved Epidiolex to related to . Epidiolex was the of a cannabis-derived drug, and has paved the way for the development of more CBD-based drugs to treat medical conditions.<\/p>\n CBD is available in a variety of forms. Some of the <\/span> are listed below, but how it’s ultimately used depends on personal needs and preferences. The delivery method of CBD affects how quickly it works and what kinds of effects it has on the body. <\/p>\n CBD is available in many different forms, including oils and tinctures seen here.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt\/ AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n <\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/b><\/p>\n<\/span><\/span>
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\tWhat is CBD?<\/h2>\n
\tHow does CBD work? <\/h2>\n
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\tIs CBD legal? <\/h2>\n
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\tWhat are the health benefits of CBD? <\/h2>\n
\tHow is CBD used? <\/h2>\n
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\tWhat are the risks of taking CBD?<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n
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