When the 2018 Farm Bill was signed by the Trump administration, CBD, in a sense was legalized throughout the country. While some states still impose a degree of restrictions towards the sale of CBD products, it’s safe to say that the boom in this new industry took a lot of parties off guard. 

In fact, the CBD market is still growing and is set to reach sales worth $23.7 billion by 2023, from $620 million in 2018. This is a whopping CAGR of 107% 

What makes CBD controversial stems from both its source, illicit history, and unclear scientific findings. CBD loyalists swear by the health benefits they’ve reaped from consuming CBD while others are either on the fence or remain completely skeptical.

In this article, we’ll take a look into how CBD is used and the evidence available that support these claims.

What’s on the shelves

In just a span of two years, CBD has developed fast. From ointments, chapsticks, to gums, it seems like there is a solution for the various needs of  application. CBD oil costs between $0.05-0.25 per milligram which make it seem like an affordable form of alternative medicine. 

How it’s used

Tinctures and oils

CBD oils and tinctures are perhaps the most common way of application. Using the provided dropper, CBD users would allow the product to be absorbed under the tongue. This is a sublingual method and is said to work faster than consuming it through the digestive tract. 

Due to the speed of its absorption through the mucous membrane, the users who would benefit from this the most could be those that are using CBD as a way to calm anxiety and alleviate the mood. According to a small study in Brazil, men who were treated with 300mg of CBD had a  reduction in anxiety prior to a public speaking test.

When it comes to the treatment of depression, a 2018 review found that CBD induced anti-depressant activities in animal models. This is associated with how the brain responds to the serotonin in our bodies. However, there isn’t any present evidence to show that CBD can be a replacement for conventional depression medication.

Topical creams

Besides the claims of alleviating mood, CBD has shown to reduce chronic pain and inflammation. According to the CDC, one in five Americans suffers from chronic pain. Seeing the stigma around long-term use of painkillers, it’s no surprise that many are looking for “natural alternatives”. Those on a budget can get a coupon here to save some money on what can be a somewhat costly product and get started on their CBD journey sooner. 

A study in 2015 on rats found that swelling (which usually indicates inflammation) was greatly reduced when gel-based CBD was applied. This is promising in humans, especially for those who suffer from autoimmune diseases like arthritis.

CBD creams are also common in the skincare industry. Skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis are the results of inflammation. While more studies need to be conducted, it has been shown that applying CBD before bed helped to reduce itchiness in people with atopic dermatitis, thus improving sleep quality.

Edibles

For those that want a little fun with CBD, edibles offer a great way to consume CBD while masking the marijuana-ish flavor which can be a turnoff for some. They come in CBD gummies, mints, and even chocolate. 

However, consuming CBD this way may reduce the effectiveness of the product. This is because CBD has to be broken down in the digestive tract. It will take a while before the product kicks in (2-3 hours), in which you’ll only absorb 20-30% of it.