Community outreach project to educate elderly on CBD

In a new community outreach project, UK brand HempWell is on a mission to educate the older generations on the potential of CBD.

The York-based CBD brand HempWell has teamed up with the Oddfellows society for a series of educational talks in an effort to raise awareness of CBD among the elderly.

The company, based out of the York Science Park wanted to make sure senior populations are properly informed on the ways in which CBD can help with joint and arthritis pain.

The Oddfellows society started over 200 years ago and is dedicated to promoting physical, social and financial wellbeing of Britain’s elderly. It now has over 395,000 members nationwide.

CBD, or cannabidiol, is a non-psychoactive compound found in the hemp plant.

Despite the stigma surrounding cannabis-derived products the last several years have seen a huge surge in popularity among older people thanks to CBD’s potential to manage conditions such as insomnia and chronic pain.

The HempWell team said they were eager to point out how CBD could be a healthier alternative to standard opioid painkillers.

The talk covers all aspects of CBD, including the farming and manufacturing process, extraction, the endocannabinoid system, dosage and the different types of products and their uses.

However, according to Philip James, director of HempWell, the company has had to be careful not to make claims about any medical benefits.

“We don’t talk about the benefits directly, but that’s what people really want to hear,” James told Cannabis Health.

HempWell was sent a document by the MHRA which included a five-page list of what it could not say, some of which Mr James described as “over the top”.

The document stated that it is not permitted to refer people to published clinical trials, despite being in the public domain.

“I don’t want to make any medical claims about our products. It is a supplement and I understand that, but I think being able to tell people how the endocannabinoid system does help with pain, anxiety, stress, energy and mood would be useful,” James told Cannabis Health.

“This is very interesting information to a lot of people.

“Everybody comes in with the same question, which is, ‘will it help with X?’ and you just can’t answer that.”

HempWell plans to expand its programme of educational talks with further seminars in the pipeline with the Oddfellows’ Manchester chapter and another talk in the Yorkshire town of Malton.

James will also be heading to the University of Leeds to run a seminar for a student group.

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