Читать книгу CBD For Dummies - Blair Lauren Brown - Страница 46

The debate over getting CBD naturally or synthesizing it is in full swing, and both options have their merits. Synthesizing, in this case, means creating a man-made version of CBD. (The scientific term for it is biomimicry.) Companies are already hard at work creating their own versions of CBD synthetically. The ultimate goal is mass production for the consumer market.

The main argument for the synthetic process is the cost benefits that come from efficient production. Early studies show that CBD can in fact be created in a lab. Additionally, synthetic CBD looks like a viable option as over-the-counter and pharmaceutical markets around cannabis develop.

Another issue is the THC problem. Early tests have shown that naturally derived CBD can be converted to THC with simple lab procedures. THC is a psychedelic and, as of this writing, illegal substance that requires control at the federal level. The concern is that science-savvy criminals could easily convert the natural CBD in drugs to the illegal THC for profit. The black market and drug abuse (largely of opiates) are already huge problems, so the concern is legitimate. Synthetic CBD, on the other hand, cannot be converted to THC in a lab and therefore prevents the potential for entry into the illicit market.

Proponents of natural CBD point to the environmental implications. The considerate farming and growth of the hemp industry for CBD production creates jobs as well as natural healing medicine. Besides, the byproducts and positive implications of hemp growing are vast: carbon offsets, soil remediation, fiber production, and more.

One of the largest current arguments for natural CBD is the entourage effect I discuss in “Debating the benefits of using the whole plant versus the sum of its parts” earlier in the chapter. If using all parts of the plant brings the most benefits, how can lab-created CBD compare?

The counterargument from the scientific community is that the variables of nature prevent the kind of scaling up needed for mass production. Science wants to repeat results for control of effectiveness. But strain and varietal variation mean that no two plants are going to present the same chemical features, at least not long-term. That makes replicating medicinal compounds and results on use and application impossible.