FIGHTING OVER-MEDICATION IN THE LAND OF THE FREE

Big Pharma has a noose around America, and it has been rapidly tightening over the past decade as drug addiction rates spiral out of control. The 2016 National Study on Drug Use and Health found more than 54 million Americans over the age of 12 have used prescription drugs recreationally; this is far from the only shocking statistic about prescription drug use in the United States.

The solution to over-medication is a natural remedy without serious side effects – one that not only treats the symptoms but restores balance in the body. The therapeutic compound cannabidiol, which occurs naturally in both hemp and cannabis plants, is bad news for Big Pharma. With the legalization of industrial hemp, cannabidiol is now the shining star in the natural remedy debate.

REPLACING PHARMACEUTICALS WITH CBD

There are currently over 6000 studies and trials demonstrating the capability of CBD in the treatment of many illnesses. There must be just as many for prescription drugs, right?

Shockingly, no. In 2015, the Annals of Internal Medicine discovered that opioid efficiency has never been compared to placebo or non-opioid treatments long-term. The painkillers causing a plague of addiction in America right now were never proven to be beneficial.

In 2018, HelloMD and Brightfield Group surveyed 2,400 members of the HelloMD community on cannabidiol use. Among those surveyed, 42% reported they stopped using prescription and over-the- counter medications after using CBD. An astounding 80% of users described it as extremely efficient.

COMBATING ADDICTION WITH CBD

Big Pharma has a history of fueling addiction by marketing hazardous substances like opiates as harmless, long-term treatment methods. CBD may not only offer a way to replace these medications, but also a way to fight the addiction epidemic they have caused.

A 2018 case study found daily doses of CBD during a single week kept rats, with a taste for booze and cocaine, from using for up to 5 months. This corroborated the findings of a 2016 study, during which human participants found using medicinal cannabis for chronic pain improved pain and caused a significant decrease in the use of opiate-based painkillers.

COMPARING THE SIDE EFFECTS

For over half a century, CBD has consistently shown it has no potential for addiction or dangerous side effects. It has been found to cause mild discomforts in some users, such as dry mouth, drowsiness, and dizziness – nothing that would classify as harmful.

For comparison, these are the common mild side effects of prescription and OTC medications:

→ Nausea

→ Vomiting

→ Fatigue

→ Headache

→ Itching

→ Muscle aches and pains

→ Insomnia

→ Constipation

→ Diarrhea

The severe side effects offer a terrifying glimpse into the risks of taking prescription medications:

→ Abnormal heart rhythms

→ Anaphylactic shock

→ Addiction

→ Internal bleeding

→ Esophageal damage

→ Infection

→ Liver damage

→ Suicidal thoughts

→ Respiratory distress

A PROMISING, LEGAL ALTERNATIVE

It would be unfair to say that all traditional medications are terrible, but it is fair to say cannabidiol is a much safer alternative to prescription and over-the-counter pills. It is also a much cheaper alternative; a 1000 mg bottle of Full Spectrum CBD tincture can be purchased here for $89 and provides a month worth of relief.

Now that industrial hemp has been legalized, and the foundations of Big Pharma have started to crumble, there is no doubt more people will be choosing plants over pills. Why take something that could end your life when you can use something that changes it?