Are CBD Wellness Products Addictive?

CBD oil, creams, makeup, chocolates, mints…CBD everywhere! CBD has become a trendy ingredient that somehow elevates a product into something buzzworthy. The past year saw an influx of CBD products in the market. Even Kim Kardashian recently hosted a CBD-themed baby shower complete with a variety of infused products to relax her guests. When one of the biggest celebrities in the world is shown using CBD, this is a definite sign that CBD is on its way to go mainstream. According to business analysts, the CBD market is not just a temporary fad. In fact, it is expected to grow into a multi-billion dollar market in just a few years.

If you are not familiar with this substance, it is easy to assume that it is just another hyped up ingredient of the moment just like coconut oil and collagen. Then, after discovering what CBD stands for, you’ll probably do a double take and ask… isn’t that marijuana? The natural follow-up question will be whether these products can be addictive or not.

CBD vs THC

The term CBD stands for cannabidiol, a compound that can be found in the Cannabis sativa plant. While there are more than 100 cannabinoid compounds found in the plant, CBD is one of the primary ones along with tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. The main difference between these two compounds is that CBD is not psychoactive like THC. This means it does not give you that euphoric high.

There are many different types of Cannabis plants, often referred to as strains. Some strains have higher THC content such as marijuana, while some have lower THC and higher CBD content like hemp. There are now many people cultivating plants with high CBD and low CBD ratio, mainly used to gain the benefits of CBD without the anxiety-inducing and mind-altering effects of THC.

Pure CBD has been generally recognized as a safe compound that can offer many health benefits, including treatment for serious illnesses such as epilepsy. Interestingly, CBD has also been found to have a high safety profile compared to other common over-the-counter medications like aspirin.

Here are some of the reported benefits of CBD:

• Relieve anxiety, panic disorder, PTSD and other mental illnesses
• Counter depression
• Help ease chronic pain
• Promote better sleep
• Treat skin issues like wrinkles, acne, skin aging, and melasma
• Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant
• Lower blood pressure
• Help in treating diabetes, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Crohn’s disease

Another supposed benefit of CBD is its role in treating opioid or heroin addictions. There were testimonials from people saying that using CBD has helped them in overcoming their substance abuse struggles.

Is CBD addictive?

There are now many different ways people can take CBD. You can use it orally by consuming the product or by taking a CBD tincture, oil, or edibles like gummy candies and chocolates. There are also liquids that can be vaporized and inhaled. Of course, you can also apply it on your skin using the numerous cosmetic products available now. You may be wondering however whether using CBD products regularly can be addicting. The simple answer is NO. The World Health Organization supports this saying that CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential in humans and that to date, there is no evidence that use of pure CBD has been associated with any health problem,

Does this mean that all the CBD products in the market are safe? The answer to that question is also a NO. The grim reality is that the quality of the CBD product you are buying will depend on the manufacturer. This is because the mislabeling of CBD products have been found to be very rampant. In fact, a 2017 research published on the Journal of the American Medical Association found that upon testing 84 CBD products sold online, 70% of these tested products were inaccurately labeled. There were many products not containing the amount of CBD their labels claimed, while some did not contain CBD at all. What’s worse is that there were also products with high THC content and other dangerous contaminants. You may think that you’re eating a CBD infused candy, not knowing that it is actually a marijuana edible with very high amounts of THC compounds.

As of writing, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved any CBD product available in the market. The FDA has only approved one cannabis-derived and three cannabis-related drug products, which are all available only with a prescription. All the CBD products you’re seeing online have not been approved and tested by the FDA. This means that while pure CBD is safe, there’s really no guarantee whether you’re really getting CBD in the products that you are buying. This can be dangerous especially if you’re using CBD to treat a serious condition, including overcoming opioid or heroin addiction.

If you or a loved one is struggling with substance abuse, it is best to seek professional help. There are specialized treatment programs that can help you.

Contact Anaheim Lighthouse today.