The most common reasons people are using CBD

A recent study found that people are using CBD for a wide range of diagnosable medical conditions.

When it comes to diagnosable conditions – medical reasons for people are turning to CBD, as opposed to wellness applications such as exercise or relaxation – a recent study  highlighted a few key findings.

Researchers looked at 376 posts on online discussion forum Reddit, from users publicly sharing their use of CBD, to ascertain whether people were predominantly using for diagnosable or wellness conditions.

Of the hundreds of posts, the vast majority of users (90 percent) claimed that CBD treated their diagnosable condition, as opposed to just 29.5 percent of posters claiming they use it for wellness benefits.

The most common reason (cited by 63.9 percent of users) was that they used CBD to ease symptoms of mental ill-health. Conditions ranged from anxiety and stress to autism and psychosis, with comments such as “My autism symptoms have improved. I have finally been able to attend important family events” common.

The second most common diagnosable condition behind CBD use, came under the umbrella of orthopaedic, with 26 percent of respondents saying they used it for conditions as arthritis, muscle cramps and sciatica.

CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties are well-known, and it has long been recognised as an effective pain reliever, so the above findings are perhaps to be expected.

The third reason most commonly cited for CBD use was insomnia. While cannabis has long had a reputation for aiding relaxation, a study earlier this year proved what many already knew.

Results from Zelira Therapeutics Ltd’s trial showed that patients, who received either a 0.5ml or 1ml dose of its ZLT-101 cannabis product each night, saw “statistically significant and dose responsive improvements” – helping to explain why 14.6 percent of the Reddit users took CBD to help them drift off.

Further reasons highlighted in the research were neurological (6.9 percent) and gastroenterological (3.9 percent) conditions. Addiction (including opioid withdrawal), cardiology (including arrhythmias), dermatology (including acne), oral health (including canker sores), ophthalmology (including vividness of colour perception), and sexual health (including erectile dysfunction) were cited in fewer than two percent of all testimonials.

While the findings very much work into what is already known about cannabis, its effects and its uses, it is worth being aware of the limitations of the study. Reddit users tend to fit into very specific demographics (overwhelmingly young and male), meaning that the data from the study cannot be conclusively extrapolated to apply to the general public.

However, it provides a useful tool to understand the perception of CBD as an effective therapeutic aid for a number of conditions and it appears that for many CBD users, its unique properties are succeeding where conventional treatments have failed.

Researchers highlighted the need for regulation in the industry, and communication between health care professionals and patients about their CBD use.

They concluded: “The findings of this case series suggest a need for regulation of factors associated with CBD being used to treat diagnosable conditions, engagement of health care professionals with patients on their potential CBD use, and implementation of public health campaigns that encourage the public to seek treatment advice from health care professionals regarding evidence-based therapies.”