There has been so much misinformation disseminated across the various media and political spectra that I'd like to do a series about the science behind CBD or cannabidiol vs. THC or tetrahydrocannabinol....they are NOT the same.
The cannabis plant (aka hemp) is just that...a plant, not a psychotrophic drug. Cannabis has been used for thousands of years for a variety of purposes such as: food, fiber and medicinal value...primarily as pain relief. The high THC-content cannabis has been chemically manipulated to induce euphoric, not medicinal, effects and does not represent the phytocannabinoid profile that normally exists in nature.
Today, there are more than 80 identified phytocannabinoids, some having significant therapeutic value in a wide range of clinical conditions--from neuroprotection to treating cancer. And yet, the government makes no distinction between the chemically manipulated high-THC cannabis and the naturally-occurring cannabidiol, designating both as Schedule 1 drugs (placing them in the same category as heroin). Interestingly enough, the federal government was issued a patent in 2003 for the "Neuro-Protective & Antioxidant Effects of Cannabinoids!!" (This was under the Bush administration)
We know the following:
1. Cannabis has a long history of safe use for thousands of years in China, India and other countries;
2. Cannabis was previously listed in the British and U.S. Pharmacopeia in the late 1800's as one of the most widely prescribed remedies of the time;
3. We have thousands of valid scientific clinical studies on the therapeutic benefits of the plant and its active cannabinoids;
4. The FDA has approved medicinal drugs based on cannabinoids.
My next blog topic: A new discovery--The ECS ( endocannabinoid system). I'll give you a hint: it's part of our physiological system.
Dr. Esther
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