You may have already heard of “CBD” or cannabidiol, but you don’t really know what it is… It is an active substance in CBD, but far from a drug. Contrary to some beliefs, it has neither a high nor a euphoric effect. CBD can even be beneficial in certain situations. Explanations in “La Grande Forme”, with Leïla Khaled, psychiatric assistant.
To understand well: the substance of the CBD which confers its properties of the drug is called the “THC.” It’s the one that gets you high, euphoric, and addicted. CBD has no euphoric ability or capacity. At best, it can provide a state of relaxation that is comparable to what one feels when taking a warm bath. There is no alteration of sensory perceptions, there is no alteration of consciousness.
CBD contains THC and cannabidiol (=CBD), naturally. Nature intended the two components to co-exist because they interact. For the plant to grow and be consumable, both elements are necessary. However, there are ways to isolate cannabidiol from the plant, or to produce CBD plants that contain preferentially CBD. The European legislation foresaw the sale of products containing CBD to limit the presence of THC to 0.2%. It is therefore quite possible to consume CBD within the framework of the legislation, without it having drug-like or narcotic effects.
CBD has shown effectiveness comparable to that of anxiolytics, to treat acute stress. But for anxiety, there is very little data. Currently, for CBD, there is one and only one indication that has been approved by the medical community and it concerns anti-epileptic cases.
On the other hand, there is effectiveness more and more reported in the literature, especially with regard to sleep. CBD would lower the level of cortisol, would allow falling asleep more quickly, and would increase the duration of sleep.
At the level of concentration, an English study has also come out. It highlights the fact that CBD increases the irrigation of areas involved in memory, including the hippocampus. “So indeed, CBD could promote memory and concentration” adds Dr. Khaled. In this area, it is very promising.
“If you’re under a lot of stress, I think it might be worth trying CBD with medical guidance, but it hasn’t been approved yet,” explains Dr. Khaled. It is important that its consumption is part of a medical follow-up. CBD is a drug and there are contraindications and possible drug interactions to watch out for. If you want to start using it, you must talk to your doctor.
And so, how to consume this famous CBD?
In Belgium, all doctors can prescribe pharmaceutical CBD and deliver it under magistral prescription, via the pharmacist. There are also all sorts of preparations containing CBD, which can be bought in shops. But they are not subject to the same rigorous pharmaceutical manufacturing. You just have to pay attention to the fact that the amount of CBD taken, which is going to reach the bloodstream and be effective, is going to vary depending on how it is taken. That’s why it’s important to be medically supervised.
For the moment in Belgium, it is possible to smoke CBD, but not to ingest it. In Europe, the most effective method is the 10% cbd oil uk oil to put under the tongue. But the most effective of all, according to the literature, is the nasal spray, which is not yet available in Europe.
