By Jeff Eckenrode, COO

What’s better than a fun fact?

A fun fact you can share with your friends! 

By now you’ve probably heard about “CBD”. But what is it? And why is it a big deal?

If you’ve had questions like this before (or are just looking for a fun ice breaker at your next party), then you've come to the right place! 

Here are five amazing CBD facts that will jump start any conversation.

1. Taking a break from alcohol? No problem … with CBD!

Observational and anecdotal evidence suggests that using CBD may help alleviate the reasons some people drink alcohol, including:

• anxiety,

• insomnia,

• pain and

• post-traumatic stress.

A recent study in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research bred rats selectively for high alcohol preference and consumption.

What they found was that, when the rats received a low dose of CBD, the number of times they pushed levers that delivered alcohol decreased!

To date, most studies on CBD use and reducing alcohol cravings have been based on rodent studies, rather than human subjects. That’s due in part to marijuana’s classification in the United States as a “Schedule 1” drug, which severely limits scientists' ability to research cannabis without a lot of regulatory red tape.

2. THC and CBD go together like peanut butter and jelly

Cannabinoids have different effects at different dosages. For example, CBD can have energizing effects in low doses but can have sedative effects in higher doses.

So when it comes to cannabis, it’s important to know how the two main cannabinoids, THC and CBD, work together.

Although this process is quite complex, here are some general guidelines you can follow:

3. The 1960s were a wild time, man …

The chemistry of cannabis has largely remained a mystery throughout the vast majority of human history.

But that all changed back in 1964 when a scientist named Dr. Raphael Mechoulam was able to isolate the two most prevalent compounds of the cannabis plant: cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Since this landmark discovery, Mechoulam and his team of scientists at Hebrew University have established themselves as experts on the chemistry of the cannabis plant.

4. That’s no moon — that’s the endocannabinoid system!

For most of the 20th century, not even scientists knew how cannabinoids like CBD interacted with the human body. It wasn’t until 1988 that a scientist named Dr. Allyn Howlett discovered the system responsible for just that: the endocannabinoid system (ECS).

Bonus fact: the ECS is the LARGEST receptor system we have in the human body! And it is known to be the ultimate regulator of homeostasis in the human body.

5. Do not pass go, do not get too high!

Unlike THC, CBD doesn’t make you “high” and typically doesn’t cause any negative side effects. Although experts aren’t completely sure just how CBD interacts with the ECS, they do know that it doesn’t bind to receptors in the human body the same way that THC does.

Instead, many experts believe CBD works by preventing other cannibinoids from being broken down in the body.

This allows those cannabinoids (like THC, for example) to have more of an effect on your body.

Additionally, medical research on cannabis suggests that CBD can help with pain, nausea, and other symptoms associated with multiple conditions.

Did we miss one of your favorite fun facts about CBD?

If so, then let us know by commenting here or on our social media accounts. That way we’ll never be at a loss for words (when it comes to CBD, that is)!