Medical Cannabidiol (CBD) products are on the rise. The initial desire to try CBD oil or products comes from its supposed medicinal benefits without any known side effects (unlike THC, the CBD isolate cannot get you high). Most people looking to try it want to detox from relying on pharmaceutical drugs or haven’t found a medicine that works for them.

 

CBD has been shown to help inflammation (causing body pain and joint aches), anxiety, endometriosis, skin irritations, epilepsy, end addiction, and some cancers (i.e. ,pancreatic). CBD has also been able to help pets for inflammation, anxiety, and seizures. 

 

Unfortunately, the potential risks of CBD are unknown as a result of a lack of clinical studies. Not having vital research is creating an obstacle of legality issues and prevents CBD from becoming regulated medication.

 

Allison Aubrey of NPR News says, “Even if you live in a state where marijuana use is legal, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration still classifies the CBD extract as a Schedule 1 substance — the DEA's most restricted category.”

 

However, the reported benefits and increasing demand for CBD are opening up an international conversation around CBD pros and cons. So far, the legality issues and lack of clinical trials are the only risks that CBDs pose. Which is why it’s important for people to educate themselves rather than see past the unknown.

 

So, why is there a sudden interest in CBD? The cannabis industry, of course. Many people in the cannabis industry, including CBD businesses, are taking on an additional role to cultivate more CBD knowledge.

 

Mallory Wiebe has a goal to inform people about CBD through her business, We Bee Kind. She’s a strong believer in hemp-refined CBD’s medicinal benefits. Wiebe hopes that We Bee Kind will introduce a healthier lifestyle of reducing opioid and pharmaceutical use.

 

 

The initial inspiration behind creating CBD medicine came from Wiebe’s dog, Kazi. Kazi, 11 years old, was experiencing a lot of pain and inflammation from old age and a CCL tear. The impact caused limping, which limited him from going on long walks and made him lethargic.

 

Looking for a way to help him, Wiebe was gifted a few grams of CBD oil in March 2017. Hoping to create safe medicine for Kazi to try, she infused the CBD oil into homemade gummies. This resulted in her first batch of CBD dog treats. Little did she know, this would be the first of many CBD products she would make.

 

“After a week of giving him CBD as a daily regimen, I noticed a big change in Kazi. The amount of activity he could handle without limping significantly increased. Seeing how much it changed his whole demeanor and his life inspired the entire business,” Wiebe said.

 

After seeing how well Kazi responded to his CBD dog treats, Wiebe believed that CBD has the potential to change lives. With a history of making body care products for friends, she decided to try incorporating CBD in her homemade gifts. After receiving positive feedback, she saw its potential to become a successful business.

 

Since then, Wiebe became the driving force for bringing We Bee Kind to life. She received a business license, presented her products to store owners, applied to vend at markets, set up social media pages, and hired Louisa Firethorne to set up a website. Most of her current work goes into making all the products by hand, labeling, networking with other businesses, shipping online orders, and making in-person sales.

 

Noticing how many different ways CBD can be used, Wiebe got creative with product ideas. She hand-makes a growing selection of CBD products—ranging from bath bombs, gummies, and pet tincture. Providing both topical and oral ingestion options gives people more choices for how they wish to consume CBDs.

 

For example, some people are only looking to relieve body pain. We Bee Kind offers bath bombs and salve for external use. The bath bombs would be more suitable for someone with chronic pain, who experiences period cramps, or has trouble sleeping. They also target inflammation/muscle aches, and relaxes the body enough to rest. The salve is a better option for targeting specific areas (i.e. ,back, wrists).  It also is supposed to help soothe bug bites, other skin irritations such as eczema, or acne.

 

 

We Bee Kind also offers herbal tincture, gummies, and honey. Their intended use is to help diminish nausea, stop migraines, prevent seizures, and calm anxiety.

 

WBK provides only full-spectrum CBD. While full spectrum CBD contains THC, WBK’s products contain a much higher ratio of CBD to THC. CBD and THC can individually target different health issues by activating different receptors in our body’s endocannabinoid system.

 

Gregg Paula of the Herald News says, “Several studies conducted over the last decade have shown that when THC is isolated, it has the ability to kill cancer cells in the human body without harming the body’s good cells. It is also an effective pain reliever with anti-inflammatory effects 20 times that of aspirin, and twice the power of hydrocortisone.”

 

However, results are best when the two are combined; this is called the “Entourage Effect.” Higher amounts of CBD block the psychoactive effects of THC—providing full medicinal effect without the high.

 

Wiebe understands that there are many people who have a strong preference to not be high. Most of her clientele came to her because they were looking for an all-natural medicine that didn’t make them feel out of body—a side effect they reported came from their prescription medications.

 

Where marijuana sales are legal, it’s common for CBD products at dispensaries to contain equal to greater THC to CBD ratio. For some people, a higher amount of THC is necessary and desired. Yet, WBK only allows .03 percent THC per gram in every product. This trace amount has no psychoactive properties. Therefore, whoever is taking it will not feel intoxicated. This gives people the ability to perform normally at work, school, or in general, while still getting the medicine they need.

 

“There is such little THC in there that you won’t get the same head high you receive from smoking weed,” said Wiebe. “A lot of people don’t want to get high. They just want help.”

 

 

Most people decide to try opioids or pharmaceuticals because of amount of creditability they have. There’s a lot of research that proves their effectiveness. Also, most trust that they are safe because it’s likely their doctor either recommended or prescribed their medication.

 

However, not everyone is aware of what ingredients are in their prescribed medication nor what effect those ingredients may have on their body. To ensure that people know what they are putting in their system, Wiebe labels all of the ingredients in her products.

 

Understanding that people may rely on her products the same way others rely on their prescription medications, she is strict that all non-CBD ingredients be all natural and safe to use. She refuses to include artificial dyes, synthetic fragrances, and harsh chemicals in her products.

 

“I’m in this to help people feel better. So why negate those people by using ingredients that go against what they’re trying to help? With the bath bombs, you’re still absorbing everything through your skin. I don’t want people to be soaking up any chemicals that will harm their whole body,” according to Wiebe.

 

Secondary to other businesses, the most frequent buyers of WBK fall into ages of 50-plus. Though people of all ages have reported success from using WBK products, it’s helped the 50-plus consumers rely less on pharmaceuticals, according to Wiebe.

 

Customers have reported feeling less pain from arthritis or chronic muscle pain, reduced anxiety, sleeping better, clearing skin irritations, minimizing menstrual cramps, and more. Pet owners have reported that their pets’ seizures reduced or were less severe, and caused more mobility in older pets with sore joints.

 

All reports come directly from customers reaching out directly to Wiebe. Since the reviews speak for themselves, Wiebe often shares the success stories on WBK’s Instagram. Seeing how much her products are helping people heal is what keeps her motivated in running this business—it reminds her of why she started this business in the first place.

 

Wiebe also wants to expand her reach to an international level. She currently is in the works of setting up a TV commercial for her business in order to achieve this. She also wants readers to know that all profit from WBK is going towards buying land for the purpose of starting an animal rescue sanctuary—Wiebe’s next project and biggest passion. Already on the path of helping animals in need through CBD, she hopes to also one day be able to give full, undivided care and provide a safe environment for rescues.

 

It’s businesses like WBK that are making it a mission to educate more people about CBD medicine. While some CBD products like WBK might help day-to-day health issues, there are still some cases where pharmaceuticals are necessary (i.e., surgery recovery, traumatic injury). There are still stigmas, legality issues, and a lack of accessible research on how CBDs can be used for alternative medicine.

 

Hopefully, there will be more up-to-date studies now that CBD is becoming more popular. More research could start the process for legalization. By no means will CBD replace all prescription medicine anytime soon, but having it as an option could provide a more natural, potentially healthier option for those seeking it.

 

Author Bio:

 

Caitlin Cohen is a contributing writer at Highbrow Magazine.

                                

For Highbrow Magazine