It may seem like CBD has only recently come to the attention of the public but the truth is, CDB has actually been around for quite some time, and those in the know have been enjoying its health benefits long before it became a well-known product people are clamoring for today. Take a few minutes to read about the surprising history of CBD.
Cannabis use is older than you think
The first documented use of cannabis-derived medicine dates back to 2737 BC when Chinese Emperor Sheng Nung used a cannabis-infused tea to aid with a variety of ailments including memory, malaria, rheumatism, and gout. Queen Victoria is believed to have used CBD to alleviate menstrual cramps during her reign, which ended in 1901. In 1911, states began requiring prescriptions or banning the sale of hemp.
The first studies on cannabis use and effectiveness
In 1839 Irish physician and medical researcher William B. O’Shaughnessy published a study about the plant’s therapeutic effects After that, researchers did begin to consider the medical applications of cannabis. O’Shaughnessy explored the elementary effects of cannabis and described its potential medical applications, particularly as an anesthetic.
CBD that we know today
CBD as we know it today has been around for more than half a century. The first discovery of an individual cannabinoid was made when British chemist Robert S. Cahn reported the partial structure of Cannabinol, also knows a CBN, which he later identified as fully formed in 1940. The first person who was successfully in extract CBD from the Cannabis sativa plant was a chemist named Roger Adams. When Adams first accomplished this in 1940 he wasn’t aware that he succeeded in extracting a chemical compound and didn’t even know what he had done. Years later, Adams and other scientists realized what he had done and started researching the possible benefits of CBD. In 1973, starting with Oregon, individual states began decriminalizing cannabis use. Fast forward many years when major progress happened in 2014 when Alabama, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, and Wisconsin passed laws legalizing CBD for medical purposes. You can find a great timeline on the history of CBD on CBD Central.
The modern influence of CBD
As people become more education about what CBD is and isn’t, as well as the possible health benefits of CBD, the future is wide open. The stigma is slowly dissolving as CBD is now legal in all 50 states with varying degrees of restriction. Specifically, 33 stated have legalized medical marijuana, the remaining 17 states have all passed laws allowing the use of cannabidiol (CBD) extract, usually in oil form, with minimal tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and often for the treatment of epilepsy or seizures in seriously ill children. A large factor in the increasing acceptance of CBD has to do with the fact that people now understand that CBD is not pot; pot is made from marijuana while CBD is made from hemp. Studies have also had a significant impact, not only on the history of CBD, but its future. Reports from the World Health Organization, Pharmacotherapy, and Neuropsychopharmacology bode well for a promising future for CBD.
The future of CBD
The future of CBD should be an interesting one as more and more supplement companies look at ways to provide CBD as a healthy addition to their offerings. The history of CBD is a fascinating one and understanding where CBD came from will help consumers make a smart choice on choosing whether to use CBD to possibly enhance their own health.
