Cannabis contains many active ingredients, of which THC and CBD are best known.
THC is the main element behind the adverse effects of cannabis. CBD, on the other hand, is a substance that is not harmful and can even be beneficial to health.
For a long time, there have been many doubts about the real effects of CBD, but the WHO has concluded that it is entirely harmless.
Nowadays, it is easy and legal to buy CBD flowers on Justbob and enjoy the best natural compound at home.
The importance of the WHO’s opinion
The WHO is a global body attached to the UN. It aims to centralise scientific knowledge on everything to do with medicine. Many international experts work within this organisation to produce references and recommendations that will serve as models.
Simply, the WHO can conduct a study on a particular drug to determine its various effects. Then, if its experts conclude that the drug should not be used, a statement will be issued.
It should be noted that this body’s role is mainly consultative, and its statements have no executive value in UN member countries. Most medical authorities worldwide nevertheless consult the WHO guidelines before establishing their law concerning their medical system.
Drugs are a logical part of the field in which the WHO often gives its opinion. For example, like many states, the WHO recognises cannabis as an illicit product that is dangerous to health. It should be noted that the WHO mainly recognises THC as a harmful compound in cannabis. As far as CBD is concerned, its view is different.
What the WHO thinks about CBD
Studies on the effects of CBD started several years ago, before the WHO wrote a report on this substance. According to these studies and the opinions of many consumers, CBD is not a dangerous substance.
It is even instrumental in certain situations, and CBD is now legal in most of Europe.
The fact that it is linked to cannabis has led many people to doubt its benefits. For several years, CBD-rich light cannabis was not fully available to the general public. However, this did not stop the CBD market from growing; nowadays, many products can be found online. There are oils, capsules, crystals, e-liquids, and even weed candy, offering consumers different options to incorporate CBD into their daily routines.
Because of the increasing development of CBD consumption, the WHO decided to look into the matter. In 2017, this world organisation released a 27-page report summarising the studies conducted by its experts and their views on CBD. They revealed in this report that CBD is entirely different from THC and is not harmful to health.
The WHO even states that CBD may be relevant to health because of its various effects on well-being. The WHO is one of many to raise this possibility, as some studies on this type of use have already been conducted. Epilepsy, for example, is one of the various disorders CBD can help alleviate.
Is CBD safe?
According to the report written by the WHO on CBD, not much research has been done on humans yet. However, the few studies available have led to several conclusions about the substance in cannabis. First, it has been found that CBD does not have significant side effects compared to THC.
Unlike THC, CBD is not addictive and does not lead to abuse. It is generally well tolerated by the body, and its field of use is not limited to treating epilepsy. The WHO admits that CBD does have anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-tumour, etc., properties.
However, it should be noted that smoking this type of product is not recommended at all in the case of CBD products in flower form. Even if CBD is present, the smoke produced by combustion is still harmful to your health. Therefore, CBD flowers should only be consumed as tea or by vaporisation.
A complementary study to the WHO was carried out between 2020 and 2021 on 839 consumers. It aimed to analyse the effects of CBD on the liver. It concluded that CBD has no impact on the functioning of the liver when taken in the correct dose.
Can CBD be used as a medicine?
CBD is mainly used therapeutically. There is only one CBD-based medicine approved by the WHO: Epidyolex. This is primarily used to treat certain types of epilepsy.
Other drugs containing CBD (and THC) are approved in some countries. For example, Sativex is approved for muscle stiffness and spasms in the UK. As studies on CBD progress, more CBD drugs may be approved by the WHO.
For now, CBD is mainly seen as a wellness product. For example, you can use it to relax or relieve some mild pain. It is even possible to buy CBD products in a pharmacy, specialised, or online.
If you want to use CBD as a supplement to treatment, you will need to consult your doctor. It is important to note that CBD can interact poorly with other medications.
It should also be noted that CBD is different from medical cannabis. Medical cannabis may contain a significant amount of THC, and certain conditions must be met to use it. A large-scale experiment conducted by the ANSM concerning the use of medical cannabis in France is underway.
The use of medical cannabis is, for the moment, only approved within the framework of this experimentation.
