How the CBD Craze Began (A Brief History)

CBD (cannabidiol) seems like a relatively new industry, as it was just a few years ago that we all began seeing CBD oils, beverages, and other products popping up in stores and ads everywhere. 

Most Americans know that CBD comes from cannabis, which has a turbulent history in this country with legalization concerns and changes continuously occurring. The story of CBD begins with a history lesson in hemp in the United States.

So, how does CBD fit into this rollercoaster of cannabis history? Well, the first person to successfully extract CBD from cannabis was a Harvard graduate and chemist named Roger Adams. Surprisingly enough, Adams had no idea he had successfully extracted CBD until years later when he and other scientists uncovered what he had accomplished and began their research efforts into the unexplored world of CBD. 

In 1946, Dr. Walter S Loewe conducted the first tests utilizing CBD on lab animals — which was a groundbreaking development in proving that it does not cause an altered state (unlike THC). 

This same year, Dr. Raphael Mechoulam identified CBD’s three-dimensional structure — which is why he’s so often cited as the one who first discovered CBD. Decades later, Mechaoulam made another significant breakthrough when he ran a study showing how CBD could help treat epilepsy. 

Even with all of these incredible breakthroughs and discoveries, cannabis (including CBD) was still being targeted as a narcotic. Nixon’s war on drugs didn’t do it any favors, and those drugs with no potential medical benefits and a high potential for abuse were considered “Schedule 1” narcotics. 

During this time, some Schedule 1 Narcotics included: 

• Heroin
• Peyote
• LSD
• All forms of cannabis 

This classification drastically reduced the potential for research and study, and Mechoulam’s life work was being slowed at every turn. 

That is until the endocannabinoid system (ECS) was uncovered in 1988 by Allyn Howlett and William Devane. These two researchers found this incredible network of receptors in a mouse, leading to a better understanding of how the human body not only has receptors for cannabinoids but also produces them. 

A few years later, Mechoulam and his associates found two of the major cannabinoids produced in the body — referring to them as endocannabinoids. 

• Anandamide
• 2-AG

More research continued as the ECS’s complexity, and importance became increasingly clear — as it plays an integral role in homeostasis and balancing out crucial functions of the human body. These breakthroughs changed how cannabis was not only researched but viewed within the medical and scientific community.

Cannabis has been around for a very, very long time. For thousands of years, this plant has made its way through civilizations for various reasons. It was even prescribed by mystical emperors in ancient China for its medicinal properties as far back as 2727 BC.

Now, fast forward to Christopher Columbus and his voyage to the “new world,” and we begin to see how hemp quickly became a cash crop. Primarily used for its fiber as a way to construct durable rope, it spread throughout the colonies and was even declared that settlers were required to grow cannabis for fiber production. 

By the late 18th century, early American medical journals cite the use of hemp seeds and roots for treating inflamed skin — a practice still used today with topical CBD face oil solutions. 

With cannabis having such an influential and ingrained part of American history, you’re probably wondering how abolition fits into the equation.

Up until the late 19th century, cannabis (hemp in particular) was an accepted part of American culture. However, attitudes shifted fairly quickly as citizens were dealing with a drug crisis that had nothing to do with cannabis. During this time, there was a morphine addiction issue that was plaguing roughly 5% of Americans due to its inclusion in popular medicines. So, the government decided to introduce new legislation that created the Food and Drug Administration to prevent “secret ingredients” like morphine from making its way into people’s medicines. 

In 1914, the Harrison Act connected criminality and drug use. This act implemented fairly hefty taxes on opium and coca-derived drugs, which included such a tremendous tax on non-medical use that overshadowed the cost of the drugs themselves. 

Fast forward a few decades and the Marihuana Act of 1937 was passed, making the possession or transfer of cannabis illegal throughout the country under federal law. This act was also created to levy taxes on hemp products — but a newfound attitude towards cannabis was brewing, fueled by anti-immigration sentiments. 

Reefer madness, racist policies, and extremely incorrect understandings of the effects of cannabis continued to spark furthering abolition efforts — which is still being combatted today.