Health: Is cannabis-based oil CBD legal? Sorting fact from fiction

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Fitness & Health

Published on Monday, 30 September 2019 12:17

Last Updated on 30 September 2019

Carolina Kon

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I attended a health conference at the lovely Ivy restaurant in Central London recently where experts shed some light into CBD also known as Cannabidiol, sorting fact from fiction. 

In recent months, in a way or another, we have all heard about the term CBD oil, but is the meaning clear to us? Well, I have to say that the event did open my eyes as I did not have very clear thoughts about CBD oil.

Thanks to some professionals and especially to one of the speaker and representing Dragonfly CBD Mr Jon Connolly, I learnt about the reasoning behind the making of this oil. 

What is CBD oil and what is its function?

CBD is ‘one of 113 naturally occurring compounds found in the cannabis sativa plant. Unlike THC, CBD has no psychoactive properties and is authorised for sale over the counter as a food supplement’. Therefore CBD is a perfectly natural substance which, used in an oil form, can actually be as helpful and has been confirmed by the World Anti-Doping Organisation to be safe and not prohibited and as such, CBD can be compared to a range of vitamins that many of us are actually taking on a daily basis.

Is CBD the same as cannabis?

CBD is one of 104 chemical compounds, known as cannabinoids, that can be found in the cannabis plant. It’s a naturally occurring substance, which can be extracted and mixed with a carrier oil – often hemp seed or coconut – to create CBD oil.

Unlike the most well-known cannabinoid, tetrahydrocannabidiol (THC), CBD is not psychoactive, meaning that it won’t make you ‘high’ – the sensation most commonly associated with cannabis. It is, however, reported to offer a range of health and medicinal benefits – the reason behind its growing acclaim.

 

During the event, we were informed of how Dragonfly make the CBD oil. It was very interesting to hear about everything that goes into the oil becoming such a safe ingredient for people from the age of 18 upwards.

We learnt that in order for the CBD oil to be safe, the process is lengthy and consistent and, as they put it, ‘they carefully craft its CBD, controlling the process from seed to shelf, ensuring consistent high quality and traceability’. In fact, every BCD oil container has a unique barcode at the bottom of the packet and you can go on their website and check all the information relevant to every particular batch. I would say that this is super clarity and its really welcoming from a customer point of view.

Why use CBD oil?

There are many reasons to use this oil, but research and evidence has shown that it could help by using a few drops under onc’s tongue to help relief with pain, anxiety, sleep deprivation, depression and stress.

CBD is an emerging science, therefore hopefully in time we will have more information about the oil with regards to maybe more  distressful illnesses and the help people could gain from using it.

CBD oil is a food product and as such no medical license is needed as it doesn’t promote a medicine, but it’s used as an alternative to aid in the relieve of pain for certain symptoms that may occur to anyone at any point in life.

Is CBD oil legal?

There has been a fair amount of confusion surrounding the legality of CBD oil. But while the vast majority of cannabinoids are controlled substances under the Misuse of Drugs Act, rest assured that CBD oil is legal across the UK for medicinal purposes, provided it has been derived from an industrial hemp strain that is EU-approved. These strains contain very little to no THC (the psychoactive cannabinoid).

There are strict restrictions in place with regard to CBD oil’s THC content: for CBD oil to be legal in the UK, it must contain no more than 0.2 per cent THC, and the THC must not be easily separated from it.

How do you take CBD oil?

CBD oil is most readily available as a tincture. This can be taken by applying a few drops under your tongue, holding in your mouth for a few moments so it can be absorbed, before swallowing. It can also be added to water or smoothies. A spray form is available (simply spritz under your tongue), as are capsules, gummies, creams that can be applied topically, and e-liquid for vape pens.

When it comes to dosage, guidelines state you should start with the smallest possible dose – its effects should be immediate, so you will be able to tell if the lower dosage is working for you. However, it’s always best to consult your doctor before trialling any new medication or remedy.

I for one will be trialling the Dragonfly CBD oil, when required and I look forward to using a more natural approach in the healing process. Our editor Monica Costa tried it for a week to improve her sleep quality. Her Garmin tracker confirmed that her deep sleep improved by 30% during the days she used CBD. Not bad at all!