Get the CBD Facts: Busting the Biggest Myths About CBD

Reading time – 7 minutes 

CBD has lots of research to support its benefits, and millions of people around the world use it every day. The World Health Organization has even come out to say it’s safe, but unfortunately, there are still some misconceptions about CBD. 

Let’s clear up some of those myths. We’ll outline some of the most common myths about CBD and give you the straight facts.  

Myth: CBD Is Illegal 

The thought of CBD being illegal can scare people off from CBD immediately. You don't want to break any laws when you're looking to try CBD. CBD is legal! Shout it from the rooftops! Just keep in mind that cannabis is listed as a controlled substance in the Misuse of Drugs Act. But CBD is not. You have to ensure that it has less than 0.2% THC – the psychoactive property in cannabis. 

Myth: CBD Is A Marketing Scam or Just Another Wellness Trend 

Magical vitamins. Miracle crystals. Cancer-curing tea.  It seems a new wellness sensation enters the scene every few weeks making big promises and usually doesn’t deliver. 

Unfortunately, CBD sometimes gets lumped into that category. But it shouldn’t. There is new research coming out all the time supporting how safe it is, and the World Health Organization has released even a report finding that it is safe. 

With anything your buying to help you with wellness, be on the lookout for brands that make big claims about cures. If a product with CBD makes a serious medical claim, then it must have a specific licence that it is for medicinal purposes.  

The most important thing you need to know is that CBD has lots of research to back it up. And it isn’t just a trend. New benefits are being found all the time. 

You should research the CBD company you choose thoroughly so that you can make sure you will get a quality product. Make sure the CBD company you go with has certificates of analysis (COA) available for their products. A COA will ensure that you're getting actual CBD and the product is safe. You don't want to use anything that is mislabeled or has ingredients that may be unsafe. Amphora lists all of our certificates of analysis right on our website so that you can know you are getting a safe CBD product.   

Myth: CBD Is New to Wellness 

You may think that CBD is new, but it's been around for centuries. There are reports of cannabis being used as far back as pre-Neolithic societies. It was used by people in ancient Egypt as a medical plant and was an essential herb in ancient Chinese medicine.  

American scientist Dr Roger Adams first isolated CBD in a study at the University of Illinois, and it was initially thought not to affect the human body.  

The exact structure of CBD was discovered by Raphael Mechoulam, who is known as 'the father of cannabis research.’ It allowed future researchers to have the ‘absolute of CBD so they can predict possible effects. 

Now, as CBD is booming in popularity, the research being done is skyrocketing. CBD products alone are estimated to be worth £1B in 2025.  As demand increases, so do the studies. The UK is killing it when it comes to research. We make up 10% of all studies happening in the world, with most research going on at London Universities, including; the University of Nottingham and the University of Reading. The WHO also did research and found it was safe.  

Myth: There’s Almost No Research to Support the Benefits of CBD 

One of the benefits of CBD that is mentioned a lot by users is that it can help with anxiety.  A 2015 study found that current evidence indicates CBD has considerable potential as a treatment for multiple anxiety disorders. CBD has even been found to help people who had anxiety with public speaking or people who have issues with addiction and anxiety.  

There’s also research into the benefits of CBD in dealing with depression, sleep, acne, IBS and chronic pain.  

Myth: CBD Didn’t Work for Me, So It Doesn't Work  

If at first, you don't succeed – try CBD again! This experience is actually more common than you would think but keep trying because it’s all about finding the right experience for you. 

It could be that the product you purchased isn’t the quality that it claims to be. If you bought your product from a company that didn’t have a certificate of analysis or have any reviews of their product – you could have purchased something that isn’t the best quality.  

The way you’re taking the product may not be the right method for you. It’s all about user experience. If you want something that is going to work fast to help you out, it’s probably not best to take an edible because it takes a while to be absorbed into your bloodstream. If you want something long-lasting, you probably shouldn't vape because of its higher bioavailability. 

You may be using the wrong type of CBD formulation for you, or you might be using a product with a particular smell or flavour that doesn't suit you. The use of terpenes can really improve the overall experience. That’s what we use at Amphora in all of our CBD oil distillate. They can give you a specific flavour and have wellness benefits all on their own.  

There is no 'one size fits all' for CBD, so don’t stop your CBD journey!   

Myth: CBD Can Get You High 

CBD does not give you those ‘mind-altering’ effects associated with cannabis or as the kids would say – it doesn't get you high. THC is the psychoactive cannabinoid, and in the UK, CBD products can only have up to 0.2% in their products. 

People think that because THC and CBD both come from a cannabis plant that they must make us feel the same way. While they are both cannabinoids that work with your Endocannabinoid System (ECS)  – they’re very different. 

Myth: All CBD Products Are the Same 

A big N-O on this one. While the actual cannabinoid is the same, whether taken from a hemp plant or a marijuana plant, the way it is extracted and the level of purity makes all the difference. 

CBD Isolate is the purest form of CBD and is sometimes called CBD crystals or crystalline. It won't have any other terpenes or cannabinoids in it including THC. CBD Isolate usually starts as full spectrum but then has all of the natural compounds removed from it leaving only CBD. CBD distillate is also considered pure but is made up of about 80% cannabinoids, and the rest is terpenes, flavonoids and other plant material. Amphora uses this type of formula with no THC so that you can get all of the benefits of the whole plant.  

Full-spectrum CBD oil, on the other hand, has all of the cannabinoids and terpenes from the plant including THC but only trace amounts. Only 0.2% of CBD is legal in the UK. Broad-spectrum is almost the same but has no THC at all. 

Broad-spectrum and CBD distillate is an excellent choice because they have the entourage effect with no THC and psychoactive effects. The entourage effect is when all of the different elements of the plant work together to increase the benefits of CBD oil. Some people say they find this more effective than CBD isolated on its own.  

There are a lot of options, and you can choose how you want to experience CBD! 

CBD is becoming mainstream, and the growing interest in CBD is allowing for more regulations and research into the industry. As more people try it, more myths get busted. The research estimated that over 1.3 million people used CBD in the UK in 2019, and that is growing at a fast rate. So don’t let these myths fool you. The fact is CBD is safe and more people than ever are trying it.