Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of many chemicals found in the cannabis plant. It has gained traction over recent years for its reported health benefits; CBD can be extracted from cannabis or hemp and used as an oil. This controversial substance has long been surrounded by debate – due to its presence in marijuana, many still think it’s illegal, although this isn’t strictly true since there are several different types of cannabis/hemp available with differing levels of THC – the psychoactive compound that gives people a ‘high’.

Following reclassification back in 2009, however, both hemp and marijuana can now legally contain up to 0.2%. THC which puts them in the ‘novel food’ category. Click this to find how this relatively recent change has opened up market opportunities for CBD oil manufacturers, who have been producing it to a growing international audience.

What are the reported health benefits?

CBD has recently gained massive popularity as people look to obtain some of its widely lauded health benefits without getting high from smoking marijuana. The oil is being marketed as being able to help with many conditions – depression, anxiety, stress, acne, and much more are common claims. It’s even reported to help reduce the visible signs of aging too. And you don’t need to live in a cave somewhere remote or be part of an off-grid community in order to get hold of it either which is why it’s now becoming readily available in a huge number of countries including the UK.

What’s more, CBD products has been shown to be safe and well-tolerated in clinical studies which is why it is legal as a medicine in many parts of the world, such as Canada and parts of Europe including Italy and Poland.

Some research has even suggested that CBD could also stop cancer cells from spreading around the body – although this area requires further investigation before we know for sure if it is effective at preventing disease, there is certainly some promising early-stage evidence out there which we will no doubt discover more about overtime.