Increase of CBD Shops, but confusion still exists

More CBD shops are popping up all over the place. Especially in France, since The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) held that France’s restrictions on CBD were in contradiction of EU law. However, with increased availability comes increasing confusion, with many people still unsure of what CBD’s legal status is and what it is used for. This article explains up some of the fundamentals.

In France and all over the European continent, it is not uncommon to see stores specializing in the marketing of CBD products. Whether in the streets or on the Internet, they are now cropping up everywhere.

But, for many, CBD is still not well understood. If you also find yourself unsure about CBD, this article will help you to learn the basics of CBD.

You can also follow the latest cannabis and CBD news by downloading our companion Hemp.im mobile news snippet app.

Discovering CBD

Shortened to CBD, cannabidiol is a molecule extracted from cannabis sativa (hemp). It is part of the cannabinoid family. It is the second most present molecule in cannabis in its natural state, just behind THC.

THC is much more sought after because of the “high” it provides. This justifies the fact that cannabis seeds in circulation contain THC at high levels. CBD, on the other hand, is different from THC in that it does not have a narcotic effect.

What are the benefits of using CBD?

Recommended for many treatments and present in some medications, CBD is believed to have some medicinal properties. These properties have been known for more than fifteen years and make CBD the star of cannabinoids with medical effects.

CBD is used to fight physical symptoms like pain, inflammation, nausea, and vomiting, and as a mental aid for anguish, anxiety, and certain mental affections like schizophrenia. It also helps in the relief of fibromyalgia, cardiovascular diseases, epilepsy, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, cancer, alcoholism, acne, drug addiction and withdrawal, Parkinson’s disease, and a whole host of other conditions.

This list is certainly long, but not exhaustive, because CBD can soothe a multitude of symptoms that are difficult to counter with conventional treatments.

What are the risks of using CBD?

With so many benefits, one might think that CBD only brings positive benefits to the body. This is obviously not the case, as it can cause side effects whose type and severity can vary from one person to another.

The most common side effects are anxiety, appetite changes, mood changes, diarrhea, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, nausea and vomiting. It is also not advisable to drive while using CBD, especially at the beginning of a treatment.

What is the legality of cannabidiol?

Because of their similar names, some people confuse cannabis and cannabidiol. Indeed, cannabis, because of its high concentration of THC, is not legal in France. It is seen as a narcotic product, which is not the case for cannabidiol or CBD.

Regarding the legislation of CBD, the decree of August 22, 1990 implementing Article R.5132-86 of the Public Health Code is the text that serves as a benchmark in France. This text stipulates that :

• CBD must be extracted from an authorized variety of cannabis Sativa L.;
• Cannabidiol products must come from a plant with a THC content of less than 0.2%. To guarantee the THC level, they must be certified by an independent and specialized laboratory.

Understanding this law can sometimes raise many other concerns. However, the Kanavape ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union has greatly helped to clarify the texts and has guaranteed the legality of products that contain CBD.

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(Featured image by Damian Barczak via Unsplash)

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First published in LeTribunaldunet, a third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.

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