The popularity of CBD-derived products has been rising since the early 2000s, both in the market and reputation. Though the latter cannot be measured, the former indeed can, with this statistic found in a business article claiming it has become a billion-dollar industry this 2020 and expected to rise to $20 billion by the next five years. Despite the rise to fame and fortune, it's a fact that this compound lacks a lot of scientific and medical-based studies to back up the flooding testimonies. So the question by many is this: is it legit or just an elaborate scheme?\

We aim to answer this question using studies by various qualified researches and some biological facts. If you've been a believer in this product, this article needs to be read and pondered on. Discover if cannabidiol is just a hoax, or what are many people suffering from various illnesses that can use as a safe, alternative treatment?

The greatest misconception of this product is its origin. Often, many users and non-users claim that CBD, also known as cannabidiol, is the same as marijuana. That is not the case and is very far from the truth. Even down to their classifications, cannabidiol and marijuana don't seem to match.

Cannabidiol is a compound in its simplest form. It can be found in ample amounts inside the hemp, while it only amounts to less than 10% in marijuana. It can be extracted from both, but hemp is considered for CBD-derived products more than marijuana because of one thing: THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) content. While hemp has tiny THC molecules, marijuana is teeming with it, and it's the cannabinoid responsible for users getting high. 

Because of this, tetrahydrocannabinol presence in any products has become illegal. Marijuana became a schedule 1 drug because of this. CBD-derived products, on the other hand, are considered schedule 5, plus they are THC-free due to customer preference and other legalities. Companies like Cheef Botanicals made all of their products free of THC. Some customers have mentioned they have surprise drug tests, and the presence of THC in their results won't bode well, especially in a state where marijuana became illegal.

On a more jovial note, it was found out that about 95% of CBD companies have opted to remove the molecule entirely from their formulas. The addition of THC isn't so much a problem as the concentration of cannabidiol in some formulas. Around 2006, FDA (Food and Drug Administration) issued letters of warning to 14 different CBD companies from the about their mislabeling. It was found out about 20% less CBD was in the formulas than what was on their packages.

Talking about the ECS is important if you wish to know how the drug interacts with the body to create the desired biological effect. ECS stands for the Endocannabinoid System, and it consists of two things: receptors and cannabinoids.

There are two types of cannabinoids that the body creates. One is called Anandamide, or the dubbed as the happy molecule, and the other one is 2-AG, or 2-ArachidonoylGlycerol, abundant in the nervous system. There are two receptors as well as CB1 is found in the nervous system while CB2 is in the peripheral system. These systems work together with the receptors and phytocannabinoids (Cannabidiol and other compounds from the hemp) to relieve ailments or improve daily lives.

When you're experiencing pain, either a headache or an inflamed site (like a sprain), cannabidiol interacts with the brain's CB1 receptors and blocks messages from the pain receptors. The user will be numbed from the pain by then.

On the other hand, cannabidiol acts as a powerful anti-inflammatory agent depending on your condition. This article:  https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319796 says that it induces cell-death to white blood cell population and suppresses the release of cytokines, a protein responsible for regulating inflammation initiation and resolution. Cytokines can worsen the inflammation instead of suppressing it, and cannabidiol prevents this action by preventing its release.

Most certainly, cannabidiol is not a hoax. It can be explained biologically and medically, and studies exist to support it as well. But the fact it is not a substantial ratio to the testimonies and recommendations places it in a strange position, one that is a "miracle drug" or a "fake herbal product." What cannabidiol truly is, is a compound that can open many opportunities to relieving painful symptoms and other significant discoveries.