Many people might think CBD oil is in trend nowadays but in reality, it was never out of date. Most of us who had never even heard of it before might think that CBD oil is the latest discovery and the latest trend. But, by taking a look at its history, we can see how helpful it has been for people in the past too.
So when and how was CBD discovered? What is its purpose and why are so many people still unaware of its benefits? To take it from the top, let’s take a look at its origin.
CBD is one of the hundreds of cannabinoids, all with various health benefits, found in the hemp plant. Despite being closely related to marijuana, CBD is still not psychoactive. CBD oil is a combination of CBD and only less than 0.3% of THC. THC is a hallucinogenic compound, but with only this much amount in CBD oil, it usually cannot cause any euphoric effect.
To know more about its past and its benefits, let’s take a look at its background.
Hostility Towards CBD.
After its discovery in Taiwan, all of Asia started to benefit from cannabis and its health-related benefits; but the Europeans were still unaware of its medical properties. They only valued its useful fibers, or saw it as a mind-altering drug. However, after the world advanced, and traveling between continents became more common, Europeans started to notice hemp and its cannabinoids. The craze of cannabis started rising in the 19th century after scientists got to the bottom of its herbal remedies, and separated its beneficial compounds from psychoactive ones.
With the rising fame, people also started to find out about its drawbacks and psychotropic properties. They knew that its high potency would increase the negative effects on health, just like cocaine. When cocaine was first extracted from the coca leaf it proved to be a wonderful natural remedy, but it was soon discovered that it was a highly addictive drug.
The earliest cutback on the cultivation of the hemp plant was announced by religions that forbid any form of addiction. Many countries then, including the U.S, banned all types of intoxicants together with alcohol.
After 1933 the U.S finally succumbed, and ceased the restriction on alcohol use. However, cannabis was still on the restricted list. After some while, the marijuana tax act of 1937 allowed the cultivation of hemp plants under extreme restrictions.
The History of CBD and THC.
The good thing was that even during the period of hostility and restrictions, scientists kept looking at the optimistic side of cannabis. They kept separating the useful cannabinoids from harmful ones and continued discovering their effects on wellbeing. At the University of Illinois in 1940, a research team recognized one of the most useful cannabinoids of the hemp plant and named it CBD. In 1964, another scientist discovered the non-intoxicating properties of CBD through an experiment on mice. An Israeli scientist, Dr. Raphael Mechoulam confirmed this discovery and also identified THC as a psychoactive part of the plant. This discovery made on THC made by Mechoulam put further limelight on the negative side of the hemp plant and it was again added to the list of banned drugs.
The Rise of CBD.
For many different reasons, many free-spirited teenagers started to smoke weed. Even though they smoked it to receive a buzz, eventually they too felt some of the health benefits they gained from hemp. Many weed smokers reported ease in pain and anxiety. After noticing the aid from the hemp plant in many health issues, in 1996, California finally legalized the use of cannabis for medical purposes.
After discovering its properties and benefits, scientists wanted to reveal why and how these cannabinoids affect our wellbeing and provide such amazing benefits. And thus, in 1988, at St. Louis University, a discovery was made on our Endocannabinoid system that controls our homeostasis. Homeostasis refers to our internal body self-regulation. It controls and balances many internal factors such as temperature, blood sugar level, mood, memory, immune system, appetite, etc. Scientists discovered that cannabinoids found in the hemp plant affect our ECS by binding with its receptors- CB1 and CB2- and eventually aids in maintaining homeostasis.
In 1986, the U.S validated the use of cannabinoids as a remedy for nausea and appetite loss. In 1998, the UK also approved the GW pharmaceuticals to formulate hemp-based therapies.
The Legal Status of CBD.
In 2018 the FDA approved the making of pure CBD for the treatment of Dravet syndrome. Later that year all hemp-made products were also legalized.
One thing to keep in mind: the use of CBD is only considered legal if it is extracted from hemp- and not from marijuana. Marijuana is considered a cousin plant of hemp, with the same chemical structure as hemp. The reason why the cultivation of marijuana is not legalized yet is that it possesses more psychoactive cannabinoids than hemp.
After this huge step of legalizing CBD, many companies including Smilz, started producing high-quality CBD oil. Shortly thereafter, the CBD market was introduced with three different types of CBD products; CBD isolate, Broad-spectrum, and Full-spectrum CBD products.
Companies also started producing CBD oil in many different shapes and forms such as tinctures, gummies, coffees, and CBD capsules. These products are designed with different strengths and flavors so they perfectly fit everyone's preference.
After taking a look at its history and origin, we can undoubtedly say that hemp has been the most misunderstood plant whose only objective was to aid our mental and psychological issues. Many studies are still going on regarding hemp and its cannabinoids.
Contact-us to know more about CBD And its origin.
