7 Myths about CBD—Busted

Never has there been a plant surrounded by as much controversy as Cannabis sativa. Years of prohibition and a ton of false information have led to many widely-believed untruths about both hemp and marijuana. As wildly beneficial as CBD is, there are still some falsehoods circulating about the popular cannabinoid.

We’re here to clear up some of the confusion surrounding CBD—to separate myth from fact, so to speak. Let’s take a look at some of the myths surrounding CBD so you can have a better understanding of this beneficial cannabinoid once and for all.

7 Myths about CBD

Myth #1. CBD Is a New Health Fad

Ten years ago, no one had heard of CBD. And today, it’s all over the shelves of your local health food store. This means CBD is a new product, right?

Not exactly.

The term CBD, short for cannabidiol, emerged in 1940, when the compound was first isolated in a lab. Independent of the cannabis plant as a whole, CBD has been studied for about 80 years. And in the past decade, it has gained popularity for its myriad mental and physical health benefits. 

That said, CBD is the second most prevalent cannabinoid in cannabis (the first being its intoxicating cousin, THC), and cannabis has been used for its health benefits for centuries in almost every continent.

In fact, Chinese Emperor Fu Hsi, in approximately 2900 B.C.E., wrote about cannabis’ beneficial properties.

Needless to say, with nearly 5,000 years of history, CBD is far from a new and passing fad. 

Myth #2. CBD Won’t Show Up in a Drug Test

Like we mentioned earlier, there is a ton of misinformation circulating about CBD. One myth we’d like to dispel once and for all is that, because CBD doesn’t get you high, it won’t show up in a drug test.

First, many at-home drug tests and those not processed in a lab are simply not sophisticated enough to differentiate between cannabinoids. To these tests, CBD and THC (the compound responsible for marijuana’s high) may look pretty much the same and trigger a false positive.

Second, if you’re taking a full spectrum CBD product, which contains some (less than 0.3%) THC, you may test positive for marijuana. You’d likely have to take quite a bit to get the positive test result, but if you’re worried about failing a drug test, it’s probably not worth the risk.

The safest bet is to take a broad spectrum product with no detectable (0.0%) THC and third-party lab results to back it up. That said, reputable companies, Joy Organics included, shy away from making guarantees about drug testing—there are simply too many tests and too many variables to make such a claim. 

Myth #3. Taking More CBD Is Better to Achieve Desired Effects

There are plenty of situations where bigger is better. Taking CBD, however, isn’t one of them. There’s a common assumption that taking a bigger serving of CBD is best to achieve the desired effects.

When it comes to taking CBD, everyone is different. CBD works to restore balance to whatever imbalance you’re experiencing—this will be a different experience for each individual person. Finding what unique serving size works best for you should be done by taking smaller amounts of CBD until you find the sweet spot.

Here’s the thing. There’s no “magic” serving size of CBD that works for everyone. There are several factors that will determine how much CBD you should take, including age, sex, weight and the reason you’re taking it. More isn’t necessarily better.

Myth #4. CBD Gets You High

Because CBD is sourced from cannabis, it’s often assumed that it produces an intoxicating effect when consumed. There’s a big difference between CBD and THC, however. While both CBD and THC are sourced from the cannabis plant, CBD is typically derived from hemp, and THC is derived from marijuana. The cannabinoid THC does produce the high commonly associated with cannabis; CBD does not.

Why not, though?

It all comes down to the way each cannabinoid interacts with the body. The reason THC gets you “high” is that it binds to the CB1 cannabinoid receptors, which are found in abundance in several brain regions, and in lower amounts in widespread areas throughout the body. CB1 receptors mediate many of the psychoactive effects of specific cannabinoids.

CBD, however, is different. Yes, it’s an active cannabinoid found in cannabis. But unlike THC, it has little binding affinity to the CB1 receptor. Basically, CBD doesn’t get you high because it doesn’t bind to the receptor responsible for causing a high.

Myth #5. All CBD Is Created Equal

CBD is CBD, no matter where it comes from...right? Wrong.

Cheaper products are probably cheaper for a reason. 

Up until now, CBD has been a pretty unregulated industry. This means that almost anyone can sell CBD oil and say it’s the best, when it’s really anything but.

Here’s something else: hemp is one of several plants that employs a technique known as phytoremediation. This means that it absorbs whatever is present in the soil it's planted in—including toxins, contaminants, and the like. 

When purchasing CBD products, it's vital that the hemp used to produce the oil is grown in clean and nutrient-rich soil—ideally in the United States. It’s also important to ensure that any products you buy have been third-party tested for quality. 

Without third-party testing, you simply don’t know what you’re consuming. Make sure the company producing the CBD releases independent lab results for each batch of product on their website. 

This is an industry where transparency is everything. The companies who claim to have the highest quality products will have the lab results to prove it.

Myth #6. CBD Is a Cure-All

There are a lot of less-than-reputable companies out there making claims that CBD will treat just about anything. Be wary of these companies. 

CBD does carry a variety of mental and physical benefits, but it certainly shouldn’t be used to replace your entire medicine cabinet. 

By supporting the endocannabinoid system—a system in the human body responsible for balance—CBD can promote a sense of calm, a balanced inflammatory response, and a variety of other benefits for the mind and body. 

There are studies to back up these benefits. But CBD isn’t a cure-all, and shouldn’t be advertised as such. 

Myth #7. CBD Was Featured on Shark Tank 

This is something that’s been used in Facebook ads recently. No CBD product has been featured on Shark Tank, so if you see a company claiming it was, we’d advise not shopping with them and choosing a more honest brand.

Dispelling the Most Common Myths about CBD

We believe everyone should have the correct information when it comes to CBD. If you’ve had any doubt regarding the truth about this wildly popular and extremely beneficial cannabinoid, we hope that this article helped clear up any confusion.

At Joy Organics, we’re not only here to offer some of the highest-quality CBD products you can find—we’re here to inspire, educate, and inform the public about cannabidiol. Knowledge is power. When equipped with the right information, you can make an informed decision on purchasing the best CBD products to fit your needs.