I never thought in a million years I would be using cannabis or CBD creams to prevent aging, but here we are. As much as I would like to believe I’m still young and don’t require night creams, unfortunately, I’ve succumbed to my age and fine lines. However, I have really appreciated the CBD night cream I purchased on a whim a few months ago. I knew that CBD and cannabis creams had beneficial properties for those who may have arthritis or muscle pains, but I hadn’t considered that there could be benefits to a face cream to liven up my skin.

Just as surprising as it was to learn about the benefits of a CBD night cream, I was equally intrigued to learn all the other unexpected and awesome uses for cannabis. There are a few uses that have become widely known such as aiding in stimulating hunger and easing pain in cancer patients, the aforementioned arthritis and muscle pains that can be soothed through ingesting cannabis or using topical creams and easing anxiety and depression. But some of the uses I’m about to tell you may truly surprise you.

A Brief Cannabis History

I recently picked up a book that dives into the commercialization of cannabis, but before it dove in, it recalls a time when it was an actual countrywide mandate to grow hemp. That’s right, there were actually thousands of farms with millions of acres devoted strictly to the growth of hemp. The reason why all those farmers needed to grow cannabis is because it was turned into uses beyond your wildest dreams.

From the 1630s to the 1800s, cannabis was used as part of the barter system for much of the country as well as cross-continentally. It was used for making ropes, canvas (which derives from the word cannabis) for sails, clothing and parachutes for WWII. You may be wondering then how we got to negative views of cannabis. The long story short of it, is that it became associated with immigrants, something upper class White Americans were not too keen on. But that’s another story for another day.

Unexpected Benefits of Cannabis

Dogs Cannabis, in all its multifaceted forms, has a great number of benefits to us as well as our pets. There are a great number of CBD pet products to help with anxiety, stimulate appetite and ease nausea, but what is still debated by Veterinarians is whether animals should be able to have medicinal marijuana. Because animals have different cannabinoid receptors, it is currently not advised to allow pets to ingest cannabis with THC present. “For animals who are sick, living with chronic pain, or suffering from anxiety or depression, cannabis may be a viable natural treatment.” (Green Flower, 2020). So before you get too excited, make sure you’re reading the labels of CBD products to ensure that they are specifically created for your pets.

Cosmetology Hemp seed oil has been one of the latest ingredients to go into beauty products to moisturize and heal skin. You can find products ranging from makeup, lotions, eye creams to bath bombs. The healing properties associated with CBD have proven to be an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. “According to a recent Market Watch report, the global CBD cosmetics market is estimated to be valued at over $580 million, with North America leading the way. And it's expected to hit $1.7 billion by 2025, predicts Grand View Research.” (Nazish, 2019).

Mental Health Cannabis has a strange way of sometimes bringing on anxiety after use due to high THC levels. However, CBD properties have been found to ease anxiety and stave off mental instability. Through research, it was found that cannabis can help with anxiety, PTSD, and a lack of endocannabinoid levels that are associated with people who have depression or eating disorders. Using cannabis can help restore the chemicals that are unbalanced. If you’re using cannabis because you want to ease mental instability, make sure you speak with a licensed professional so that you find the most effective doses and strains for what ails you.

Food Did you know that hemp is a great source of protein? Hemp has been known to help feed communities throughout the world. “Hemp seeds are a great protein source, as more than 25% of their total calories are from high-quality protein. That is considerably more than similar foods like chia seeds and flaxseeds, whose calories are 16–18% protein. Hemp seeds are also a great source of vitamin E and minerals, such as phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iron and zinc (1, 2 Trusted Source).” (Bjarnadottir, 2018).

Even though cannabis is still being researched and developed into multiple ways it can help us, the rich history and current medicinal properties that cannabis provides is hard to ignore. I would not be extremely surprised if in another 30-50 years from now we didn’t take cannabis capsules just as we take our daily multi-vitamins to regulate our mental and physical well being. As we continue to see the benefits of cannabis with very low negative effects, we may just see the return of hemp farms on millions of acres. This slightly-worn almost forty-year old can only hope.

Resources:

Bjarnadottir, MS, RDN, Adda. 2018, September 11. 6 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Hemp Seeds. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/6-health-benefits-of-hemp-seeds.

Green Flower Staff. 2020, September 28. 50 Surprising Benefits of Cannabis. Green Flower. https://news.green-flower.com/50-life-enhancing-benefits-of-cannabis/.

Nazish, Noma. 2019, December 30. Everything You Need To Know About CBD Skincare. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/nomanazish/2020/12/30/everything-you-need-to-know-about-cbd-skincare/?sh=34b7055e3abf.