As traditional healthcare costs continue to rise across the United States, many Americans are looking for alternative treatments that are not only made from non-addictive, natural ingredients, but are more cost friendly. While natural/alternative medicine has been around for thousands of years in the Far East, it has recently become popular with Greene County residents, especially those seeking relief from body pain caused from aging and other ailments.
Natural health, also known as naturopathy, can take many faces, ranging from drug-free alternative services like acupuncture, reiki, and massage therapy, to herbal supplements and vitamins like elderberries, Vitamin D, and herbal teas, However, one of the most controversial and beneficial topics in the field of naturopathy revolves one plant: Cannabis sativa, more commonly known as marijuana.
Man has used cannabis for centuries, through the Stone Age, to the ancient Egyptians, to many Native American tribes, and even the America’s Founding Fathers in the 1770s. At least, it was until 1937 when the US Federal government banned it. However, cannabis saw a comeback in Pennsylvania in 2016 when Governor Tom Wolfe officially approved the legal selling of cannabis and its by-products for medicinal uses only. The once illegal substance was now seen as a natural remedy for a variety of ailments, including cancer, glaucoma, anxiety, and chronic pain.
If full-blown medical marijuana isn’t your speed or you don’t qualify for a card, there is an alternative supplement that provides the same holistic health ingredients but without a high effect, known as CBD oil. Extracted from cannabis plants containing high amounts of CBGA and low amounts of THC, CBD oil can help treat a variety of medical conditions. Brian King, pharmacist and owner of Specialty Herbal Products in Waynesburg, PA, has been carrying a variety of CBD oil products in his store for over four years now, which come in two main forms: liquid oil taken orally and medicinal salves that are applied topically. The topical variety is best for acute pain management, while the liquid oil is better for chronic conditions.
Specialty Herbal Products started carrying the CBD oil at their store because of the impactful benefits of the drug. “I have 30 years of experience with natural products, and by far, CBD oil is the most amazing and exciting product I’ve ever seen,” Brian says.
Brian says that by far the most popular reason his customers purchase CBD oil is for pain management, especially for customers with painful past injuries or arthritis. Other reasons people buy his CBD oils are anxiety/stress relief, sleep aides, seizure management and other neurological conditions, and even purchasing products on behalf of their pets with his dog and cat friendly CBD products.
Brian also warns the public to buy their CBD oil from a reputable source, like Specialty Herbal Products. “I saw a study back when the CBD oil craze first hit that said 80% of the products sold at convenience and service station locations didn’t actually deliver on their promised benefits,” he says. “It’s better to buy your product from someone you can trust.”
