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Barrington resident and CBD entrepreneur clears the air about CBD

There's no denying the obvious - the following three letters are becoming widely recognized as the next big wave of wellness: CBD. But even as most people have heard of CBD, many are still wondering how it works, if it's safe, and whether it'll make them high.

Barrington resident and founder of CBD brand Stono Creek Apothecary, Dee Heffernan is hoping to set the record straight. "For starters, while CBD is an extract of the cannabis plant, it is not marijuana," says Dee, addressing the number one question people tend to ask. "In fact, the 2018 and 2019 farm bills de-classified CBD as a controlled substance so long as it has been sourced from the industrial hemp plant (as opposed to the marijuana plant) and contains less than .3% THC - the compound associated with 'getting high'."

So why is CBD such a big deal? For starters, while the Cannabis plant has been long known for its medicinal properties (e.g. Marijuana has been used by cancer patients for pain and appetite for many years), the CBD compound was only just "discovered" since the early 90's, when scientists also learned that humans have a whole system of receptors in our bodies designed specifically for interaction with Cannabinoids (like CBD).

"This collection of receptors, called the Endocannabinoid system, is in every animal, interacts holistically with every system in our bodies, and is designed to help us maintain homeostasis, or balance."

As new studies continue to emerge around the successes of CBD in treating cancer, GI issues, ADD/ADHD, diabetes, and addiction (to name a few), the three main reasons people use it are simple: sleep, pain, and anxiety.

"This is a real movement toward greater empowerment of our health and wellness," remarks Heffernan. "What is exciting to me is this sense that we as a culture are shifting away from this blind trust that we've all been conditioned to have for the traditional pharma and medical authorities. The opioid crisis is a prime example of how this trust can go off the rails. But with this movement comes new responsibility on each of us to do our own homework, and to be careful about what we are putting into our bodies - because with every boom there comes a large wave of opportunists looking to make a quick dollar. And no one deserves to get sold snake oil."

Heffernan points to resources like the website projectcbd.org for people just starting to research CBD. She also points to her website scapothecary.com, where her company has compiled a library of CBD research articles.

And she cautions that as you shop brands, you ask yourself these questions:

1- Where was the hemp grown? The condition of soil matters, as heavy metals and chemicals can be found in CBD grown in areas of high pollution.

2- Are there 3rd party tests available from the brand selling you CBD? The FDA does not vet CBD products, which that means label claims may be fabricated. So check the tests - If a brand cannot or will not disclose them, then move along.

3- How much CBD are you getting per serving? Not all bottles contain the same amount of CBD - it varies widely! So be sure to look carefully at serving size and potency so that you confidently find the right amount of CBD for your body while not overpaying.

To learn more, or ask questions over Live Chat, visit scapothecary.com

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