
Is CBD Addictive? Let's Find Out!
CBD’s popularity has grown rapidly due to the benefits associated with it. From water to oil, to chocolate and gummies, CBD is everywhere!
Most people consume CBD to ease anxiety symptoms, relieve sore and aching muscles, and manage epilepsy, among others. Plus, these are the issues and conditions it is mostly advertised for. However, is CBD addictive? Continue reading to find out;
Is CBD Addictive?
Researchers consider the propensity for CBD abuse to be limited. This is because CBD does not generate the “high” linked to THC. A study published in March 2017 analyzed the data from a previous study where the scientists gave several CBD oral dosages to marijuana users, combined with smoked Marijuana. The scientists confirmed that CBD by itself is not addictive. However, research into CBD utilization is still premature.
A study done in 2011 confirmed that CBD has a more decent safety profile than THC. Scientists say that increased doses of CBD of about 1500 Mg each day were well-accepted by the subjects. During this research, CBD did not affect the human subjects’ psychological behaviors, blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperatures.
While THC is addictive and many CBD products have increased THC, the question of whether CBD products such as CBD oil are addictive mostly depends on where the CBD is sourced. CBD alone doesn’t seem to have addiction-related effects since it does not generate intoxicating effects.
According to a study done in 2016 on 31 human subjects, active THC generated significant psychological and physical effects like euphoria and accelerated heart rate. On the other hand, CBD did not alter any psychological or cognitive functions.
So, is CBD addictive? No. Actually, it may even help relieve drug addiction. Initial proof shows that claims that CBD might reduce the risk of having adverse effects after using methamphetamine and cocaine.
Besides, it may also aid in avoiding relapse after sobriety and detoxification. In a 2015 review, the authors confirmed that CBD might also be of significant help treating cannabis and nicotine addictions.
Is CBD Oil Addictive?
CBD sourced from Hemp has untraceable amounts of THC. There are two cannabis plants that yield CBD; Hemp and Marijuana. CBD produced by hemp plants has less than 0.3 % THC, so it should reduce your chances of having cannabis withdrawal symptoms, which might not be the case if you consume CBD with higher THC amounts.
CBD drawn from Marijuana is extracted for the sole purpose of its intoxicating properties. CBD oil derived from Marijuana usually has THC levels of over 0.3 %, which is the federal limit. In case the CBD oil has increased amounts of THC, there are high chances the user will have cannabis withdrawal symptoms in the event the oil was utilized in excess.
While most signs recommend that CBD is not addictive, an individual who consumes increased amounts of CBD every day could experience side effects like inflammation, anxiety, and sleep issues if they withdraw suddenly.
It’s feasible to avoid THC when utilizing CBD products, though the mixture of both yields an entourage effect, promoting therapeutic gains while pacifying negative side effects.
CBD's Role In Fighting Addiction
There is proof indicating that CBD could be handy in fighting THC’s negative effects, like Cannabis withdrawal symptoms. A 2013 report shows that scientists gave CBD to a woman aged 19 years, who also had Cannabis withdrawal syndrome, for ten days, resulting in moderated withdrawal symptoms.
A different study done in 2010 examined 94 cannabis addicts to identify the role of CBD to THC ratios in strengthening drug’s effects. The researchers found that the individuals who smoke frequently have a less attentional predisposition to food and drug stimuli than people who smoked less often.
The scientists concluded that CBD could be used as a treatment for cannabis addiction, and it might be a potential treatment for various dependence disorders.
Furthermore, current research also shows that CBD could help combat addiction to other harmful substances like opioids. A study conducted in 2013 explored the effectiveness of CBD to decrease the use of tobacco cigarettes. They observed 24 smokers and handed 12 of them a CBD inhaler while the rest were given a placebo and instructed to utilize the inhaler once they felt like smoking.
This took place for about seven days, after which those who were given the CBD lessened the cigarettes smoked by 40 %, while the ones given the placebo displayed no difference at all.
Is CBD Safe?
The side effects of using CBD include irritability, tiredness, and nausea. It can also increase Coumadin, a blood thinner, which can increase the levels of specific medications in the blood, similar to how grape juice does.
Another safety concern with CBD is that it is sold as a supplement and not a medication. Presently, the FDA doesn’t regulate dietary supplements. Therefore, you cannot be sure if the product has extra ingredients other than those on the label.
Most brands use CBD isolate for their products, so always make sure to ask for proper lab test reports to ensure the CBD distillate or CBD isolate they use is fully tested and devoid of harmful chemicals or metals before buying.
How To Take CBD
There are different ways to consume CBD depending on the type of product it is. For instance, if it is a gummy, you chew it, and if it is chocolate, you eat it. As for CBD oil, you can add several drops to your food or drinks, and if it is in capsule form, you can swallow it.
Most people usually consume it as a solution with high CBD portions of Hemp combined with about 70% alcohol. Typically, tinctures are measured using a dropper, dropped beneath your tongue, or smeared on your skin as oil or balm; you can as well have your pet consume it.
Besides, if you prefer vaping, you can vape CBD e-juice, which is purposely made for this intent. Vape360 has come out to say that most CBD vape e-juice are created using food-grade content, and consuming them is very safe.
However, they also caution that not all CBD oil is supposed to be vaped since some are designed for oral consumption. Remember that when it comes to safety, most CBD products are not regulated.
The Many Benefits of CBD
CBD is not associated with the “high” effect linked to cannabis use. It may help to treat various medical conditions. Here are some of the benefits of CBD.
Pain Reduction
Most of the attention that CBD gets is because of its ability to reduce or relieve pain. It can reduce small pains such as headaches to bigger issues like arthritis to chronic pain like neuropathic pain associated with multiple sclerosis. If you have an inflammatory condition that causes pain, CBD oil is the perfect solution since it will reduce your pain within a short while.
Potential Drug Dependency Treatment
Drug dependency adversely affects certain brain circuits, which results in you getting addicted to drugs such as morphine and heroin. But is CBD addictive? No. It actually corrects the brain circuits that encourage the addiction leaving your body dependency-free from these drugs.
Lowered Blood Pressure
High BP is among the biggest causes of cardiovascular conditions, cardiac arrests, and strokes. If you start consuming a CBD dose daily, it will reduce the risk of having high blood pressure. This translates to a slimmer chance of having a stroke, cardiac arrest, or heart disease.
Treatment & Prevention of Acne
CBD has anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce sebum production on your skin. Sebum is the natural oil produced by sebaceous glands in the skin. If sebum is generated in excess amounts, it leads to acne forming on your skin’s surface, which is why you get those unpleasant blackheads and spots. However, if you often consume CBD, it reduces sebum production, which will eliminate acne and prevent it from appearing again.
Combatting Insomnia
Insomnia is a sleeping disorder. If you are having trouble sleeping, then CBD could be the way to solve it. This is due to CBD’s ability to lessen anxiety and stress, which results in you staying awake at night.
Potential Anxiety Reduction
While CBD might help reduce anxiety, current studies have shown differing evidence, and scientists need to do more research and trials to confirm these findings.
In a study done in 2019, researchers analyzed the effects of CBD on 72 adults with anxiety. After 30 days of consuming CBD, 79 % of the subjects reported less anxiety. In another study done in 2017, 60 subjects with no history of drug addiction, anxiety, and mental illness were given 900, 300, or 100 mg of CBD or 1 mg of Clonazepam before speaking to a crowd.
Those who consumed 1 mg of Clonazepam had considerably reduced anxiety before and after giving their speech. Those who consumed 900 and 100 mg of CBD were still very anxious. The Clonazepam lowered blood pressure, but CBD had no effect.
Is CBD Addictive: Conclusion
Several CBD manufacturers market their products by giving indefensible claims like CBD can cure cancer, which is not true. Without enough information and proof in human studies, it will be next to impossible to administer accurate doses.
Since CBD is currently in the market as an unregulated supplement, it’s a bit tricky to know what you’re buying. But is CBD addictive? No. While we might not be sure of CBD capabilities, we are sure of one thing, CBD is not addictive.