It seems as though more and more people are in search of a natural remedy to relieve age-old symptoms that come with everyday life – stress, headaches, anxiety, aches and pains, bad sleeping… You name it, CBD seems to be the answer. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve likely noticed that everything from your coffee and face cream, to your Friday-night pizza can now be laced with CBD. This compound, found in cannabis plants, is said to offer relief for a bunch of different ailments. So let’s learn more.

Canna-What?

CBD, or cannabidiol (as it’s formally known), is gaining intense popularity because of its remarkable contributions to the healthcare system. In case you’ve been wondering what the magic behind this panacea is, here is the gist. It is a cannabinoid – a chemical commonly found in hemp plants, a specific strain of the cannabis plant. It’s a chemical, but it won’t get you high, because it does not contain THC (scientifically known as Tetrahydrocannabinol), the main psychoactive in cannabis and the culprit for causing the ‘high’ sensation associated with marijuana. But CBD
is not psychoactive. 

Is It CBD Legal?

Since CBD is derived from cannabis, the typical assumption is that it must be illegal. Right? Wrong. In South Africa, cannabis has been legalised for adults, for personal use in the privacy of their homes, but limits its distribution (buying or dealing). The health sector has seen an uptick in sales of products that have been derived from the plant – some of which include CBD-infused energy drinks, alcohol, edibles and even CBD drops.

The law has its limitations on CBD use though: The daily recommended dosage should not exceed 20 mg and any products that contain CBD are not cures for any disease, but rather serve as a means to relieve symptoms. Many people now use CBD drops to treat anxiety, for example.

Why The Fuss?

The long list of CBD’s achievements include helping with chronic pain management, reducing anxiety and depression, clearing acne, and soothing inflammation or skin irritations. Pain management is the one getting most of the attention, and is now being used to help cancer patients deal with the terrible side effects of chemotherapy. How does it all work? Well, the body has an endocannabinoid system (ECS), which regulates functions such as sleep, immune-system responses, and pain.

CBD itself does very little to the ECS – instead, it activates or inhibits other compounds. For example, CBD stops the body from absorbing anandamide, a compound associated with regulating pain, leading to increased levels of anandamide in the bloodstream and reducing the amount of pain a person feels. It also helps limit inflammation in the brain and nervous system, which benefits people experiencing pain.

However long the list of benefits, it is recommended to be on the lookout for possible side effects of ingesting too much CBD, such as loss of appetite and weight, drowsiness and irritable bowel syndrome.

Sativa Sipping

Now the question is how and where to get it. And which method would be the most effective? These days, the wonder extract is found in everything from oils to bath bombs and doggy biscuits. It’s important to note that CBD tends to be absorbed better when consumed as a beverage, which means the therapeutic effect should be that much greater. 

So if you are willing to test the waters, as it were, try a product such as Durban Poison lager from Durban’s Poison City Brewing, who’ve cleverly infused hemp oil with a crisp light-bodied American lager to create a tasty dagga beer with 4% ABV. Or ease into your day with a warm cup of CBD coffee – make your morning espresso as you normally would, and add a couple of drops of CBD.

Words: Dylon Phillips |  Photography: Unsplash