The cannabis extract CBD has become ‘insanely popular’ and is generating more online interest than many traditional health products and alternative therapies, health experts have revealed.
Scientists analysed Google search data and found the number of people looking for more information on the legal, non-psychoactive substance.has skyrocketed over the past year.
Just five years ago, barely anyone was Googling the term CBD.
But in the US, the number of searches for CBD or cannabidiol have ‘eclipsed’ those for acupuncture by 749%, apple cider vinegar by 517%, meditation by 338%, vaccination by 63%, exercise by 59%, marijuana by 13%, and veganism by 12 %.
We examined British data from Google Trends to find a similar pattern, with CBD overtaking ‘meditation’ at the beginning of 2018, ‘apple cider vinegar’ in 2017 and ‘acupuncture’ the same year.
We’re glad to report Britons are still more likely to look for ‘exercise’ or ‘fitness’, but the gap is closing fast as more and more people looking for info about the cannabis derivative.
Searches for CBD are even catching up to queries about ‘weed’ and even ‘drugs’ here in the UK.
‘CBD has become insanely popular,’ said study co-author Dr. John W. Ayers, vice chief of innovation in the division of infectious disease and global public health at University of California San Diego.
‘Three years ago, there was essentially no one searching about CBD online, but now there are an estimated 6.4 million unique searches each month.’
CBD is often touted as a ‘cure-all’ which can treat acne, anxiety, opioid addiction, pain, and menstrual problems. It can bought as droplets, massage oils, gummies, or even CBD ice cream.
But scientists fear the health benefits are unproven.
‘At this time there are no known benefits for taking CBD over-the-counter,’ said Dr Davey Smith, a physician and Chief of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health at the University of California San Diego. “CBD is this generation’s snake oil, where millions are engaging with the product without evidence of any benefit.’
He said some CBD products might even contain harmful substances due to poor regulation.
‘There are already documented cases of CBD products unknowingly containing potential poisons, because there are no government regulations that oversee the manufacturing of CBD,’ he continued.
‘Moreover, some consumers might forgo seeing a physician or taking medications with known, tested and approved therapeutic benefits in favour of CBD and thereby become sicker or succumb to their illness.’
Source: Read Full Article