CBD is an extract from the cannabis plant, which grows in many different places around the world. But where did CBD originally come from and how did it all start? We try to find answers to these questions in this blog.
CBD, where and what is it?
The cannabis plant, also known as the hemp plant, is thought to come from Central and East Asia. Nowadays, the cannabis plant can be found in many different places; Europe, North Africa, Asia and North and South America. The cannabis plant has been transported from continent to continent and has had (and has) many different functions. Its fibers are used, among other things, to make clothes, paper, sails for boats and ropes. However, it was not until 1940 that CBD was isolated from the cannabis plant and the use of CBD did not follow until many years later. CBD therefore has a long history behind it, starting with the cannabis plant, where there is evidence that it has been documented and used as far back as 2727 BC. That means, humans have been using and describing the cannabis plant for over 4,700 years, which is very impressive. The cannabis plant is still used today for many different things, which is extremely interesting as most people still associate the cannabis plant with weed or marijuana. There are 113 different extracts from the cannabis plant, of which CBD and THC are the most well-known.
It all started in 1940
Although the cannabis plant has been used and has existed for many years, it was as mentioned above not until 1940 that Roger Adams isolated CBD as well as CBN (another cannabidiol) from the cannabis plant. It was also here that a theory was developed that there could potentially be a single extract from the cannabis plant which could be the reason why the cannabis plant could have a psychotic effect. In 1964, THC was isolated by Raphael Mechoulam, who from the years 1940 to 1964 was a leading researcher in cannabis. THC is the substance that can create an effect that makes people high. So even though many people associate CBD and the cannabis plant as something relatively new, it has actually quietly been around since 1940. CBD has over the past 10-15 years become extremely popular and is used by people (and animals) around the world for various mental and physical challenges. However, it is very individual what you as a consumer will and can potentially use CBD for, and therefore it is important to do a thorough research before using any CBD related products.
The start of CBD as we know it today
In the early 1980s, Mechoulam began working with researchers from South America, where they proved that CBD had a positive effect on people (most of them children) who had very severe epileptic seizures. The experiments proved their theory that the people who used CBD had a higher quality of life and at the same time their seizures became significantly lighter and in some individual cases fewer seizures. However, it took many years before CBD and the cannabis plant were legalized as a medical aid. California in the United States was the first state in the United States to be legalized in 1996. Oregon, Alaska and Washington followed suit in 1998, Maine in 1999 and Nevada, Colorado and Hawaii in 2000. Since then, CBD has become legal in 47 out of 50 states in USA. Many European countries have since followed, and in recent years some countries in Africa, Asia and South America have also made CBD legal. However please remember that there are specific requirements that users and producers must live up to. These, of course vary from country to country. Today, CBD is legal to use in Denmark, however, with that in mind, there are rules and regulations for how the CBD is manufactured and what they may contain.
The evolution of CBD
CBD has an absolutely incredible history behind it, from its origin (documented more than 4700 years ago) and use of the cannabis plant, to the CBD we know today. As CBD becomes increasingly popular, products are also being diligently developed and manufactured that can help with a wide range of different diseases, challenges, disorders, etc. There is no doubt that in the future CBD will become more normal for many people to use, not only in Denmark, but worldwide. Taking this into consideration, it is important to mention that some people still think of cannabis when they hear about CBD. Therefore, it is extremely important to have blogs and articles that are informative and help to provide a better understanding of what CBD actually is, where it comes from and what one can expect as a potential consumer and user of CBD.
