One of the things I treasure most about my job is being able to aide people in finding something that will allow them to live a fulfilled and functional life, not just something that treats the symptom’s which ail them. Contrary to popular belief, patient’s overwhelmingly seek out a functioning style of medication rather than the oft depicted ‘stoney’ Indica. One of the things that makes cannabis more viable for these patients has been the advent of ‘CBD’ or cannabidiol strains and products.
Perhaps the most often heard question around Berkeley Patients Care Collective these days is “what is CB…D?” Cannibidiol, like it’s sibling tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, is an active cannabinoid produced by the cannabis plant. While we know of around 60 active cannabinoids so far, THC and CBD seem to have the largest impact on the human body, reacting with our endocannabinoid system’s CB1 and CB2 receptors in an effort to stymie whatever is wrong. See the great chart of cannabinoids courtesy of SC Labs and Weedmaps below.
Image: SC Labs, Weedmaps
While THC tends to have an uplifting euphoric effect that can be both motivating and energetic at times, or stoney and lethargic at others, CBD offers an alternative. CBD has been found to have a positive effect for patients with a whole host of issues from pain management to spasms, but perhaps it’s most important feature is it’s complete lack of psychoactive effect. Unlike THC, CBD does not interact psychoactively with the CB1 receptors in your brain, leaving most people completely clear headed and able to function fully. For this reason we are seeing a surge in support from a wide spectrum of people seeking to benefit from cannabis, even those who never imagined they would: mother’s treating epileptic children, grandmothers and grandfathers enjoying fully functional pain free days, Veterans enjoying a life without the fog of PTSD.
While CBD is certainly beneficial, it cannot simply be administered on its own. As much as some people would still like to demonize THC, it is the blend of cannabinoids and their synergistic effects that scientists and researchers alike have found most beneficial. At PCC we offer a whole host of CBD-rich products: Americann Gummi Cares, Cheeba Chews, Bhang Chocolate Bars, Full Extract Oil, and Pop Natural CO2 Oil.
CBD Extreme Gummi’s are made with a ratio of 30mg:1mg CBD:THC, and are one of the fastest acting edibles we have, entering your bloodstream more quickly if kept sublingual. For this reason it is one of our most popular edibles for immediate pain relief and anxiety, often one Gummi is plenty to nibble on throughout the entire day.
Another option, and a step up in strength and doses, are the Pure CBD Cheeba Chews, offering a 50mg:2mg ratio of CBD:THC . While their onset is less quick, the chews offer longer lasting relief and a more potent effect.
Although the gummi’s and chews are effective, our CBD Full Extract Oil and Pop Natural’s CO2 Oil offer a pure, undiluted product which can be used in many more ways. The current batch of CBD Full Extract Oil is an edible or topical blend of 22.4%CBD:15.2%THC which has been loaded into a syringe for easy administering. Each of the 3ml syringes have around 30 of the recommended doses, however an advantage of this style of packaging is that you can easily control how much or how little you may need.
This advantage is also realized in the Pop Natural CO2 oil, which offers a slightly different variation on CBD rich oil: one which you can smoke, vaporize, eat or apply topically.
Each of these products represents an alternative for patients; an option that mitigates or even eliminates their ailments while allowing for a more fulfilling life than what would otherwise be available with THC-rich cannabis or even with their conventional pharmaceuticals alone.
So when next you decide to visit, consider trying CBD for yourself- it may not be the perfect fit, but I’d be surprised if it didn’t make it into your medicine cabinet, like it did my own.
