19 comments

  • aphextron 2104 days ago
    Anecdotally, as someone with moderate bipolar depression and severe anxiety, a 1:1 THC/CBD tincture has been a miracle cure for me. I’ve spent my whole life going through every SSRI and mood stabilizer in the book, and the side effects have always been worse than just going unmedicated. This is the only thing that has ever truly helped me. Cannabinoids seem to be highly synergistic, where THC can ease the depression but increase anxiety, while CBD decreases the anxiety to be manageable. Either one alone is far less effective.
    • rabidrat 2104 days ago
      How long have you been using this approach? (Curious to know if it remains effective over several years).
      • hangtwenty 2104 days ago
        Anecdotal, but... It’s worked for me and several people I am close with, over several years.
    • amorphid 2104 days ago
      What dosage are you taking? On what schedule do you take it?
      • blackflame7000 2104 days ago
        This is cannabis, I don't think you ever actually get "prescribed" your medically necessary recreational activity.
        • stemcc 2104 days ago
          Maybe so, if you're dosing from the bag of shake you bought behind the bleachers off that guy who drives a brown pinto and once hit on your girlfriend.

          but in California, for example, I could simply just ask the doctor writing my cannabis prescription what's their dosage suggestion based upon the medical reasons they were writing my presciption in the first place.

          • richsherwood 2104 days ago
            And it would mainly be a guess on the Doctor’s part as there isn’t enough science either way. Expect that to change in the next 10-20 years but at this point, your doctor, even with all the medical degrees behind them, know just as much as the bud tender behind the counter. Compound that with the fact that cannabis affects everyone differently then it all becomes a subjective mess.
        • amorphid 2104 days ago
          I was fishing for "1 drop per day in the morning of $SOME_TINCTURE". My questions could have been phrased better.

          But you're not wrong. If you wanna figure out what works for you, you'll have to experiment for yourself without a medical professionals help. That's true for any over the counter (OTC) medication in your local pharmacy, too.

          • aphextron 2103 days ago
            Cannabis dosing is so particular to the specific tolerance level, brain chemistry, and body mass of an individual, that it's impossible to give any kind of general advice. Especially given the massive variation among products, even if they list the same milligram dosages.

            The best guess I could give you for a "minimum therapeutic dose" for THC/CBD would be 5MG. Start from there and move your way up to what works for you.

    • mpfundstein 2104 days ago
      so what do I have to buy? I live in Amsterdam. Is it just a specific sort of weed from the coffeeshop or do I need something special?
      • richsherwood 2104 days ago
        The strains are harder to find as they are considered premium strains these days with the rise of CBD but an easy replacement would be to consume your regular cannabis and then take a CBD pill immediately afterwards. It won’t be exact 1:1 but you can play around with it to get the effect you desire.
      • WalterSear 2103 days ago
        It's special. Unless advertised as such, it's not going to contain much CBD.
    • adrianhel 2104 days ago
      I appreciate this answer!
  • spraak 2104 days ago
    OK, this article is trying so hard to sound cool.

    > The oil was the brownish color of a stagnant pond, and tasted like old bong water with a hint of lemon.

    It sounds like they haven't actually tried bong water, unless the CBD tincture they had was actually incredibly poorly made. Bong water is... not something you just drop on your tongue. It's hard for me to illustrate but it's very disgusting, unpalatable.

    > After ingesting it—perhaps, I will admit, because I really wanted to believe—I thought I felt something

    I think it's possible that some people feel effects from CBD alone, but most people probably need a more whole spectrum cannabinoid profile to benefit. I.e. the "entourage effect":

    > First described in 1998 by Israeli scientists Shimon Ben-Shabat and Raphael Mechoulam, the basic idea of the entourage effect is that cannabinoids within the cannabis plant work together, or possess synergy, and affect the body in a mechanism similar to the body’s own endocannabinoid system. [1]

    > I told him that I had tried CBD in coffee

    Not the author's fault there... these substances are very opposite.

    Finally I'd like to say for anyone wanting to experience the healing effects from cannabis without getting high should look into raw cannabis, or THCA and CBDA, which are the acid forms of THC and CBD and in studies I've seen provide anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer etc. effects (as THC and CBD are claimed to) but without the psychoactivity.

    [1] https://www.medicaljane.com/2014/05/14/thc-cbd-and-more-the-...

    • stephengillie 2104 days ago
      > Bong water is... not something you just drop on your tongue. It's hard for me to illustrate but it's very disgusting, unpalatable.

      Start with water from rotten potatoes, add fish oil.

      • blackflame7000 2104 days ago
        Ever been inside a Frat house.. it smells a bit like that
    • mdellavo 2104 days ago
      THC and coffee is so popular there is slang for it - https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Stoner%20spe...
      • WalterSear 2103 days ago
        It's been called a hippy speedball for much longer.
    • marpstar 2104 days ago
      I've been sampling CBD oil from a few different sources the past few months. I just received a bottle from Bluebird Botanicals (as the author did). Their website warns you before purchase about the taste, and after sampling three other products, I just ignored the warning.

      I received it yesterday and WOW it tastes AWFUL. It's really bad.

      • pininja 2104 days ago
        I recommend mixing it with honey! My favorite drink with it is CBD + honey + matcha green tea + ice.
      • CuriouslyC 2104 days ago
        Just a note, I've read that CBD actually suffers from first pass metabolism by the liver, so taking it orally is extremely inefficient. Anecdotally, I've found the anxiolytic effects to be more significant from smoking it than eating it. I also find vaping flowers more pleasant than consuming oil, and gives me more control over dosage.
      • freeflight 2104 days ago
        > I received it yesterday and WOW it tastes AWFUL. It's really bad.

        As weird as it might sound, I prefer that with "medicine", it's also one of the reasons why I "enjoy" drinking chamomile tea: It tastes so bad, it gotta be healthy.

        • vidarh 2104 days ago
          This is probably quite common. Cough syrup being a typical example where the the taste seems to be largely down to how they think they can make it taste enough like what people expect cough syrup to taste like, given the long list of completely awful but completely different tasting syrups.

          It's a pet hate of mine, as it's getting hard to get some of the typical ingredients separately as pills - e.g. guaifenesin (expectorant) used to be commonly available separately in the UK, but is now usually combined with paracatemol (acetaminophen) and phenylephrine hydrochloride if you want it in pill form, sometimes additional things too, like caffeine - it seems like the market basically is split in a "must suffer for this to be real medicine" segment and a "I just want everything possibly related in one pill whether or not any individual one of them will do anything" segment.

          If you prefer to actually choose specifically what active ingredients you consume, then you're stuck with the mostly foul syrups (I've found one that isn't actively offensive to my tastebuds)

        • Osmium 2104 days ago
          > it's also one of the reasons why I "enjoy" drinking chamomile tea: It tastes so bad, it gotta be healthy

          Each to their own, I really enjoy the taste of chamomile tea :)

          Agreed that it's a good thing for medicine not to taste 'good' though, especially for medicines that happen to enhance appetite...

      • agumonkey 2104 days ago
        under the tongue intake ?

        I'm wondering if it's possible to inhale CBD with the old bowl of near boiling water.

      • dnautics 2104 days ago
        do you think there's a market for flavorless CBD products?
        • marpstar 2104 days ago
          Definitely. While I appreciate the fact that their oil is a natural plant-derived supplement, many people would be turned off by this oil for their first try.

          "Good Vibes" by Sabaidee is as close to "flavorless" as I've come across, but my favorite thus far has been Green Mountain CBD, which has a "chocolate mint" flavor.

        • stephengillie 2104 days ago
          There's a huge market for edibles and ingestibles. It's only a matter of time before "CBD CannaButter" is available in grocery stores for cooking.
    • dnautics 2104 days ago
      How is THCA not psychoactive? THCA generally undergoes decarboxylation when the environment shifts (acid, base, temperature), and just naturally over time anyways, so it autoconverts to THC, and even probably requires that conversions to touch the receptor.
      • aphextron 2104 days ago
        THCA requires heat to be activated into THC. In fact most strains of cannabis contain hardly any THC at all; it’s almost entirely THCA. That's why eating raw buds won’t get you high. Only when you ignite or vape the plant material does it get converted.
        • freeflight 2104 days ago
          That's also the reason why vaping is considered that much more efficient compared to smoking.

          With the smoking, most of the active ingredients literally just burn up, which includes producing the nasty stuff like tar and the smoke particles. Which is something tobacco smokers kinda crave for.

          While good vapes have very precise temperature controls, allowing for evaporation of different cannabinoids and terpenes without literally burning up the plant.

      • spraak 2104 days ago
        Well, I don't know how THCA is not psychoactive vs THC, but you said yourself how THCA converts to THC. If you get very fresh cannabis, it will have undergone very little natural decarboxoylation.

        And as for the receptors, THCA has been found to act on different receptors, i.e. not on CB1 or CB2, and that the effects on those receptors is different. I am not explaining the science well, but it's easily searchable.

    • AJRF 2104 days ago
      >> I told him that I had tried CBD in coffee

      > Not the author's fault there... these substances are very opposite.

      Well depends on the strain, right?

      Sativa + Coffee probably has a enhanced little buzz.

      • spraak 2104 days ago
        There isn't really a connection to cannabinoid profile and sativa vs indica, that I've seen. E.g. Harle-Tsu is a high CBD sativa strain, but it's not going to be like most familiar THC sativas. So I mean that it's the actual cannabinoid profile that determines that, and from I've read, CBD is more calming vs THC and caffeine are more hyping.
    • shams93 2104 days ago
      Yeah for depression and PTSD the entourage effect is really important, the high is a part of the relief for those who use it for depression and PTSD.
  • arminiusreturns 2104 days ago
    I'm shadowbanned so I don't know why I respond to things anymore but...

    Hemp-derived cbd is legal in all 50 states, which is appealing for legal reasons, but I've found cannabis derived cbd is much more effective.

    Also, please be careful and research what you are injesting. There are a lot of cbd oils these days that have added terpenes and other things. If you can't find a scientific terpene profile I wouldn't use it, or even better, use things without the added stuff.

    As a comat vet with ptsd I think it's a moral outrage that the one easy to grow plant that helps me and my buddies is illegal. Personally, I also think it's unconstitutional as well, but there is a good debate to be had (that I haven't seen yet) about states abuse of general welfare and health clauses to justify their attacks on it, along with good discussion about the abuse of the Commerce clause at the federal level.

    Ps; dang, this isn't an alt, I changed my password without looking on the other account.

    • efficax 2104 days ago
      I dunno if shadow banning is a thing here but we can see your comments
  • wnmurphy 2104 days ago
    CBD is a CB1 receptor antagonist, which means it suppresses activity in those receptors which are found in the brain and the tissues of other organs throughout the entire body. Excess CB1 activity seems to be implicated in many different disorders (most notably obesity).

    Chronic CB1 receptor antagonism is associated with:

    - lowered blood pressure

    - increased levels of Akkermensia bacteria in the gut (associated with leanness)

    - decreased lipogenesis (creation of new fat cells)

    - decreased fat masss

    - resistance to obesity, despite caloric surplus

    - increased fatty acid oxidation

    - increased adiponectin

    - increased transdifferentiation of white fat into metabolically active brown fat

    - increased insulin sensitivity

    - reduced insulin levels

    - increased leptin sensitivity

    - reduced proteinurea and improved creatinine clearance in kidney disease

    - smoking and cocaine cessation

    - reduction in depression symptoms

    - reduced anxiety

    Search PubMed for "CB1 antagonist" or "chronic CB1 blockade" to see what kinds of things CB1 antagonism can do. You'll find quite a lot of research into Rimonabant (another CB1 antagonist) but unfortunately it was found to cause psychological side effects like depression and suicidal ideation; CBD does not have these effects.

    There are several anecdotal reports the on /r/cbd subreddit where people start taking it for anxiety and depression, and end up losing 10-40 lbs. of excess weight without trying.

    I've found that it helps me sleep deeply, helps me focus at work, and I am satiated after much smaller amounts of food than before. I also notice that I can run at a significantly higher intensity on the treadmill for much longer with CBD.

    I have recommended CBD to 7 or 8 people, and each one reports a plethora of benefits: helps depression, anxiety, ADHD, sleep, weight loss, brain fog, overeating, etc.

    There seems to be a good amount of variety in the quality of non-isolate CBD products. Some contain minute amounts of THC and other psychoactive cannabinoids, so they may cause you to fail a drug test if that's a concern.

    CBD is one incredibly beneficial compound. I highly recommend you try it if it's available where you live.

    • harigov 2104 days ago
      Is there a specific brand that you recommend?
      • wnmurphy 2103 days ago
        Green Mountain, located in Vermont, makes a variety of lab-tested products which seem to be fairly high quality at a good price point.
  • rcar1046 2104 days ago
    I've tried full spectrum CBD from a reliable source and I'm jealous of everyone who seem to be reaping all of these benefits. I'm unfortunately not on that side of the fence. I've tried different doses from tinctures under the tongue etc...but I couldn't say I notice any difference in mood, anxiety, muscle soreness, joint pain et al.
  • tasty_freeze 2104 days ago
    I have the start of arthritis in my hands. I just spent $50 on a topical salve with hemp-derived CBD oil after reading a lot of reviews about how effective it is.

    The next day I checked if there was any research on its efficacy. Due to the volume of pages touting the benefits of CBD, finding the actual research was difficult. Most of the search results were either vendors or medical mj boosters.

    The best I found was this: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4851925/

    Sure enough, CBD did help reduce inflammation and increased joint mobility in arthritic rats ... at a dose of 6.2mg/day. Considering that I'm hundreds of times more massive than a rat, and that my 2oz jar contains 150mg of CBD oil total, I'm probably getting 2mg of CBD oil per application.

    That seems to confirm that the self-reported benefits of topical CBD oil is mostly placebo effect.

    • windows_tips 2104 days ago
      Get a salve made with cannabis and other plants. Something like: http://www.papaandbarkley.com/product/releaf-balm/
      • mkl 2104 days ago
        Can you link to some medical evidence of the efficacy of that?
        • windows_tips 2104 days ago
          What type would you like? Do you think doctors would recommend such products and patients would continue to buy such products if they didn't work/help?
          • mkl 2104 days ago
            You replied to someone complaining about medically ineffective doses with an evidenceless recommendation of another low-dose product.

            Doctors and patients both benefit from the placebo effect - if it solves the problem, great, doctor and patient are happy and continue to do it.

            I have health issues no one knows how to treat, and I have had doctors (qualified medical experts with decades of experience) recommend things there was little to no reliable evidence for currently, just in case they worked (didn't for me).

            I (and lawmakers - CBD etc. are illegal where I am) want to know if things actually work.

            • windows_tips 2104 days ago
              There are probably higher dose formulations.

              The key here, though, is that formulation contains THC (and extracts from other plants) and is derived from marijuana cannabis plants, instead of just hemp-derived CBD.

    • hangtwenty 2104 days ago
      Your sample size for this claim is a bit small...
    • thr0waway5678 2104 days ago
      Sounds like you've extrapolated your anecdote about a particular product into a very sweeping generalization about the population.
  • newnewpdro 2104 days ago
    The few times I've tried CBD oil it turned me into an extrovert like a light switch. Normally being quite introverted, I found the experiences interesting but exhausting.

    Another product which I've found has a very similar effect on me, albeit weaker, is 5-HTP supplements taken orally.

    Sometimes I'd take a large 5-HTP dose then go out to used book stores, talking to everyone I encountered. It's fun to occasionally visit being that person, but it's such foreign territory I'm not particularly good at it and by the end of the day it feels like I've been working at some horrible, inane, unfamiliar job. I don't know how extroverts find the energy for all the interaction while still getting shit done.

    CBD was probably having other effects on me, but the extroversion was the most prominent from what I recall.

    • mmt 2104 days ago
      > Normally being quite introverted, I found the experiences interesting but exhausting.

      It sounds like you're still introverted, even while drug-induced into being more social (perhaps you're conflating shyness with introversion?). An extrovert would feel energized by the socializing, not exhausted, which answers your later question.

  • booleandilemma 2104 days ago
  • zfrenchee 2104 days ago
    I'm really perplexed by this refrain that CDB is "not psychoactive"

    > A psychoactive drug, psychopharmaceutical, or psychotropic is a chemical substance that changes brain function and results in alterations in perception, mood, consciousness, cognition, or behavior. source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychoactive_drug

    Isn't the point of taking it that it's psychoactive?

    • nbardy 2104 days ago
      "Not psychoactive" is definitely not the right term. CBD affects, indirectly, the GABA receptors in your brain. It's pretty clearly psychoactive. The "non-psychoative" seems to have picked up a colloquial usage that essentials equates to "doesn't get me high".
    • majewsky 2104 days ago
      This definition does not match people's expectation of what counts as "psychoactive". By this definition, if eating chocolate alleviates my bad mood, it's a psychoactive drug.
      • GalacticDomin8r 2104 days ago
        Seems like that's a good definition then, if it's reproducible across a large number of people in a scientifically rigorous format.
      • sneak 2104 days ago
        Chocolate contains caffeine, which is indeed psychoactive.
  • dood 2104 days ago
    From a little personal experimentation I've been surprisingly impressed. It helps winding down before bed after a hard day, but also helps to settle the mind for work, and doesn't interfere with concentration. Unlike other health fads (e.g. coconut oil, tumeric) it appears to have a quickly observable effect.

    I theorize it may work by reducing or helping to manage stress. This could explain why it has raving supporters for a wide variety of real problems in distinct online communities, since stress is such an important factor in many kinds of physical and mental health issues. Admittedly it is hard to detect the placebo effect, but the indications so far are promising.

    If it lives up to half of the promise of the online claims by people with significant problems, it is going to be huge. I'm wondering if there is an investment opportunity there somewhere, but don't know enough about that sort of thing.

    It should be pointed out that there are a lot of bad or fraudulent products available, the market is immature and full of hype. But there are quality oils which taste good and work well. Also worth noting that much less is absorbed by drinking rather than than putting under the tongue.

    There are also some bold claims flying around about it's effect on the Endocannabinoid system [1], and how improvements to that can improve many aspects of health and self-regulation. Whatever it does, I have a hunch that science is going to turn up some interesting results from looking into it.

    [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocannabinoid_system

  • alexandercrohde 2104 days ago
    So I've experimented consistently with pure CBD (0 THC. Even 16:1 CBD:THC is too much for me). In my opinion, it's better than weed, at least for those of us who are more sensitive to marijuana than most (e.g. I probably couldn't drive high).

    I'm not saying I put it in my coffee every morning, but the relaxing effect is real and powerful. Certainly a better substance than alcohol for taking the edge off in my opinion.

    You could probably write software while on CBD. If I had to characterize the effects, I'd say it makes one less intense, more patient, cures headache, and gives warm-fuzzies for a few hours. The following day you may be slightly more irritable than average though.

    (Note in NYC you can sometimes get it over the counter in some head shops. In SF you can get it with a medicinal card)

    • dougmccune 2104 days ago
      We legalized all cannibis products this year in CA. So no need for a card, and in the Bay Area delivery services will show up faster than Ubers.
      • sneak 2104 days ago
        Possession of cannabis is still a felony in California, as well as all 49 other states.
    • chrsstrm 2104 days ago
      After recreational legalization here in CA I've been using the Dosist pens with varying success. The first one I bought was the Calm pen [0] and have been attempting to use it for things like headaches, muscle aches, and just general relaxation. Unfortunately, it never really worked for any of those use cases, not in the same way Tylenol would. What has been extremely effective for me is the Relief pen [1] which is something I use to fall asleep (think onset insomnia). Using the pen itself doesn't cause you to be sleepy, but for me it allows me to relax to the point that sleep comes easily. The real killer feature is the measured dose of specific THC:CBD ratio that provides a real medicinal effect without getting too high. I think what I'm most excited about is that continued use hasn't minimized the effect the same way treatments like melatonin become ineffective after extended use.

      [0] http://dosist.com/pen-calm/ [1] http://dosist.com/pen-relief/

    • windows_tips 2104 days ago
      >You could probably write software while on CBD.

      It is possible to write software on CBD, THC, and others.

    • acchow 2104 days ago
      Don't need a medicinal card in California. Just walk in and buy. Or order with an app and get it delivered promptly to you.
    • djtriptych 2104 days ago
      Yup - getting easier to find at most head shops esp. in Manhattan.
    • samstave 2104 days ago
      Would CBD show on a typical 5-panel test which tests for THC?
      • aphextron 2104 days ago
        Well it's a completely different molecule than THC, so no.
        • windows_tips 2104 days ago
          It's not completely different. They appear to be identical in large portion. Check the diagrams at: https://patents.google.com/patent/US6630507B1/en
        • sigstoat 2104 days ago
          that's not the way screens work. definitely not the way immunoassay screens work, which is the most common screen that isn't just making shit up.

          confirmatory testing, like a GC/MS or LC/MS/MS can tell them apart because they're different molecules, but the extraction processes for delta 9 THC can/will pick up all the similar molecules (delta 8, COOH, CBD, CBN, whatever).

          that's necessary and good because they're not all psychoactive (the COOH in particular), so they've got to be separated out for forensic purposes.

      • sigstoat 2104 days ago
        a cannabinoids immunoassay will tend to react with most of the cannabinoid-esque compounds. so, it's not a question of whether or not the test will "show" CBD, but rather, how much CBD is necessary to get the test to think there was an interesting/actionable amount of THC in the sample.

        it works as a sort of linearish equation, where you add up all the compounds at different ratios, like 1.0THC + 0.5COOH + 0.05CBD + 0.05CBN + ... and if that adds up to "enough" then the test will trigger the testing lab to consider the screen positive.

        at that point hopefully it goes over to confirmatory testing, where the LC/MS/MS separates all the various compounds apart, and lets the lab know that you had CBD in your system, but not THC.

  • ArtWomb 2104 days ago
    One of the trainers at my gym swears by a CBD oil as relief for muscle soreness. Have yet to try it. But can easily see how it will soon be a household item in every medicine cabinet. Much like "ben-gay" back in the day ;)

    First NIH sponsored CBD study to begin shortly. And interestingly enough, it will evaluate whether CBD is effective in reducing the cravings for alcohol in sufferers of PTSD!

    https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03248167

  • mindgam3 2104 days ago
    I live with complex PTSD and CBD has been a godsend. For those looking for a flower (to smoke, not tincture) with high CBD and very low THC (reduce anxiety without the high, very conducive to deep focus work) I recently discovered a strain called C3PO, also sold under the Marley Naturals brand. It’s an incredibly “clean” experience - no noticeable side effects. Worth checking out if you deal with potentially crippling anxiety on a somewhat regular basis.
    • prolikewh0a 2104 days ago
      As someone with crippling anxiety and PTSD, thanks! I know Marley Naturals is found in some stores in Seattle, so I'll try to look for that strain.
  • antoniuschan99 2104 days ago
    There will be more and more info in the coming months about CBG, CBC, CBN, etc and its effectiveness to alleviate certain things.

    Eg. CBN is now known to be the compound that makes you lazy or couch locked

    Here's a good talk by Manuel Guzman on his labs studies on Cannabinoids and Cancer

    https://youtu.be/lHI6RcTKdNk

  • hourislate 2104 days ago
    It's interesting to me that it took so long to catch on in the West. In Eastern Europe, it has been a well known fact for centuries that Hemp Oil was calming/soothing. They would even give a little to fussy babies to help calm them down. I suppose everything old becomes new again.
  • lerie82 2104 days ago
    It seems mainstream media takes so long to get actual news, people have been using CBD for years but now that it's becoming more popular it's okay to report on it.

    I wonder what other great medical news the mainstream media is refusing to report.

  • ams6110 2104 days ago
    For those subject to random drug testing, can legal CBD use trigger a postive result for marijuana?
    • hangtwenty 2104 days ago
      As far as I know if it is extracted from hemp only, and the label says 0% THC from a reputable analysis company, those tests will not show it.
  • etaioinshrdlu 2104 days ago
    CBD is definitely psychoactive. It just doesn't feel very good at all. (For some people.)
    • pwaai 2104 days ago
      it's negligible, like I feel more high by drinking coughee
  • swayvil 2104 days ago
    yay, we aren't gonna get high!