CBD oil: Miracle drug or just modern day snake oil?
Two Idaho lawmakers are sponsoring a bill that would bring the use of CBD or hemp oil equal to federal standards. That means it would allow just a trace of THC in the hemp oil, .03% to be exact.
In Idaho right now, hemp oil must be zero percent THC to be legal. THC is the component that gets you high, but .03% would not be strong enough to affect you. Only three other states have this strict of a policy. Politics aside, we wanted to know if CBD oil really works. It’s being hailed as a miracle drug. Or is it just modern day snake oil?
“It’s been very beneficial,” says Dr. Jared Pugmire, a physical therapist. “It allows the patient to do more therapy with no side effects.”
Dr. Pugmire uses CBD oil on his patients and sells a zero THC product at his practice. He’s used it for about eight months now and is convinced it helps his patients by eliminating pain with fewer side effects than an opioid.
“A lot of times they’ll come in here and say, ‘I didn’t take any pain meds because I was able to do the exercise better after using the CBD oil,'” says Pugmire. “It’s cool to see how it can give more freedom to those who are trying to get off pain meds because they’re so foggy.”
“My daughter was worried about my tremor,” says Anita Roberts. “Fifteen minutes after I took the oil, my tremor went away. I couldn’t get a water bottle up to my mouth I was shaking so bad. Couldn’t do it. After taking the oil, I have no more tremors,” she adds enthusiastically.
Anita Roberts says between the tremors and the arthritis in her feet, knees and hips, she was days away from living in a wheelchair. But not anymore.
“After taking the oil for a while, I went to the Eastern Idaho State Fair and I walked around for three and a half hours,” she says while demonstrating her moves on the treadmill. “That is the miracle of this oil! It has given me a new lease on life.”
Ruth Robinson agrees. She is being treated for cancer and was so exhausted she says she couldn’t make herself move until she started taking the CBD oil.
“I have all the energy I had before I started treatment, and less anxiety too,” she adds.
Her cancer doctor is on board. Robinson says he had no problems with her taking it.
People are even giving it to their dogs.
“I give him five drops,” says Brittany Skarr. Her dog JD has cancer. It’s terminal, and she knows he’ll die, but she says the CBD oil has really improved his quality of life for this final phase.
“It’s a subtle difference, but a big enough difference I can see a significant difference in his mood, his strength and his appetite,” says Skarr. “The inevitable is just around the corner, but I know he’s happy, he’s comfortable and doesn’t suffer from a lot of pain.”
Skarr says she would recommend CBD oil to anyone.
“Yes! If your dog is suffering in any way, I would totally recommend it.”
More studying needs to be done. Dosage recommendations vary widely, so that needs to firmed up. ‘The Week’ magazine reports high quality double-blind clinical trials on humans should be conducted.
