CBD Facts: Facts Proven and Myths Debunked

By now you must’ve heard at least something about CBD. It’s taking over the U.S. market quite rapidly and people are sharing the information without even checking whether it’s true or false. Most of the CBD facts which are being shared may quickly become myths. And the same could go the other way around.

How to navigate through all these CBD oil facts and myths? 

It’s easy for a newcomer to get lost in all this information floating around on the Internet.  That’s where our job comes into play. We have gathered 7 most popular CBD facts and 7 most common misconceptions and put them in one place for your convenience and pleasure.

If you’re planning to purchase your first CBD product, we recommend researching the brand and CBD itself, to understand what you’re getting. CBD has become so widespread that even your coffee or dog's food can be induced with it. The question is, will it work...?

If you lack some CBD knowledge or just want to double-check whether your understanding is true, read below to see those CBD oil facts and myths that we’ve prepared for you.

CBD Facts

Since scientific research on CBD is relatively new, there are still some things to understand about it. Even though there are many potential benefits of CBD, most of them lack clinical and extensive tests.

Regardless of that, there are still a few things that we know for sure about CBD. So, if you’re ready, here are the 7 facts about CBD:

1. CBD Is One of the Main Components of Cannabis

Despite cannabis having more than a hundred different phytocannabinoids, CBD (cannabidiol) is considered to be one of the primary ones. Together with CBD, another phytocannabinoid THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is sharing the most researched and talked-about cannabis compound title.

Usually, CBD is predominant in hemp (Cannabis Sativa species) which has a high concentration of CBD and low levels of THC. The other way around is true to another cannabis species called Cannabis Indica, commonly known as marijuana. It has high levels of THC and a lower concentration of CBD.

Even though there are many different compounds that constitute cannabis, these two are the main ones and therefore are most widely researched and talked-about. 

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2. CBD Can Be Derived From Both Hemp and Marijuana

While the last-mentioned CBD facts are true - CBD is one of the main components of cannabis and it can be derived from either hemp or marijuana - there are certain differences in hemp-derived CBD oil and marijuana-derived CBD oil that greatly influence a lot of things.

All the CBD industry is based on hemp-derived CBD products because they all have less than 0,3% THC in them (THC is the chemical compound that makes you feel intoxicated). Probably no need to mention that THC is not legal everywhere..?

Marijuana-derived oil is more likely to be called ‘THC oil” than ‘CBD oil’ because it has a higher concentration of THC in it and therefore will most likely get you ‘high’. While it usually has some levels of CBD, it still does not compare to hemp-derived CBD products.

3. Hemp-derived CBD Oil Is Legal 

If talking about the U.S., as of 2018, hemp cultivation and therefore its products have become legal throughout the country thanks to the passing of the Agricultural Improvement Act. 

However, each state has the authority over the cannabis laws within its territory and therefore some states have refrained from this legalization. 

So, if you’re living in Idaho, Nebraska or South Dakota, we don’t recommend buying any cannabis product yet, for you could be arrested and prosecuted. 

Over the years, science and medical communities have become more favorable towards CBD oil and provided us with plenty of positive CBD facts. In the near future, the pressure might be created on the government to fully legalize CBD and regard it as a medicine.

4. CBD Is Not Regulated By the FDA

The fourth fact, in our “7 popular CBD facts” list, is related to CBD’s official status in the U.S.

As of writing this article, CBD is still not regulated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) which means CBD brands can pretty much produce whatever they want and put CBD in whatever they like. Hence there are CBD-induced coffee, cookies, chocolate, toothpicks, toothpaste and so on.

What value does it bring in those forms? Well, most authoritative CBD brands would say it’s just a scam and wouldn’t recommend falling for it.

Also, the FDA does not allow CBD oil to be sold as medicine or food supplement for it is unsure about the CBD benefits to our health. For now, the only FDA-approved CBD-based drug in the U.S. is Epidiolex. It is primarily used as a treatment for seizures and epilepsy^[1].

5. Full-spectrum CBD Oil Is Superior to Pure CBD 

Only a few years ago this has become one of CBD facts. According to the results from this research^[2], different chemical compounds of cannabis achieve better effects together than pure CBD would achieve alone. This synergistic effect of cannabis compounds has become known as the ‘entourage effect’.

Prior to this, it was believed that pure CBD is more effective and should be cleaned from other elements of cannabis. There are still pure CBD products sold because of moral or practical reasons (because of a need to pass a drug test, for example). 

As the study showed, pure CBD only works effectively in medium doses - too much or too little would bring the same unsatisfactory effects. Therefore, most of the CBD oil being sold now also contains other cannabis elements.

6. CBD Interacts With Our Endocannabinoid System

Since we are talking about 7 proven CBD facts, this one is certainly indisputable. Science already knows that cannabidiol (CBD) interacts with our body’s endocannabinoid system which is responsible for various physiological and psychological functions. For this reason, most of the reported CBD benefits are related to those functions.

7. CBD Is Generally Safe to Use. Even For Pets

According to this World Health Organization (WHO) report^[3], CBD is regarded as having a ‘good safety profile’ and ‘exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential’. 

Most scientists agree that it is practically impossible to overdose on CBD. Although, there might be some slight side-effects of having too much of it, like sleepiness, diarrhea, drowsiness or loss of appetite.

It is also regarded as safe even for pets. There are already loads of positive customer reviews about edible CBD products for dogs and cats. CBD pet products work in a similar way as CBD works for humans - it reduces anxiety and pain. 

These facts about CBD are already proven and hardly disputable. There are more CBD facts to come in the near future, because the CBD industry is growing rapidly and the science is catching up.

CBD Myths

Now, there are quite a few misconceptions about CBD and its products. Some of them are poised as ‘CBD facts’ while truly they are nothing but myths.

Let’s bust 7 of those most persistent CBD myths and have some fun while doing it!

1. Only Adults Can Use CBD

Nonsense! Though many people still see CBD as being the same as marijuana,  it is simply not true. CBD oil is mainly derived from hemp and is completely non-intoxicating and safe to use for children.

Actually, there are quite a few studies made on CBD’s effect on children suffering from seizures and epilepsy^[4]. Most of them show promising results in treating different types of epilepsy.

One of the CBD fun facts is that cannabis has become a major part of what is called ‘medical tourism’. Some families are traveling to places where cannabis is legal in order to get CBD oil for their children’s treatment.

2. You Can Get Addicted to CBD

One of the already-proven CBD facts is that CBD has no potential for abuse or addiction. Even the World Health Organization, in their recent report about cannabidiol, confirms this to be true.

Some studies even state that it helps to recover from drug addiction^[5].

3. CBD Is Like THC Without the ‘High’

While it is true that both CBD and THC are phytocannabinoids, their effects on humans are totally different. THC is the intoxicating component that gets you ‘high’ when you smoke marijuana and interacts differently with our endocannabinoid system.

Facts about CBD confirm its non-intoxicating qualities and various health benefits that THC alone does not have. It all comes down to how they affect our system. For example, CBD does not directly activate certain receptors as THC does, but it prolongs the effects other cannabinoids have on them.

4. The More CBD the Better

This is entirely not true. The same goes for any kind of substance. If you have flu, for example, would taking as many medicines as you possibly help you get better more quickly? I don’t think so. The same goes for CBD.

If you’ve just started to take CBD oil, it’s better to start with low doses and gradually add up until you reach the desired effects. However, it might take some time - at least a few weeks - for the effects to get noticeable. Luckily, you don't need to worry about taking too much because it's practically impossible to overdose on CBD.

One of CBD fun facts is that there is no universal dosage for everyone. It strongly depends on your weight, personal condition, and potency of CBD oil. For general guidance, you can read our article about CBD dosage here.

5. CBD Is Not Psychoactive

Lost between CBD oil facts and myths this statement confused a lot of people. Let us make it clear for you: CBD is psychoactive but non-intoxicating.

Non-intoxicating because it doesn't numb your receptors and make you feel ‘high’ the way THC does. However, it does alter your brain and the way you perceive the world. Mostly in a positive sense - CBD is reported to improve your mood and help with depression.

We do not recommend correcting everyone with these two CBD facts, for it is like correcting someone’s grammar - quite awkward and not much benefit.

6. CBD Has No Side Effects

Anything used excessively might lead to some unpleasant consequences. The same is with CBD - too much in a short time might give you diarrhea or make you feel drowsy, sleepy or irritable. Those are the most common CBD side effects.

However, the World Health Organization notes that most of those side effects are caused because of the interaction between CBD and patients’ existing medications. Other than that, as mentioned in the previous CBD facts, it generally has a ‘good safety profile’.

7. CBD Oil and Hemp Oil Are the Same Things

There is a quite persistent CBD myth that hemp oil is the same as CBD oil. However, they are two completely different oils. Hemp oil, also known as hemp seed oil, is made, as its name suggests, from hemp seeds. It has no CBD and is usually used for cooking and skincare products.

CBD oil, on the other hand, is extracted from hemp plant’s stems, leaves, and flowers. That’s why it has a high concentration of cannabidiol (CBD) and other cannabis chemical elements. 

Conclusions

Persistent CBD myths are often advertised as CBD facts. The information is quick to spread, regardless of its validity. However, we must be knowledgeable in this industry, in order to not get tricked. Especially when it comes to the topic of our health.

We hope that you’ve found some CBD fun facts in this article. Also, we tried our best to clear out for you some of the most persistent misconceptions that float around this CBD oil topic.

If you wish to know more about CBD, you can look up our other CBD articles here. 

Our job here is to filter out the ‘golden nuggets’ and provide you with a list of the most user-loved CBD oil companies, so that you may feel safe buying their awesome products.

Scientific References

1. Evan C. Rosenberg, Richard W. Tsien, Orrin Devinsky et al.: 'Cannabinoids and Epilepsy'

2. Ruth Gallily, Zhannah Yekhtin, Lumír Ondřej Hanuš: 'Overcoming the Bell‐Shaped Dose‐Response of Cannabidiol by Using Cannabis Extract Enriched in Cannabidiol'

3. World Health Organization: 'Cannabidiol (CBD) Pre-Review Report'

4. Richard J. Huntsman, Richard Tang-Wai, Philippe Major et al.: 'Dosage Related Efficacy and Tolerability of Cannabidiol in Children With Treatment-Resistant Epileptic Encephalopathy: Preliminary Results of the CARE-E Study'

5. Gustavo Gonzalez-Cuevas, Remi Martin-Fardon, Friedbert Weiss et al.: 'Unique treatment potential of cannabidiol for the prevention of relapse to drug use: preclinical proof of principle'