MARIJUANA vs HEMP
Marijuana/CBD
What’s the deal
First Marijuana is toxic to pets. Veterinarians see countless pets who’ve been poisoned each week. Many owners seeing the symptoms like being unable to lift their head, being in-coordinated, refusing to play and loss of bladder control;
realize their pet has been poisoned or possibly had a stroke. Dogs have larger concentrations of cannabinoid receptors (which are involved in memory, appetite and the sensation of pain) than humans, which make them “more susceptible to the effects of cannabis than people. Some dogs have seizures, or even become comatose which can be fatal. Cannabis may also cause dogs to have low heart rates, low body temperature, low blood pressure, tremors, or dilated pupils. Saying all this to say it’s not funny when your company blows a shotgun of smoke in your pet’s face, or your dog scarfs down an edible left lying around or that someone dropped.
Now what is CBD?
CBD stands for cannabidiol which can come from the marijuana plant, but also can come from the hemp plant. Almost all CBD is source from Hemp, but it’s still illegal. In 1937 the Controlled Substances Act classified hemp as a Schedule 1 narcotic, which basically means there are no approved medical uses for this plant; and can only be used with permission for research. Now we understand medical marijuana has been approved for use in Florida, but this is not medical marijuana and CBD from Marijuana is still going to be toxic because of the THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). Hemp has been used for years to make paper and rope, and its oil is distilled for fuel, food, plastics, cosmetics and now nutraceuticals.
Colorado State University is conducting research into its efficacy in seizure disorders. Other research is limited but implications are that it will help with Arthritis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Allergic Skin problems, appetite stimulation and nausea. Senator Mitch McConnell introduced a bill recently to make industrial farming of hemp legal and remove it from the Controlled Substance Act all together. Saying that hemp is SAFE and in no way can get you HIGH; to say all CBD oils are not created equal. If you are going to decide that the benefits for your pet outweigh the risks of breaking the law, be sure the product you chose has no THC at all.