The cannabis industry is growing as more and more states legalize the use of marijuana for both medicinal and often recreational use. Cannabis has more chemicals than tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the component of marijuana that gets people high.. It also has a component that some companies, including Coca-Cola, are exploring for its health benefits.
Why Coca-Cola May Add a Cannabis Component to Drinks
Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a component of the marijuana plant. Unlike another marijuana compound, tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC, CBD doesn’t make you high or intoxicated.
Results from preclinical studies suggest CBD has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-nausea and anti-seizure effects, according to Health Canada. While THC acts on specific cannabinoid receptors found in the brain and central nervous system, CBD appears to work throughout the body.
The component is still illegal nationally but legal in states where marijuana sales and production are legal. Nevertheless, it’s still a schedule 1 narcotic. The only reason it’s not addressed by national law enforcement is they have bigger fish to fry than an anti-seizure component of a relatively harmless drug.
My Take
While I don’t go as far as many of my Libertarian friends who want all drugs legalized, I have always felt marijuana has more positives than negatives. There’s a reason it’s often prescribed to people where it’s legal and not just for the high.
If it can truly be used by companies like Coca-Cola to help people, I’m all for it.
Image via HealthworxCBD
