CBD is incredibly popular at the moment, you can’t go anywhere, either in real life or virtually online, without seeing an advert for CBD oil, or hearing somebody talk about how CBD has changed their life.

You may think that CBD has only been around for a few years, as it was barely spoken about before then, but actually, CBD was discovered almost a hundred years ago, and research has continued since then.

Let’s have a look at the history of CBD, and some of the things you might now know about the history of this useful chemical.

 

Cannabis Use Goes Back Thousands Of Years

Using cannabis as medication goes back a surprisingly long way into human history.

In fact, the earliest knowledge we have of it being used was in 2737BC when it was used in China by the emperor Sheng Nung used it to help with the chronic pain from rheumatoid arthritis and gout, by drinking it in tea form.

It is also believed he used it to help keep his memory sharp.

In more recent history, it is thought that Queen Victoria used marijuana to help give her some relief from month menstrual cramps.

In 1839, an Irish doctor and medical researcher, William O’Shaughnessy, released a scientific paper that was originally very controversial.

He found that cannabis could be used in a medical setting, and listed many potential uses in the medical field, and focused heavily on using it as an anesthetic. This study was the start of scientific research into its uses.

The Discovery Of Cannabinoids

Cannabinoids are the compounds that can be derived from the marijuana plant, and used in various ways.

In 1940 a British chemist called Robert Cahn made the first partial discovery of a cannabinoid, which is called Cannabinol, or CBN.

Building on his research, an American chemist called Roger Adams discovered two cannabinoids in 1942. These were cannabidiol - CBD and Tetrahydrocannabinol -THC.

These early discoveries of the different cannabinoids were groundbreaking, but for some time, scientists were not able to isolate which one caused which effect in people taking them

In 1964, Dr. Raphael Mechoulam was able to show that THC was the psychoactive compound of marijuana, and the CBD did not have these same ‘high’ effects.

Research continued in this field, mainly led by Dr Mechoulam, and during the 1980s turned their research towards how CBD could help people suffering from epilptic seizures.

The study was quite small and consisted of just eight participants. It lasted for four months, and during that time the subjects were all given a daily dose of CBD. By the end of the study, four of the participants had stopped having seizures, whilst the other half had seen a marked reduction in seizure frequency.

However, at this time, marijuana use was extremely stigmatized by the public, and so the study was sadly not seen for the breakthrough it was.

The study was not in vain though, and more scientists would go on to continue Dr. Mechoulam’s work and discover more therapeutic uses for CBD.

Luckily, cannabis and CBD is not nearly as frowned upon, and can be purchased widely, at sites like Hide and Seek CBD

The Legalisation Of Marijuana

In America, California was the first state to legalize medical marijuana, and more started to follow over the next few years. Gradually, medical marijuana and CBD became legal in many different countries worldwide.

Because medical marijuana became legal, and therefore more used by patients for various issues, scientists had the perfect opportunity to study how CBD could help different medical problems.

At first, their study focused mainly on epilepsy, various illnesses of the brain such as Multiple Sclerosis, and on using it for chronic pain. Over the years, this expanded into other uses such as for anxiety, and it is now even used in beauty products.

The Uses Of CBD

Studies continue in the different areas that CBD could help, and in terms of scientific research, we are still in the very early years.

The most common uses for CBD are in the use of reducing seizures, and also in helping with anxiety.

There are many good reports of CBD helping those who suffer from seizures, with many seeing a great reduction in their frequency, although it doesn’t help everyone.

CBD seems to aid the receptors in the brain to take up more serotonin, which is responsible for making us feel happy, and in this way can help with anxiety and depressive ailments.

CBD is also often used to treat sleep disorders and insomnia, chronic pain, acute pain, stress, and memory issues, to name just a few.

If you decide to use CBD to treat an issue you may have, always have a discussion with your doctor first. Although CBD is great, it is not suitable for everyone, and can interact with different medications, so, to be safe, have a chat with your doctor before embarking on your CBD journey.

What Does The Future Hold For CBD?

CBD looks as if it is here for the long haul. Many people successfully use CBD to treat a variety of medical problems and report great results.

Due to the stigma around the uses of marijuana, research has perhaps not been as extensive as it could have been.

However, people are more accepting than ever before, and the stigma around the plant is fading, although some people hold fast to their beliefs.

Research into the varied uses of CBD continues, and it is being researched more now than at any point in history, so we are bound to find out more about how CBD can help us.

With this research comes education, and hopefully, people will learn that those that use CBD are not ‘drug addicts’ nor are they lazy, as the common thinking used to be, but CBD users are people just like everyone else, just trying to do something to make themselves more healthy.