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There has been a notable shift in both public policy and perception of the medicinal and industrial use of cannabis. For a few decades there has been a significant amount of taboo associated with the cannabis plant. Most of which has been associating illicit recreation drug use with all plants within the cannabis family.
Now fast forward to 2019 & 2020 and things have took a more different turn.
Its true that there is still debate and modifications in public policy for recreational drug use. However, most have moved into the real beneficial uses of the cannabis plant for a variety of industrial and medicinal purposes.
As it relates to medicinal purposes many of us are learning about CBD Oil (cannabidiol) may have unique properties that can be beneficial for a variety of health conditions.
Interest has skyrocketed but is CBD Oil a Scam or is there some truth to claims?
Is it just another trendy con job to hit the market?
Is it the 21rst century Snake Oil?
Are all the wonderful benefits true or are you being sold a bad bill of goods?
Lets take a look to review to see if CBD Oil is a scam or if there is some real truth to the claims.
Snake Oil & Con Jobs of The Past
A quick history lesson on snake oil. Commonly if you hear the term now you would associate it with some sort of con job with a production. More specifically I may say it is using intentional deceptive marketing tactics.
The most dubious snake oil salesman that was noted back in the 19th century was a fellow named Clark Stanley. He had made some very broad claims but after some examination it was found out that his concoction was not snake oil.
It was comprised of mineral oil, some compound from what is believed to be beef, turpentine and capsaicin. Clark Stanley was fined and it is most likely after this that the term (snake oil) gained meaning to be a worthless medicinal concoction with no real use that is sold as medicine.
The term snake oil salesmen would refer to many of the traveling salesmen who would sale their tonic that would be a cure all for many illnesses.
The “Real” Useful “Snake Oil”
The irony of the story is that snake oil is actually a medicinal compound that was utilized in eastern medicine. Yes, this is true. During the 1800’s many Chinese workers came to work as laborers on the railroad.
Many of the Chinese workers came from peasant families and brought things with them such as snake oil. Interesting side note, there were accounts that the food “chop suey” originated from the blend of Chinese cuisines with Americans and food ingredients that were available at the time.
Back to snake oil “The Real Authentic Snake Oil”.
- It was derived from Chinese water snakes and was known to be able to treat joint pain, bursitis and arthritis etc.
- When it was studied about a century later it was found that the oil actually contained a plentiful amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Modern science has now identified how important omega-3s are and now they are commonly taken as supplements for their nutritional benefits.
So this is a really interesting story but how does CBD Oil and Snake Oil connect?
The Quick Background on CBD Oil
We live in an age with limitless access of information at our fingertips. While accessing information it can be difficult to sort through facts. Is what you reading true or is CBD Oil a scam?
CBD Oil (cannabidiol) is one of many compounds found in the cannabis plant. It is the non-psychoactive compound (does not cause an intoxicating high) found in both more common varieties of cannabis (marijuana & hemp).
Hemp is the cannabis variety that has very low levels of THC but high levels of CBD. There are clear differences between THC and CBD. More commonly you will see Hemp used to produce CBD Oil.
A side note is that as a consumer you will definitely come in contact with Hemp either from clothes or even as a food item (Hemp seeds are a great health food and you can find it in many grocery isles).
What is interesting is that much like the real “snake oil” the cannabis plant had been utilized for its medicinal benefits for centuries in the eastern hemisphere.
Now as we are in the 21rst century science has evolved where we are able to uncover why certain plants, foods etc are able to have certain properties.
Labs and researchers are able to isolate compounds contained from plants to create life saving drugs. The”Real Snake Oil” story is a great example to identify why it was able to have strong medicinal qualities.
Science identified omega-3s and now we know what foods contain high levels of omega-3s so that we can incorporate them in our diet but also isolate them from food sources to create high quality supplements.
CBD Oil has now been identified. The buzz around it may be relatively new but its an essential part of a plant that has been used medicinally for centuries and even researched for it unique qualities.
CBD Oil Claims – Truth or Fiction
Information moves quickly and things can go viral at a breakneck pace and its so easy to get lost in the noise. Here are some of the things you may read or hear in reference to CBD Oil.
Lets review a list of common CBD Oil questions and explore if there is truth supporting the claims.
Can CBD Oil Can Help You Sleep?: (There is some research that supports this although its ability to help you sleep may not be from a sedative effect. Others like myself have found it helpful to help rest at night.)
Can CBD Oil Help Anxiety and Depression?: (Yes, there is some very interesting research and more on-going that shows its benefits for those who may suffer from anxiety and depression)
Will CBD Oil Make You High?: (No, THC is the compound that will make you high – don’t confused the two and don’t think or let someone try to convince you that CBD is a legal means to do so – it isn’t.)
The irony of this misconception is that CBD actually was shown to deflect the intoxicating effects of THC, fascinating stuff huh?
Can CBD Oil Cure Cancer?: – This is an overly bold and broad statement – ironically there is research that does suggest some anti-cancer characteristics, but there is so much more that needs to done to begin to draw conclusions.
Research takes time and there is no FDA approved CBD oil treatment for cancer.
This will be a topic to be researched on another post. There is always a significant amount of research ongoing with cancer. Whats important to understand that there are so many types of cancer and current treatments available are different depending on what type of cancer is present, where it is located etc.
If you have had a family member (my dad passed due to terminal cancer) or loved one who has been through cancer this may be something that you have learned.
I am by no means saying there aren’t possibilities there, just be mindful of broad blanket statements. I wrote an updated post in regards to Cancer and CBD Oil that you would find VERY interesting. It might just blow your mind!
Read More: Could Understanding The Endocannabinoid System Lead To New Cancer Treatments?
Was CBD Oil Approved As A Treatment for Epilepsy?: There has been some very solid formal research supporting CBD to treat epilepsy. It seems that this was the first treatment that had been formally accepted by mainstream medicine and led to a CBD based medication to be approved by the FDA.
Can CBD Oil Be Used For Pets?: Our furry friends may also find some help utilizing CBD, research has supported its benefits for dogs and more larger scale research is under way.
Does CBD Oil Have Any Side Effects?: CBD does have a great safety profile with limited side effects, that’s true but its not fair to say that it has no side effects.
Even sometimes the most benign substances can cause problems. Take water for example, its an absolute essential substance for all life. Drinking too much can water down the electrolytes in your body and cause death .
This is extremely rare and unlikely but just an example of the simplest of substances that can have negative effects at extreme levels. Remember too that everyone’s body chemistry is different. What may work for you and others may not always work for everyone.
Always discuss these things with your personal physician. Only your personal physician can be able to give proper medical guidance. Your physician is your partner in your health and wellness with knowledge of your specific medical history.
Can CBD Oil Help To Relieve Pain?: CBD has had some solid research supporting its beneficial use to relieve pain. For those who may suffer from chronic pain CBD Oil may be able to offer a great alternative.
The increasing epidemic of abuse and addiction to opioids and prescription pain killers has led patients to search for more safe effective treatment options and this can give them optimism.
Using Reputable Sources & Information
There are many places that offer information but some may not always cite or direct you to sources. Be mindful of places that you read as some places are notorious for spreading false information. When I write about something to post on mycbdoilsolution.com I like to always cite the source.
Additionally, I am very particular about the sources that I use. For instance I really prefer using peer review research studies. These are formal studies that are performed by professionals in the field.
It may sound contrary to popular belief but I found that many mainstream resources and media entities didn’t perform proper research and due diligence. I even found this to be the case when researching health and medical related matters for my son.
I will be the first to admit that a lot of the peer reviewed material can be very technical, but you can really be able to get some great helpful information from them so go take advantage of the cited sources.
Don’t be too overwhelmed as sometimes you will find some of the studies may be written where its not too overly technical and you just might come away with some very helpful information.
Read More: Don’t Get Scammed With CBD Oil Do This Instead
Find Reputable Products & Companies
One of the other important factors is to use products from reputable companies. There are a lot of products hitting the market and more to come.
It is just important to be selective and use those that stand behind the product and also use independent labs to verify quality.
The good organizations will be open about this (this is what you want) they also may not be the cheapest either. Any product or company that I will put my weight behind will have to stand behind the quality of their product and use independent lab testing to verify product quality.
The truth about CBD Oil is that there is legitimacy.
However, not all products are what they say they are nor contain all the ingredients or concentrations they state on the label.
Beware of gimmicky CBD Oil products. If you are seeking a heath and wellness benefit from CBD Oil I wouldn’t waste my money on a gimmicky product.
I get questions about vaping (CBD Oil specifically). Here is why I wouldn’t Vape CBD Oil.
=> Looking For Top Quality CBD Oil? Here is What You Need To Do<=
The Verdict – Is CBD Oil a Scam? Is It The New Snake Oil? Is There Truth To The Claims?
No. Definitely not a scam. Its definitely NOT Clark Stanley’s 21rst Century snake oil.
Remember too from our short (educational and entertaining history lesson) that it wasn’t the actual “Real Snake Oil”.
That was a complete con job from non ethical opportunistic salesmen. Let’s not say all salesmen are unethical or dishonest, that’s not the case at all.
It was Clark Stanley’s version. We actually were able to determine the real snake oil utilized omega-3s to be very effective. The “real snake oil” did work.
Now fast forward to 2019 and there is a lot of hype with the benefits and uses of CBD oil for a variety of conditions.
Some shady opportunistic characters may jump into the mix but to say its a con job is simply not true.
Certainly there are some claims that are mentioned that many will be skeptical about. We have discussed some of the common ones on whether they hold any basis of truth.
The reality is that there is research that support the beneficial use of CBD oil for a variety of conditions.
There is also a lot more that will come as much of the research sees a lot of promises of its use.
There are some of you that may read this and either think that unless it is clearly accepted by the mainstream medical community its simply a pie in the sky unproven product.
Some others will be quick to mention that many in the mainstream medical community are too slow to accept and adapt to out of the box treatments that have data to back up their effectiveness.
Regardless of where both of you may stand be aware that the success of CBD Oil to treat rare forms of epilepsy did lead to a CBD Oil based drug to be approved by the FDA.
So what are you thoughts?
Feel free to chime in with your comments. I always like to hear thoughts from everyone!
