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Is CBD safe for teenagers?


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Introduction

30% of teens 13-16 years old have an disorder – that's every 3rd teenager you see on the street…. 20% of all teens experience depression before adulthood, and close to 15,000 young people 14-24 die by suicide each year. These are hard-to-swallow facts. The normal prescription anti-depressants come with a long list of addiction, side effects, and “numbness” to life. This is not how we want our young adults to grow up. What can we do to fight the artificial world of social media? Many parents have wondered is CBD safe for teenagers when it's derived from cannabis. Let's take a look!

We get tonnes of questions from you lovely lot every single day – and we LOVE IT!


Is CBD safe for teenagers?

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And you'll have probably guessed from the title of this blog already, but the most frequently asked question we are getting at the moment is “can CBD help my teenager with…”. Now, this is usually followed up with the usual worries and concerns for teenage sons and daughters, including can CBD help my teenager with…

  • Their anxiety
  • Their skin
  • Their sleep
  • Their mood swings
  • Their depression
  • Their exams

And don't be fooled into thinking that it's just parents who are interested in CBD. We know that teens are becoming far more health-conscious than previous generations. Underage drinking, smoking, drug use and sex are all falling. And you can't fail to have noticed that young people are far more open and honest about their feelings and wellbeing than ever before.

Nothing gets us more excited than people taking the initiative and doing their own research to determine whether CBD is the product for them or their loved ones.

So, whether you're a parent trying to convince their teen that CBD might be worth a shot or a parent who needs a little convincing themselves – we have put together a full guide to CBD for teenagers.

Let's start with the “basics”. This section is going to sound a bit like a science lesson, but it's important to understand what CBD is and how it works with your body. This will, in turn, help you understand the reason why CBD's has such a vast range of effects on your body.


What is CBD?

By now, most people have at least heard of CBD. You've probably even seen adverts plastered all over health stores and pharmacies. That's because CBD has seen an explosion in popularity over the last few years. As a result, people worldwide are finally realising the incredible impact that CBD can have on their lives for a huge number of illnesses, ailments, and general wellbeing. But it wasn't always this way.

For most of its history, CBD has carried a bit of a stigma. It was unfairly thrown in with all the other new age medicines and homoeopathic remedies. And we can understand why!

If we told you we had an oil taken from cannabis plants that can stop pain, help with anxiety and depression, stop seizures, reduce inflammation of all kinds, make you sleep better, make you happier, and so much more – you'd have every right to be sceptical.

When something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

Except, CBD seems to be a mind-blowing exception to the rule. And we don't just want you to take our word for it. So, let's quickly run over what CBD is and how it does what it does.

CBD: How it works!

An acronym for , CBD is the second most abundant cannabinoid, (following THC), found in the cannabis plant. A major difference in the two compounds is that CBD is completely non-intoxicating. THC however, is the compound responsible for giving users the “high” when they smoke or consume cannabis. CBD works by helping bring the body to a state of homeostasis or equilibrium. Proper homeostasis ensures that all systems in the body are running optimally. This helps balance out functions and systems that get out of whack in our daily lives.

Parents surely enjoy that CBD has no psychoactive effects, so their teenagers are unable to get “high” for CBD. The fact of the matter is CBD does have remarkable health benefits, even for teenagers. Some of the most ideal users are targeted toward typical teen struggles, such as anxiety, depression, , and cognitive issues that could lead to trouble in school. Here are several ways nature's favourite health supplement can give teenagers a boost.


Science stuff: What is the difference between CBD and Marijuana?

What is CBD

CBD is the short name for a cannabinoid called cannabidiol.

Cannabinoids are compounds that are found in abundance in the cannabis or plants, but they are also naturally produced by your body (such as anandamide).

  • CBD (cannabidiol) oil is normally made from hemp, which has low levels or no THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).
  • Marijuana is from a cannabis plant high in THC, which has the psychoactive properties of making you feel high.
  • Both Hemp and Marijuana are “cousins” of the Cannabis family.
  • CBD and THC interact with the cannabinoid receptors found in the human body and brain, but they differed dramatically in their effects.

Hemp or Cannabis?

CBD is most commonly extracted from hemp plants and NOT cannabis plants.

The key difference between hemp and cannabis is the levels of another cannabinoid called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is the compound in cannabis that makes you “high” if you consume it.

Cannabis plants are grown to contain high levels of THC for this exact reason. It's the THC in cannabis that makes it such a popular recreational drug with teens and adults alike. However, THC does have its own proven medicinal benefits as well, particularly when it comes to cancer treatment and symptom reduction.

Hemp, on the other hand, is grown to have as little THC content as possible. In fact, hemp plants can only contain up to 0.3% THC by law in most countries. If hemp is being grown for cannabinoid extraction, it will almost always be grown to contain as much CBD as possible. This is because CBD is by far the most popular cannabinoid, with maybe the exception of THC.

For CBD to be sold in the UK and EU, it cannot legally contain any more than 0.3% THC. This amount of THC is so minimal that you could never experience any psychoactive effects (getting high) from taking CBD.

Endocannabinoid System

What is the endocannabinoide system (Infographic)

Cannabinoids (like CBD and THC) are processed by a system in your body called the endocannabinoid system (ECS).

Cannabinoids and endocannabinoids (the ones your body produces itself) interact with specialised receptors on the surface of cells within different parts of your body's central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS).

The two main receptors are CB1 and CB2 receptors.

These work with various receptors within different parts of your central nervous system. CBD has gained its reputation as the super-cannabinoid of choice because of the far-reaching effects that it has.

Download our free infographic: Your endocannabinoid system explained


What does THC do and what benefits does it have?

THC is the main psychoactive component of the cannabis plant. In other words, THC is the primary agent responsible for creating the ‘high' associated with recreational cannabis use.

This compound works, in part, by mimicking the effects of anandamide and 2-AG. These neurotransmitters are produced naturally by the human body and help to modulate sleeping and eating habits, the perception of pain, and countless other bodily functions.

The effects of THC include:

  • Relaxation
  • Altered senses of sight, smell, and hearing
  • Fatigue
  • Hunger
  • Reduced aggression

What Are the Natural Benefits of THC?

Research studies indicate that THC may useful in helping with:


What does CBD do and what benefits does it have?

Cannabidiol is one of the most critical cannabinoids contained in the cannabis plant. It exists both in industrial hemp, as well as in medical cannabis.

CBD has the same chemical formula as THC, with the atoms in a different arrangement.

This slight variance causes THC to create a psychoactive effect, while CBD does not. This fact means that when you ingest CBD for medical purposes, you will more likely experience a relief of your unwanted discomfort, with little or no noticeable effect on your cognitive abilities.

Research studies indicate that CBD may be useful in helping with:


The Key Points of Todays Science Lesson

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So, if you made it through that – well done!

There's a lot to learn and take in from that small section, especially if you're new to the world of CBD and cannabinoids. But the key points are:

  • CBD is a compound extracted from hemp plants
  • It cannot make you high
  • Cannabidiol interacts with your to affect your body in a huge number of ways

Now we know what CBD is, it's time to take a look at the specifics. Teenagers might be the perfect candidates to showcase the variety of benefits CBD can have. Is CBD safe for teenagers?


How CBD Affects Your Body

CBD works with your limbic system, which affects emotions, memory, healthy brain function, and psychomotor responses. It also works with your mesolimbic system, which affects your brain's interpretation of pain, pleasure and reward systems. And, a final example, CBD also works with your autonomic nervous system (part of your PNS), which regulates heart rate, blood pressureinflammation responses, and digestion.

For more information, please read: How does CBD work in our bodies?


What creates dependency on Marijuana – or rather THC?

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The THC content of marijuana has increased as much as 300 percent since the 1960s, which affects marijuana abuse and tolerance. The higher doses of THC in today's marijuana can contribute to increased intoxication-related risks and an increased risk of dependence.

When a teenager uses marijuana, cannabinoid receptors in the brain are activated by a neurotransmitter called Anandamide. THC mimics and blocks the actions of natural neurotransmitters like Anandamide, to the point where the body no longer produces sufficient Anandamide on its own. The brain gets reprogrammed to need marijuana just to feel normal. When the user stops bringing more THC into the body, they often experience withdrawal symptoms because of the resulting lack of Anandamide. Wanting to quit using marijuana, but being unable to do so, is a strong indication of an addiction.

More from our blog:


You CANNOT develop a dependency to CBD

anxiety-stress

Teenagers Have it ROUGH

As adults, we all tend to look back on our teenage years with rose coloured glasses. We seem to forget the harsh reality that was our adolescent years.

We forget that it's a time where your body is in overdrive, flooding you full of hormones, growing and changing in weird, wonderful and mostly embarrassing ways.

While it's doing this, you have to learn how to make friends and form relationships. You have to learn how to deal with heartache, jealousy, anger and a whirlwind of other new emotions – probably all for the first time.

And don't forget, you'll be doing this while you're dealing with the crushing pressure of studying, exams and making life choices that can dictate your entire future and career prospects.

If it sounds like a nightmare, it's because, let's face it – it is.

So, we're going to explore some of the ways that CBD can help take the edge off of this super challenging time for teens.

CBD for Teenage skin

Let's start with one of the most obvious and basic issues that pretty much every single teenager will experience – skin problems. But is CBD safe for teenagers' skin?

Whether it's just the occasional pimple, full-blown acne or even late eczema development, CBD really can help most skin problems. Unfortunately, spots and skin problems can be a horrible cause of embarrassment for teens (and adults for that matter). There is only so many skin creams, spot solutions and moisturisers you can try before just accepting your fate. But what if we told you that CBD might render all of these useless?

Bad Skin and Inflammation

Ask any dermatologist, and they will tell you that the overwhelming majority of skin problems are caused as a result of .

Luckily for us, CBD is a powerful, natural anti-inflammatory that can help get teenage skin problems back under control. In fact, inflammation and pain relief are the most common uses for CBD.


How Will CBD Help The Skin?

Regular users of CBD find that it can significantly reduce the occurrence and severity of skin problems like spots, acne, eczema and redness. It does this by working with your body's endocannabinoid system at a molecular level. Without going into too much detail here, CBD effectively blocks inflammation-causing cytokines. These cytokines are well known to be a major contributing factor to skin problems like acne.

CBD doesn't just help control the swelling and redness associated with teenage skin problems. Studies have also shown that CBD can help control oily skin (caused by excessive sebum) and has some great anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties.

Which CBD Product is Best for Skin?

As a result of this multi-layered effectiveness, CBD is fast becoming one of the most popular skin treatment products on the market. And this also means that people have been getting innovative with the types of products available for skin care.

We believe that CBD oil is the best bet for whole-body effects (but we know this isn't for everyone). Luckily, there are now skin creams, moisturisers, hand creams, balms, shampoos and more if you want a more targeted approach.

So, if you've tried everything under the sun to get your awkward teenage skin problems under control, consider trying CBD. And if you're still not sure, click here to see some of the incredible skin transformations our customers have already had!

Thank you for reading: “Is CBD safe for Teenagers”. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to one of our consultants for help and advice. You can catch us on [email protected].


The Real CBD products safe for Teenagers


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