This practical, accessible guide to using CBD-dominant cannabis contains a wealth of information for both first-time explorers and experienced patients who want to know more about safely treating a number of health conditions with remarkable results and low to no psychoactivity or adverse side effects. CBD (cannabidiol) is a component of cannabis that can provide relief for conditions such as seizures, pain, inflammation, anxiety, depression, arthritis, and several other issues. This book offers guidance on various forms of medicine, such as oil infusions, alcohol-based tinctures, capsules, and carbon dioxide-concentrated extracts. The information is organized by health condition and also by recommended CBD-rich strains, which do not produce the "highs" associated with THC. With dosage suggestions, potential side effects and contraindications, and the pharmacology of the plant, this is an essential guide for both doctors and patients looking for a non-toxic alternative to opiate-based pain medications and other pharmaceuticals.
While cannabis has been used for medicinal and recreational purposes for thousands of years, only in the last 50 years have scientists begun to shed light on the chemistry of the plant and its interactions with the human body. Research has led to the discovery of a whole new system in the body, the endocannabinoid system, which plays a role in mediating functions such as appetite, immunity, mood, pain response, and memory. Authors Leonard Leinow and Juliana Birnbaum present case studies, interviews with doctors who prescribe cannabidiol products, and the latest research regarding other active phytocannabinoids and terpenoids present in cannabis that are being studied for medical use. They also address the difference between CBD products derived from industrial hemp (or in a lab) versus those made from medical marijuana using the whole plant.
In addition to offering the most up-to-date and comprehensive information on CBD-dominant cannabis therapy for humans, this book offers guidance for using the medicine for animals (with suggestions for dosage and delivery and useful forms and strains for common health issues in pets). Finally, the authors look at the future of cannabis medicine, charting trends in the legalization movement and suggesting how CBD might be used to fight the opioid epidemic.