Are CBD products safe for motorcycle riders? Are they legal to use?
The popularity of CBD products has exploded in recent years. You can find them being sold in places as varied as your neighborhood pharmacies, gas stations, and retail stores. There are also businesses that sell CBD products exclusively. The CBD stores will usually have a wider variety of products and the staff is likely to be better educated on which products can help you.
CBD products come in a variety of forms and dosages. There are edibles, tinctures, water-solubles, vaping e-liquids, and topical applications. There are even CBD products for your pets. CBD products do not require a prescription and are marketed as a supplement, not as a medication.
CBD (cannabidiol) is one of the many cannabinoids that are found in cannabis plants. Cannabinoids are compounds that can affect the neurotransmitter release in our brains. Another cannabis compound is THC ( tetrahydrocannabinol) which gives you the marijuana high people are familiar with. The higher the THC level, the stronger the effects will be. They can range from euphoria to paranoia and can affect your ability to perform physical and mental tasks.
CBD is extracted from hemp plants with a THC level of less than 0.3%. That low a dosage of THC is too little to get you high or give you the munchies. A quality CBD product will have the THC level, if any, listed on the label or packaging. Zero THC products are plentiful. This is why the federal government has been mostly hands-off even though CBD and marijuana are in the same class. Most states have enacted their own rules while the feds figure things out. And, while it won't give you a buzz, CBD does have benefits.
Five Ways CBD Can Help Riders
- CBD can help with insomnia. Getting a good night's rest will help you be more alert when riding. Research has shown that CBD can interact with the receptors that regulate our circadian rhythms helping us to sleep longer and more fitfully.
- CBD has been proven to help reduce levels of anxiety. Even though your body naturally produces cannabinoids, the stress of daily living (and riding a motorcycle) can cause an unbalance which will make you nervous or anxious. This can have an effect on your cardiovascular system with symptoms like rapid heart rate, palpitations, or chest pain.
- CBD can provide pain relief. There are many topical treatments that can help with pain and inflammation reduction.
- CBD is non-addictive, unlike opiates or alcohol. Using it won't create dependency and if you stop using it, you won't go through withdrawal.
- CBD is easily obtainable. As mentioned earlier, it can be found for sale in many places and there is no prescription needed.
Whether or not you should use CBD products is an individual decision. If you're taking other medications, you should check with your doctor. CBD is new and research is still being done but the World Health Organization found no public health risks or abuse potential for CBD.
The information in this article should be considered as a general guideline for CBD use. Depending on where you live or what you do for a living, there might be further restrictions regarding your use of CBD.
