Hemp Prohibition and the Implications it has on our Health
As the entire world continues debating on the subject of hemp legalisation, the opponents of more liberal policies keep pointing out the potentially negative effects of hemp products being abused or used incorrectly. Although CBD extracts contain no psychoactive components or addictive properties, some hemp products with THC levels above the legal limits can indeed cause negative effects. However, there is another side of the argument which is commonly ignored: the implications of hemp prohibition on our health.
It is a fact that there are thousands of customers from all around the world who are benefiting from regular CBD consumption in the form of edibles, sublingual oils, adhesives and topicals. These individuals can only have access to cannabidiol thanks to the recent legislative changes that have taken place in the United States, Canada and most Western European countries. Which effect would prohibition have on these individuals? – The answer is certainly not alluring.
Hemp Prohibition: The Background
As far as records have shown, hemp products have been used for centuries by civilizations from all around the world to treat bruises, injuries and even certain neurological disorders. Hemp plants were so important for the earlier inhabitants of the United States that they even appeared in the $10 banknotes of the country until the early 20th century.
The first anti-hemp laws were enacted soon after, restricting the population’s access to the plant and making it illegal to consume it for either medical or recreational purposes. Despite extensive scientific research showing the differences between CBD and the psychoactive components of hemp, all derived products remained illegal for decades and limited the ability of both customers and companies to benefit from their well-known properties.
Nowadays, a growing public debate and new scientific research is pushing many countries around the world to liberalize their hemp-related laws and legalize the consumption of the plant’s components.
Understanding Hemp: A Versatile Plant
While the opponents to hemp liberalization keep pointing out that the plant contains potentially addictive components such as cannabidiol, supporters of a liberal approach respond with a list of natural, non-psychoactive components such as cannabidiol, cannabigerol and others. Both sides are correct, and therefore banning hemp entirely does not make sense at a time when it is relatively easy to isolate its components and get rid of any harmful or psychoactive substance.
In the United States, for instance, THC concentrations above 0.3% are illegal in the entire country, but there are hundreds of companies offering cannabidiol products which comply with all relevant regulations and are effective in treating physical and neurological disorders.
How Banning Hemp Affects People’s Health
By banning one of the most effective remedies against chronic pain, inflammation, sore muscles and even neurological disorders, countries and states effectively force their citizens to opt for suboptimal alternatives.
Although there are hundreds of pharmaceutical remedies against sore muscles, joint pains and neurological disorders, CBD has proven to be not only reliable but also clean and free of secondary effects. Without access to it, patients must pay for expensive medical treatments which can cause dependence and undesirable effects.
The negative effects of hemp prohibition go well beyond the business side of the industry. Denying patients access to an effective, affordable and clean remedy for their condition has a serious negative effect for the public health of the countries and territories enforcing hemp bans.