If you’re seeing these three letters on products ranging from capsules to cappuccinos, along with enticing claims that CBD relieves stress, chronic pain, and more, you may wonder whether this new health craze is for real.
You might also wonder why some CBD products are labeled with what looks like a marijuana leaf. Here’s what you need to know before you try it.
1It’s not the same thing as medical marijuana. CBD is short for cannabidiol, which is found in cannabis plants. Most of the CBD products for sale nationwide are made from hemp, a type of cannabis that is a botanical cousin to marijuana. CBD won’t make you high—tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the substance that does that, and there is very little if any of it in hemp. (The maximum amount of THC legally allowed in CBD products is 0.3 percent.)
2 Legal restrictions are fading but not gone. The 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp from the list of banned substances, where it had lived alongside marijuana since the 1970s. (Hemp can also be turned into paper, clothes, and more.) But in Idaho, Nebraska, and South Dakota, CBD is still outlawed. And in states where marijuana is legal for medicinal or recreational use, CBD products can be made from marijuana and might therefore contain more than the legal limit of THC. Those products can’t be carried or shipped across state lines, says the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
3 It’s taking surprising forms. CBD is commonly sold as a liquid, or tincture, that you place under your tongue. You can also smoke it via a vape pen with cartridges containing CBD oil, or buy pills and topical creams. Other CBD-infused products include bath bombs, ice cream, cocktails, and coffee. Total sales are estimated to top $1 billion by 2020.
This story is from the July - August 2019 edition of Reader's Digest US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July - August 2019 edition of Reader's Digest US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Cookies for Forgiveness
My blowup was half-baked. The apology wasn't
Puff the Magic Pastry
It always rises to the occasion
New Year's Traditions Around the World
1 MOST OF US spend the final seconds of each calendar year watching a nearly 12,000-pound geodesic sphere descend over Times Square in New York City.
Mom's Wall-Sign Wisdom
She never met a plaque or bumper sticker she didn't quote
Protect Your 'Holiday Heart'
This joyful time of year can also be dangerously stressful
Heroes of the Holidays
It's not just Santa Claus bringing the holiday magic this season. As you'll see, he's got elves all over.
The Man Who Looks After His Wife's Ex
For him and his bride, \"in sickness and in health\" meant something really special
How Risky Are Those Holiday Cocktails, Really?
The latest recommendations about drinking and your health
HOW ONE KENTUCKY TOWN SAVED ITSELF
Downtown Hazard had lost its small-town mojo to drugs. Former addicts are helping to bring it back.
Dream It, Do It, Done!
Your bucket-list goals, accomplished