Introducing CBD to Your Loved Ones

The past few years have seen CBD’s popularity boom. This exponential growth in the public’s interest in the cannabinoid has captivated so many Americans that 33% of us- if not more- have used CBD or are actively using it now. And there’s no sign that this trend will slow down; in fact, a recent CBD Oil Market Report forecasted a growth rate of 31.90% between 2020 and 2027!

With so many friends and family members taking CBD, many people are starting to consider doing so themselves. This might even be the first time they’ve seriously considered it. In the early days of CBD’s nationally legal status, a stigma presented itself: misconceptions about CBD’s status as a cannabinoid, closely related to THC and extracted from the same kinds of plants, kept folks from experimenting out of concern over the repercussions of “getting high”. That stigma lingers on today, though it is certainly fading.

It’s never been a better time to give CBD a try. Public perceptions are improving dramatically, research continues to ramp up and the legal frameworks dictating hemp’s cultivation, distribution and use are loosening up. However, many people continue displaying reluctance to research or experiment with CBD. This seems to be especially true amongst the populations that might stand to gain the most from using this compound- such as the aging and elderly, who have spent their whole lives under the weight of the Prohibition Era’s misconceptions and anti-cannabinoid propaganda.

In previous articles we’ve explained the myriad benefits and absence of drawbacks associated with the use of hemp derived compounds such as CBD, CBG and terpenes; in this one we’ll share some suggestions for ways to breach the subject of their use with your loved ones who may still be holding out on giving these alternatives a try.

The Biggest Objection: “That’s Just Pot!”

I’d be willing to bet that everyone who has ever tried introducing CBD to a handful of people has heard this kind of comment. To this day, some people still think CBD is “pot” or “weed”. This is certainly a commonly-held misconception. While hemp is cannabis, its extracts are highly unlikely to get you high.

Here are some talking points to help overcome this objection:

-America’s CBD comes from hemp, not “weed”. While heavily-regulated hemp containing a THC content at or below the federal limit of 0.3% is legal nationwide, psychoactive cannabis remains highly illegal on the federal level. With the exception of CBD-THC products found in cannabis dispensaries in the “legal” states, all of America’s CBD is required by state and federal law to be extracted from hemp that has been tested for THC potency.

-CBD can’t get you high. CBD itself is not psychoactive; such effects only come from the THC molecule. Even the products containing trace amounts of THC, those made with full spectrum extracts, don’t contain enough of this compound to be psychoactive. It takes upwards of 5% THC content to achieve a hardly measurable degree of psychoactivity- and the CBD products you see for sale everywhere can’t contain more than 0.3% by federal law. Because of the source, regulation, and national legality status, there are no federally legal CBD products that came from psychoactive cannabis- and none of them can get you high.(Though higher concentrations of extracts containing the permitted trace amounts of THC can trigger a positive result on a drug screening.)

-Many CBD Products Don’t Contain ANY THC. TheSilver Owl CBD Company and many other brands use CBD isolate in their products; this isolate is CBD in its purest form and doesn’t contain any of the other compounds found in hemp. Others use broad spectrum extract- this extract contains CBD, terpenes and other cannabinoids, but has had its THC contents completely removed. In fact, the only products that contain the legal trace amounts of THC are those made with full spectrum extracts- and as we’ve established, that miniscule amount is not enough to get anyone high.

The Second Most Common Objection: “What Will My Friends Think?”

Like the concerns over CBD’s nonexistent psychoactivity, the cultural and social stigma surrounding hemp and cannabis often leads to folks discounting the possibilities of the plant’s use simply because they’re worried they’ll be judged by their families, friends and peers.

This is a completely rational concern– and is certainly a far more realistic reason that people avoid CBD use than, “That’ll get me high!” Still, there are some great reasons to try moving past that concern:

-There’s a good chance the people around you are okay with CBD use. With a third of this country’s population having already used CBD- or using it right now- it’s practically impossible that you don’t know at least one person with an experience they could relay. And with a large amount of uses, the chances that someone you know is actively benefiting from using CBD are very high. Because of this, the public perceptions of this cannabinoid’s use have become overwhelmingly positive nationwide in the past few years- so there’s likely a higher chance that you’ll be embraced and supported by the people in your lives than castigated and ridiculed by them.

-CBD use can be completely discrete. You don’t have to smoke or vape CBD to get its effects- though you certainly can. With tinctures, gummies, topicals and many more options, you can administer a dose without causing a scene or scent. Labels can be taken off, gummies can be individually carried or packed in with snack gummies, powders and tinctures can be added to foods and beverages… the possibilities for discretion are endless. Again, it’s likely that you don’t even need to be discrete, but it’s understandable if you’d like to remain cautious until you’ve had a chance to gage your social circles’ opinions.

-You can’t get arrested for possession or use of a legal CBD product. Nothing threatens a great reputation as much as catching a criminal charge and having your mugshot posted in the local news. With the completely inaccurate portrayals of CBD as a “legal high” and the stigmas associating non-psychoactive hemp with psychoactive cannabis still present today, this is still a frequently reported concern amongst current non-users. Fortunately, you can’t be arrested and charged for the possession or use of a common household good- especially one whose legality has been so extensively documented!