Funzing | What Benefits CBD Can Have on Your Health | 20.06.18

For over 3000 years the cannabis plant has been used as a medicine, and even longer as a source of food and fibre. It remained a mainstay of contemporary pharmacopoeia until the late 1930s when the plant was demonised under a wave of extreme propaganda, largely fuelled by racist sentiments towards those who used it. This propaganda increased over the years, and has continued long after the War on Drugs began in 1972.

Today there still remains a lot of controversy surrounding cannabis, despite many countries across the globe and states in the US legalising it for medical and recreational use. This talk will look at various topics within the world of cannabis, with a specific focus on cannabidiol (CBD) supplements and the body's own internal cannabinoid system, known as the Endocannabinoid system. This system helps to regulate the major bodily functions, and cannabinoids such as CBD can help to provide equilibrium to balance out this important system. As there is a lot of unclear information surrounding this topic, more open discussion is vital to help to dispel any myths or uncertain evidence.

This discussion will also take a broader approach by looking at some different foods as well as cannabis which contain naturally occurring cannabinoids (or similar chemicals) and the compounds which give the plant its taste and smell known as terpenes.

Oli Genn-Bash is the owner of Bright Isle CBD, which provides high quality cannabidiol supplements to the local community in Kent and the wider UK. Having suffered from chronic pain and fibromyalgia for nearly two decades, Oli has been passionately involved with learning about the healing potential of cannabis. As a co-founder of the University of Kent Psychedelics Society, Oli has provided useful information to the local community and the growing student population, which has helped to broaden knowledge and increase a sense of trust regarding the information surrounding different substances. Since 2010, he has organised hundreds of talks and workshops on various topics, including the many uses of hemp and cannabis. He has undertaken postgraduate research primarily within the field of politics and philosophy; with a specific focus on the philosophy of thought and practices of resistance, mysticism, religion, psychedelic experiences, and stand-up comedy – in particular the work of the late American comedian Bill Hicks.