What Are the Benefits of CBD Oil?

CBD is increasingly becoming popular as a therapeutic and wellness product. If you’re looking to buy CBD oil in Australia, this article will help you understand the safest and easiest way to source this medication.

Potential Benefits of CBD Oil
CBD in Australia is being used to help manage a wide range of conditions such as chronic pain, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders and other conditions.

CBD, short for Cannabidiol, is one of two well-known chemicals found in the cannabis/marijuana plant (the other being THC). Although CBD is only one single atom arrangement away from being THC, the two have very different effects on the body.

CBD and THC Molecular Structure
CBD is only one single atom arrangement away from being THC.

While THC is best known for its psychoactive properties, CBD is completely non-psychoactive and is better known for its therapeutic effects. Some of these reported effects are:

  • analgesic
  • anti-inflammatory
  • anti-anxiety
  • anti-spasmodic
  • anti-epileptic
  • non-intoxicating (no “high”)

What is CBD oil Good For?

CBD can help treat symptoms for people who suffer from conditions such as:

  • Epilepsy
  • Chronic Pain
  • Inflammation
  • Insomnia
  • Anxiety & Depression
  • PTSD
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Irritable bowel syndrome

Although lots of anecdotal evidence exists for the use of CBD, these effects have not yet been clinically proven in randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trials. Thus many doctors in Australia are apprehensive about prescribing CBD oil to their patients.

Is CBD Oil Legal in Australia?

CBD oil has been legal in Australia since 2016, however, currently the only available CBD products are classified as Schedule 4 drugs. This means they can only be legally obtained via a doctor’s prescription filled at a pharmacy.

The TGA announced a down scheduling to Schedule 3 for low dose Isolate only CBD products. However, Schedule 3 CBD products would need to first be listed on the ARTG and due to the stringent requirements there are still no products available for purchase in this category.

This means patients seeking access to CBD will still need to obtain a doctor’s prescription and follow the Schedule 4 pathway.

CBD products are not registered on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.  Therefore, doctors need to apply to the TGA via the Special Access Scheme (SAS) to obtain approval for each patient. Approval usually lasts for 12 months.

Is it Legal to Buy CBD Oil Online?

No it isn’t. Although that doesn’t stop many Australians from buying CBD oil this way. Some products even contain “official” potency certificates. Such products have been proven to be low quality and inconsistent so sourcing CBD oil this way is often a waste of time and money (and also illegal!).

There are many false claims being made by such companies with some mentioned on the TGA website. You are much better off obtaining CBD oil via the legal access pathway established in Australia for the following reasons:

  • Consistency

Studies show that unregulated CBD bought online rarely contains the advertised amount of CBD. In one study, nearly 70 percent of CBD oils sold online were mislabeled. This would make finding your ideal dose very difficult given that each batch can vary widely.

When you take CBD oil under the guidance of a doctor, the first step (called titration) is to start with a low amount and slowly increase the dose until you find your minimum effective dose.

Once this is determined, you know exactly how many milligrams of CBD you need to take each time to get relief. How can you do this with unregulated oil if the concentration differs from batch to batch and may not even contain the advertised amount of CBD as on the label?

  • Safety

Products purchased online don’t have any quality assurance oversight and no regulatory standards for producing, testing, or labeling. Many of these products can contain harmful substances such as molds, toxins, heavy metals, bacteria, fungus, viruses, and pesticides.

These products are not undergoing testing by the TGA to ensure strict conformity to medical-grade quality standards. Considering most people use CBD as medicine, why take this unnecessary risk?

How Much Does CBD Oil Cost in Australia?

The price you pay for CBD oil will depend on dosage which is different for everyone. The first step of the process is to start with a low amount and slowly increase the dose to determine appropriate dosing for each individual.

On average most people pay between $4-10 per day for their CBD oil medication.

On a cost per milligram basis, many legal CBD oils are now available at between $0.05-$0.10 per mg, on par and usually cheaper than non regulated black market CBD oils.

A larger bottle size does not necessarily mean better value. When comparing price you need to calculate the price per mg as oils can vary in concentration.

For example, a 50ml bottle of CBD 50mg/ml will contain 2500mg of CBD. A 30ml bottle of CBD 100mg/ml contains 3000mg of CBD. The 30ml is much smaller yet contains more medication and you will need to take smaller quantities.