Since the 2014 Farm Bill’s legalized the industrial production of hemp, CBD products have infiltrated the market, showing up in everything from lattes to tampons to gas station gummies.
CBD is one of over 100 cannabinoids in the hemp plant. Unlike THC—the psychoactive compound found in marijuana—CBD does not produce a high and isn’t addictive. Rather, CBD interacts with the human body’s own endocannabinoid system, which helps regulate things such as pain, inflammation, anxiety, and sleep.
As the peer-reviewed studies affirming the therapeutic benefits of CBD continue to roll in, the plant-derived compound is establishing itself as a useful resource within the medical community. Still, there is a lot of ambiguity around CBD and its application, which the Newburgh Armory Unity Center aims to clear up with their December 6 conference, “CBD For Healthcare Professionals: What Is Cannabidiol Extract And How Does It Work.”
CBD for Medical Professionals
The conference at the Armory, sponsored by Orange County Citizens Foundation and Cornell Cooperative Extension, aims to educate professionals in the medical community about the fringe-turned-mainstream health product.
"This is a new and exciting healthcare opportunity that's currently being extensively researched by the medical community,” says Nancy Proyect, president of the Citizens Foundation. "This conference and workshop brings current information and knowledge about CBD to our community. Hemp production is becoming significant for our community, especially for our farmers. CBD is becoming significant for the medical community in its uses to help treat anxiety, insomnia and chronic pain. This conference will offer critical information on CBD effectiveness, uses, contraindications, and how to identify quality brands on the market."
Presentations will be given by professionals including doctors, pharmacists, and manufacturing leaders from across the US. Seminar topics include “Introduction to Hemp, Past, and Present,” “Hemp: Agricultural & Legislative Basics in New York,” “Physiology and Pharmacology of Cannabidiol and the Endocannabinoid System,” “The Green Revolution: Recent Changes in CBD and Recreational Marijuana,” and “Cannabinoid Clinical Pharmacology.”
CBD for Consumers
Following the conference is a workshop for the general public, “CBD in Healthcare: What is Cannabidiol Extract?" Emily Leppien, a doctor of pharmacology at BCPS, will be openly discussing the uses and the future of CBD, as well as the research behind the product.
The professional conference will take place December 6 from 8am to 5pm and the general public workshop from 6 to 8pm. Tickets for the conference are $125, with a discount of $50 tickets for medical students, residents, interns, and fellows. Tickets for the public workshop are $10.
