Cannabidiol or CBD is the main non-psychoactive compound found in cannabis plants that have generated a significant buzz of late owing to its purported health benefits. The market for hemp-derived CBD products has witnessed the emergence and proliferation of innovative products, leading to the implementation of legislation, which has generated considerable confusion. Though the federal government still lists cannabis as a Schedule I drug, Washington D.C. and 33 US states have legalized marijuana for recreation and medical use to some extent.
However, recent amendments in federal laws relating to cannabis have taken hemp and hemp-based CBD products out of the ambit of legalization. So, technically speaking, the cultivation of hemp and marketing of hemp-based products is now legal in all the 50 US states. Putting things in perspective, CBD and all CBD-based products have ignited unprecedented interest in consumers, the misleading legalese surrounding hemp notwithstanding.
The perception of the adult US population in general and the opinions of the CBD consumers, in particular, have hugely evolved over the years. While nearly 46% of US adults believed that marijuana should be legalized further, about 8% did not back the idea. Nevertheless, almost 50% of the adult populace, by and large, agreed that cannabis should be made more accessible for both therapeutic and recreational purposes.
How popular is CBD with consumers?
If you are somebody who has even an inkling of CBD and its touted benefits, then you might be aware that cannabidiol is now easily accessible both online and offline. You’ll come across hemp-based CBD products in drugstores, convenience stores, and wellness care retail outlets as well as in e-commerce platforms. Major producers and retailers all over the US promote a mind-boggling range of CBD products, including but not limited to edibles, beverages, healthcare, self-care, and beauty products.
Consumer Reports, a US-based nonprofit establishment that focuses on consumer-based research and impartial product testing, surveyed over 4,000 Americans and found that over a fourth of the US population has sampled CBD. Numerically speaking, nearly 64 million Americans have experimented with CBD or at least one CBD-based item in the past two years. One out of every seven of the total number of respondents iterated that they used CBD daily.
Americans, starting from adolescents to septuagenarians and octogenarians, have some experience of using CBD. The survey also indicated that CBD consumption was most prevalent in individuals in their twenties, as 40% of them said they had used CBD.
The benefits that customers are enjoying from consuming CBD products
The majority of those participating in the Consumer Reports survey reported that CBD consumption led to specific health benefits.
Anxiety & Depression
For instance, recurrent CBD use greatly benefited those participants who suffered from anxiety or depression and hence had abnormal stress levels. Interestingly enough, CBD consumption enabled them to steer clear of prescription drugs or OTC medicines, including opiates and opioids.
CBD, which is sold in a myriad of varieties including pills, topical lotions, tinctures, edibles, and oils, has several health benefits. Brightfield Group, a market research agency dedicated to cannabis, estimates that the market for hemp-derived CBD will burgeon to $22 billion by 2022. Several types of research and studies on CBD have indicated that the compound may have some influence on the human endocannabinoid system.
Anti-inflammatory & Antioxidant Attributes
How CBD interacts with our body’s endocannabinoid system’s receptors might affect our feelings and emotions. A good number of medical researchers and scientists are strongly of the opinion that CBD’s interplay with our inherent endocannabinoid system also impinges on our circadian rhythm.
If current studies and trials are to be believed, then humans can reap maximum benefits from CBD’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant attributes. That said, periodic use of CBD could go a long way in alleviating anxiety levels, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), and epileptic seizures. At the same time, individuals beset with hip, knee, and ankle joint issues can expect to get effective relief from sustained CBD use.
Body Pain
Regular use of CBD in any form also could help individuals deal with backaches, headaches, inflammation, and so on. Consumption of CBD could help improve one’s appetite and stimulate a craving for munchies as well as could help tackle sleeplessness. One good thing about taking CBD is that you may hardly experience any side-effects.
Nearly three-fourths who took part in the survey told that they did not experience any side effects after consuming CBD.
Conclusion
Taking into account the bewildering legal status of hemp-derived CBD, cannabis users, especially medical marijuana users, feel that the federal government and also their respective state governments should take effective measures to make CBD more accessible.
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/cbd-has-the-potential-to-harm-you-fda-warns-consumers-2019-11-25
https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/what-you-need-know-and-what-were-working-find-out-about-products-containing-cannabis-or-cannabis
https://www.aaaa.org/u-s-consumers-think-about-cbd-infused-products/
https://www.consumerreports.org/cbd/cbd-goes-mainstream/
https://storebrands.com/consumers-confused-about-cbd-survey-finds