Is hemp CBD snake oil: Scientific Facts about CBD efficacy

In this article, I’m looking at the common misconceptions like is hemp CBD snake oil.

After a terrible quad bike ancient, I got extremely close to losing part of my leg.

During the following 14 months, I had seven operations.

After being on pain meds for more than 12 months, I became concerned about opioid addiction.

Without opioids, the pain was overpowering. I needed to take action.

I started to research if CBD oil could help reduce my trauma pain. At the start of my research, I thought CBD is cbd modern day snake oil because little information was available at the time.

However, I soon started to use CBD and marijuana to investigate if one or both could replace my opioid pain medication.

Here are my findings.

Is there scientific proof that CBD is effective?

CBD is a popular remedy used for many common illnesses.

However, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) does not officially regulate CBD oil as a medicine. Instead, the FDA lists CBD as a food supplement.

The strongest scientific proof of the healing properties of CBD comes from the only FDA-approved medicine Epidiolex.

Epidiolex contains purified cannabidiol (CBD). Dravet syndrome (DS) and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) are severe childhood epilepsy conditions treated with Epidiolex.

What is CBD? (introduction)

CBD stands for cannabidiol. It is a NON-psycho active ingredient found in the hemp and marijuana plant (cannabis plant).

CBD is one of over 140+ cannabinoids compounds found in cannabis plans. Unlike its close cousin THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), it will not make you high.

THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is illegal in most states in the USA, but that is changing pretty fast.

It is a well-known fact that THC (Marijuana plant) is harmless in responsible dosage. However, the consumption method can be harmful in the long run. There are three methods of THC consumption. All have different strengths regarding effectiveness and long-term health.

Because THC is psychoactive. People with mental health conditions might find THC a traumatic experience. However, for the average user, moderate THC is like catnip for cats.

Cannabis basics and Termanology

If you are new to cannabis products, here is a rundown of terminology.

Difference between CBD vs. THC

What is the difference between CBD and THC?

CBD and THC are both cannabinoids found in hemp and marijuana plant.

THC is the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis that makes you high. Whereas CBD will not make you high(stoned).

Here is a simplified analogy.

Think about the hemp plant as vanilla cake and, marijuana plant as cholate cake.

Whereas CBD and THC are the ingredients (cannabinoids) uses to make the cakes.

Both cakes contain CBD and THC ingredients but different amounts.

If you want a high (stoned) flavor cake, you will pick the marijuana plant because it contains .3 to 25 percent THC.

If you DON’T want a high (stoned) flavor cake, you will pick the hemp plant because it contains less than .3 percent THC.

Both CBD and THC have effective therapeutic properties. However, work better together as a team.

Difference between Hemp and marijuana?

Hemp and Marijuana both cannabis plants are close relatives.

However, Hemp plants contain less than 0.3 percent THC. Hemp cultivation is legal in most parts of the United States.

Marijuana plants are defined as cannabis but contain more than 0.3% percent THC.

THC potency in Marijuana plants typically ranges from 0.3 to 4 percent.

However, biologically engineered plants can produce up to 25 percent THC.

The date this article has been written. THC intake over 0.3% is illegal in most of the United States.

However, CBD products with THC trace amounts of less than 0.3% are legal all over the states.

Origins of snake oil expression?

Real Snake oil salesman

Snake oil is a term associated with misleading health care marketing or fake product benefit claims.

Likewise, the term “snake oil salesman” is an expression used for a sketchy salesman promoting a false cure or remedy.

During the 19th century in the United States. Snake oil was sold as a wonder cure for many health problems.

The term snake oil is derived from sketchy con artists selling mineral oil mixed with random herbs and drugs as the wondrous all-in-one health remedy. The snake oil they sold did not contain any snake-derived ingredients whatsoever. (fake product).

It was rather common from the 18th century until the 20th for vendors to sell magic health position type cures.

Snake oil potions enjoyed massive popularity at the time, much the same as CBD at this current moment.

The buzz around CBD is mostly because of the mystery surrounding CBD heath benefits and snake oil salesmen trying to take advantage of the situation by making bold claims that are not officially supported by scientific evidence.

While liers and opportunists will always exist, research suggests that CBD is not modern day snake oil. 

The Real Snake oil.

Real snake oil has been used for centuries in China as a traditional remedy for joint pain conditions like arthritis and bursitis.

The real snake oil is derived from the Chinese water snake. Moden studies show it contains a high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids which have great health benefits.

It is a common perception that the snake oil mania in the United States originated with the increase of Chinese railway workers in the mid-19th century.

Will CBD usage show up on a drug test?

THC Drug Test

No, CBD consumed on its own will not trigger a drug test.

Drug tests typically search for THC (cannabidiol) and not CBD.

However, CBD is classified as a food supplement and is unregulated in the United States.

Because of the lack of regulation around CBD you might accidentally buy a product containing THC over 0.3 percent.

In simple terms:

If you buy a sketchy product from a “snake oil salesman”. The chances are good that it contains illegal amounts of THC and will trigger a drug test.

How to determine if CBD products are legit?

  1. Things to consider when purchasing CBD products?
  2. Verify third party testing for CBD Purity
  3. CBD White Label products. (how does it influence CBD quality?)
  4. Product ingredient label Accuracy
  5. Understanding Cannabinoid Profile

There is a lot of confusion surrounding purchasing CBD products. Because CBD is unregulated, most of the CBD imports are sketchy at the very least.

Studies have shown some CBD oil products even contain heavy metal toxicity. The marketplace is a scene out of the wild west.

Things to consider when purchasing CBD products?

Deceptive advertising on CBD products is a common trend in the market.

Before purchase, make sure to verify the ingredient in the product.

Check if the product has CBD or cannabidiol mentioned in the ingredient list.

Some vendors intend to mislead consumers by using terms like hemp seed oil, or Cannabis sativa seed oil on the packaging.

It is not the same as CBD oil and will not provide desired health benefits.

Another side effect of vendors cloaking the ingredient list on CBD products is allergies contamination.

Vendor cloaking critical ingredient index and dosage information, can certainly not be trusted.

Particularly, when it comes to upholding regulations around allergies. (life or death)

Verify third party testing for CBD Purity

Any legit CBD consumable products will have a COA (Certificate Of Authenticity).

COA is an independent third-party lab test outlining the purity and of CBD products.

Product with COA testing usually has a QR scanning code on the packaging.

The QR code allows real-time COA results verification on your phone.

With the same token, you should always verify if the lab providing the COA is reputable by doing a quick google search.

Make sure the lab has not bais ties towards the CBD product in question.

If the lab makes money from the sale of the CBD product, they are snake oil salesmen who can’t be trusted.

CBD White Label products. (how does it influence CBD quality?)

White label products from China

Finding and importing products is pretty easy nowadays.

White label products helped millions of small entrepreneurs become successful with limited capital.

White labeling refers to selling a product or service from a manufacturer as your own.

The manufacture allows the product to be sold under the banding of the retailer. To the consumer, the end product seems to be produced by the retailer rather than the manufacturer.

To put it simply.

The white label terms refer to a BLANC product label with no trademark or Copywrite.

White label products have created a boom in the Chinese and Indian industrial markets. They manufacture the products, and the West imports under white label terms.

With the lack of consumer regulations in countries like China and Indian. The Western market got flooded with sub-standard CBD products.

Some imported CBD oil products even contain toxic heavy metal toxicity.

Heavy metal toxicity in CBD is a result of growing hemp plants using polluted water and pesticides.

After all, CBD is a wellness product. If the product does more harm than good to your body it is not worth using.

It all comes down to snake oil salesman mentality. Vendors trying to make a quick profit at the health expense of the consumer.

Product ingredient label Accuracy

The study found that over 30% of CBD products on the market are badly labeled.

A study analyzes 90 random CBD products sold online from different retailers.

The case study found that 40 percent of the products tested have a higher CBD strength than indicated on the label. The figure is alarming because using the product will trigger a drug test positive.

Besides, when consuming CBD for a medical reason. Wrong product information prevents you from experience the health benefits linked with CBD oil.

Understanding Cannabinoid Profile

Cannabinoid Profiling identifies thc levels

When purchasing CBD products.

Cannabinoid Profile is relevant to pick the right product for your needs.

Profiling allows you to identify psychoactive ingredients and the purity of CBD products.

CBD has three profile categories.

  1. Isolate
  2. Broad Spectrum
  3. Full Spectrum

What is CDB Isolate?

Isolate is 99 percent pure CBD with zero present THC (the psychoactive ingredient).

Making isolate the obvious choice when creating regulated medicine like FDA approved epidiolex (anti-seizure medication).

Isolate is used to produce big-scale consistent doses within consumables.

Besides, isolate is tasteless and odorless, making it ideal to use as a controlled ingredient.

The main drawback of CBD isolate is that it doesn’t take advantage of the entourage effect?

What is the CBD entourage effect?

The entourage effect refers to the fact that CBD is more effective in combination with other cannabinoids found in the hemp plant.

Including tiny amounts of the psychoactive ingredient (HTC).

All the cannabinoids ingredient found in the hemp plant create a synergistic effect.

In simple terms, CBD is more effective as part of the hemp plant ingredient spectrum, as opposed to a stand-alone isolate.

CBD isolate having a tiny therapeutic window. Resulting in higher doses for the desired effect.

Who will use CBD isolate?

If you want to try CBD but want to avoid THC, isolate might be the solution.

What is Broad Spectrum CBD?

Broad-spectrum contains the complete cannabis plant cannabidiol composition.

But with an exception. It contains zero percent THC (the psychoactive ingredient).

However, broad spectrum CBD will produce a limited “entourage effect”.

Who will use broad spectrum CBD?

It is the best option to stimulate the entourage effect without consuming THC.

What is full spectrum CBD?

Full spectrum CBD contains a maximum of 3 percent THC which is federally legal in the united states.

In states where recreational or medicinal marijuana is legal, the THC level in exact might be higher.

The biggest advantage of full spectrum is its wide therapeutic window, which takes advantage of the entourage effects.

The biggest downside is that is not odor or tasteless. On its own, it comes as cannabis flavor which could be a turnoff.

Who will use full spectrum CBD?

It is the best option for people that are not concerned about drug tests and want the full entourage effects.

Where to buy quality CBD products?

The best option to buy reputable CBD products is directly for the retailer.

However, Amazon does not allow sales of CBD products.

Products on Amazon are advertised as hemp seed oil which is not the same as CBD oil.

You will also find that most of the CBD products on Amazon don’t display the ingredient list of the product.

If a product doesn’t list the active ingredients, it probably doesn’t have CBD.

Finally, you can find some great CBD products from a legal cannabis dispensary.

Armed with this article, you will quickly eliminate the scam snake oil imitations.

Takeaway – Is CBD the same as snake oil?

NO, it is not “snake oil”. However, the market does have plenty of snake oil salesmen.

I have been using CBD for many years. I originally started to use it as an opioid substitute.

It does not remove pain like opioids. However, it helps you relax to deal with the uncomfortableness of the pain. It is not a substitute for pain killers, but it does provide an alternative.

If you are looking more a more natural remedy, CBD is the best option to explore.

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