CBD oil is an increasingly common product. We see adverts for this cannabis extract in general-interest magazines, we have probably heard more than one elite athlete praise the therapeutic properties of this natural remedy, and we may even have seen it on display in one of the CBD businesses starting to appear in our neighbourhoods. But what exactly is CBD oil? What is it used for? Is it legal to sell CBD oil in Spain? Here are some ideas to help you understand the CBD oil business, and its uses.
What is CBD oil and what is it used for?
CBD oil is a cannabis extract. Specifically, it is an extract of one cannabinoid, CBD, also known as cannabidiol. To extract this active ingredient from the plant, the flowering parts are used, that is, the buds, from which CBD is extracted, usually with ethanol or another type of alcohol or fatty liquid (cannabinoids are fat-soluble, not water-soluble, and only dissolve in fats or alcohol). Given that it is an extract of a cannabinoid from the cannabis plant, it is important to stress that CBD is a non-psychotropic cannabinoid. In other words, it does not get you high, even though it comes from the cannabis plant. Instead, it is an active ingredient to which many therapeutic properties are attributed. In fact, its medicinal potential became known worldwide when the US television channel CNN broadcast a report on how the quality of life of a girl with a rare drug-resistant epilepsy improved remarkably when she took CBD oil. The anticonvulsant properties of CBD oil then became known around the world, and the discoveries in the field of CBD oil and epilepsy made by the first scientist to synthesise this cannabinoid, the Israeli Raphael Mechoulam, became famous. Since then, many mothers and fathers have asked governments in different countries to regulate CBD oils and include them in medical programmes to relieve their children’s seizures. Examples include the famous cases of Graciela Elizalde, in Mexico, and Billy Caldwell, in the United Kingdom.
How is CBD oil used?
There are two main ways to use CBD oil. One is by ingestion, in which case the CBD oil is placed under the tongue. The other is topical application, spreading the oil on an area of the skin. Each person will use the oil one way or the other depending on the effect they are looking for.
Taking CBD oil as drops
For ingestion, these CBD oils usually come with dropper dispensers, as CBD oil is usually taken by placing a few drops under the tongue. In the cases of epilepsy mentioned above, parents of sick children usually use CBD oil this way. As well as placing a few drops under the tongue, these CBD oils can also be dissolved in water or even added to food. In all these cases we would be talking about ingesting CBD oil, and those who use it this way are usually looking for the anticonvulsant, relaxing, neuroprotective, anxiolytic or antidepressant effects of the cannabinoid, effects they could not obtain without ingesting CBD. Remember that in Spain the sale of CBD oils for ingestion is prohibited, and these products can only be sold for topical use. In Spain, the only legal CBD product for human consumption is Epidiolex.
Topical use of CBD oil on the skin
The other way to use CBD oil, and the only one permitted in Spain, is topical use. As cannabidiol is also credited with anti-inflammatory, moisturising and relaxing properties, some people use these oils to treat muscle contractures, bruises or skin conditions. Because CBD may also modulate the immune system, several studies show the effectiveness of oils containing this cannabinoid in treating psoriasis.
How many drops of CBD should you take?
This is a question many people ask, but only doctors can answer. The dose of CBD oil or how often to take it will depend on the effects the person or patient is looking for in this natural remedy. The number of drops will depend on the condition being treated, the patient’s age and sex, any medication they are taking and many other parameters that only medical experts, knowing the specific patient’s case, can determine. It is true that in Spain we find CBD oils produced in other countries that recommend taking a certain number of drops every so many hours. But these kinds of recommendations have no scientific or medical validity.
Where is CBD oil sold?
Today we can find CBD oil in online shops, but also in pharmacies, cosmetics shops, health food shops and even specialist CBD businesses. Online there is a wide range of CBD oils in online shops specialising in CBD products (oils, creams, ornamental flowers). Remember that, as long as the CBD has been produced in a European country where it is legal to do so, CBD products can be sold in all member states. But let us not forget that in Spain they cannot be sold for human consumption. That is why, both online and in physical shops, you will not find recommendations on how to take it orally, only on topical use, for legal reasons.
Can I sell CBD oil?
In Spain, as long as the packaging clearly states that the oil is for topical use, and not for human consumption, CBD oil can be sold, provided that the CBD in the oil has been produced in a country where it is legal to do so. As mentioned above, CBD is extracted from the flowering part of the cannabis plant, and in Spain cannabis and hemp flowers are controlled, so it is not legal to produce cannabis or hemp flowers in Spain, which makes it impossible to make CBD oils in the country. The CBD oils that can be sold in Spain are those produced in other European countries, such as Italy, Switzerland or the Czech Republic, among others, as long as they are not sold for human consumption.
