Ever since as early as the 1960’s and 70’s, attitudes towards recreational cannabis have been shifting. Up until recently, however, the common societal consensus seemed to be that most medical cannabis patients were just looking for an excuse to get high. Almost everyone outside of the spectrum of legitimate medical cannabis patients seemed to believe this misinformation. Thankfully, all of that seemed to have changed recently, with the widespread acceptance of CBD.
Enter CBD. This versatile cannabinoid was a game changer for legitimizing cannabis medicine in at of its glory. Around the time when the parents of epileptic ten year olds could be seen reducing the amount of their children’s weekly seizures by half and in some cases eliminating them entirely, more and more people started to take notice – and started to take CBD-rich cannabis oil medication seriously. When the common viewing public saw on CNN in 2013 how dramatically effective CBD oil was for treating the symptoms of children with pediatric epilepsy, support for medical cannabis had arguably met its tipping point in the U.S.
Once people finally realized, in droves, that cannabis could be used as a medicine and not just to get high, the legal cannabis industry saw major, previously unprecedented growth. With this completely new way for patients to heal themselves came new and innovative products and services on the market. Up until just a couple short years ago, the cannabis plant was viewed almost entirely as an intoxicant because of THC. CBD is not psychoactive and has just as high of a healing potential as that of THC, if not more.
As more and more innovations happen in the industry, and more and more federal, state and local cannabis laws regulations go the way of the dodo bird, cannabis plant medicine looks to only increase its acceptance and use. Due to near century-old cannabis prohibition, scientific study of this incredible plant as been drastically and tragically stifled. With hundreds of active cannabinoids in the cannabis plant, we could very well be only scratching the surface of medical cannabis applications.
What will the future of medical cannabis bring? No one can be certain, but if the last few years are any indicator, age-old stigmas should continue to dissolve – allowing for long-needed research of versatile cannabis plant medicine.
What are your thoughts on this? Did CBD help legitimize medical cannabis, or was it another factor? Let us know in the comments section!
CBD was a major factor in our recognizing that it’s wrong for Cannabis to be grouped with the Schedule 1 drugs. And consequently, wrong to be putting people, mostly black folks, into jail for Cannabis “crimes.”
Cars are a central aspect of our culture, but an NTHSA (National Traffic and Highway Safety Administration) study determined that being high doesn’t correlate with traffic accidents. And an article in the AMA’s Journal of the AMA said that Cannabis use is not correlated to personality disorders.
They really cut into the “Reefer Madness” fallacy.
It all sums up like this to me: even if your Cannabis has THC and you get high, then it might make you feel good. And that’s not a problem.
My concern, the way Cannabis winds its way to legality with Medical Marijuana as a first step, only people who are already sick are allowed to take advantage of its healing effects. (And then, only a narrow selection of illnesses qualify.) For something that will be, one day, on our shopping lists right next to the Vitamins and Minerals, I feel there’s no valid reason that Cannabis shouldn’t be as legal as Vitamin C and forsythia bushes.
Just Legalize It.
CBD and particularly the Charlott’s Web Ted Talk began to change my mind. Then came the information on the Endocannabinoid System and I was hooked. I am a Licensed Clinincal Professional Counselor and certified addictions counselor. I applaud all the tireless efforts of advocates to get factual scientific information out. As healthcare professionals we have been trained to see the addictive potentials of substances. Learning about cannabis as a medicine and possible a preventive for overall wellness is all new and exciting information. It is not a one size fits all substance, but the benefits are many and side effects are fewer than those of prescription medications. It has been fascinating, disheartening, inspriring and angering to learn all the misinformation and it’s damage all for political gain/racism. I am now onboard and ready to advocate for medical and adult use.