CBD has likely existed since the hemp and cannabis plants came to life. However, this versatile cannabinoid wasnât discovered when the plants were. Weâre going to take a look at the history of CBD to see where its understanding began.
A Little Bit about the History of Hemp
Hemp has been documented for at least 29,000 years. Itâs been used for medicinal applications in ancient Chinese medicine for long before modern generations walked this earth. Hemp has been used as a source of protein as its seeds are a good source of it. Itâs been used as building material long before hempcrete existed.
This cropâs value has been appreciated for centuries. In fact, farmers were once required to grow hemp. It wasnât until 1937, when cannabis became illegal that hemp became taboo too. Hemp was roped into the same category as cannabis simply because it contains a miniscule amount of THC. Consuming the oil from an entire hemp plant wonât get you high.
CBDâs Discovery -The Beginning of the History of CBD
The history of CBD begins with its discovery in 1940 by Roger Adams. It was an accidental finding of sorts since Adams knew he extracted a compound but didnât know the exact multitude of this feat. When Adams isolated CBD, it wasnât identifiable.
CBDâs Early Research Phases
Six years after CBD was isolated by Roger Adams, Dr. Walter S. Loewe noted that CBD wasnât intoxicating. It started to be used as medicine in animal studies. He was meticulous with his notes regarding his findings.
Even though the cannabinoid was being used in studies, its chemical structure remained unknown. In 1963, Raphael Mechoulam and Y. Shvo determined that chemical structure. This was an exciting time in the history of CBD. This cannabinoid, that didnât make anyone intoxicated, could finally be represented in chemical form on paper.
Discovering the Endocannabinoid System
The discovery of the endocannabinoid system was possible through research. This allowed science to determine how these different receptors in the body reacted to each other and cannabinoids. Extensive research has gone into learning how the endocannabinoid system works and how each cannabinoid, including CBD, influences its actions and reactions.
Learning about CBDâs Properties
Due to severe restrictions on research, the full potential of CBD is not known. Much of what is known about the history of CBD stems from studies and research being conducted on animals. Very few large-scale human studies have been given the attention they deserve. We still donât know the full potential of CBD in 2019.
However, the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill that legalizes hemp, we should know more about CBDâs full potential in the coming years. Hemp is now considered an agricultural crop and is no longer listed within the federal Controlled Substances Act.
Closing Thoughts
The history of CBD is rather brief. It may not be exciting but each little triumph regarding this cannabinoid is an important step forward. The more we learn about CBD through research, the more weâll be able to understand just how important it is for the human body, the endocannabinoid system and maintaining balance.