Medical Marijuana vs CBD

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What’s the Difference Between Medical Marijuana and CBD?

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People have been using medical marijuana for thousands of years. The illegality of marijuana and hemp in the U.S. since the early 1900s has made it confusing for many consumers to understand the benefits versus the dangers of different strains of the cannabis plant. Hemp is not the same as marijuana, and CBD is also fundamentally different from THC, the active compound in marijuana that causes a high. In this article, we’ll explore the timeline regarding the changes in legal status for medical marijuana, what the substance can treat, and if CBD is an effective alternative to medical marijuana.

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What’s the difference between cannabis, hemp, marijuana, and CBD?

Both marijuana and hemp are part of the cannabis family. Marijuana is the plant that when processed and consumed, can get someone high. Some states have allowed marijuana to be used for medicinal purposes. Hemp, on the other hand, is a plant that is sturdy and strong and is often used for industrial purposes. It’s possible to make paper products and textiles from hemp. Hemp can also be processed into animal feed and supplements for humans.

Both hemp and marijuana possess an abundance of chemical compounds called cannabinoids. Each plant will have a different makeup of cannabinoids. These compounds directly impact the endocannabinoid system found naturally in both humans and animals. Marijuana plants tend to have a large number of THC cannabinoids, while hemp plants typically possess CBD, another cannabinoid, in abundance. The CBD products consumers will find popping up all over the marketplace today derive from hemp plants, and CBD won’t get someone high. It is also not addictive, unlike THC, which comes with a small risk of addiction.

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What’s the timeline for marijuana as a medical treatment option?

Before the early 1900s, cannabis was grown in the U.S. and wasn’t’ subjected to stringent legal guidelines or outright banned in certain places. Instead, most farmers grew industrial hemp to make things like paper, rope, and other textiles. In the late 1800s, migrants from South America brought with them the marijuana strain of the cannabis family. This plant was mostly used for medicinal and recreational purposes. People would often process marijuana leaves, buds, and flowers into teas.

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Propaganda films and pamphlets began to depict marijuana as a dangerous substance. At that time, people were not fully aware that banning marijuana would also ban hemp by default. In the early 1900s, marijuana and hemp were made illegal on a federal level. Today, marijuana still considered a schedule 1 substance according to the DEA and the federal government. It is not legal on a federal level to use marijuana for medicinal, recreational, or personal use. The individual states, however, have their own laws regarding the manufacture, sale, and use of marijuana.

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So far, 28 states and Washington DC have legalized marijuana for medicinal uses. However, a cluster of these same states have not decriminalized, or legalized marijuana for recreational use. For example, marijuana is legal for therapeutic use in Pennsylvania, but it is still illegal for PA residents to grow or use marijuana for personal use. Doing so can result in criminal fines and prosecution.

In 1996, California became the first state to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes. Other states that have legalized the medical use of marijuana include the following:

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  • Alaska
  • Oregon
  • Washington
  • California
  • Maine
  • Colorado
  • Hawaii
  • Nevada
  • Montana
  • Vermont
  • Rhode Island
  • New Mexico
  • Michigan
  • Arizona
  • New Jersey
  • Washington DC
  • Delaware
  • Illinois
  • New Hampshire
  • Connecticut
  • Massachusetts
  • Maryland
  • Minnesota
  • New York
  • Ohio
  • Pennsylvania
  • North Dakota
  • Florida
  • Arkansas

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What is marijuana used to treat?

Because marijuana is illegal on a federal level, it is not an FDA-approved treatment method. To approve a substance for medicinal purposes, the FDA requires the intended medication to undergo rigorous, large-scale, and detailed studies to determine its medical uses, risks, and benefits. So far, there haven’t been any large-scale clinical studies on the medicinal purposes of the marijuana plant that meet the FDA’s requirements. However, there have been numerous studies on the plant’s cannabinoids and how they impact the human brain and body. The FDA has approved three cannabinoid compounds, deriving from marijuana, for medical purposes.

The same principle applies to CBD. There haven’t been enough large-scale studies yet to meet FDA approval. Right now, CBD is considered an unregulated supplement. The most common uses of marijuana for medical purposes in the U.S. are:

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  • Pain relief and pain management for chronic pain
  • As a safer alternative to opioids for chronic pain
  • As a replacement for NSAIDS that can damage the kidneys or digestive tract
  • As a pain relief alternative for MS
  • For muscle relaxation and to lessen tremors for Parkinson’s patients
  • To alleviate nausea
  • For treating glaucoma

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There are also a few studies being conducted on medical marijuana and PTSD. Medical marijuana is also used to lessen the severity of weight loss in HIV-positive patients, and people with Crohn’s disease and IBS.

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How effective is medical marijuana?

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FDA research into the benefits of medical marijuana is still ongoing. Because of the promising results found in preliminary studies on marijuana and chronic pain and PTSD, many physicians and psychiatrists have been clamoring for the FDA to conduct more large-scale and conclusive studies into the effectiveness of medical marijuana as a treatment option for specific conditions.

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Is CBD a safe alternative to medical marijuana?

 There are no definitive, large-scale studies that have been conducted on the medicinal benefits of CBD yet. For most consumers, CBD will not cause any severe side effects. However, patients must always talk to their doctor before trying CBD or changing their treatment regimen. CBD can interact with certain medications, and it can cause a few side effects, such as dry mouth and drowsiness. Consumers should also take note that CBD is not a medication, nor is it recommended to use CBD as a replacement for adequate medical treatment.

Hugs CBD is committed to bringing increased transparency to the CBD marketplace. All Hugs CBD products are third-party tested through an independent lab. Shop online at Hugs CBD today and have CBD delivered straight to your door.

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Last updated September 19 2019

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