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Is CBD Oil The Next ‘Mother’s Little Helper’?

In 1966 The Rolling Stones released its then-controversial hit, “Mother’s Little Helper”, which proclaimed, “Kids are different today / I hear ev’ry mother say / Mother needs something today to calm her down.” In the song the solution is a “little yellow pill,” but today’s much safer alternative to address the anxiety brought on by the stresses of motherhood may be legal CBD oil.

Cannabis is often used as a stress-reliever and anti-anxiety treatment, but it still comes with a “high.” CBD oil, because it does not contain significant amounts of THC, provides the same benefit but without the high. With the 2018 Farm Bill including amendments that legalize the production of industrial hemp from which CBD oil is derived, there is growing interest in its use and potential benefits.

As is often the case, “further studies are needed” as is pointed out in an NPR article, but there is plenty of preliminary and anecdotal evidence to support the anti-anxiety and stress-relieving properties of CBD, pointing to one 2011 study of people with social anxiety disorder, which reported that people who took CBD oil reported less anxiety compared to others who took a placebo.

Use in pediatric anxiety

Because CBD does not induce the “high” found in cannabis, it has a much wider range of uses. It’s available in a range of products, from CBD tinctures and edibles to CBD bath salt and self-care products. In a National Institutes of Health report, anxiety and sleep disorders resulting from post-traumatic stress disorder were present in a ten-year-old girl who had been abused. In the case study, traditional pharmaceutical medications were tried first, but only provided partial and temporary relief and came with significant side effects. Cannabidiol oil (CBD) was administered, and the results were positive, resulting in decreased anxiety and a sustained improvement in the quality and quantity of the patient’s sleep.

The report is cautious in noting that “CBD is not medical marijuana and should be distinguished from high-grade CBD strains of medical marijuana, which do contain THC.” Minors should certainly not be administered THC, not only because of the possible legal repercussions (even in a state where medical marijuana is legal, it is age-restricted), but because studies have shown that THC can have a negative effect on the still-developing adolescent brain. The main finding of the study though, is that “CBD oil can be an effective compound to reduce anxiety and insomnia secondary to PTSD.”

The benefit of the Farm Bill hemp legalization

CBD oil, until now, has been in a legal grey area and mostly unregulated, with some of the oils on the market containing inconsistent percentages of CBD and even other toxic ingredients. As a result, benefits have been inconsistent. A 2017 study showed that 43 percent of CBD products contained too little CBD, and 26 percent contained too much. With legalization comes FDA oversight, and with FDA oversight will come a more consistent product with measured doses and quality control over purity.

With the new Farm Bill amendment, large corporations and startup entrepreneurs alike are rushing to fill the gap, preparing to provide the public with CBD oil products that are safe and regulated. Purchasing CBD oil from an online vendor with a strong reputation such as Nug Republic is a positive step in ensuring that your product will be pure, consistent and safe.

Assuming a pure product, studies have shown CBD to be safe. A National Institutes of Health study confirms the favorable safety profile of CBD, showing that when used for conditions including epilepsy and psychotic disorders, CBD offered a much better side effect profile.

Anxiety and depression are serious problems, often treated with pharmaceuticals that carry serious side effects, and according to the World Health Organization, depression is the largest contributor to disability around the world, with anxiety disorders ranked as sixth largest. CBD is the most promising treatment for these disorders, delivering a treatment that is effective, carries fewer side effects and allows those suffering from anxiety to live a normal life.