Healthy without the high
CBD oil becoming popular
CBD oil is gaining popularity as the legalization of marijuana gets closer even though it was never an illegal product.
This is because of the reported health benefits the product has for pain relief, cancer symptoms, fibromyalgia, anxiety and skin ailments.
Pharmacist Graham MacKenzie, owner of Stones Pharmacy in Baddeck, said he has heard of people using it for multiple sclerosis, although at it is unclear if it is effective or not.
“It kind of reminds me when tea tree oil came out — it was good for everything,” he said.
MacKenzie said the typical use for CBD oil is pain-related disorders and he has seen patients benefit from it.
“We do pain compounding in Baddeck (Stones Pharmacy)… and there is something about it. They are getting relief from it.”
CBD or cannabidiol, one of the active ingredients in the marijuana plant, has no psychoactive properties such as THC, another active ingredient in cannabis. This is why it isn’t illegal and can be bought over the counter at Island Hemp or through online companies.
“I take it for pain in my neck and for anxiety. It saved me from having to take prescription narcotics that have a million side effects along with them,” said Tracy Tucker, a married mother of two girls, ages eight and nine.
Tucker, who has chronic pain in her neck due to a car accident two years ago, said she pays about $200 a month for CBD oil but for her it is worth it for the results.
“With CBD you don’t get high and it’s really the best option for someone with children that can’t be impaired or impaired from the effects of pain pills. It also gives me sleep without feeling groggy or foggy when I wake up.”
MacKenzie said some doctors have started prescribing CBD oil instead of anti-anxiety or opioid-based pain medications because CBD oil isn’t addictive or habit forming.
“From what we’ve been educated on we don’t see a huge downside in the CBD,” he said, noting drowsiness seems to be the biggest side effect from taking too much.
But MacKenzie does caution people from using it if they are under the age of 21, without any doctor supervision, or trying other treatments options first.
“We don’t know how it affects the developing brain yet.”