In November 2020, the European Court of Justice published a judgement stating that cannabidiol extracted from the cannabis plant should not be considered a drug under the 1961 United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.
...
Examining the legality of these measures that restricted the free movement of goods within the EU, the court also stated that CBD extracted from cannabis was not a drug within the meaning of the 1961 Convention; and that the EU industrial hemp regulations were not applicable to the CBD extract, as it is not an agricultural product within those regulations’ definitions.
This means it is now legal to import US extracts below 0.2% THC, as example remediated crude or isolates, for further manufacturing. CBD extracts do not have to be from EU hempseed genetics since CBD extracts are not falling under EU hemp regulations.
CBD can induce positive health effects and has the potential to induce these effects through topical application, but what does the research show about CBD skincare?
As an emerging treatment option, more research is needed into CBD as a skincare treatment; however, there are some promising early studies.
A 2019 study found that CBD ointment improved skin hydration and increased skin elasticity in patients with skin disorders such as psoriasis, eczema, and issues that resulted in scarring. This study also found that CBD was a safe and effective noninvasive treatment for skin disorders (3).
CBD may also be able to improve acne and one study found that CBD has sebum reducing properties. The study found that when applied to a human skin culture, CBD inhibited the synthesis of oil. Excess sebum production is a major cause of acne, so this study shows CBD’s potential as an acne treatment (4).
Research also tells us that CBD has strong anti-inflammatory activity. CBD is thought to reduce inflammation by acting on specific glycine receptors that induce inflammation suppression (5) and has also been found to reduce inflammation in a range of conditions (6, 7). Inflammation contributes to the worsening of many skin conditions, so CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties could improve the symptoms of conditions such as acne, eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis.
CBD causes no psychoactive effects and is legal throughout the world. Its lack of psychotropic effect poses a huge advantage because it can be safely consumed without becoming intoxicating and preventing people from working. It is also known for its numerous health benefits, many of which are still certainly waiting to be discovered.
What is CBD actually? How does it work? Is it legal? What are the benefits of using it? We have collected the most important facts about CBD that you should know about this extraordinary substance:
With all the hype surrounding CBD, the question "does CBD make you high?" arises quickly. The answer to that is clearly no. In contrast to THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), CBD (cannabidiol) has no psychoactive effects, so it is – in contrast to the better known component THC - absolutely not harmful. CBD oils contain such small amounts of THC which are not sufficient to reach a relevant level that could lead to psychoactive effects. There is therefore definitely no danger of getting "high" from CBD.
It is a common misconception that CBD comes from only one type of cannabis plant. In fact, CBD can be found everywhere in the stems, flowers, leaves and seeds of both hemp and marijuana. One of the least known facts about CBD is that both hemp and marijuana can be sources of CBD. However, marijuana provides less CBD than THC does, so marijuana is usually automatically associated with its intoxicating effects.
In hemp, however, CBD dominates the composition of the plant, and THC is only present in small amounts. Hemp is therefore the ideal source of CBD because of its naturally higher CBD content. Furthermore, due to the way its cultivation method is handled, hemp is a more environmentally friendly and conscious CBD product than marijuana.
Since CBD is not to be understood as a narcotic, it has already been legalized in many countries. There CBD can now be sold as a health-promoting product without any problems. It should be noted, however, that the legal situation may change at any time. In general: In most European countries the cultivation of industrial hemp is legal. However, CBD derived from cannabis plants is illegal. And when using CBD cosmetics, there is no need to worry: their use is absolutely legal.
By now almost everyone has heard about the numerous benefits of CBD. However, many people still do not know exactly how CBD works and what positive effects it can have on the body. CBD is best known for its ability to support the body's own endocannabinoid system (ECS). ECS is known to regulate various biological and physiological processes in the body, including mood, energy, appetite, sleep, stress response, metabolism, muscle control and more.
It is believed that the endocannabinoid system is one of the major physiological systems involved in the production and maintenance of human health. CBD helps to support this extremely important system by acting on the receptors and their action on certain enzymes essential to the functioning of endocannabinoids.
CBD oil is currently making big waves in the cosmetics industry. Even in Hollywood the oil is used for skin, hair and nail care on set and behind the scenes. CBD oil is incredibly powerful, but what makes it such a great beauty product is the high dose of two very important elements: The first is chlorophyll, a chemical that is the catalyst for the photosynthesis process in plants and trees. Chlorophyll has great healing, cleansing and anti-aging properties for the skin. The second is terpenes. Terpenes are a group of natural oils that are responsible for the aroma of fruits, plants and flowers. These terpenes give the cosmetic product a deep, rich and aromatic profile. The combination of these two elements in CBD oil makes its use as a beauty product almost a must. Now is definitely the right time to try it out!
Inflammation is responsible for the vast majority of skin problems, including rashes, psoriasis and swollen eyes. As CBD has been proven to have anti-inflammatory properties when applied to the skin, it is able to have a very positive effect on the skin's appearance and complexion. Applying CBD also helps in the case of sunburn, its effect relieves the unpleasant sensation that can occur and helps the skin to recover from burns.
Although CBD is better known for its calming effect, it is also can in fact also have an opposite effect. So CBD is almost like an adaptogen – a kind of a two-way product – because people also use it in the morning to energize themselves. According to early research on this topic (much more needs to be done before final conclusions can be drawn), this contradiction could be due to different doses, with studies showing that higher doses of CBD lead to sleepy subjects and lower doses to stimulated subjects. This is of course mainly true when CBD is taken in the form of food, such as teas or drops.
Recent findings have shown that pets can also benefit from taking CBD. For example, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), clinical trials are currently underway to investigate the potential health benefits of CBD products for dogs. It is believed that they can greatly help to reduce anxiety, epilepsy and joint inflammation in dogs.
If, for any reason, one takes too much CBD, there is no need to worry. Whatever the form – be it too much oil, too many cups of tea or other foods containing CBD – it has no negative effect on health. As long as the product you ingest does not contain THC, no physical reaction to CBD overdose is to be expected. You can therefore go over the top without a guilty conscience. In order to experience negative physical effects, one would have to ingest a dose of 20 mg per kilogram of one's own body weight, i.e. almost a ton of CBD, which is probably more than unrealistic.
Unfortunately, many people do not consider consuming CBD products until they are confronted with health problems. However, CBD also offers excellent properties for completely healthy people, which are beneficial for anyone interested in increasing their own well-being and improving their quality of life. For healthy people, supporting the endocannabinoid system, the largest self-regulating system, with herbal cannabinoids like CBD is a potential way to maintain optimal health. The balancing effect of CBD combined with the nutrient content of hemp oil will help your body get what it needs for peak daily performance.
In addition to CBD and other traces of cannabinoids, CBD oil is a natural source of many vitamins and minerals, including B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium and magnesium. CBD oil also contains proteins, fatty acids and other nutrients that are essential for the body to function optimally.
]]>Acne can be debilitating, embarrassing, and hard to treat. Luckily, research shows CBD can improve many of the symptoms that lead to and worsen acne. CBD has been shown to directly reduce oil synthesis, one of the main causes of pimples and acne. But CBD has also demonstrated an ability to reduce inflammation and act as an antibacterial. These abilities are all properties that can help to improve and treat acne (8).
AGING
Anti-aging treatments often claim a lot but rarely deliver on their promises. However, CBD has shown qualities that can effectively fight some of the signs of aging, like wrinkles.
Oxidative stress is one of the main causes of aging. It leads to the development of wrinkles, thin skin, and pigmentation as it damages the DNA in skin cells necessary to maintain youthful, healthy skin. Antioxidants are one way to reduce this oxidative stress as they neutralize the free radicals that cause it.
CBD has strong antioxidant activity and can also enhance the activity of other antioxidants, making it an ideal addition to anti-aging skincare (9, 10).
PSORIASIS AND ECZEMA
Inflammatory skin disorders like psoriasis and eczema can be painful, hard to treat, and extremely disruptive to your quality of life.
CBD’s strong anti-inflammatory action that studies have found means that it is an ideal ingredient to help reduce the symptoms of these skin disorders. CBD’s antibacterial activity can also benefit patients with psoriasis and eczema (11).
THE BOTTOM LINE
While more research is needed into CBD’s effect on the skin and its ability to act as a topical treatment, the compound holds a lot of properties that can improve the symptoms of many skin conditions.
CBD’s anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, and sebum reducing abilities have been demonstrated, and these actions have led to its reputation as a skin booster.
]]>