Can CBD Be Beneficial to College Students?

CBD, or Cannabidiol, is a remedy that’s gaining popularity for its wide variety of potential health benefits, including stress relief. 

College years are considered to be the greatest years in a young adult’s life. The freedom that comes with living on your own, coupled with a multicultural environment surrounded by diverse individuals is the perfect recipe for growth and development.

While college is an exciting time to learn more about oneself, it can also be very demanding and stressful.

Parental expectations, social anxiety, exams, and fear of the future are all issues that a college student may face at some point in his or her college career. 

At times, these factors can seem uncontrollable and students may resort to unhealthy methods to cope.

Since CBD is still a gray area, let’s take a more in-depth look at CBD and how this natural compound can positively influence college students.

What is CBD?

Cannabidiol, commonly referred to as CBD, is one of many natural compounds found in Cannabis plants (Hemp or Marijuana). 

CBD stands out from its fellow cannabinoid compounds because it can provide a wide variety of medicinal and therapeutic health benefits.

CBD is often extracted from industrial hemp and then turned into an assortment of products including oil, edibles, vape oil, and many more.

CBD has gained acceptance since it directly influences our body’s Endocannabinoid System (ECS). Every human has an ECS made up of receptors known as CB1 and CB2. 

These receptors are located throughout the body’s central nervous system and help regulate mood, pain response, inflammation, and sleep1.

When CBD is taken, it stimulates the body to use more of its cannabinoid receptors, providing many potential health benefits.

Will CBD Get Me High?

First and foremost, CBD is NOT Marijuana. CBD is an independent, natural compound that does not contain the mind-altering compound known as THC.

CBD is non-psychoactive and will not make you “high” or intoxicated. CBD will not adversely affect sensory response or consciousness.

CBD has also been deemed non-addictive, meaning there is no known potential for abuse or dependency.

If you choose to use CBD, make sure you are buying from a reputable company that uses pure CBD and does not use harmful chemicals or unexpected compounds.

How Can CBD Be Beneficial to College Students?

As mentioned above, CBD offers a wide array of potential medicinal and therapeutic health benefits.

For college students, CBD can be especially beneficial.  Here is the series of problems CBD can help with:

Social Anxiety

Let’s face it, not everyone has the social presence of Beyoncé.

Many of us suffer from social anxiety whether for speaking in front of a class or approaching a possible crush.

This sort of crippling fear can be hard to shake and may even get worse as time goes on.

CBD has relaxing properties that may potentially provide a calm, peaceful state of mind when taken.

Test Anxiety

Its common to feel nervous before a big exam, especially if you didn’t do so well on the last one.

Even after you put in hours of studying, you may suddenly blank when it’s finally time to take the exam.

We naturally put pressure on ourselves to succeed which can adversely affect our memory, causing us to “blank.”

CBD may help ease feelings of nervousness and anxiety before an exam, promoting a clearer state of thinking2.

Sleep Problems

There’s a slim chance that you will never have a continuous sleep schedule throughout college.

Between class, work, studying, and extracurricular activities, sleep almost becomes secondary.

Getting enough sleep not only helps our body repair itself, but it also allows our body to refocus on the next day ahead.

Sleep is one of the main functions controlled by the ECS and taking CBD before bed can promote a positive and healthy sleep cycle.

Physical Pain

Whether you’re a student athlete, intramural warrior, or trying to shed off the “Freshman 15”, staying active is key to maintaining physical and mental physique.

While in the physical prime of your life, you may experience injury, along with muscle or joint pain.

CBD may be great for relieving pain due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

Overall Mental Health

Factors such as parental expectations, overwhelming workloads, and impending thoughts of the future can really put a damper on a student’s mental health.

Students become anxious over these factors which can lead to stress, panic attacks, and possibly even depression.

CBD’s calming properties may help students slow down their spiraling thought process and help recalibrate their thinking.

Is CBD Legal and Allowed on My College Campus?

The legal status of CBD varies from state to state.

We recommend you always check the laws in your state. CBD is legal to consume in all 50 U.S.

CBD that is Full-Spectrum (contains all cannabinoids extracted from the Cannabis plant) may contain less than 0.3% of THC. The legality of

Full-Spectrum CBD is still being debated because it may lead to a failed drug test, whereas CBD Isolate will not.

Colleges may vary in their regulations of taking CBD, but there is no denying of the many medicinal benefits CBD provides. 

Make sure to ask your University what their policy on CBD is before using it publicly. 

Respected companies, like Hemp Bombs, sell pure CBD that is third-party lab tested and CBD Isolate, ideal for the wellbeing of college students.

CBD Products for College Students

It’s important to understand that CBD affects everyone differently.

That being said, certain products may work better for college students than others.

With the recent boom in CBD growth, there’s currently a variety of products available to the public.

CBD Oil is probably the most well-known product, which gained its recognition for its ability to help treat epilepsy and seizures.

CBD Oil may also regulate stress and pain management.

CBD Gummies and CBD Capsules are great to take before bed to promote a relaxing natural sleep.

CBD E-Liquids (or CBD Vape Oil) are popular for their convenient access to CBD’s benefits throughout the day.

CBD Pain Freeze has just hit the market and is an excellent soothing solution for pain, cramp, and muscle problems.

CBD shows great promise in helping college students throughout their ups-and-downs and educating others will only help it gain acknowledgment as a natural therapeutic compound.

references

1Zou, S., & Kumar, U. (2018). Cannabinoid Receptors and the Endocannabinoid System: Signaling and Function in the Central Nervous System. International journal of molecular sciences, 19(3), 833. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms19030833 

2Brady, D. (2018, March 04). Cbd and anxiety. Retrieved February 03, 2021, from https://drdavidbrady.com/cbd-anxiety/

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