PLACER COUNTY, Calif. — A recent survey shows more than 60% of adults have tried a cannabidiol or CBD product, but less than 50% think they should be legal. There's a misconception these products can give users a high, but because they don't include THC there's no high associated.
Placer County resident Justeen Crawford has fibromyalgia. The pain kept her mostly bedridden and when she wasn't in bed, she needed to use a walker.
"I started having all kinds of pain and I couldn't explain it," Crawford said. "I don't want to get high but I want to have a good functioning quality of life. I want to be able to get up and do the dishes, make dinner for my family, and have a good time in the evening."
Her doctor didn't want to prescribe narcotics because they were not deemed effective to treat her disorder. That's when she turned to an integrated medicine doctor. She combined topical creams, oral tinctures and bath soaks along with physical rehab and help from the staff at A Therapeutic Alternative in Sacramento. After six months, she didn't need her walker around the house.
"It was life-changing, it honestly brought me back to being a mom and that was the most important thing in my life," Crawford said. "It really opens a lot of doors. I use cannabis in a way that it produces a life."
ABC10 asked A Therapeutic Alternative CEO Kimberley Cargile if people are more apprehensive to switch over from pharmaceuticals to these products.
"It depends upon the patient's symptoms and what they've learned online about CBD, but because CBD doesn't have psychoactive properties like THC, it doesn't have the high associated with it. There's actually a lot less fear associated with trying it," Carglie said.
Crawford said topicals give more immediate relief and the oral tinctures heal inflammation from the inside. The combination of the two makes her pain manageable.
ABC10 Health Expert Dr. Tom Hopkins said the key to eliminating the stigma surrounding these products is education.
"We should understand from a practical standpoint what is CBD and what does it do. All of our body, everyone has CBD receptors. They're part of an endocannabinoid system in the body that serves the purpose of decreasing inflammation. So, there is a vital role, an important role with CBD plays in decreasing inflammation and changing mood," Hopkins said.
CBD is known to treat plenty of diseases and disorders like chronic pain, depression, anxiety, and even insomnia.
He said mainstream medicine is embracing CBDs so patients can feel comfortable when using them. Hopkins reminds you to ask your doctor how to best use the products to treat what you want treated.
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