{"componentChunkName":"component---common-build-tags-template-js","path":"/tag/hemp/4","result":{"data":{"allArticle":{"edges":[{"node":{"id":"Article_2790-markdown","title":"Cured Nutrition: Finding Balance With Hemp CBD","slug":"cured-nutrition-finding-balance-with-hemp-cbd","content":"Colorado-based [Cured Nutrition](https://www.hellomd.com/brands/5b71f5da04458900013470bc/cured-nutrition) says it’s on a mission to make the benefits of hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) accessible to all. Cured, which was founded in 2017 by two friends Joe Sheehey and Taylor O’Donnell, develops organic, lab-tested hemp products that can help with a range of issues—from relieving stress and inflammation to improving digestion and sleep problems.\n\nCured Nutrition products include cookie dough; infused spices such as peanut butter chocolate and smoky BBQ; hemp CBD oil; and gel caps. The company currently works with several local farms, and is currently working on having a fully integrated farm-to-table experience by the end of 2019.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\nHelloMD spoke with Taylor to find out more about why he and Joe started Cured, and why their focus is squarely on helping their community achieve a healthy and balanced lifestyle.\n\n### Cured Nutrition got its start in Colorado, a center of gravity for the hemp-derived CBD movement. How and why did you decide to start Cured Nutrition?\n\n**Taylor O’Donnell:** Joe and I met at CU Boulder while studying mechanical engineering. Last April, Joe called me about starting a cannabis project. For many years, Joe had competed in fitness events and decided he wanted to bring cannabis into his world. I’d been working on cannabis projects for almost 10 years in Colorado—cannabis was my passion.\n\nSo, we came together, and after pivoting a couple of times, we started Cured as a hemp-derived CBD company. Together, we’ve seen amazing growth, and we’ll be harvesting our own hemp plants in Boulder, CO, this fall. \n\n### Your company puts an emphasis on the local farms where you source your CBD. Is there a difference in quality from farm to farm, and what should consumers consider when sourcing their CBD products?\n\n**TOD:** We always prefer to use local farms, because it supports the communities we live in. Being able to have a farm close by, we’re able to visit and know where our CBD is coming from. It’s important to us to have hemp that’s organic and free of all chemical fertilizers and pesticides.\n\nWhen we use local farms and labs, we can count on our hemp to be clean, consistent and of the highest quality. We want all of our products to contain as much love as possible, and that’s why we source locally. Consumers should consider where their CBD comes from, if they know the farmer, what methods they use, and most importantly that it’s domestic and free of pesticides and heavy metals. \n\nRELATED: [WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR WHEN BUYING HEMP CBD OIL](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5b5e97d0a1805500087db9d9/what-to-watch-out-for-when-buying-hemp-cbd-oil)\n\n### Cured is one of the few hemp-derived CBD companies that seems to have focused on edibles. Interestingly, you have a variety of spices you offer. How and why would someone use a CBD-infused spice?\n\n**TOD:** When we first launched Cured, we knew we wanted to target the health and fitness market. It made sense for us to release a line of seasonings, because of how focused on healthy eating our audience is. Most of them make their own food, and we realized how easily it would be to incorporate CBD into your diet with a line of spices. It’s a very approachable way for someone who’s unfamiliar with CBD to give it a try. \n\nFolks can use Cured spices to make a healthy meal that they’ll eat after working out. As well as making something healthy, the CBD helps with recovery and soreness due to its anti-inflammatory properties. \n\n### Does CBD break down during the cooking process? Does it maintain its efficacy?\n\n![Cured cinnamon & honey spice](https://hellomd-development.s3.amazonaws.com/markdown-image-injector-600b7b27-1e0a-43d4-9ad2-af96491e0f7e/original.png)\n\n**TOD:** We recommend when using Cured spices not to heat over 350 degrees F to avoid vaporization of the CBD. Cured is best when used with a healthy fat as it will bind to fat and be most effective that way. Cured spices can also be added to a dish after it’s been cooked, and on fresh or uncooked food. \n\n### You also offer a CBD product called Cookie Dough. Is it actually raw cookie dough?\n\n**TOD:** Cured Dough is a nut-based, gluten-free, dairy-free and ready-to-eat product. It’s best when used on the go. Cured Dough contains only natural ingredients and contains 30 mg of CBD per packet. \n\n### What is Cured Nutrition’s process for creating new products?\n\n**TOD:** Usually we start with an expert—either our chef or herbalist—and go over the scope of the project. They will start with an initial formulation, which then gets tweaked, tested and sourced before we start production. We will usually send samples of new products to our affiliates to get feedback and make more tweaks to the formula.\n\nAfter we finalize our recipe, then we get our packaging made and start production. All of our products are sourced from the most sustainable and organic ingredients that we can find. \n\n### What are some trends you see within the hemp-derived CBD market, and where do you think the industry is heading?\n\n**TOD:** A major trend that I’ve been seeing is definitely the unoriginality of most of the industry. There aren’t that many people out there making new and unique products, especially in food. I think that eventually people will buy their CBD at Whole Foods in a variety of different forms, including food. ","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/4b477b60fcd5e15cb395f5b6bf3a7767/14b42/acb92ec36e3432d50f89edcef7eccaea.jpg","srcSet":"/static/4b477b60fcd5e15cb395f5b6bf3a7767/f836f/acb92ec36e3432d50f89edcef7eccaea.jpg 200w,\n/static/4b477b60fcd5e15cb395f5b6bf3a7767/2244e/acb92ec36e3432d50f89edcef7eccaea.jpg 400w,\n/static/4b477b60fcd5e15cb395f5b6bf3a7767/14b42/acb92ec36e3432d50f89edcef7eccaea.jpg 800w,\n/static/4b477b60fcd5e15cb395f5b6bf3a7767/47498/acb92ec36e3432d50f89edcef7eccaea.jpg 1200w,\n/static/4b477b60fcd5e15cb395f5b6bf3a7767/0e329/acb92ec36e3432d50f89edcef7eccaea.jpg 1600w,\n/static/4b477b60fcd5e15cb395f5b6bf3a7767/21d5f/acb92ec36e3432d50f89edcef7eccaea.jpg 2661w","srcWebp":"/static/4b477b60fcd5e15cb395f5b6bf3a7767/58556/acb92ec36e3432d50f89edcef7eccaea.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/4b477b60fcd5e15cb395f5b6bf3a7767/61e93/acb92ec36e3432d50f89edcef7eccaea.webp 200w,\n/static/4b477b60fcd5e15cb395f5b6bf3a7767/1f5c5/acb92ec36e3432d50f89edcef7eccaea.webp 400w,\n/static/4b477b60fcd5e15cb395f5b6bf3a7767/58556/acb92ec36e3432d50f89edcef7eccaea.webp 800w,\n/static/4b477b60fcd5e15cb395f5b6bf3a7767/99238/acb92ec36e3432d50f89edcef7eccaea.webp 1200w,\n/static/4b477b60fcd5e15cb395f5b6bf3a7767/7c22d/acb92ec36e3432d50f89edcef7eccaea.webp 1600w,\n/static/4b477b60fcd5e15cb395f5b6bf3a7767/a95f2/acb92ec36e3432d50f89edcef7eccaea.webp 2661w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2787-markdown","title":"6 Reasons to Consume Hemp CBD","slug":"6-reasons-to-consume-hemp-cbd","content":"Cannabidiol (CBD) has gone mainstream over the past year, and it seems that everyone has something to say about it. But why consume CBD—and specifically CBD derived from the cannabis hemp plant? Because CBD is CBD whether it comes from the cannabis marijuana plant or from cannabis hemp.\n\nJust to be clear: The difference between CBD from cannabis and CBD from hemp is that they come from two different varieties of the _Cannabis sativa_ plant. The former contains a plethora of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of cannabis, whereas the latter contains 0.3% or less of THC, meaning it’s non-psychoactive. What this also means is hemp may not have the full complement of other cannabinoids and terpenes that the marijuana plant has. \n\nHowever, many are finding high-quality, lab-tested hemp CBD from organic sources to be helpful. So, for those of you who want to get the benefits of CBD, but aren’t interested in consuming cannabis or getting high, then hemp CBD may be the right option for you.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\nHere are six reasons you should consider consuming hemp-derived CBD.\n\n### 1. It’s Easy to Find & Purchase Hemp CBD\n\nI’m a big proponent of cannabis legalization and access to the medical properties inherent in the cannabis plant. However, even in legal markets, accessibility to cannabis marijuana can still be an issue. In many legal states, qualifying medical conditions may be restricted or the limited number of dispensaries available may make accessibility an issue. For others, the thought of entering into a dispensary is too daunting.\n\nHemp CBD is more readily available across the United States than CBD derived from cannabis marijuana is. The latter is only permitted to be sold within licensed dispensaries or delivery services in marijuana-legal states. You can find hemp CBD in many different types of places:\n\n* Your acupuncturist’s or chiropractor’s office\n* Your local nutritional store\n* Now in [HelloMD’s curated store](https://www.hellomd.com/products), which delivers nationwide\n\nHemp CBD has many of the same medicinal properties of cannabis marijuana, without a lot of the same restrictions that make purchasing CBD from cannabis marijuana challenging.\n\n### 2. CBD Hemp Topicals Help With a Variety of Skin Conditions—as Well as Skin in General\n\n![CBD hemp topicals help improve sunburns, psoriasis, eczema, acne & foot fungus](https://hellomd-development.s3.amazonaws.com/markdown-image-injector-96ee7102-0272-4ce0-851a-78ba499eafd7/original.jpg)\n\nMany years ago, long before I entered the cannabis industry, I took my three young kids to Hawaii, where each got a terrible sunburn. It was late at night, stores were closed, and the only thing I had on hand was a facial oil where the main ingredient listed was hemp oil. I felt terrible as I slathered their inflamed skin with the oil and hoped they would sleep through the night. \n\nThe next morning when I woke them up, I was shocked to see three faces without sunburns and not one of them was in pain. I’d never heard of hemp oil, so I immediately googled it and read about its anti-inflammatory properties. I instantly became a fan of CBD-based skin topicals and have religiously used it on my own face as well. And yes, I get a lot of compliments on my skin.\n\nSometimes, CBD oil may be labeled as hemp oil, sometimes as CBD, but essentially, they mean the same thing. Some folks swear by combining CBD oil with coconut oil or other oils such as lavender or tea tree oil, which are rich in terpenes. \n\nThat said, CBD is known not only as an anti-inflammatory that can help with sunburns, but also as a topical that effectively deals with tough skin issues such as eczema, psoriasis and acne. CBD is also a great moisturizer. \n\nIn addition, CBD—when used in combination with the terpene caryophyllene oxide—can also work as an effective antifungal. A friend recently battled a nasty foot fungus, which got so bad he could barely walk. I suggested he try CBD oil. Within a few days, his cracked and swollen foot healed to the point that it was barely noticeable.\n\nRELATED: [WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR WHEN BUYING HEMP CBD OIL](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5b5e97d0a1805500087db9d9/what-to-watch-out-for-when-buying-hemp-cbd-oil)\n\n### 3. CBD Is a Great Additive to Your Daily Supplement Regime\n\nDoes CBD replace all of your daily vitamin supplements? Well, no, it doesn’t replace other minerals, multivitamins or even your probiotics. CBD does, however, contain extremely unique properties that may make it a great addition to your daily health regime.\n\nCBD’s primary job is to interact with your body’s [endocannabinoid system](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5751cbd970410e000b00003a/what-is-the-endocannabinoid-system) (ECS), which is responsible for maintaining homeostasis within all of the other systems in your body. For instance, the ECS is thought to modulate:\n\n* sleep\n* appetite\n* our immune system \n\nRecently, CBD has come into the limelight for being an excellent pain reliever and a powerful anti-inflammatory. CBD also contains powerful antioxidants, more powerful than those found in vitamins C and E. Antioxidants inhibit oxidation, which is what leads to more free radicals that in turn damage our cells. Diets that are rich in antioxidants are linked to reduced risk of diseases like Parkinson’s disease and even arthritis.\n\nCBD, and cannabis in general, has also been shown in research to help improve the [gut biome](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4940133). Overall, CBD is an excellent addition to dietary health supplements due to its wide-ranging list of therapeutic benefits.\n\n### 4. CBD Is an Amazing Stress & Anxiety Reliever\n\n![CBD is a great stress & anxiety reliever](https://hellomd-development.s3.amazonaws.com/markdown-image-injector-724676f9-f9d2-4668-a8f9-c8fcd25653ae/original.jpg)\n\nLet’s face it, we all get stressed out, and for many, chronic anxiety is a way of life. Prolonged feelings of stress can lead to anxiety, which may cause a host of issues including a sense of fear, uneasiness, nausea and insomnia, among other uncomfortable symptoms. New research indicates that [cannabinoids, including CBD, are an excellent way to relieve anxiety](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00213-017-4648-z) naturally without the nasty side effects common to many pharmaceuticals. It’s thought that CBD specifically [boosts serotonin receptors](https://www.cannabisreports.com/cannabis-studies/cannabidiol-induces-rapid-acting-antidepressant-like-effects-and-enhances-cortical-5-htglutamate-neurotransmission-role-of-5-ht1a-receptors), which can help reduce anxiety overall.\n\nCBD may provide immediate relief for anxiety by relaxing muscles, easing feelings of bodily pain and providing an overall sense of calm. Anxiety-related disorders that seem to respond positively to CBD are: \n\n* panic disorders\n* social phobias\n* general anxiety disorders\n* obsessive compulsive disorder\n* PTSD\n\nAnecdotally, CBD also seems to work well for people under immediate pressure, like when they’re giving a presentation at work or dealing with a looming deadline. \n\nCBD helped me with my own anxiety, as there was a time when I suffered from panic attacks. My doctor had put me on propranolol, which calmed me, but also left me feeling out of sorts. Unfortunately, panic attacks put you into a downward spiral, because it leaves you wondering when it will happen next. And once you start thinking about it, the thought of a panic attack is often enough to bring the next one on.\n\nBut, after starting on CBD for my migraines, I noticed an amazing side effect: My anxiety levels dropped significantly. After many years of taking CBD, I can easily say I rarely, if ever, feel anxiety. In fact, I attribute CBD for allowing me to feel comfortable giving presentations on stage to hundreds of people—without any of the intense feelings of anxiety that used to plague me. \n\n### 5. CBD Promotes New Cell Growth Even as it Protects Your Brain\n\nCBD helps promote new growth of neurons within the brain, which is great news for your brain. Researchers from a hospital in Madrid recently published a study regarding CBD’s neuroprotective qualities stating that, “[their] findings demonstrate that [CBD exerts robust neuroprotective effects](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23587650).”\n\nCBD also seems to decrease inflammation in the brain, which is good news for those who endure traumatic head injuries. So far, it appears CBD is not only a good preventative, protecting against damage, but may also encourage healing.\n\nInterestingly, the U.S. government has a patent, #6,630,507, which states, “cannabinoids have been found to have antioxidant properties,” and also that they have “particular application[s] as neuroprotectants—for example, in limiting neurological damage following … stroke and trauma, the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, [etc.].”\n\n### 6. CBD Helps You Maintain a Healthy Body Weight\n\n`embed: https://www.instagram.com/p/BgcMfpwlYgx/?utm_source=ig_embed`\n\nAfter taking CBD for over a year for migraine prevention, I started to notice something extraordinary. It seemed I was able to maintain a much lower body weight—something that hadn’t come easily beforehand.\n\nIn fact, by consuming CBD along with exercise and a healthy diet, I dropped two pant sizes and have since maintained the same weight I was at in my early 20s. There’s all sorts of evidence that as we age our metabolism slows down considerably, and yet suddenly, weight gain wasn’t an issue for me anymore. I began to wonder why.\n\nAccording to [World Health](https://worldhealth.net/news/cbd-and-metabolism/), \n“CBD stimulates genes and proteins, which play roles in increasing fat breakdown; CBD can boost activity and numbers of mitochondria increasing the body’s ability to burn calories; and CBD decreases expression of proteins which are involved in creating new fat cells within the body.”\n\nA new Korean study published in _Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry_ focused on CBD’s ability to prevent obesity. Researchers found the cannabinoid was able to better break down and increase the oxidation of fat, increase the number and activation of mitochondria (read: it was able to burn more calories), and decrease overall fat generation.\n\nLastly, it appears that CBD may create what’s known as “fat browning.” Essentially, this means white fat, which stores energy, is converted to brown fat, which burns it.\n\nStill not convinced you should give hemp CBD a try? I encourage you to read our [articles covering all things hemp](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness?category=hemp-related)—from 101s to spotlights on top hemp brands—to help you decide if it’s right for you. CBD has been a game changer for many, improving peoples’ lives in numerous ways—including mine.\n\nPhoto credits: [Drew Taylor](https://unsplash.com/@replicantman) (main image); [Pixabay](https://www.pexels.com/@pixabay) (skin image) & [Dingzeyu Li](https://unsplash.com/@dingzeyuli) (stress/anxiety image).","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/8a1465d9162440fd0b2c482e23316725/14b42/7e9d89c44b72a4ee3e3e3ac2d4b7fd48.jpg","srcSet":"/static/8a1465d9162440fd0b2c482e23316725/f836f/7e9d89c44b72a4ee3e3e3ac2d4b7fd48.jpg 200w,\n/static/8a1465d9162440fd0b2c482e23316725/2244e/7e9d89c44b72a4ee3e3e3ac2d4b7fd48.jpg 400w,\n/static/8a1465d9162440fd0b2c482e23316725/14b42/7e9d89c44b72a4ee3e3e3ac2d4b7fd48.jpg 800w,\n/static/8a1465d9162440fd0b2c482e23316725/47498/7e9d89c44b72a4ee3e3e3ac2d4b7fd48.jpg 1200w,\n/static/8a1465d9162440fd0b2c482e23316725/0e329/7e9d89c44b72a4ee3e3e3ac2d4b7fd48.jpg 1600w,\n/static/8a1465d9162440fd0b2c482e23316725/d3e7b/7e9d89c44b72a4ee3e3e3ac2d4b7fd48.jpg 2025w","srcWebp":"/static/8a1465d9162440fd0b2c482e23316725/58556/7e9d89c44b72a4ee3e3e3ac2d4b7fd48.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/8a1465d9162440fd0b2c482e23316725/61e93/7e9d89c44b72a4ee3e3e3ac2d4b7fd48.webp 200w,\n/static/8a1465d9162440fd0b2c482e23316725/1f5c5/7e9d89c44b72a4ee3e3e3ac2d4b7fd48.webp 400w,\n/static/8a1465d9162440fd0b2c482e23316725/58556/7e9d89c44b72a4ee3e3e3ac2d4b7fd48.webp 800w,\n/static/8a1465d9162440fd0b2c482e23316725/99238/7e9d89c44b72a4ee3e3e3ac2d4b7fd48.webp 1200w,\n/static/8a1465d9162440fd0b2c482e23316725/7c22d/7e9d89c44b72a4ee3e3e3ac2d4b7fd48.webp 1600w,\n/static/8a1465d9162440fd0b2c482e23316725/752b0/7e9d89c44b72a4ee3e3e3ac2d4b7fd48.webp 2025w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2785-markdown","title":"Elixinol: Hemp CBD for Better Health & Wellness","slug":"elixinol-hemp-cbd-for-better-health-and-wellness","content":"Elixinol, a Colorado-based company that manufactures and provides CBD oil and hemp extracts worldwide, is all about educating, inspiring and empowering people to live naturally healthy and happy lives. This is a core value that guides all of the folks at Elixinol.\n\nAs a company, it’s committed to growing the best quality, organic hemp CBD in Colorado and Europe. That hemp is then developed into a wide array of products—from capsules and tinctures to topicals and sublingual sprays—which all go through rigorous, third-party lab testing.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\nChris Husong, Elixinol’s director of sales and marketing, spoke with HelloMD about how and why Elixinol got its start, what goes into its products, and the advice Chris would give to folks interested in trying hemp CBD for health and wellness.\n\n![Elixinol Director of Sales and Marketing Chris Husong](https://hellomd-development.s3.amazonaws.com/markdown-image-injector-3f666348-1426-44d5-a67d-5d20cca3c0d6/original.png)\n\n### What was the inspiration behind Elixinol? Why did it choose to create hemp-based CBD products?\n\n**Chris Husong:** A certain global awareness is deeply ingrained in our company culture. We believe hemp is good for the environment and good for our bodies. \n\nSome would say our co-founder Paul Benhaim is the original hemp entrepreneur, or “hempreneur.” In the early 1990s, Paul created the first successful hemp nutritional bar in the United Kingdom. Since then, he has penned 10 titles on hemp’s myriad uses and consulted for or founded hemp businesses, including Elixinol and our sister company, Hemp Foods Australia.\n\nToday, Paul is the CEO of EXL (ASX: EXL), our parent company, which IPO’d on the Australian Securities Exchange in January 2018. \n\nThis deep, decades-long relationship with hemp that began with Paul informs everything we do. We continue his vision and deeply believe in the full power of the hemp plant. This is why we use full-spectrum hemp oil, and why we’ve committed to growing our own hemp in Colorado.\n \n### Are there health benefits that come from consuming hemp CBD? And if so, do your customers come back to you with positive feedback?\n \n**CH:** Our customers come to Elixinol either to expand their wellness—for example, better sleep, increased focus, fitness recovery and performance—or because they’re contending with specific health concerns and want to try something new and promising.  \n\nWe take our customers’ concerns a step further, making a medical doctor available to work with customers. As far as I know, we’re the only CBD company to do this. Dr. Philip Blair is a practicing physician and retired U.S. army colonel who’s passionate about helping his patients. He has conducted exciting preclinical trials for CBD and several conditions and he sees promising results—universally, including those that even he didn’t expect.\n\nDr. Blair gives presentations at conferences around the world often kicking them off with his famous saying, “With CBD, I only see side benefits … ” \n\nRegardless of why they come to us, customers tell us repeatedly they see immediate improvement. Our customers feel restored and hopeful. I’ve lost count of how many people have told us they feel like they got their life back, and that’s what keeps us going.\n \n### Where do you source your hemp CBD from?\n\n**CH:** Starting in 2017, we increased our domestic, or U.S., hemp grows. Before 2017, we sourced our hemp from European farmers. But we wanted to support hemp in the U.S., and we felt it was important to be closer to the grows and have more control over the process. \n\nSo, in 2018, we went into the agriculture business and are now growing much of our own hemp in Colorado. This gives us complete seed-to-sale control over the process. And it ensures we have not only the quantity of full-spectrum hemp oil we need, but also the quality full-spectrum hemp oil our customers have come to expect from Elixinol.\n\nEvery single one of our products are extracted using the cleanest method available: supercritical CO2. Supercritical CO2 extraction is a familiar process for foods, such as hops and coffee. We prefer it, because it’s a tried-and-true method that produces a pure, full-spectrum hemp oil.\n\nNow, making full-spectrum CBD is more expensive, but the result is so much better for our customers, and that’s why we go the extra mile. I got my start in the hemp CBD industry fighting for reliable quality controls. I know how important it is for customers to have the peace of mind—and the feeling of relief—that is the result of finally finding a product they can trust. If I had to use one word to describe Elixinol’s commitment to quality control, it would be: uncompromising. \n\nWe also go above and beyond with our labeling standards. Each Elixinol product is produced with batch and lot numbers to cross-check and guarantee the consistent quality of our products. This gives our customers peace of mind. It also means, in the unlikely event that an issue should ever arise, we can do a rapid recall and notify customers immediately. \n\n### You have a comprehensive menu of hemp CBD products. Tell us what your most popular products are and why?\n\n![Elixinol Liposomes with hemp CBD oil](https://hellomd-development.s3.amazonaws.com/markdown-image-injector-fff30648-cee9-467d-95e7-d5b0a0fc7e7f/original.png)\n \n**CH:** The employee favorite is Elixinol’s Liposomes. Our Liposomes taste great and are formulated to be fast-absorbing and convenient. Some people take a couple of drops under the tongue, while other folks just add it to their water. Either way, it’s great for when you’re on the go or to just get CBD throughout the day. \n\nOur most popular customer product is the Elixinol capsules. They’re easy to add to an existing supplement regimen, and they’re discreet—which many customers in more conservative areas appreciate. \n  \n### Other than CBD, are there any additional ingredients that you’d like to highlight?\n\n**CH:** Because we believe in the power of the entire hemp plant, we don’t have to add much to our products—nor do we want to. We let the full-spectrum hemp oil shine through. We grow and manufacture with care to preserve the hundreds of amazing plant compounds that make hemp such a powerful plant. We never add synthetics, and our hemp comes from organic farms. \n\nOur full-spectrum products contain CBD, of course, but they also have the full range of terpenes, flavonoids and cannabinoids available in the hemp plant—keeping THC naturally under 0.3%, of course. Research into the entourage effect is extremely promising, and tracks closely with what we know about plant nutrition: that whole food sources of nutrients are generally best.\n\nOur tinctures contain either MCT (medium-chain triglyceride) oil, which is credited with being a metabolism-boosting superfood on its own, or coconut oil. And both are excellent partners for lipophilic cannabinoids like CBD. \n\n### When someone is new to CBD, what should they look out for when selecting products for themselves?\n \n**CH:** Thanks for asking this question. It’s important that people understand what to look for in CBD brands, because there are some bad actors out there ruining it for those of us who take the health and wellness of our customers very seriously. \n\nFirst and foremost, customers should demand evidence of third-party, independent, lab potency and purity results for any CBD product. Heck, they should demand test results from all supplement manufacturers, as the industry is largely unregulated.\n\nWe call these certificates of analysis, or COAs. In these reports, customers should verify CBD content, little or no THC. And they should test free of mold, pesticides and heavy metals. Reputable CBD companies will include this information on their websites or will offer it to consumers upon request. We include it right on our main product page, so people know up front what they’re getting. \n\nCustomers should also ask about the source of the hemp or hemp oil used in their favorite CBD products. The United States and European Union are ideal; stay away from hemp and hemp oil products coming out of China, which doesn’t adhere to the same quality controls. If the CBD company doesn’t say where it’s sourcing its hemp, that’s a definite red flag. \n\nWe believe it’s also important to understand whether the product is full spectrum or not. Isolates, by definition, isolate the CBD molecule by heavily processing the hemp plant. Not only does this limit CBD’s effectiveness by removing all of the other cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids, the harsh chemical extraction process is almost totally unnecessary. \n\nWe’ve seen companies that use isolates say they have a whole-plant product, because they use parts of the whole hemp plant. That’s so discouraging to see, because reputable companies know the terms “whole plant” or “full spectrum” refer to using the full range of chemical compounds—terpenes, flavonoids and cannabinoids—available in the hemp plant.\n\nAlways ask whether the product is full spectrum or isolate to get the real answer. \n\n### Your company has a fantastic program of giving back to charity. Can you please describe this to us?\n \n**CH:** We’ve been supporting charities since our start, because it’s important to us, and we know it’s important to our customers. Everyone wants to feel as though they’re contributing to organizations doing good work.\n\nThe way our “Giving Back” program works is when customers check out, they can choose from several different charities for veterans, autism, head injuries and more. Elixinol then donates 5% of their purchase amount to the nonprofit of the customer’s choice.\n\nTo date, these customer contributions have added up to over $1 million dollars donated. It’s such an easy way to let our customers direct our charitable giving, so we know we’re always putting our money where their hearts are. ","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/e09bfbf06793d03529f52deb8a4ddbba/14b42/7e0f6511ce6859a34d0fdbebbc345e76.jpg","srcSet":"/static/e09bfbf06793d03529f52deb8a4ddbba/f836f/7e0f6511ce6859a34d0fdbebbc345e76.jpg 200w,\n/static/e09bfbf06793d03529f52deb8a4ddbba/2244e/7e0f6511ce6859a34d0fdbebbc345e76.jpg 400w,\n/static/e09bfbf06793d03529f52deb8a4ddbba/14b42/7e0f6511ce6859a34d0fdbebbc345e76.jpg 800w,\n/static/e09bfbf06793d03529f52deb8a4ddbba/0a6a7/7e0f6511ce6859a34d0fdbebbc345e76.jpg 927w","srcWebp":"/static/e09bfbf06793d03529f52deb8a4ddbba/58556/7e0f6511ce6859a34d0fdbebbc345e76.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/e09bfbf06793d03529f52deb8a4ddbba/61e93/7e0f6511ce6859a34d0fdbebbc345e76.webp 200w,\n/static/e09bfbf06793d03529f52deb8a4ddbba/1f5c5/7e0f6511ce6859a34d0fdbebbc345e76.webp 400w,\n/static/e09bfbf06793d03529f52deb8a4ddbba/58556/7e0f6511ce6859a34d0fdbebbc345e76.webp 800w,\n/static/e09bfbf06793d03529f52deb8a4ddbba/12bdc/7e0f6511ce6859a34d0fdbebbc345e76.webp 927w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2781-markdown","title":"What to Watch Out for When Buying Hemp CBD Oil","slug":"what-to-watch-out-for-when-buying-hemp-cbd-oil","content":"Cannabidiol (CBD) is the compound responsible for many of the potent healing benefits of cannabis. But unfortunately, these benefits aren’t available to the many people who live in states where cannabis isn’t legal. Still, wherever you live in the United States, you can legally purchase hemp products ranging from CBD-rich oils to nutritional supplements derived from hemp seeds. Not all hemp products are equally safe or effective though, so it’s important to shop with caution.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### A Quick Hemp Primer\n\nHemp oil, CBD oil or hemp CBD oil?  It’s easy to get confused by these and other very similar names. Unscrupulous producers often use them interchangeably to market products that may not actually contain any active cannabinoids at all. [Hemp and cannabis are definitely related, but they aren’t the same](https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/hemp-oil-uses-and-benefits). And it’s these differences that make it possible to make and sell hemp products in ways that cannabis products can’t be marketed.\n\nThe cannabis plant family includes both _Cannabis sativa_ and _Cannabis indica_ strains, as well as a few lesser-known strains. Hemp comes from a variant of _Cannabis sativa_, too. But this one has been cultivated to have very low levels of THC. To be considered hemp by U.S. law—and therefore legal to grow and sell—a hemp plant must not test at more than 0.3% THC.  \n\nHemp is used all over the world in many industries, including to make rope and clothing, but in the U.S., [it also became entangled in the war on drugs](https://news.medicalmarijuanainc.com/hemps-current-legal-status-u-s/) just like its cousin, the THC-rich cannabis species. Because hemp does contain some THC, it was lumped in with the other varieties of the cannabis plant and put on the federal list of Schedule 1 drugs under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 (Individual states enacted their own laws to allow access for medical use). This meant that for years, hemp cultivation and research was also banned. \n\nRELATED: [WHAT IS HEMP CBD?](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/55f6ea9c65393944020d0000/what-is-hemp-cbd) \n\nHemp may be naturally low in THC, but it contains significant amounts of CBD, which is extracted and sold as oils and tinctures, or as an ingredient in salves and ointments. This makes it very appealing to people living in states where medical cannabis isn’t available.\n\nAnd now, the demand for CBD-rich hemp products has led to an explosion of products from around the world, particularly the U.S., Europe and China, with widely varying levels of quality and safety. \n\n### How to Find the Best & Safest Hemp Products\n\nCBD-rich hemp products may not be as potent as medical-grade cannabis extracts, but they can be useful for relieving symptoms of many of the same health conditions. To do that though, it’s important to get the right product—and [make sure that it really does contain CBD](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/03/11/hemp-oil-warnings/70161114/). \n\nThe hemp health product market is largely unregulated, as officials struggle with whether to categorize hemp as a food or as a supplement. For this reason, many of the hemp products sold as CBD oil, or CBD hemp oil, contain little to no CBD. To make things more confusing, sellers may also call their products cannabis oil or simply CBD oil, which can make buyers think that they’re buying CBD oil that’s extracted from marijuana plants, not hemp.  \n\nPoor-quality hemp products can be risky. Improper cultivation techniques, questionable extraction practices and a lack of quality testing top the list of things to watch out for when purchasing hemp CBD oil and other hemp products.  \n\n### Hemp Sourcing Affects Safety\n\nHemp is produced in many countries around the world, but conditions vary widely. The hemp plant is a bioaccumulator—meaning, it absorbs chemicals from the soil, which accumulate in the plant’s tissues. Depending on the area, hemp plants can absorb:\n\n* pesticides\n* fertilizers\n* heavy metals\n\nAnd all of these things can be passed along to consumers. \n\nThe safest hemp products are those that have been grown under organic conditions in areas where hemp cultivation has a long tradition, such as Europe, which tops the list of quality sources for hemp products. Check labels for information and use caution with hemp products originating in China or Indonesia.\n\n### Make Sure Hemp CBD Is a Main Ingredient \n\nBecause hemp products are minimally regulated, they can contain a lot of other things besides hemp. This can be especially true where CBD oil is concerned. In poor quality products, actual hemp oil may be far down the list of ingredients, and other kinds of oils and herbal ingredients can make up a larger percentage of the product. For the highest-quality, hemp-based CBD, look for labels where hemp CBD is the first ingredient.\n\n### The CBD Extraction Processes Can Raise Risks\n\nThere are a number of techniques used to extract CBD and other  essential compounds from the hemp plant. \n\nSupercritical extraction is the safest and most reliable process to extract CBD and other essential oils. This process, which uses carbon dioxide at low temperatures,  avoids the dangers posed by heating hemp as well as the other substances used in the process. This keeps the extracted oil clean and largely contaminant-free.\n\nOther methods, used both by people processing hemp at home and also by less reputable producers, include processing with toxins such as ethanol or butane, which strip out essential oils and can also leave toxic residues.\n\n### How to Shop Smart for Hemp Products\n\nWhen you’re shopping for CBD hemp oil or other products, it’s important to keep safety in mind:\n\n* **Research the company:** Visit the company website or research the company for consumer complaints to find out where the products are made and shipped. Look for organic products that are processed in Europe or North America to avoid toxins and pesticides.\n\n* **Look for lab testing:** Laboratory testing for quality purposes is a hallmark of reputable hemp producers. Testing products for contaminants and a consistent delivery of CBD and other ingredients helps make sure that hemp products really contain the amount of CBD and other cannabinoids the claims are in the product—and that those ingredients are clean and toxin-free.  \n\n* **Read labels carefully:** Carefully read labels on hemp products to find out what added ingredients, such as carrier oils or herbs and vitamins, they might contain. Loading the product with extra substances is a way to make them cheaper and reduce the amount of actual CBD.  \n\nCBD-rich hemp products can be a workable alternative to medical cannabis, and just about anyone can get them. But in order to find safe, quality hemp preparations, buyers need to stay alert—and informed.\n\nPhoto credit: [Philip Steffan](https://www.flickr.com/people/schattenraum/)","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3793103448275863,"src":"/static/462b2bf0baa8211d63730e36ac5dfd63/14b42/ae390fd875908015b578d6eafc6a7dec.jpg","srcSet":"/static/462b2bf0baa8211d63730e36ac5dfd63/f836f/ae390fd875908015b578d6eafc6a7dec.jpg 200w,\n/static/462b2bf0baa8211d63730e36ac5dfd63/2244e/ae390fd875908015b578d6eafc6a7dec.jpg 400w,\n/static/462b2bf0baa8211d63730e36ac5dfd63/14b42/ae390fd875908015b578d6eafc6a7dec.jpg 800w,\n/static/462b2bf0baa8211d63730e36ac5dfd63/47498/ae390fd875908015b578d6eafc6a7dec.jpg 1200w,\n/static/462b2bf0baa8211d63730e36ac5dfd63/0e329/ae390fd875908015b578d6eafc6a7dec.jpg 1600w,\n/static/462b2bf0baa8211d63730e36ac5dfd63/db203/ae390fd875908015b578d6eafc6a7dec.jpg 3642w","srcWebp":"/static/462b2bf0baa8211d63730e36ac5dfd63/58556/ae390fd875908015b578d6eafc6a7dec.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/462b2bf0baa8211d63730e36ac5dfd63/61e93/ae390fd875908015b578d6eafc6a7dec.webp 200w,\n/static/462b2bf0baa8211d63730e36ac5dfd63/1f5c5/ae390fd875908015b578d6eafc6a7dec.webp 400w,\n/static/462b2bf0baa8211d63730e36ac5dfd63/58556/ae390fd875908015b578d6eafc6a7dec.webp 800w,\n/static/462b2bf0baa8211d63730e36ac5dfd63/99238/ae390fd875908015b578d6eafc6a7dec.webp 1200w,\n/static/462b2bf0baa8211d63730e36ac5dfd63/7c22d/ae390fd875908015b578d6eafc6a7dec.webp 1600w,\n/static/462b2bf0baa8211d63730e36ac5dfd63/62b7a/ae390fd875908015b578d6eafc6a7dec.webp 3642w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2779-markdown","title":"How Hemp CBD Oil Can Help Kids With Seizures","slug":"how-hemp-cbd-oil-can-help-kids-with-seizures","content":"Stories of treating epileptic children with cannabidiol (CBD) oil have been prolific in the media in the last few years. Arguably, these stories ignited and sustained the rapidly changing opinion Americans have towards medical marijuana—29 states plus Washington D.C. have legalized some form of medicinal cannabis. It seems that stories of miraculous medical recoveries have resonated enough with voters to create real cannabis policy change. \n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### Charlotte’s Story Showcases the Power of CBD for Seizures \n\nMany of these stories involve kids younger than 10 years of age who are severely debilitated from near-constant seizures. These children are out of options due to ineffective pharmaceutical treatments.\n\nOne such child was Charlotte Figi. Charlotte was just five years old when her doctors informed her parents there was nothing else they could do to treat her [Dravet syndrome](https://www.dravetfoundation.org/what-is-dravet-syndrome/). When her parents turned to CBD as a last hope, Charlotte was suffering from 300 grand mal seizures per week. The seizures were so constant that she lost the ability to walk.\n\nAfter winning the right to register Charlotte as the youngest medical marijuana patient in the state of Colorado, her parents began working with cannabis growers who were cultivating high-CBD, low-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) cannabis strains. These growers bred a special strain with these characteristics just for her and named it Charlotte’s Web. \n\nWithin one year of taking the CBD oil, Charlotte was a thriving six year old experiencing just two to three seizures per month.\n\nAll across America, parents are finding life-saving medicine for their children in some form of the cannabis sativa plant. In states with no medicinal cannabis laws, the only form of CBD that’s legal comes from hemp. If you’re a parent looking into hemp CBD for your child, here are some answers to the most pressing questions you may have about CBD treatments for kids.  \n\n### Why Consider Hemp CBD Oil?\n\nCBD, unlike THC, doesn’t make you feel high. For many parents, a natural plant extract that comes with powerful medicinal benefits, but won’t get their kid stoned is a dream come true. And for hemp-derived CBD oil to be legal, it has to test at less than 0.3% THC. Hemp CBD’s non-psychoactivity helps parents feel more open to giving it to their suffering child. \n\nHemp CBD oil is also very accessible. CBD that you’d find in a cannabis dispensary comes from a different variety of _Cannabis sativa_ plant. This different variety has much higher levels of cannabinoids and terpenes, and is only legal for adult use or medical marijuana patients with very specific ailments, depending on the state. But hemp-based CBD is regulated by different rules. \n\nRELATED: [CBD OIL VS. HEMP OIL](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5b16ba68bf4c4d000a0e742d/cbd-oil-vs-hemp-oil-whats-the-difference)\n\nHemp CBD isn’t made from cannabis flower, like controlled CBD products are, but rather, is made from the stalk and seeds. This means hemp CBD has a much lower level of all cannabinoids, including THC and CBD.\n\nBecause hemp CBD is made from the stalks and seeds, it can get around the Controlled Substances Act and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t regulate it like it does whole-plant cannabis CBD. This means for the most part it’s regulated similarly to diet supplements and vitamins and can be sold all throughout the country. \n\n### How Does Hemp CBD Oil Treat Medical Conditions in Children?\n\nWhen it comes to treating children with CBD, epilepsy and seizures in general have been the most notable health conditions the oil seems to help with. There’ve been many clinical trials and lab research to indicate CBD is an effective treatment for seizures. \n\nSeizures are caused when brain cells misfire, which cause the body to convulse and can lead to loss of consciousness, injury and brain damage. So why is CBD so effective in treating seizure conditions? \n\nSome researchers believe that CBD interacts with:\n\n* endocannabinoid receptors \n* calcium and sodium ion channels \n* glutamate receptor antagonists\n\nIn this theory, the anticonvulsive properties of CBD attach to neurons in the brain and inhibit how the ions flow between neurotransmitters. Unfortunately, this is only a theory, and much more research must be conducted to fully understand the science behind the anticonvulsive properties of CBD. \n\n### Does Hemp CBD Work Better Than Traditional Treatments Do?\n\nEvidence from lab research, clinical trials and anecdotal stories have all shown positive signs that cannabis can help with epilepsy. Especially in extreme cases in which doctors, equipped with only pharmaceutical treatment options, have essentially conceded the battle. \n\nAnd even if anticonvulsive pharmaceutical drugs like valproic acid, primidone, clonazepam and phenobarbital are effective against seizures, they come with some pretty serious side effects that can do real damage to young, developing children. These drugs are known to result in: \n\n* Nausea \n* Hair loss \n* Liver failure \n* Depression \n* Weight gain \n* Irritability\n* Sedation\n* Mood disorders\n* Impotence\n\nLuckily, right now there’s more scientific attention on CBD as a natural treatment for epilepsy than there has ever been. And in a monumental move, the FDA just approved Epidiolex, a CBD-based syrup to treat seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. \n\nAmong the rigorous testing to receive FDA approval was [a double-blind, placebo-controlled study that was published in _The New England Journal of Medicine_](https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1611618) and funded by GW Pharmaceuticals, the maker of Epidiolex. In this study, 120 children and teenagers with Dravet syndrome were divided into two groups: one treated with the CBD oral solution and the other treated with a placebo. The groups were treated for 14 weeks with either 20 mg of CBD per kilogram of body weight per day or the placebo. \n\nAfter 14 weeks, the group taking CBD saw a reduction in seizures per month from 12.4 to 5.9 (median). This is compared to a decrease from 14.9 to 14.1 (median) when treated with the placebo. Sixty-two percent of caregivers in the CBD group reported that the child’s overall condition improved, compared to just 34% in the placebo group.\n\nThe results of this study led the lead researcher Orrin Devinsky, to conclude, “This study clearly establishes cannabidiol as an effective anti-seizure drug for this disorder and this age group.” \n\nThese subjects had very difficult cases, in which their seizures were extremely drug-resistant, rendering traditional treatments pretty much ineffective. And compared to the side effects of traditional drugs, in this study the most reported side effect was sleepiness. For this group of patients to see success using a natural extract is revolutionary. For them, CBD was certainly more effective than traditional treatments were. \n\n### Can I Legally Give Hemp CBD to My Kid?\n\nHemp CBD oil is legally much more accessible than CBD oil is. The difference between hemp-derived CBD and cannabis-derived CBD can be confusing, but according to a Drug and Enforcement Agency (DEA) spokesperson, “If the products are derived from the non-psychoactive part of the marijuana plant, then you’re talking a non-controlled substance.”  If these requirements are met, then hemp CBD oil can be legally sold all throughout the United States. \n\n### How Does a Parent Get Hemp CBD Oil for Their Kid?\n\nFinding hemp CBD oil is relatively simple. You can find it in most cities and towns across America, often at organic food stores and holistic shops or through a state program. Hemp CBD oil can also be legally shipped anywhere in the U.S.\n\nBut parents should do research on a specific brand before buying, especially since these oils have relatively lax regulations on their ingredients and production methods. You always want to make sure there aren’t any harmful additives or questionable production methods employed when processing the hemp oil.\n\nThe real struggle for many parents occurs after purchasing the CBD. How do you use it? How much is enough? How much is too much? First of all, discuss hemp CBD oil with your child’s doctor before you do anything. They may have suggestions for dose and treatment or hopefully some kind of general guidance to give to you.\n\nUnfortunately, not many doctors are fully versed in the latest science and research on CBD. In these cases, many parents may be left trying to make sense of the research, dosing and treatment plans on their own.\n\nWith this in mind, parents and caregivers can join networks so that they don’t have to go on this journey alone. [Realm of Caring](https://www.theroc.us/), started by the Stanley Brothers who cultivated Charlotte’s Web, exists as a resource for those treating illness with CBD. Parents can find dosage calculators, treatment plan suggestions and a community of other parents on the same journey. \n\nHelloMD also offers a wonderful community of nurses and doctors who are well versed in cannabinoids and medical conditions, medicinal marijuana patients and their caregivers, plus cannabis industry experts who can all share their knowledge and lend support. \n\nPhoto credit: [MI PHAM](https://unsplash.com/@phammi)\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3793103448275863,"src":"/static/3b1f851ce51e1cb7c2b19ac0e4b4d0e4/14b42/bdb0330768895be26b074df025a0e912.jpg","srcSet":"/static/3b1f851ce51e1cb7c2b19ac0e4b4d0e4/f836f/bdb0330768895be26b074df025a0e912.jpg 200w,\n/static/3b1f851ce51e1cb7c2b19ac0e4b4d0e4/2244e/bdb0330768895be26b074df025a0e912.jpg 400w,\n/static/3b1f851ce51e1cb7c2b19ac0e4b4d0e4/14b42/bdb0330768895be26b074df025a0e912.jpg 800w,\n/static/3b1f851ce51e1cb7c2b19ac0e4b4d0e4/47498/bdb0330768895be26b074df025a0e912.jpg 1200w,\n/static/3b1f851ce51e1cb7c2b19ac0e4b4d0e4/0e329/bdb0330768895be26b074df025a0e912.jpg 1600w,\n/static/3b1f851ce51e1cb7c2b19ac0e4b4d0e4/db203/bdb0330768895be26b074df025a0e912.jpg 3642w","srcWebp":"/static/3b1f851ce51e1cb7c2b19ac0e4b4d0e4/58556/bdb0330768895be26b074df025a0e912.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/3b1f851ce51e1cb7c2b19ac0e4b4d0e4/61e93/bdb0330768895be26b074df025a0e912.webp 200w,\n/static/3b1f851ce51e1cb7c2b19ac0e4b4d0e4/1f5c5/bdb0330768895be26b074df025a0e912.webp 400w,\n/static/3b1f851ce51e1cb7c2b19ac0e4b4d0e4/58556/bdb0330768895be26b074df025a0e912.webp 800w,\n/static/3b1f851ce51e1cb7c2b19ac0e4b4d0e4/99238/bdb0330768895be26b074df025a0e912.webp 1200w,\n/static/3b1f851ce51e1cb7c2b19ac0e4b4d0e4/7c22d/bdb0330768895be26b074df025a0e912.webp 1600w,\n/static/3b1f851ce51e1cb7c2b19ac0e4b4d0e4/62b7a/bdb0330768895be26b074df025a0e912.webp 3642w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2771-markdown","title":"Beauty Inside & Out: Verte Essentials Hemp Botanicals","slug":"beauty-inside-and-out-verte-essentials-hemp-botanicals","content":"Designed to create beauty on the inside as well as the outside, [Verte Essentials](https://www.hellomd.com/brands/5b75dcd504458900013470bf/verte-essentials) is the brainchild of Blair Lauren Brown, who’s also the founder of a successful fine jewelry collection that celebrates nature and a commitment to sustainability. Blair applies the same principles to Verte Essentials, which comprises premium hemp-based topicals, edibles, bath soaks and suppositories.\n\nWith 500 hours of RYT (registered yoga teacher) Ashtanga/Sadhana training under her belt, Blair also applies a holistic philosophy to Verte Essentials. All of her products are carefully developed using the purest botanical and herbal extracts harvested from organic farms. In addition, Verte sources its hemp extracts from certified organic, sustainable farms in Europe.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\nHelloMD spoke with Blair to learn more about what motivated her to start Verte Essentials and hear more about the products she’s created to address issues like skin inflammation and muscle fatigue. \n\n### Why did you launch Verte Essentials, which focuses on the beauty sector?\n\n**Blair Lauren Brown:** We are a beauty brand first and foremost. We decided to go that route, because we realized that there's a large segment within this marketplace that we could tap into with hemp-derived CBD (cannabidiol). At the time we conceived of Verte Essentials, there really wasn’t anything of quality that we saw within the marketplace. We saw an opportunity to provide access to CBD topicals focused on the wellness and beauty aspect.\n\nWe launched with beauty topicals, such as our facial crème Rose de Soie and our Esprit de Rose facial mist, knowing that we could work into the edible market. Our philosophy is that beauty is inside and out, but it starts from within. Every solution within our product line is meant to create beauty on the inside, but will also show on the outside.\n\nWhen you look at a Verte Essentials product, it feels beautiful on the skin; it smells beautiful; it looks beautiful as a package on your shelf; and overall it makes you feel fabulous. \n\nRELATED: [CANNABIS HEMP: THE NEW HOT BEAUTY ITEM](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5744aa24091a95000800011a/cannabis-hemp-the-new-hot-beauty-item)\n\n### What different types of beauty products do you create?\n\n**BLB:** The base ingredient in all of our products is CBD derived from high-quality hemp. CBD is now well known for reducing body inflammation, and it’s also excellent at reducing skin inflammation. As a brand within the beauty industry, we’re largely addressing anti-aging, topical skin inflammation of all different kinds and helping decrease redness and promote even skin tone. Our end goal has always been to create a skin care line that addresses those issues successfully. \n\nBeyond reducing skin inflammation, our product line includes everything from a face lotion, Rose de Soie, that’s soothing and has other efficacious ingredients like cell peptides, which help increase collagen production.\n\nWe also have our Micellar H2O Facial Pads, which act as an exfoliant as well as a deep cleanser. We offer facial skin oils in a variety of experiences as well as facial and skin mists. For people using our H2O pads, we’ve seen a reduction in acne and other breakouts. We also offer oil-based topicals that may be used like a serum, and those come in a variety of different experiences. \n\nWe also developed our Luxe Soaks, based on the philosophy of Japanese baths in mind, which are meant to address deep muscle fatigue. Our soak includes CBD, but are also Epsom salt, which has high levels of magnesium. We also have added Himalayan sea salt, which is wonderful as a mineral addition to your skin and emptier to your bloodstream. This—plus a whole host of other botanicals and essential oils—is relaxing and calming to the body. \n\n### Do you include terpene profiles in your hemp-based products? \n\n**BLB:** Absolutely. Terpenes, I think are one of the opportunities that we've taken advantage of that we're not seeing anywhere else in the marketplace. Terpenes are amazing oils that all plants and all plant matter contain. Terpenes and flavonoids also help create the overall  experience. We talk about terpenes within cannabis marijuana, but they also exist within the cannabis hemp plant, where we get our CBD.\n\nTerpenes create different experiences, such as when you smell mint or a lemon peel or lavender. Terpenes are what are responsible for that incredible aromatherapy experience. At Verte Essentials, we're taking terpenes from within a whole-plant spectrum and combining them with other beneficial aspects for multi-plant synergy. \n\nRELATED: [CANNABIS TERPENES PACK A THERAPEUTIC PUNCH](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5a99e9f4f24d1300077ccb6f/cannabis-terpenes-pack-a-therapeutic-punch)\n\n### How did you end up in the beauty industry making products from hemp-derived CBD?\n\n**BLB:** My brother and I have decided to do this together. My brother has run an organic cannabis farm for many years in both California and Oregon. I came to him two years ago with a realization that there was an untapped marketplace and that we had the opportunity to share our breadth of knowledge across a diversity of different industries.\n\nWe decided at that point to get into cannabis products, and I started testing and playing with the formulations from my alchemist background. After testing formulations, we saw that CBD was all we needed to be able to create the products that we were interested in. It had everything that we wanted, right there in front of us.\n\nWe actually saw THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) as an inhibitor for market entry. CBD derived from hemp was far more approachable with all of the benefits and provided a better comfort level for those new to CBD.\n\n### Any advice to those consumers who are new to hemp-derived CBD? How should they proceed in choosing a product that’s both safe and has efficacy?\n\n**BLB:** My advice always is to trust your gut. I also believe that a consumer should look for the most natural product out there. Look at the ingredients really thoroughly for clarity in origin and production. \n\nLike anything you put in or on your body, such as a beauty topical, it’s absolutely imperative that these things are natural, because they—like anything else—can be afflicted by GMO (genetically modified organisms), and bad soil, improper fertilization and pesticides. The consumer needs to be aware that not all CBD is of high quality.\n\nAt Verte Essentials, we strive to offer the highest quality and most natural ingredients for the best overall experience both inside and out.","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.36986301369863,"src":"/static/a495f3b5d6d4e0bfcf654526913291ce/14b42/69733d3e16fc62497ca5fa00edb78f82.jpg","srcSet":"/static/a495f3b5d6d4e0bfcf654526913291ce/f836f/69733d3e16fc62497ca5fa00edb78f82.jpg 200w,\n/static/a495f3b5d6d4e0bfcf654526913291ce/2244e/69733d3e16fc62497ca5fa00edb78f82.jpg 400w,\n/static/a495f3b5d6d4e0bfcf654526913291ce/14b42/69733d3e16fc62497ca5fa00edb78f82.jpg 800w,\n/static/a495f3b5d6d4e0bfcf654526913291ce/a1fc1/69733d3e16fc62497ca5fa00edb78f82.jpg 921w","srcWebp":"/static/a495f3b5d6d4e0bfcf654526913291ce/58556/69733d3e16fc62497ca5fa00edb78f82.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/a495f3b5d6d4e0bfcf654526913291ce/61e93/69733d3e16fc62497ca5fa00edb78f82.webp 200w,\n/static/a495f3b5d6d4e0bfcf654526913291ce/1f5c5/69733d3e16fc62497ca5fa00edb78f82.webp 400w,\n/static/a495f3b5d6d4e0bfcf654526913291ce/58556/69733d3e16fc62497ca5fa00edb78f82.webp 800w,\n/static/a495f3b5d6d4e0bfcf654526913291ce/147d5/69733d3e16fc62497ca5fa00edb78f82.webp 921w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2767-markdown","title":"Using CBD to Take Care of Your Pet’s Anxiety","slug":"using-cbd-to-take-care-of-your-pets-anxiety","content":"Human beings aren’t the only ones who can suffer from anxiety: Your pet can get anxious, too. Dogs, cats and many other animals such as birds and horses experience anxiety. Maybe you’ve noticed this in your pet when you leave the house, take them for a car ride or have guests over. Many things can trigger anxiety, and it can be hard to treat both the symptoms and root causes. \n\nLuckily, cannabis has powerful anti-anxiety properties that may be able to help.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### Types of Anxiety in Cats & Dogs\n\nPet anxiety generally falls into three types of categories:\n\n* General fearfulness\n* Noise sensitivity\n* Separation anxiety \n\nSeveral things can lead to or trigger anxiety in your dog or cat; some of the most common are:\n\n* Moving into a new home \n* Addition or removal of people or pets from your home \n* Past trauma \n* Lack of early socialization\n* Medical issues\n\nDogs or cats that tend to go through multiple homes are more likely to have anxiety issues. If your pooch or feline suffers from anxiety, having a consistent daily routine and a standard protocol for introducing your pet to new places, objects and people can be helpful. \n\n### Signs of Anxiety in Cats & Dogs \n\nDoes your dog or cat suffer from anxiety? Sometimes it’s obvious, and other times, it can be difficult to tell. Common signs of anxiety include:\n\n* Panting\n* Pacing\n* Whining, whimpering or excessive meowing\n* Hiding\n* Fidgeting or trembling\n* Obsessive licking\n* Destructive or aggressive behavior \n* Urinating or defecating in the wrong places\n\nSome less obvious signs are: \n\n* Lip licking\n* Air sniffing\n* Yawning \n* “Wet dog shake” \n\nAnxiety can also show up as physical symptoms such as: \n\n* Excessive shedding\n* Changes in appetite\n* Disruption of sleeping habits\n* Dilated pupils \n\nOf course, many of these symptoms can be due to other conditions like allergies, skin issues and endocrine disorders. Though mild to moderate anxiety is common in some animals, it can grow to serious proportions in some cases. If your pet’s anxiety is affecting either you or your pet’s quality of life, it’s time to pay a visit to your veterinarian. \n\n### Using Cannabis to Calm Your Pet’s Anxiety \n\nSimilar to humans, treatment for anxiety in dogs and cats usually involves antidepressants, selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and behavioral therapy. However, just like with humans, sometimes these methods fall short. This is where cannabidiol (CBD) can help. \n\nCBD helps with anxiety in humans, and it may be able to do the same thing for your kitty or K9—our furry friends also have endocannabinoid  after all. \n\nThe endocannabinoid system is a network of receptors that’s located throughout the body; cannabis acts on this system to bring about therapeutic effects. Your pet also has this system, which is why many pet parents are turning to CBD to ease their pet’s anxiety, with great success. \n\n“[CBD] is a game changer as far as anything that I’ve ever seen in the 15 years of doing this,” says Heidi Hill, owner of Holistic Hound, a pet store in Berkeley, CA, that also has its own line of hemp-derived CBD products.\n\nShe says that customers tend to seek out her CBD products for anxiety, as well as inflammation and pain. And that the feedback she’s gotten is overwhelmingly positive. \n\n“I’m very happy with the CBD treats,” writes Mary, a customer using Heidi’s products for her dog, whose anxiety causes her to cry at night. “Both my dog and I are getting more sleep,” she adds.  \n\n“Before, vet visits were very traumatic. After a couple of drops of CBD tincture, our cat was calm, responsive and stress free,” writes Roger, another satisfied customer. \n\nLooking through the long list of Heidi’s testimonials, it seems that CBD can be useful for many different types of anxiety, including separation anxiety and situational anxieties, like car rides or thunderstorms. However, it’s important to remember that some types of anxiety, especially those that can lead to aggressive behaviors, may require more treatment than CBD consumption alone. \n\nIf you’re thinking of using CBD to address your pet’s anxiety, you may want to consult a veterinarian who has experience with cannabis. However, be aware that, by law, vets can’t recommend CBD products in some states including California. And when figuring out your pet’s ideal dose, keep in mind that your pet’s endocannabinoid system is unique—just like yours. Therefore, start at a low dosage and slowly increase until you get the desired effect.\n\nPhoto credit: [Heather Miller](https://unsplash.com/@heathamilla)","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/c6b1852484a58d5e783843112ac73cca/14b42/37f1fc1bd707a60440b882218537fb88.jpg","srcSet":"/static/c6b1852484a58d5e783843112ac73cca/f836f/37f1fc1bd707a60440b882218537fb88.jpg 200w,\n/static/c6b1852484a58d5e783843112ac73cca/2244e/37f1fc1bd707a60440b882218537fb88.jpg 400w,\n/static/c6b1852484a58d5e783843112ac73cca/14b42/37f1fc1bd707a60440b882218537fb88.jpg 800w,\n/static/c6b1852484a58d5e783843112ac73cca/47498/37f1fc1bd707a60440b882218537fb88.jpg 1200w,\n/static/c6b1852484a58d5e783843112ac73cca/0e329/37f1fc1bd707a60440b882218537fb88.jpg 1600w,\n/static/c6b1852484a58d5e783843112ac73cca/8da0e/37f1fc1bd707a60440b882218537fb88.jpg 3512w","srcWebp":"/static/c6b1852484a58d5e783843112ac73cca/58556/37f1fc1bd707a60440b882218537fb88.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/c6b1852484a58d5e783843112ac73cca/61e93/37f1fc1bd707a60440b882218537fb88.webp 200w,\n/static/c6b1852484a58d5e783843112ac73cca/1f5c5/37f1fc1bd707a60440b882218537fb88.webp 400w,\n/static/c6b1852484a58d5e783843112ac73cca/58556/37f1fc1bd707a60440b882218537fb88.webp 800w,\n/static/c6b1852484a58d5e783843112ac73cca/99238/37f1fc1bd707a60440b882218537fb88.webp 1200w,\n/static/c6b1852484a58d5e783843112ac73cca/7c22d/37f1fc1bd707a60440b882218537fb88.webp 1600w,\n/static/c6b1852484a58d5e783843112ac73cca/2c070/37f1fc1bd707a60440b882218537fb88.webp 3512w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2764-markdown","title":"Top Trends in Cannabis Post Adult-Use Legalization in CA","slug":"top-trends-in-cannabis-post-adult-use-legalization-in-ca","content":"Starting a company in the cannabis industry in California has given me a bird’s-eye view into emerging trends. Some trends come on quickly and have staying power, while others blow up, then seemingly evaporate overnight.\n\nEvery few months, I report on what I see, the latest trends that emerge and come to the fore, whether they be statewide, nationwide or global. Here’s what I’ve been seeing and thinking about lately.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### 1. Restricted Access to Cannabis Despite Adult-Use Legalization\n\nThis may sound like an oxymoron. With legalization, aren’t we gaining easy access to cannabis? It depends. In California, we had a functional legal medical marijuana system for 20 years, where gaining access to medication was fairly easy. You have a doctor’s consultation, you get a medical recommendation, and typically you could have cannabis delivered to your door within hours. If you lived in a rural area, there was even a possibility of shopping online and receiving statewide delivery. \n\nNow, post legalization, we’re living in an era of over-regulation. Retail and delivery licenses are expensive and often hard to come by. Many municipalities have banned cannabis altogether, creating large dry counties and corridors throughout the state.\n\nOver-reaching regulations have burdened manufacturers to the point where many have decided they can’t afford to do business, or it’s too difficult to understand or keep up with newly emerging regulations. For instance, prior to legalization, there were 1,500 different cannabis brands to select product from; today there are around 150.\n\n\nIn other states, what I call fear-of-cannabis by state regulators creates unnecessary barriers for patients. In some instances, there’s a requirement to not only get a medical recommendation but to register with the state as well. For a substance that’s still federally illegal, this is too much to ask. In other states, the condition list is so restricted that you must be critically ill in order to access medical marijuana.\n\nCannabis has been shown to be a better alternative to opioids for chronic pain; it’s a natural alternative to many other pharmaceuticals that have horrible side effects. New statistics on legal states have shown there has been very little downside in the legalization of cannabis, and the best part, no one dies from consuming cannabis.\n\nYet fear of the plant and over-regulation have restricted legal access and in most cases lead to a thriving black market where no one, other than the dealer, wins.\n\n### 2. This Is No Longer a One-Size-Fits-All Cannabis Culture\n\n![Cannabis products sold in the HelloMD store](https://hellomd-development.s3.amazonaws.com/markdown-image-injector-2d7fccb2-24f4-456b-b877-6628cb356aeb/original.jpg)\n\nA few years ago, if you went into a dispensary and asked for a microdosed cannabis product with small amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) per dose, you might be laughed out the door. Invariably, the response was, “That’s not what people want. They just want to get high.”\n\nBy and large, dispensaries created menus based around the “people just want to get high” mantra and didn’t pay much attention to anything other than sales numbers. Often, you’d see a wide selection of flower with 17–23% THC and edibles such as the saran-wrapped brownie prominently displayed.\n\nToday, there’s a diversity of product types, professionally branded products and a new kind of consumer walking through the door. They’re often college educated, middle aged or older, and they’re interested not only in health and wellness, but in modulating the high. These folks want to go “low and slow”; they want to try a variety of products, including those high in cannabidiol (CBD). \n\nAs a result, retailers who want to survive and thrive have to respond to their customers’ needs and requests. This is standard in any other industry, but a relatively new concept in cannabis. The one-size-fits-all model no longer applies.\n\n### 3. CBD Goes Mainstream\n\nCannabidiol, or CBD, has been on a steady growth pattern for a while, but in the last year, it appears to have spiked. CBD is well known for being non-psychoactive as well as possessing many medicinal properties, including easing inflammation, pain, nausea and vomiting, seizures and muscle convulsion or spasms.\n\nCBD has also been found to promote healthy bone growth and can help reduce vascular tension and artery blockage. And it’s helpful in reducing anxiety. It also happens to be an excellent antidote to the high associated with its chemical cannabinoid cousin THC.\n\nNow that the word’s out on CBD, almost any marijuana dispensary or delivery service has a selection of CBD-rich or CBD-dominant products. This wasn’t the case even two years ago. Today, you’ll see CBD products, which include edibles, pre-rolls, flower, topical salves and more.\n\nIn legal states, some people erroneously believe that CBD is better or more effective than THC is from a medical standpoint, and many lawmakers advocate for CBD-only to be legalized. In fact, both CBD and THC have many medicinal properties, some of which may be the same and others that may vary from one another.\n\nThe perception of CBD’s medicinal value and the desire to obtain these effects has also led to an explosion of the hemp-derived CBD marketplace that’s now a nationwide, if not global phenomenon. Hemp-derived CBD is derived from the cannabis hemp plant, which is a different variety from the cannabis marijuana plant.\n\nIn some people’s minds, CBD derived from the hemp plant, which contains less than 0.03% of THC, is the redheaded stepsister to cannabis marijuana. It’s true that the hemp-derived CBD products lack the variety of other cannabinoids as well as terpenes present in most cannabis marijuana products, but for many people—especially for those who live in states where CBD from marijuana is illegal—the medicinal benefits may still apply.\n\nThere’s both an upside and downside to the availability of hemp-derived CBD product. On the one hand, it’s unregulated and therefore easy to gain access it, although still somewhat of a gray area. On the other hand, it’s unregulated and there are potential safety issues over plant sourcing and regulated testing requirements.\n\nIn addition, there’s a lot of confusion over the differences between cannabis hemp and cannabis marijuana as well as what to look for and expect. HelloMD has a number of [educational articles on hemp](https://www.hellomd.com/search?type=article&term=HEMP) and is a resource for those looking to learn more about CBD derived from hemp.\n\nThe real upside to hemp-derived CBD being available nationwide is that patients everywhere have the opportunity to see if a CBD product will work for their needs. In other words, this opens up accessibility for patients who may need it the most.\n\nPhoto credit: [Drew Saurus](https://unsplash.com/@drew_saurus)\n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://hellomd.com/articles/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/405c00e869c8ae0f43734e0f865a8090/14b42/6b8d8c1b9b4faceed87909a6c6a1b55c.jpg","srcSet":"/static/405c00e869c8ae0f43734e0f865a8090/f836f/6b8d8c1b9b4faceed87909a6c6a1b55c.jpg 200w,\n/static/405c00e869c8ae0f43734e0f865a8090/2244e/6b8d8c1b9b4faceed87909a6c6a1b55c.jpg 400w,\n/static/405c00e869c8ae0f43734e0f865a8090/14b42/6b8d8c1b9b4faceed87909a6c6a1b55c.jpg 800w,\n/static/405c00e869c8ae0f43734e0f865a8090/47498/6b8d8c1b9b4faceed87909a6c6a1b55c.jpg 1200w,\n/static/405c00e869c8ae0f43734e0f865a8090/0e329/6b8d8c1b9b4faceed87909a6c6a1b55c.jpg 1600w,\n/static/405c00e869c8ae0f43734e0f865a8090/2dd31/6b8d8c1b9b4faceed87909a6c6a1b55c.jpg 2014w","srcWebp":"/static/405c00e869c8ae0f43734e0f865a8090/58556/6b8d8c1b9b4faceed87909a6c6a1b55c.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/405c00e869c8ae0f43734e0f865a8090/61e93/6b8d8c1b9b4faceed87909a6c6a1b55c.webp 200w,\n/static/405c00e869c8ae0f43734e0f865a8090/1f5c5/6b8d8c1b9b4faceed87909a6c6a1b55c.webp 400w,\n/static/405c00e869c8ae0f43734e0f865a8090/58556/6b8d8c1b9b4faceed87909a6c6a1b55c.webp 800w,\n/static/405c00e869c8ae0f43734e0f865a8090/99238/6b8d8c1b9b4faceed87909a6c6a1b55c.webp 1200w,\n/static/405c00e869c8ae0f43734e0f865a8090/7c22d/6b8d8c1b9b4faceed87909a6c6a1b55c.webp 1600w,\n/static/405c00e869c8ae0f43734e0f865a8090/4098a/6b8d8c1b9b4faceed87909a6c6a1b55c.webp 2014w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2755-markdown","title":"Is Hemp About to Become Legal in the US?","slug":"is-hemp-about-to-become-legal-in-the-us","content":"Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) initiated the latest push to legalize hemp in April. That’s when he introduced Senate Bill 2667, known as [The Hemp Farming Act of 2018](https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/s2667/summary). It was rolled into the Farm Bill, which [passed on June 28](https://www.upi.com/Senate-passes-bill-legalizing-hemp-as-agricultural-commodity/5531530229618/).\n\nSupporters say that making hemp legal will help bolster economies in agricultural states and pave the way for more research on the plant. It will also enable consumers to purchase hemp products without fear of governmental reprisal.\n\nThe bill, which needs to be merged with another House bill before it goes to the Oval Office for President Trump’s signature, would legalize hemp. It would remove its status as a controlled substance, enabling farmers to grow hemp and sell it as a commodity. States would have the ability to regulate hemp production, and hemp farmers would be eligible for crop insurance.\n\n\"It's time to figure it out and see where this market will take us,\" Sen. McConnell said to the Senate Agricultural Committee in June.\n\n\"I think it's an important new development in American agriculture. There's plenty of hemp around; it's just coming from other countries. Why in the world would we want a lot of it to not come from here?” he continued.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### What Is Hemp & How Is it Related to Cannabis? \n\nYou may already see a variety of hemp products in supermarkets and other retail stores, including: \n\n* Edible hemp seeds\n* Clothing \n* Personal care products \n* Cooking oil \n* Building materials \n\nThey’re manufactured from a species of cannabis known as _Cannabis sativa_ L. (Cannabaceae), a relative of the cannabis plant that’s used to create the psychoactive products sold at your local dispensary. This “industrial hemp” is related to _Cannabis sativa_, but has one significant difference: It contains only a tiny fraction of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)—usually less than 0.3% and so isn’t psychoactive. \n\nFor many people, it would be very difficult to visually distinguish between what we’ll call hemp vs. cannabis. The italicized word _Cannabis_ is the actual biological name for both plants, and throughout the world, there are dozens more related species.\n\nCannabis cultivators wishing to emphasize the psychoactive effects of cannabis have focused on the production of plants rich in resinous cannabinoids like THC and cannabidiol (CBD). On the other hand, hemp farmers have bred their plants to produce tough fibers and plump, oil-filled seeds.\n\n### Hemp’s Long Strange Trip as an Agricultural Crop \n\nSen. McConnell wasn’t incorrect in advocating for the legalization of hemp. Its history as a diverse and useful crop is nearly as old as human history itself.\n\nOver thousands of years, hemp was cultivated from cannabis plants to encourage the growth of tall, fibrous stalks and the oily seeds. They were used to create rope, paper, oil and animal feed. It’s thought that hemp seeds travelled with early Asian civilizations, with records of Chinese cultivation dating back 8,500 years. \n\nIn the U.S., McConnell’s home state of Kentucky was the country’s leading hemp producer from the mid-1800s until about 1912. It was used as a source for rope and sail cloth. At that time, hemp was called “the king of fiber-bearing plants, the standard by which all other fibers are measured.” But by 1938, with the rollout of marijuana prohibition, the production of hemp in the U.S. disappeared.\n\n### Canada Takes the Lead in Hemp Production\n\nLast year, the U.S. imported $67 million in hemp—mostly seeds used to make other products—and Canada supplied 90% of it. Canada, which strictly regulates hemp farming, has allowed commercial licenses for hemp production since 1998.\n\nCanada had 140,000 acres in hemp cultivation in 2017 and has greatly simplified its regulations for farmers who want to grow hemp. It’s been legal to import hemp into the U.S. since 1998, which is one reason Canadian hemp products made such dramatic inroads into the U.S. market.\n\n### Hemp Can Thank CBD for Its Possible Legalization\n\nThere’s a compelling reason why Sen. McConnell powered his hemp proposal through Congress: the [growing popularity of cannabidiol (CBD)-infused products](https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/mitch-mcconnell-drug-warrior-cbd-champion-w522206). Although the Senator doesn’t publicly champion CBD, it should be noted that Kentucky, the state Sen. McConnell represents, grows industrial, low-THC hemp through university and agriculture pilot programs. \n\nThe positive shift in public perception regarding cannabis, combined with glowing reports of CBD’s effectiveness in treating certain types of seizure disorders, has resulted in staunch opponents of cannabis taking a more lenient approach to hemp-based CBD products. The hemp oil derivatives you may start to see in traditional retail outlets, if hemp is legalized, will be made from industrial hemp, and not cannabis.\n\n### I’m Confused—Are High-CBD Cannabis Strains Considered Hemp?  \n\nNo. Charlotte’s Web, the strain made famous by Colorado’s Stanley Brothers, was named for the young girl who was featured in Sanjay Gupta’s groundbreaking 2013 CNN documentary, “[Weed](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiShwotFJR8).” When Charlotte’s parents discovered that a low-THC, high-CBD cannabis strain massively curtailed her seizures, marijuana cultivators worked to develop more high-CBD strains. These strains include: \n\n* [ACDC](https://www.hellomd.com/strains/5a7cbe97d520d60009f4f4a5/acdc)\n* [Harlequin](https://www.hellomd.com/strains/5a9d9ad8fdb6dd00088d0cf1/harlequin)\n* [Cannatonic](https://www.hellomd.com/strains/5a7ce5dcd520d60009f4f4bd/cannatonic)\n* [Sour Tsunami](https://www.hellomd.com/strains/5b313d1e9755250007f2aeaa/sour-tsunami) \n* Ringo’s Gift\n\nBut all of these strains originate from THC-containing cannabis plants. \n\nBecause CBD is found in both industrial hemp and psychoactive forms of cannabis, manufacturers have created hemp-based CBD oils, which is why this issue can be confusing to the consumer.\n\n### Are All Hemp CBD Oils the Same?\n\nNo. Legalization advocates hope that hemp will fall into a regulatory process like psychoactive cannabis. Currently, there are far fewer regulations regarding the manufacturing and formulation of industrial hemp-based products. They’re regulated by the Food and Drug Administration as a dietary supplement.\n\nBut the market is already flooded with everything from excellent CBD products to the equivalent of snake oil—hemp products made with less than healthy additives from questionable sources. \n\nRELATED: [HEMP OIL VS. CBD OIL: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5b16ba68bf4c4d000a0e742d/cbd-oil-vs-hemp-oil-whats-the-difference)\n\nIt takes a much larger amount of low-resin hemp plants to create an equivalent amount of CBD oil as its high-resin, cannabis sister. Some importers sell less-than-optimal hemp paste and powder to manufacturers, and many of the end results of these questionable products can be found online.\n\nThis sub-optimal hemp usually requires the addition of thinning agents if used in an item like a vape pen. Beware of any cannabis product that uses propylene glycol as a thinning agent. It’s often used in conjunction with unregulated “pure CBD oil” and is harmful to healthy cannabis consumers, and particularly unhealthy for medical marijuana patients.\n\n### Will Hemp CBD Work the Same for Me as Cannabis-Based CBD Products Will? \n\nLike all products used by patients for self-care and wellness, it’s important to consider the source of your medicine. Look carefully at the labels and note whether your hemp-based CBD product has been tested in the same way as your psychoactive cannabis has. A quality hemp product will be tested for pesticides, molds and cannabinoid profiles.\n\nThe best way to know if hemp-based CBD medicine works for you is to experiment. Some people have excellent results from hemp-based CBD medicine, and others respond better to CBD medicine from cannabis plants.\n\nAnd remember: Hemp is the source for an ever-growing list of excellent products like soaps, lotions and food items that are just plain good for the body and soul.\n\n`embed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZOIBjVdeYc`\n\nSen. McConnell has done the right thing. With 17 states currently operating with CBD-only laws that only permit the use of high-CBD products, the next battle will be fought by hemp farmers. They understand the benefits of whole-plant cannabis derivatives that will make safer and more effective medicine for those who truly need it. Plus, an expanded agricultural sector makes economic sense, too. \n\nPhoto credit: [John Westrock](https://unsplash.com/@johnwestrock)\n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56201c206430320006bb0000/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.  \n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3888888888888888,"src":"/static/8f8aa05c9f2983b6b5e26466c4e9551a/14b42/b4932ec997972eef89e14399b34eb1c4.jpg","srcSet":"/static/8f8aa05c9f2983b6b5e26466c4e9551a/f836f/b4932ec997972eef89e14399b34eb1c4.jpg 200w,\n/static/8f8aa05c9f2983b6b5e26466c4e9551a/2244e/b4932ec997972eef89e14399b34eb1c4.jpg 400w,\n/static/8f8aa05c9f2983b6b5e26466c4e9551a/14b42/b4932ec997972eef89e14399b34eb1c4.jpg 800w,\n/static/8f8aa05c9f2983b6b5e26466c4e9551a/47498/b4932ec997972eef89e14399b34eb1c4.jpg 1200w,\n/static/8f8aa05c9f2983b6b5e26466c4e9551a/0e329/b4932ec997972eef89e14399b34eb1c4.jpg 1600w,\n/static/8f8aa05c9f2983b6b5e26466c4e9551a/41766/b4932ec997972eef89e14399b34eb1c4.jpg 3969w","srcWebp":"/static/8f8aa05c9f2983b6b5e26466c4e9551a/58556/b4932ec997972eef89e14399b34eb1c4.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/8f8aa05c9f2983b6b5e26466c4e9551a/61e93/b4932ec997972eef89e14399b34eb1c4.webp 200w,\n/static/8f8aa05c9f2983b6b5e26466c4e9551a/1f5c5/b4932ec997972eef89e14399b34eb1c4.webp 400w,\n/static/8f8aa05c9f2983b6b5e26466c4e9551a/58556/b4932ec997972eef89e14399b34eb1c4.webp 800w,\n/static/8f8aa05c9f2983b6b5e26466c4e9551a/99238/b4932ec997972eef89e14399b34eb1c4.webp 1200w,\n/static/8f8aa05c9f2983b6b5e26466c4e9551a/7c22d/b4932ec997972eef89e14399b34eb1c4.webp 1600w,\n/static/8f8aa05c9f2983b6b5e26466c4e9551a/c2326/b4932ec997972eef89e14399b34eb1c4.webp 3969w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2751-markdown","title":"Nourish to Flourish: Holistic Hound Hemp Oil Products","slug":"nourish-to-flourish-holistic-hound-hemp-oil-products","content":"Heidi Hill founded [Holistic Hound](https://www.hellomd.com/brands/5b5a2979cad6a4000967d6d7/holistic-hound) pet store in 2003 in Berkeley, California, to blend her two passions: animals and holistic health care. With a focus on nutrition, complementary therapies and education, she made it her mission to improve the health and wellness of dogs and cats.\n\nA graduate of the Pacific Academy of Homeopathy in 1997, Heidi decided to combine her knowledge of animals with her understanding of the healing power of phytocannabinoids and medicinal mushrooms to formulate a line of supplements to help many more people and their animals. In 2016, Holistic Hound launched a line of high-quality, phytocannabinoid-rich (PCR) hemp oil and mushroom supplements.\n\nHolistic Hound’s full-spectrum PCR hemp oil is derived from organic, whole-plant hemp grown in Colorado. It’s been reported to help reduce inflammation, promote calm, support immune function and maintain a healthy intestinal tract. Meanwhile, its mushroom supplements, which are also certified organic, are reported to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immune-boosting properties.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\nHelloMD spoke with Heidi to find out more about how she got started as well as what makes Holistic Hound’s products stand out from other hemp-based pet products on the market today.\n\n![Holistic Hound's Heidi Hill with Pearl](https://hellomd-development.s3.amazonaws.com/markdown-image-injector-a23bece3-e6c3-4493-870e-8f86e1c2b53d/original.jpg)\n\n### For the last 15 years, you’ve professionally focused within the pet health and wellness sector. How did you get there, and what have you learned?\n\n**Heidi Hill:** At the start of my career, I spent 20 years in the corporate world—in finance, human resources and sales. Although I loved my work, I’ve always been passionate about health. I ultimately went back to school and earned a certificate of homeopathy, fulfilling my ultimate desire to practice homeopathy on animals.\n\nAround that time, I also got my first puppy in over 25 years, Pearl, which further changed my life and solidified my passion for doing something more heart-focused by working with animals. The blend of these two passions led to the opening of the Holistic Hound store in Berkeley, California. Our focus has always been on holistic health and wellness for animals, and we’re still going strong after 15 years.\n\n### Why did you decide to launch a line of pet supplements made of cannabidiol (CBD) derived from hemp? \n\n**HH:** We began selling a line of CBD treats for dogs at Holistic Hound about four years ago and customers consistently shared positive feedback on the great results they were having with their animals. I immersed myself in learning as much as I could about the amazing benefits of hemp and cannabis, and became intensely interested in learning as much as I could about this amazing healing plant.\n\nI’ve always had a desire to create my own line of products to complement the store and finally found something I could feel passionate about. A year and a half later, in 2016, we launched our own unique line of Holistic Hound hemp supplements.\n\nRELATED: [KEEPING YOUR PET HEALTHY WITH HEMP-DERIVED CBD](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5b92ac5128d6e8000971f750/keeping-your-pet-healthy-with-hemp-derived-cbd)\n\n### The combination of mushroom extract and CBD seems really unique. What made you think this combination might have more efficacy as a pet supplement?\n\n**HH:** I’ve seen the many benefits of medicinal mushrooms, and have been selling and using them for years. So, I loved the idea of creating a product that combined mushrooms with the additional incredible benefits of hemp. We get consistent customer feedback that our products are more effective than others they’ve tried, and I believe that this is due to this powerful combination. \n\n### What are the most common reasons pet owners typically seek out CBD pet supplements? \n\n**HH:** Most commonly, we see people using CBD to help reduce:\n\n* anxiety\n* inflammation\n* pain\n* seizures\n* chronic illness \n\n### In your experience, what pet conditions see the most efficacy when using CBD?\n\n**HH:** It’s easiest to witness a reduction in anxiety and pain, but we have hundreds of testimonials citing the many other benefits. \n\n### You use the term PCR hemp oil instead of CBD. Why? \n\n**HH:** CBD has been the term commonly used for products containing cannabidiol. However, CBD is only one of the many beneficial cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. The term CBD could also be used to denote an isolate product—one that contains CBD only.\n\nPhytocannabinoid-rich, or PCR, hemp oil is a term that’s more indicative of the full-spectrum oil used in Holistic Hound supplements. There are many other beneficial constituents found in the cannabis plant that also contribute to its healing properties, such as other cannabinoids as well as [terpenes](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5a99e9f4f24d1300077ccb6f/cannabis-terpenes-pack-a-therapeutic-punch) and [flavonoids](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5b1ad748bf4c4d000a0e7452/what-are-cannabis-flavonoids-and-are-they-good-for-you).\n\nAll of these compounds work together synergistically to provide what’s known as the [entourage effect](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56d0f3acbbf86b000b0000ae/what-is-the-entourage-effect), which provides greater benefit than an isolate will.\n\n### You have two different product types: pet tinctures and pet “bites.” Why would someone choose one product over another?\n\n**HH:** Preference. If you have a very food-motivated dog, it might be easier to dose them with a bite as they’re very palatable. Some find the tinctures easier and more effective. The active ingredients also vary between products.\n\nAll of our bites also contain our blend of five organic certified mushrooms; one of our five PCR tincture varieties contains Chaga mushroom extract while the others don’t. Results will be better for both if given on an empty stomach, or away from other food. \n\n### How does your product stand out when placed next to your competitors? \n\n**HH:** There are many CBD products on the market right now, but they aren’t all of the same quality. We use only the highest-quality ingredients, including organic, full-spectrum, phytocannabinoid-rich oil; certified, organic medicinal mushrooms; pasture-raised chicken; grass-fed lamb liver; and more. We also provide third-party testing and transparency throughout. \n\n### Is CBD derived from hemp comparable to CBD that comes from the cannabis marijuana plant? What’s the difference?\n\n**HH:** Our plants are a hybrid and not unlike marijuana, but they meet the legal definition of hemp by containing less than 0.3% THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). While some people believe products derived from marijuana are superior, I’m not aware of any studies that exist confirming that, and we have strong anecdotal evidence that hemp products are extremely effective.\n\nWhile cannabis-derived products can currently only be legally sold in licensed dispensaries in the states where the plants are cultivated, products that are derived from hemp can be sold online and at traditional retail outlets in all 50 states, making them both an effective and more accessible option. \n\n### What hemp-derived products do you like and why?\n\n**HH:** I like any hemp-derived products of all varieties: tinctures, edibles or bites, salves, capsules and more. Choosing one just depends on the particular condition and what works best for each individual person or animal. \n\n### Can anyone from anywhere purchase Holistic Hound CBD products?\n\n**HH:** Yes, most people in the U.S. can purchase Holistic Hound products freely either in their local store or online. However, there are still some legal challenges within some states and/or local municipalities, so even though we believe our products to be fully legal under the Farm Bill of 2014, some restrictions do exist. Although we’d love to sell internationally, due to current regulations we can’t sell Holistic Hound products outside of the United States. \n\n### Do you have advice for anyone who wants to purchase CBD derived from hemp for their pets?\n\n**HH:** If you’re considering purchasing a hemp-derived CBD product, it’s important to do your own research to determine the quality of each individual product. You should also seek out a trusted retailer that has meticulously vetted their products, and consult your veterinarian when possible. Please also be aware that CBD products can’t be sold or recommended by veterinarians in some states, including California. \n\n### What general advice do you have for pet owners when it comes to the health and wellness of their pets? \n\n**HH:** For optimal health and wellness, it’s really important to feed your pet a species-appropriate diet—raw or home cooked, ideally—and make sure they get ample exercise and training, good holistic health care, supplements when needed and, of course, lots of love.","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.36986301369863,"src":"/static/db335fe834c9992850dee4e4fb5fecdd/14b42/5ad132169e15bf024cbf29c3ea04d174.jpg","srcSet":"/static/db335fe834c9992850dee4e4fb5fecdd/f836f/5ad132169e15bf024cbf29c3ea04d174.jpg 200w,\n/static/db335fe834c9992850dee4e4fb5fecdd/2244e/5ad132169e15bf024cbf29c3ea04d174.jpg 400w,\n/static/db335fe834c9992850dee4e4fb5fecdd/14b42/5ad132169e15bf024cbf29c3ea04d174.jpg 800w,\n/static/db335fe834c9992850dee4e4fb5fecdd/47498/5ad132169e15bf024cbf29c3ea04d174.jpg 1200w,\n/static/db335fe834c9992850dee4e4fb5fecdd/fdb74/5ad132169e15bf024cbf29c3ea04d174.jpg 1495w","srcWebp":"/static/db335fe834c9992850dee4e4fb5fecdd/58556/5ad132169e15bf024cbf29c3ea04d174.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/db335fe834c9992850dee4e4fb5fecdd/61e93/5ad132169e15bf024cbf29c3ea04d174.webp 200w,\n/static/db335fe834c9992850dee4e4fb5fecdd/1f5c5/5ad132169e15bf024cbf29c3ea04d174.webp 400w,\n/static/db335fe834c9992850dee4e4fb5fecdd/58556/5ad132169e15bf024cbf29c3ea04d174.webp 800w,\n/static/db335fe834c9992850dee4e4fb5fecdd/99238/5ad132169e15bf024cbf29c3ea04d174.webp 1200w,\n/static/db335fe834c9992850dee4e4fb5fecdd/c63ac/5ad132169e15bf024cbf29c3ea04d174.webp 1495w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2745-markdown","title":"8 Fast Facts About the History of Cannabis in the U.S.","slug":"8-fast-facts-about-the-history-of-cannabis-in-the-us","content":"Marijuana in the U.S. has a rich and colorful history: From the plant’s beginnings on the continent as a staple colonial crop to its effective outlaw status in 1937, and now with its new resurgence, our relationship with the plant is everchanging. On Independence Day, we take a look at the United States’ relationship with marijuana—the good, the bad and everything in between. \n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### 1. Cannabis in the Form of Hemp Was an Important Part of Colonial Life\n\nLet’s start with some tidbits you may have picked up from your pro-marijuana uncle at Thanksgiving dinner: Hemp was a crucial part of the New World economy. So much so that Virginia passed a law in 1619 that required every farm in the colony grow hemp. The fibrous plant was used for the production of sails, clothing and rope.  \n\nMany of the founding fathers also grew the cash crop including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. Contrary to popular myth, the Constitution and Declaration of Independence weren’t written on hemp paper; they were written on parchment, or animal skins. Though, it’s possible that drafts of the documents were written on hemp paper, as it was popular at the time. \n\nRELATED: [WHAT IS HEMP & WHAT IS IT USED FOR](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56dfbf5fab06d8000c000076/what-is-hemp-and-what-is-it-used-for)\n\n### 2. Cannabis Was Sold in Pharmacies Across the West in the late 1800s & early 1900s\n\nIn 1842, Irish physician William Brooke O’Shaughnessy returned from his travels in India and brought cannabis to Britain, renewing interest in the plant’s medicinal properties among Westerners. \n\nFrom the late 1800s to early 1900s, cannabis—often mixed with other drugs and in the form of tinctures—was a popular sight on pharmacy shelves across the U.S. Marijuana was used as a remedy for everything from pain and insomnia to muscle spasms and seizures. \n\n### 3. Smokable Cannabis Entered the U.S. via Mexico & the Caribbean \n\nIn the 1910s, Mexican refugees, fleeing violence from the Mexican Revolution, brought cannabis with them to the U.S., particularly to Texas. Cannabis had been brought to Latin America multiple times in the 1700s and was often smoked; its use there was already well-established. \n\nAround the same time, cannabis arrived in New Orleans and other coastal cities from the Caribbean. It was here that the plant began to take root in what would become jazz culture. Jazz musicians brought the plant with them to cities throughout the Midwest—including St. Louis, Kansas City and Chicago. \n\nThe popularity of cannabis among Latinos and African Americans birthed the stereotype of the plant as a “colored people’s drug,” a notion that Harry Anslinger, the first commissioner of the U.S. Treasury Department's Federal Bureau of Narcotics, would take advantage of in the years to come.  \n\nRELATED: [MARIJUANA’S STORIED HISTORY: FROM ANCIENT TIMES TO NOW](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5ad6746f049b4f000a64e890/marijuanas-storied-history-from-ancient-times-to-now)\n\n### 4. Alcohol Prohibition May Have Helped Popularize Cannabis \n\n![](https://hellomd-development.s3.amazonaws.com/markdown-image-injector-12196254-3e36-42d0-88e1-4eb89638918a/original.png)\n\nIn 1920, the Volstead Act established alcohol prohibition in the U.S. Though there’s no direct evidence to point to, historian Barney Warf, who authored the paper [_High Points: An Historical Geography of Cannabis_](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1931-0846.2014.12038.x), theorizes that Prohibition may have contributed to the popularization of cannabis. \n\n“Tea pads” began appearing in Harlem and soon spread across the country; they were often associated with the black “hepster” jazz scene. These pads, which often resembled speakeasies, were places where folks could go to purchase and consume marijuana in a peaceful, comfortable atmosphere. By the 1930s, it’s estimated that there were about 500 tea pads in New York City. \n\n### 5. Henry Anslinger Sculpted Marijuana’s Negative Image & Sold It to the Masses\n\n![Henry Anslinger promotes a negative image of cannabis](https://hellomd-development.s3.amazonaws.com/markdown-image-injector-1e2e3b11-30c6-424e-8523-9c9a443fe05b/original.png)\n\nYou can thank Henry Anslinger, commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (which would later become the Drug Enforcement Administration, or DEA), for promoting a negative image of marijuana. \n\nIn his 32-year career, Henry frequently dismissed scientific evidence, which stated that cannabis use didn’t lead to violent behavior or the use of addictive drugs. He manipulated public opinion, causing many to believe that cannabis use:\n\n* Led to temporary insanity \n* Was addictive\n* Was a gateway drug\n\nHe also promoted the narrative that the plant was used by communities of color and linked this use to violence and crime. His efforts would ultimately culminate in the passage of the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, which didn’t distinguish hemp from marijuana and placed all production of cannabis under government control. \n\n### 6. The U.S. Re-legalized Hemp During WWII—Then Promptly Criminalized It Again \n\n![Hemp for Victory film](https://hellomd-development.s3.amazonaws.com/markdown-image-injector-185a1117-face-41ea-b0ab-46c140bb261d/original.png)\n\nDuring World War II, industrial fibers that were often imported from overseas were in short supply, prompting the federal government to lift the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937. To encourage farmers to grow hemp, and likely to explain the lifting of a ban of a substance that they’d recently promoted as extremely dangerous, the U.S. government released a film titled _Hemp for Victory_ in 1942. The film goes through the history of hemp and how it was used for rope and cloth.\n\nShortly after the war, the DEA initiated a series of anti-hemp programs, and the plant was once again criminalized. \n\n### 7. Beatniks & Hippies Popularized Cannabis Use in White America \n\nIn the 1960s, use of cannabis among America’s white middle class began to expand. This phenomenon is credited to the Beatniks, who made a drug often associated with poor communities of color seem more approachable. The hippie counterculture movement would popularize the plant further, though it did little to change cannabis’s illegal status.\n\nIn fact, as most cannabis consumers know, the worst was yet to come: In 1970, the Controlled Substances Act would classify cannabis as a Schedule I drug, a substance with high abuse potential, no medical use and severe safety concerns. This classification, in combination with mandatory drug sentencing laws, would disproportionately affect men of color. \n\n### 8. The AIDS Epidemic Brought Medical Marijuana to the Forefront of the Public’s Mind\n\nWhen the AIDS epidemic hit the U.S. in the 1980s, there was no medicine to combat the virus’s effects. Eventually, the FDA approved a drug called azidothymidine (AZT). While it was effective and manageable for some AIDS patients, for others its side effects only seemed to worsen the disease’s already debilitating symptoms, which included nausea, fatigue and cachexia.\n\nNaturally, people with AIDS gravitated towards marijuana for its ability to relieve nausea and stimulate appetite, in spite of its contraband status. And so began the fight to legalize marijuana for medical purposes. [This movement was led in part by activists Dennis Peron](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5b1832a9bf4c4d000a0e743d/how-lgbtq-activists-brought-medical-marijuana-to-the-masses) and Mary Jane Rathburn, whose work received much media attention. Dennis would go on to draft and pass Proposition 215, which legalized medical marijuana in California. \n\nTo date, there are 30 states plus Washington, D.C., where medical cannabis is legal and nine states plus Washington D.C., where adult-use cannabis is legal. Meanwhile, more than a dozen states allow very limited medical use of marijuana.\n\nPublic perception about the plant is changing: Major polls by Gallup and the Pew Research Center indicate that the majority (over 60%) of Americans support marijuana legalization. It’s taken decades for the cannabis community to undo the misinformation spread by Henry Anslinger and like-minded officials. With marijuana still illegal at the federal level, time will tell whether this work has been enough to bring the plant into a new light. \n\nPhoto credits: [Jurassic Blueberries](https://www.flickr.com/photos/jurassicblueberries/) (main image); [Orange County Archives](https://www.flickr.com/photos/ocarchives/) (alcohol prohibition); [Wikipedia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/ReeferMadness_13.jpg) (Henry Anslinger); [Wikimedia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Hemp_for_Victory_1942.webm) (Hemp for Victory).\n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56201c206430320006bb0000/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online. ","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/947fafe910054d21d38faf6a43d765ef/14b42/d33d5ea4e1c944627f882e8dc6904399.jpg","srcSet":"/static/947fafe910054d21d38faf6a43d765ef/f836f/d33d5ea4e1c944627f882e8dc6904399.jpg 200w,\n/static/947fafe910054d21d38faf6a43d765ef/2244e/d33d5ea4e1c944627f882e8dc6904399.jpg 400w,\n/static/947fafe910054d21d38faf6a43d765ef/14b42/d33d5ea4e1c944627f882e8dc6904399.jpg 800w,\n/static/947fafe910054d21d38faf6a43d765ef/47498/d33d5ea4e1c944627f882e8dc6904399.jpg 1200w,\n/static/947fafe910054d21d38faf6a43d765ef/0e329/d33d5ea4e1c944627f882e8dc6904399.jpg 1600w,\n/static/947fafe910054d21d38faf6a43d765ef/c62f6/d33d5ea4e1c944627f882e8dc6904399.jpg 2005w","srcWebp":"/static/947fafe910054d21d38faf6a43d765ef/58556/d33d5ea4e1c944627f882e8dc6904399.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/947fafe910054d21d38faf6a43d765ef/61e93/d33d5ea4e1c944627f882e8dc6904399.webp 200w,\n/static/947fafe910054d21d38faf6a43d765ef/1f5c5/d33d5ea4e1c944627f882e8dc6904399.webp 400w,\n/static/947fafe910054d21d38faf6a43d765ef/58556/d33d5ea4e1c944627f882e8dc6904399.webp 800w,\n/static/947fafe910054d21d38faf6a43d765ef/99238/d33d5ea4e1c944627f882e8dc6904399.webp 1200w,\n/static/947fafe910054d21d38faf6a43d765ef/7c22d/d33d5ea4e1c944627f882e8dc6904399.webp 1600w,\n/static/947fafe910054d21d38faf6a43d765ef/3a4e8/d33d5ea4e1c944627f882e8dc6904399.webp 2005w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2741-markdown","title":"DIY Recipe: Hemp CBD Blueberry Breakfast Smoothie","slug":"diy-recipe-hemp-cbd-blueberry-breakfast-smoothie","content":"Mornings can be a blur: shower, brush your teeth, get dressed, feed the dog (and maybe the kids). In the midst of all this, finding time to eat breakfast can be a stretch. For those of us who lead busy lives, smoothies can be a good way to ensure you eat your breakfast: They’re quick and easy to make; and you can sip them on the train, in the car or at your desk. \n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\nSmoothies are also a convenient way to take those daily superfoods you encounter in health food stores. You know the ones I mean: flax, chia, spirulina, maca and, of course, hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD). This superfood can reduce inflammation, ease stress and perhaps make your mornings a little less hectic.\n\nWe tend to think of hemp CBD (and CBD in general) in an acute context: Got a migraine? Maybe a hemp CBD tincture will provide quick relief. But the more we learn, the more it becomes clear that hemp [CBD may work best as a supplement](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5a3c033a100a820006562f35/a-holistic-approach-to-living-with-parkinsons-disease).\n\nTaking small amounts of hemp CBD everyday may lead to better results than if you just have it when an issue arises. And what better way to take it than in your morning breakfast smoothie? \n\nRELATED: [CELEBRATING THE INGREDIENT: JUNA’S HEMP CBD TINCTURE](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5b31c578bf4c4d000a0e74f5/celebrating-the-ingredient-junas-hemp-cbd-tincture)\n\n### Ingredients for Hemp CBD Blueberry Breakfast Smoothie \n\n1 serving \n\n* 1/2 cup almond milk\n* 1 ripe banana\n* 1/2 cup frozen blueberries\n* 6–8 ice cubes\n* 1 tbsp almond butter\n* 5–10 drops hemp CBD tincture\n\n### How to Make Hemp CBD Blueberry Breakfast Smoothie \n\n1. Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. \n2. After blending, check the consistency of your smoothie—you may need to add more almond milk if it’s too thick. \n\n### Pro Tips for Making the Ultimate Hemp CBD Breakfast Smoothie\n\n* Beef up this smoothie by adding your favorite protein powder or a scoop of granola—yes, you can add granola to smoothies; it’s delicious.  \n\n* If you use a frozen banana, you can nix the ice cubes. Frozen bananas give smoothies a rich, thick texture.\n\n* Throw in other superfoods: ground flax and cacao nibs go especially well with this recipe. \n\nPhoto credits (left to right): [Jessica Ruscello](https://unsplash.com/@jruscello) & [Sharon Chen](https://unsplash.com/@sharonchen)","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/9bad07f39d1e1e4377ddbc722c887b53/14b42/472eff36408f647396388b0a56d4dc32.jpg","srcSet":"/static/9bad07f39d1e1e4377ddbc722c887b53/f836f/472eff36408f647396388b0a56d4dc32.jpg 200w,\n/static/9bad07f39d1e1e4377ddbc722c887b53/2244e/472eff36408f647396388b0a56d4dc32.jpg 400w,\n/static/9bad07f39d1e1e4377ddbc722c887b53/14b42/472eff36408f647396388b0a56d4dc32.jpg 800w,\n/static/9bad07f39d1e1e4377ddbc722c887b53/47498/472eff36408f647396388b0a56d4dc32.jpg 1200w,\n/static/9bad07f39d1e1e4377ddbc722c887b53/b78c2/472eff36408f647396388b0a56d4dc32.jpg 1286w","srcWebp":"/static/9bad07f39d1e1e4377ddbc722c887b53/58556/472eff36408f647396388b0a56d4dc32.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/9bad07f39d1e1e4377ddbc722c887b53/61e93/472eff36408f647396388b0a56d4dc32.webp 200w,\n/static/9bad07f39d1e1e4377ddbc722c887b53/1f5c5/472eff36408f647396388b0a56d4dc32.webp 400w,\n/static/9bad07f39d1e1e4377ddbc722c887b53/58556/472eff36408f647396388b0a56d4dc32.webp 800w,\n/static/9bad07f39d1e1e4377ddbc722c887b53/99238/472eff36408f647396388b0a56d4dc32.webp 1200w,\n/static/9bad07f39d1e1e4377ddbc722c887b53/08afc/472eff36408f647396388b0a56d4dc32.webp 1286w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}}]}},"pageContext":{"limit":12,"skip":36,"numPages":6,"currentPage":4,"id":5334,"name":"Hemp","slug":"hemp","country":"US"}},"staticQueryHashes":["3949754563","4179947113","4202924991"]}