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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. CBD can provide pain relief. There are many topical treatments that can help with pain and inflammation reduction.
4. 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.
5. 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. 

Cheap Sunglasses Are Not The Answer

You can legally ride without a helmet in Florida under certain conditions, but there are no exceptions when it comes to eye protection. Florida State Statute 316.211 states “A person may not operate a motorcycle unless the person is wearing an eye-protective device over his or her eyes of a type approved by the department”. What types are “approved by the department”?

In the Florida Administrative Code, which is the official compilation of the administrative rules and regulations for state agencies, you’ll find Rule: 15B-1.007 Motorcycle Eye Protective Device which says “The Department adopts and approves the following eye-protective devices for use by motorcycle operators. Each device must be in good repair, free of sharp edges or projections and made of a material suitable for ophthalmic use. It shall be free from cracks, waves, bubbles or any other defect which may impair its normal visibility. Any tinted device should not impair the wearer’s ability to see color and shall not be used at night.
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1.    Goggles.
2.    Face shields designed for use with and as part of an approved helmet.
3.    Eyeglasses, including sunglasses. Contact lenses are not acceptable.

The rule basically says you ought to be able to see where you’re going when you’re wearing them. Fair enough, and even though a pair of cheap sunglasses might qualify as legal, there are four features that make some glasses better suited than others for riding.

1.    The lenses should be shatterproof and able to resist impact and scratches.
2.    The lenses should be optically clear and not impede your vision.
3.    The frame should fit securely and comfortably.
4.    The frame should not block your peripheral vision.

Lenses

Riding down the highway at 70mph and having a flying bug or road stone hit you upside the head can be annoying. Having that same object penetrate your eye can be disastrous. Riding glasses should have shatterproof polycarbonate lenses. They may crack but they won’t splinter. They should also provide 100% UV protection to shield your eyes from the sun. Polarized lenses have filters built in that will help reduce glare and eye strain though they can make some of the older LED instrumentation difficult to read. And, on less sunny days, glasses with yellow or orange-colored lenses will brighten things up.  Some eyeglass styles even have interchangeable lenses to match your riding conditions.   (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Photochromic lenses, sometimes called transition, darken and lighten automatically according to the amount of light. Riders with sensitive eyesight may find these types of lenses don’t darken enough for them on bright sunny days but for many, these are the perfect glasses for day and night riding.

Frames

Eyeglass frames are made from plastic, nylon, metal, and a host of other materials. Buy whatever suits your style and budget but make sure they fit comfortably on your head, and under your helmet, and that they don’t impede your vision. Along with holding the lens securely, frames should also act as a wind and dust screen. This needs to be balanced with proper ventilation to keep the lenses from fogging. Fogging occurs when the temperature inside your glasses or helmet is higher than the outside temperature. The airflow keeps fog at bay so it’s usually not a problem when you’re rolling. During stops, it can become an issue. There are several anti-fog sprays and cleaning cloths available. Homemade remedies include liquid dish soap, toothpaste (make sure it doesn’t contain abrasives or bleaching agents), shaving cream, baby shampoo, potatoes, and even, spit. Before applying any of these techniques, the lens surface should be completely clean to avoid scratching.

Wrap-around styles are very popular for riding and offer the best protection but also have the most potential to fog up and can impact your peripheral vision if not properly designed for riding.

Many frames come with foam padding around the inside to help protect your eyes in windy or dusty environments. The padding comes in two forms, closed-cell and open-cell foam. The closed-cell is usually more expensive but it is stronger, will resist moisture, and gives a tighter fit. The open cell is softer but may allow water inside if you’re riding under wet conditions. On some eyeglass styles, the foam padding is removable.

Goggles

You’ll get your best eye protection from wind and road debris with a good pair of goggles. By completely enclosing the eye, they keep out wind, dirt, and dust. Just like eyeglasses, you can get a variety of lenses to fit your style. Goggles usually fasten to your head with an adjustable strap and there are some that will fit over prescription glasses.  
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Helmets and Glasses

If you’re wearing a full-face helmet and riding with the face shield down, you don’t need additional eye protection. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a good idea. Many shields are clear and sunglasses will protect your eyes and help you see better on bright days. Glasses should fit comfortably under the helmet and they shouldn’t distort color or clarity when you’re looking through the visor. Fogging can also be a problem under certain weather conditions or if the helmet isn’t properly ventilated.

Prescription Glasses

If you wear glasses all the time, your prescription glasses will meet the legal requirements and you’re good to go. However, unless the lenses are shatterproof you should wear a helmet with a shield, or riding glasses designed to fit over prescription glasses. Make sure the helmet fits comfortably and doesn’t put pressure on your eyeglass frames.

Care and Cleaning

If you want the best performance from your eyeglasses, avoid the temptation to casually toss them in the saddlebags between rides. A hard case or microfiber pouch should be used to keep them from being scratched. If you use the pouch to clean your glasses, use the inside of the pouch to avoid any dirt that may have attached to the exterior. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and only use their recommended cleaning solutions.

Emergency Eye Treatment

If you suffer an eye injury do not rub your eye. If it’s a small speck of dust or dirt try to wash it out with your own tears or eyewash. If you suffer a blow to the eye, apply a cold compress but don’t exert pressure on the eye. If pain, swelling, discoloration, or vision problems occur or if your eye is cut or punctured, seek medical treatment immediately.
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Seeing Is Believing

Your eyesight is one of your most important senses, and without it your riding days are over. We’ll never know for sure how many motorcycle fatalities were caused because the rider was wearing riding glasses that weren’t doing their job. Don’t let it be the reason you crash.

Ride 'till I Die. It's the mantra for many riders. Unfortunately, that's how some people meet their demise. No decision necessary, fate has decided for them and detoured them to the Heavenly Highway. But what about riders who survive accidents? Does the trauma of an accident trigger the brain cells to question whether or not they should ride again? And what about riders who've been riding for years without any major incidents? Does there come a time when even the most enthusiastic rider looks in the mirror and says, “Maybe I need a new pastime.”

Lots of questions. And lots of reasons to give up riding. For some, it's the age factor. No matter how much we try to deny it, it's a fact that most humans don't age well. Eyesight (especially night vision), hearing, balance, and response time all erode over time. Aging also makes the bones more brittle, and that's why bikers over forty are three times as likely to be severely injured in a crash as younger riders. A spill that you walked, or limped, away from when you were in your twenties can result in fractures, dislocations, internal injuries, and brain damage when you go down later in life. Younger riders have more accidents but older riders have more serious ones.

Sometimes the decision to stop riding isn't accident-related. For some, family issues force the decision. For the younger riders, it can be a new baby. Being responsible for the welfare of an infant can give you a different perspective on life. Getting married to a non-rider? Prepare yourself for the inevitable battle over whether or not you should continue riding. Older riders can find themselves in the position of being the caregiver for elderly parents. If mom didn't want you riding before, she's going to be even more adamant now when she depends on you for her care and well-being.

For many riders, the decision to stop riding isn't made at the moment but develops slowly. Riding time is gradually replaced by other activities. For some, motorcycle riding is just a phase they go through before moving on to other interests. Or, you may still be riding, but the rides are shorter and in more familiar territory. No more long road trip adventures. Night riding may be out, but you can still see well enough to navigate during daylight hours. (Though it can be a bit embarrassing to tell your riding buds that you have to be home before dark.) Anyone taking medications for health reasons will tell you that some days the meds aren't working and they're better off not taking the bike out for a spin. And some of those people will have doctors who recommend they give up the sport. Some of us will stop packing a passenger because we recognize our skill level has diminished and we worry about their safety. And lastly, for some people, it's just not fun anymore. It might be increased traffic. It might be the weather being too hot, too cold, or too wet. But, the excitement you had when you first started riding has diminished for whatever the reason.

If you've been an avid rider for any length of time, the decision to stop riding is not going to be an easy one. It's hard to walk away from something you enjoy. The memories and camaraderie you've found through riding have been a big part of your life. It comes down to the risk versus the reward and every rider will have their own measuring stick.

In July 2000, Florida changed the motorcycle helmet law to allow adults to ride without a helmet if they had $10,000 of medical insurance. This made a lot of riders very happy. It also might have brought new hope to some of the people on the organ donor waiting list.

Most riders have probably heard the joke about medical staff referring to their rides as donorcycles. Not trying to be morbid but the facts are that in every state where mandatory helmet laws have been loosened, motorcycle fatalities have increased. And, according to a study about organ donors and motorcycle helmet laws done at Michigan State University in 2009, there was also a ten percent increase in organ donations in those same states. The study states that, “Empirical evidence consistently shows that motorcyclist deaths are disproportionately concentrated among those riding without a helmet. Based in part on this evidence, helmetless motorcyclists are perceived as a major source of transplantable organs, particularly within the medical trauma community.” It differentiates between two types of death, brain death and cardiac death. In cardiac death, the heart stops pumping blood and the organs quickly deteriorate. Whereas in a brain-dead body, the heart keeps beating. Even though your lungs stop functioning once you're brain-dead, a ventilator can be used to keep your blood oxygenated.

Not all riders understand that a seemingly minor low-speed collision can cause fatal head injuries if you're not wearing a helmet. It might kill you but the good news is that the rest of your body is likely not to be severely injured. Whereas, in a high speed violent collision, there's probably going to be severe internal injuries to the entire body, lessening the prospects for transplants.

One organ donor can benefit up to eight people who are on a donor waiting list. The organs transplanted include kidneys, heart, liver, pancreas, intestines, lungs, bones, bone marrow, skin and corneas. Another positive from something tragic like a motorcycle accident is that the victims tend to be “better than average organ donors”. Why? Because many of the fatalities are younger, healthy men.

There are three easy ways to register as an organ donor in Florida:

1. Online through the Florida Organ Donor Registry at DonateLifeFlorida.org.
   
   
2. Through the DMV office. When getting a new driver's license, or renewing your current one, you can have the “organ donor” designation added to the front of your license. FDOT will forward this information to Donate Life Florida.
   
   
3. Include your desire to be an organ donor in any of your estate planning documents. In Florida, this can be done via a health care surrogate designation. This is when you designate another person to make medical decisions for you. Registration is free and there is no cost to your family for the harvesting of the organs. Your family cannot overrule your decision but you can cancel the registration if you should change your mind. Some states have considered making the donor registration part of the qualifications to get a motorcycle license. A few states have tried to make the organ donor consent presumed for any helmetless motorcyclists killed in an accident, even if the person hadn't signed up. None of them have yet to succeed in passing any such legislation and so it remains voluntary.

Be a Hero. Be a Donor.