CBD Oil (or Cannabis Oil) is the concentrated liquid form of Cannabidiol. The liquid is heated, then inhaled via a vape pen, E-cigarette, or vaporizer.
Is Vaping CBD Oil Safe?
The first part of the question asks if vaping CBD Oil is safe? Today, we’re seeing CBD Oil becoming more and more popular in the area of fitness and health. Good quality CBD vape oils are non-toxic, nicotine-free, and contain no addictive or psychoactive chemicals. CBD itself is non-addictive, it has not been linked to any severe side effects, and is not known to have a negative influence on behaviour or the mind.
Will Vaping CBD Oil Get You High?
The second part of the question asks if vaping CBD Oil will get you high? The short answer is – no, it won’t! Because there are no psychoactive properties in CBD Oil and because it contains a mere 0.2 percent THC (psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol) you can’t use CBD oil to get high. CBD Oil is actually made from hemp, which is a cannabis strain containing almost no THC. If you wanted to get high you would need a vape liquid that contains the compound THC, but this is not a legal product in the UK.
Vape Oil has been designed specifically for use with a vape pen or similar instrument, producing a thick vapour that’s inhaled into the lungs. The effect is immediate; quickly delivering the benefits of CBD to your bloodstream. Therefore, if you’re looking for a CBD product that has an immediate effect, you might want to consider this option. Today, CBD vape oil is being used to control pain, sudden bouts of anxiety, and other conditions that occur without warning.
What is CBD Oil?
CBD stands for Cannabidiol, which is an extraction from the flowers, stems and leaves of a plant known as Cannabis Sativa. CBD Oil utilizes this extraction, then adds other natural cannabinoids and terpenes like Linalool, Limonene, Mercene, and Humulene. CBD is just one of approximately 113 active cannabinoids found in cannabis plants and, in abundance, is second only to the amount of THC within these plants, making up 40% of the plant. While CBD is possibly the most familiar cannabinoids, you may have also heard of cannabinol (CBN), cannabichromene (CBC), and of course tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
The two main types of cannabinoids are Phytocannabinoids and Endocannabinoids. Phytocannabinoids (the Greek word for plant) come from the cannabis plant, while Endocannabinoids (a Greek prefix meaning ‘within’) are within our bodies. Endocannabinoids help keep our bodies balanced and regulated by cooling us down if we’re too hot, sending thirst or hunger signals if we’re running low on liquid, blood-sugar, or fuel, and regulating our heartbeat if we’re stressed. Maintaining a constant internal environment is known as homoeostasis, and the body achieves this through the endocannabinoid system via a series of checks and balances.
The Endocannabinoid System
The Endocannabinoid System is a series of receptors that interact with cannabinoids like THC and CBD. This system is the catalyst behind most of the benefits of CBD. Endocannabinoids help maintain our level of health: the natural balance of our body is disrupted when we have either too little or too much of something, and this is when we experience health problems. Phytocannabinoids like CBD can help restore this balance.
Throughout the body’s nervous and immune systems there are a series of cannabinoid receptors within the endocannabinoid system, which receive chemical signals and, in turn, produce a form of tissue/cellular response. Signals are received by the receptor, which is a protein molecule located on the cell’s surface, and receptors are only able to receive and respond to chemical signals if they can ‘bind’. Binding only occurs when they’re a perfect match. Cannabinoid receptors can be activated, and bind to, the already-present endocannabinoids in our body, or they can bind to external cannabinoids like THC and CBD. This means that, when you invite these plant compounds into your body, you’re allowing them to directly affect areas controlled by the endocannabinoid system.
What is CBD Oil Used For?
The third part of the puzzle is: What is CBD Oil used for? It’s now widely accepted in the UK that CBD Oil can assist in restoring homeostasis within the body by assisting with a number of ailments, from anxiety, disrupted sleep, chronic pain, acne, eczema, arthritis, and so much more.
Celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Michael J Fox, Olivia Wilde, Alessandra Ambrosio, Olivia Newton John, Whoopi Goldberg, and Gwyneth Paltrow are all avid believers in the healing powers of CBD Oil. Even Queen Victoria used a cannabis treatment to relieve menstrual pain!
Some of the more widely-known benefits of using CBD oil include:
- Combating stress by maintaining cortisol levels, thus controlling how your brain reacts to stress signals;
- Tackling inflammatory conditions like bacterial infections and arthritis by managing pain perception: this happens when CBD Oil stimulates production of regulator cells and suppresses inflammatory pathways and response;
- Reducing seizures by stopping brain overload: the excitatory nerve activity slows down, thus subduing the brain’s response to intensified signals;
- Supporting healthy hair and skin growth;
- Controlling vomiting, nausea, tiredness, and other symptoms associated with cancer treatments;
- Reducing depression and anxiety by controlling serotonin levels in the brain;
- Utilising its antipsychotic effects to reduce adverse reactions caused by disorders like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia;
- Treating epilepsy, including reducing the severity and frequency of seizures; and
- Helping those who are trying to quit smoking by weaning them off their nicotine addiction.
More on the Benefits of CBD Oil
CBD oil has been gaining popularity in recent years due to a number of studies showing its potential health benefits. Here is some additional information on the main benefits of CBD oil and some of the research behind the claims:
Pain Relief
- Several studies have shown that CBD can help reduce chronic pain from conditions like arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and neuropathy. One study found CBD reduced pain and inflammation in mice with arthritis.
- CBD is believed to interact with receptors in the brain and immune system to reduce inflammation and interact with neurotransmitters to reduce perception of pain.
Reducing Anxiety and Depression
- Research has shown CBD can reduce symptoms associated with anxiety disorders like generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as depression.
- One 2011 study showed CBD was able to reduce social anxiety associated with public speaking. Brain scans showed changes in blood flow to areas of the brain linked to anxiety.
Neuroprotective Properties
- There is evidence that CBD has neuroprotective properties, meaning it can protect brain cells from damage and degeneration. This could make CBD useful for treating neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
- One study found that CBD was able to prevent abnormalities associated with Alzheimer’s disease in human cell samples.
Heart Health
- Research shows CBD can benefit heart health in various ways, like reducing blood pressure and preventing heart damage from diabetes.
- A 2017 study demonstrated CBD reduced resting blood pressure and blood pressure increases due to stress, which could reduce risk of heart disease.
The research into the health benefits of CBD oil is still emerging but the evidence so far points to a number of promising medical applications. As with any supplement, it’s recommended to talk to your doctor before taking CBD oil to understand if it’s right for your individual health needs and whether it could interact with any medications you are taking.
Important Information About CBD Oil in the UK
- Even though CBD Oil is legal in the UK, it must conform to certain criteria. It must contain less than 0.2 percent THC and it must come from an EU-approved strain of industrial hemp.
- The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency ruled in 2016 that products ‘are a medicine’ if they contain CBD Oil and are used for medical purposes;
- Cannabis Oil is illegal in the UK due to its high concentration of THC. However, specialist clinicians are permitted to prescribe medicinal cannabis products;
- A product known as Sativex has approval to treat multiple sclerosis: Sativex consists of 50% THC.
- This category of drugs is currently being tested in an Alzheimer’s trial, in addition to clinical trials for use in patients with glaucoma, cancer pain, and people with AIDS or HIV experiencing appetite loss.
Photo Credit: “Vape” by Anthony Cunningham for Zoom Testing
Zoom Testing is a leading UK drug testing company and a supplier of Drug Test Kits.
