Recreational cannabis users will always stick to strains and products which contain delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), as that is the chemical which induces most of the plant’s psychoactive effects. However, it’s that very mind-altering experience which puts many potential medical users off taking cannabis in the first place.
Those potential users have now got the best of both worlds with cannabidiol (CBD) products – CBD is extracted from either hemp or cannabis and offers many of the therapeutic effects that can be obtained from marijuana, all in a non-psychoactive package.
In this article, we’ll compare CBD with whole-plant cannabis, and reveal five key reasons why you may be better off vaporizing CBD.
CBD causes no mental or physical impairment
While the side effects of THC are mostly short-term, it’s the cognitive and judgmental impairment which makes it unsuitable for many people. Some are simply unwilling to enter an altered state of mind to get their medication, while for others it’s just not practical – maybe they have to look after children or have a job which requires high and sustained levels of concentration.
Whatever the reason, when you vape CBD, you can be certain that it’s not going to have any temporary or long-term adverse effect on your memory, and it won’t impair your decision-making processes. In that sense, CBD is preferable to alcohol, and an increasing number of people are switching away from the booze and to vaping this non-intoxicating compound to help them chill.
CBD is a great standalone treatment for anxiety
There is a curious relationship between cannabis and anxiety – the herb is the ultimate panacea for some who suffer from the condition, but an awful aggravator of it for others. Researchers don’t fully understand the causes of anxiety, so it’s perfectly feasible that a psychoactive chemical can have an unpredictable impact on those with the disorder.
CBD, however, is much more reliable. For starters, the lack of mind-altering effects means no nasty surprises and bouts of paranoia and anxiety mid-trip. Studies have also shown that isolated CBD produces some potent anxiolytic effects. These come from indirectly raising levels of the GABA neurotransmitter and interacting with the serotonin 1A receptor.
Vaporizing a potent e-liquid from Koi CBD is a great way of getting a large dose of CBD into the body and active in a short space of time – just what is needed to deal with the acute symptoms of anxiety.
Vaping CBD produces a potent analgesic effect
Although further studies are necessary to determine the precise mechanisms in which cannabinoids alleviate pain, the research available indicates that CBD can provide pain relief on its own, and that patients don’t have to subject themselves to THC. The analgesic properties of CBD and THC come from how the cannabinoids affect the CB1 receptor in the endocannabinoid system – however, the ways they influence this receptor are very different.
THC is a partial agonist of the CB1 receptor, and reduces pain perception – essentially, the compound distracts the body from pain. CBD is an antagonist of the receptor, but by increasing the concentration of available anandamide in the body by inhibiting the FAAH enzyme, CBD ensures that more of this endocannabinoid can bind to the receptor and reduce pain.
CB1 receptors, and vanilloid receptors which are implicated in pain and activated by anandamide, are found in the skin – CBD creams, gels and ointments are excellent for administering localized pain relief.
CBD is safe for those predisposed to mental illness
Further to the unpredictability of THC, those predisposed to psychosis and schizophrenia are at risk of having their conditions triggered by the chemical. If you’re in this camp, it’s just not a chance worth taking now there is a non-psychoactive alternative. In fact, there is preliminary evidence that CBD has antipsychotic properties which can help to treat those conditions – this is down to how CBD suppresses the binding affinity of the CB1 receptor.
Hemp-derived CBD vape juice is legal everywhere
Unless you live in a state where recreational cannabis is legal, or you can access medical cannabis, it’s not possible to legally get hold of the herb. However, hemp-based CBD products which have no more than 0.3% THC are exempt from the cannabis ban and can be bought and sold all over the United States. These can be purchased in health stores, grocery stores or online. It’s simply not worth going against the law to get hold of THC, when in the majority of cases, CBD can do the trick.
