Almost Half of All CBD Users Have Stopped Using Modern Medicine

Roughly half of all CBD users have stopped using traditional medications like ibuprofen in favor of the cannabis extract.

By J.E. Reich

The health benefits of cannabidiol (CBD), the non-psychoactive composite in cannabis, isn’t necessarily news, But this particular point is: according to a new study, almost half of all CBD users have stopped using modern medicine. Or, more precisely, these users are substituting over-the-counter pain relievers and similar medications in favor of the cannabis extract.

The Case for Cannabidiol

The study, which was orchestrated and co-sponsored by HelloMD and the Brightfield Group. As per the report, 2,400 respondents out of 150,000 HelloMD members were used to garner data.  (For the uninitiated, HelloMD is an online community/service that links up doctors with patients licensed for medical marijuana.) Inasmuch, the report concluded that 42 percent of CBD users preferred using the extract over more traditional medications, which ranged from ibuprofen to harder medications like Vicodin.

The data also showed that 55 percent of CBD users who participated in the survey were women, and that male participants were more likely to prefer and use THC products.

“We are seeing an exponential rise in the interest of CBD products from our patient community—particularly among women,” said Dr. Perry Solomon, HelloMD’s chief medical officer in an interview with the press. “While we still have much to learn about CBD, we cannot ignore this one fact; the majority of those using CBD products today receive great benefit. This has the potential for far-reaching consequences.”

In addition to these stats, 80 percent of respondents found CBD “very or extremely effective” in alleviating pain; only three percent found the treatment unsuccessful in treating their ailments.

Final Hit: Almost Half Of All CBD Users Have Stopped Using Modern Medicine

So what does this mean for the future of CBD products in medicine?

“This study is exciting because it shows there is potentially a huge barely-tapped market for CBD products that could improve the lives of many people,” said Brightfield Group’s Director of Research Bethany Gomez in an interview with High Times.

“With further research and public education, CBD could be an effective alternative treatment for many people,” she added. “Particularly at a time when our nation is in the midst of an opioid crisis.”

Of course, the first step towards integrating CBD-based medications into the general populace rest in two different modes of action: education and cost. As of now, roughly 850 brands of weed-based CBD products exist on the market, as opposed to 150 kinds of hemp products. Despite the overabundance of CBD commodities, hemp-based articles are what the public is more familiar with.

On top of that, CBD products tend to be more expensive than either their hemp or over-the-counter drug counterparts. Fans of CBD use tend to spend $20 to $80 alone on them per month, as per Forbes.

The legal status of CBD products is also a concern. Federally, the DEA lists CBD as an illegal substance due to cannabis’ status as a Schedule I drug. Despite this, there are ways around the DEA to obtain them, such as online vendors.

Regardless, studies like these are showing that the benefits of CBD aren’t just a fixed idea in the minds of the hoi poloi; they’re steeped in scientific fact. With studies like these, we can only go up from here.