A Word of Caution About Over the Counter CBD
Quite often we get inquiries from people who tried over the counter CBD, and they tell us "it didn't really work."
CBD purchased over the counter must be a quality brand. The problem is finding a quality brand of CBD. Too often CBD is not tested for purity, or the level of CBD listed on the label, and what is in the bottle, are two different things.
Scientific studies have established that CBD and THC interact synergistically to enhance each other’s therapeutic effects. British researchers have shown that CBD potentiates THC’s anti-inflammatory properties in an animal model of colitis. Scientists at the California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco determined that a combination of CBD and THC has a more potent anti-tumor effect than either compound alone when tested on brain cancer and breast cancer cell lines. And extensive clinical research has demonstrated that CBD combined with THC is more beneficial for neuropathic pain than either compound as a single molecule.
When you get certified by a medical marijuana doctor you can purchase tested CBD from Florida dispensaries that does have THC, (the psychoactive compound).
All CBD products from licensed Florida medical marijuana dispensaries are tested for contaminants. They are also tested for levels of compounds, which is important to maintain a consistent dose. The products are also labeled accurately which has been an ongoing problem with over the counter CBD products. When buying CBD from licensed dispensaries you can trust that you are actually getting what you paid for AND the components that activate each other are present, unlike over the counter products that often use "isolates". Isolates are exactly what the term means. The compound is isolated from the other compounds and you therefore are ONLY getting ONE compound out of hundreds that are proven to improve the effectiveness.
Hemp Flower aka CBD Bud is another option. Hemp flower is grown for it's CBD and very low amounts of THC. The THC is present to activate the CBD. The terpenes and other compounds are still present. Similar to the recommendation that whole foods are better than processed foods. This is the thinking when it comes to dry bud vs. oil extracts made from isolates, or synthetic compounds. You can make your own gummies, edibles and can also VAPE flower (bud) whether it is marijuana flower (bud) which is higher in THC, or hemp flower (bud) which is higher in CBD.
If you are opposed to smoking, you should be aware that there was a study conducted by Dr. Donald Tashkin of UCLA who found that smoked marijuana appeared to provide a protective effect against lung cancer. The study used heavy marijuana smokers, heavy tobacco smokers, people who smoked both, and non-smokers. To read more about the study in Scientific American click here.