Broad-Spectrum CBD: Combating Substance Use Disorders

Do you struggle with controlling your drug and alcohol consumption?  Do you think about stopping, but feel like you can’t?  We’ve been there and we know what you’re going through.  We, at Exact Nature Botanicals, LLC, were founded by a father and son team who both have had their own issues with substance use disorders. 

Recovering alcoholic and addict Thomas White and his son Daniel’s mission by starting our company was to provide addicts and alcoholics with safe, natural, healthy and effective supplements to assist those on the road to recovery. Thomas and Daniel’s answer to their alcoholism and addiction recovery was CBD.

What Constitutes Addiction?

Addiction is defined as a chronically relapsing disorder characterized by the compulsive desire to use drugs (or alcohol) and a loss of control over consumption.  It is a chronic dysfunction of the brain system that includes reward, motivation, and memory. It’s the way your body craves a behavior or, in our case, a substance, especially if it causes a compulsive and obsessive quest for a rewarding feeling and lack of concern over consequences.

Addicts typically exhibit certain behavioral patterns such as not being able to stay away from the substance or stop the addictive behavior; lack of self-control; having an increased desire for the substance; dismiss how their behavior causes problems; and lacking emotional response.

According to Healthline, nearly 1 in 10 Americans have an addiction, whether it be to a substance or a behavior. The most common drug addictions are to nicotine, THC, opioids, and cocaine.  In a review published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, studies show that CBD may be useful in the treatment of substance use disorders.

CBD and Substance Use

CBD is the second most abundant component of the cannabis plant and is thought to modulate various neurological circuits involved in drug addiction.  Preclinical studies suggest that CBD may have therapeutic properties to treat addictions to cocaine, opioids, and THC.  Interestingly, CBD, coming from the cannabis plant like THC, has shown that it may have low reinforcing properties with limited abuse potential and may inhibit drug-seeking behavior.  Additionally, CBD’s anti-anxiety properties and minimal side effects support CBD’s potential feasibility as a treatment option for various indicators associated with drug addiction.

CBD can help increase concentration and focus levels, which helps addicts focus more on their behavior and the positive things in their lives.  Because addicts are prone to relapse, even with medication, CBD helps in decreasing the odds of an addict to relapse by balancing the tendencies of paranoia that are common with withdrawals. 

In addition to drug addiction, CBD has also shown to be effective in managing alcohol addiction.  In studies involving rodents, it was found that CBD has a “neuropathic effect against adverse alcohol consequences on the brain.”  CBD was also found to lessen toxicity levels in the liver due to alcohol consumption.  CBD’s anti-anxiety properties significantly lowers stress-induced alcohol seeking behavior, self-administration, and, very importantly, withdrawal induced seizures.  More studies on humans are essential, but considering the benefits of CBD exhibited in preclinical models, it appears to be a promising treatment in managing substance abuse disorders.

CBD at Exact Nature

At Exact Nature, you’re not going to find vapes or treats for your pet.  We are focused solely on manufacturing CBD products that help to curb addictive cravings and changes in mood and sleep patterns that can arise on a person’s path to sobriety.

The best CBD starts with best hemp. Our products are made only with hemp grown in Nevada. Nevada-grown hemp is the best in the country due to the ideal growing climate and favorable regulatory environment. Once processing begins, our CBD is rendered non-intoxicating.

Broad-spectrum means that the product contains all of the nearly 100 cannabinoids that occur naturally in the hemp plant, except for the THC. By using broad-spectrum extract, the risk of intoxication with THC is gone. The tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary intoxicating element in marijuana, has been removed so our products will not cause the "high" that is associated with marijuana. In order to be transparent, we want to draw a small distinction in calling something non-intoxicating versus calling it non-psychoactive. Our point is that our products will not produce a “high,” but can be psychotropic, in the sense that they can produce positive feelings of calm and focus.

Conversely, there are many popular products that use CBD isolate. CBD Isolate is exactly what you would assume…pure CBD.  In order to get isolated CBD, manufacturers extract all of the other chemicals and compounds, including THC, leaving pure CBD in a crystallized form.  This is accomplished through a filtration process. Then, what is referred to as the “winterization process” takes place. The winterization process removes any remaining plant material that may still be present after the filtration process. The result is a fine, white powder that is 99% CBD with no distinctive taste or smell, that is easy to consume.

Choosing to consume CBD isolate eliminates the possibility of the "entourage effect." The entourage effect is what happens when the many components of the hemp plant interact with the human body to produce a stronger influence than any one of those components working on its own. Broad-spectrum CBD falls between full-spectrum CBD, which contains all of the cannabis plant material including THC, and CBD isolate. Broad-spectrum contains all of cannabinoids except for the THC, but can still produce the helpful entourage effect.

Our CBD products are independently tested for safety, potency, purity and quality. Third-party lab testing provides a transparent and unbiased source of information and verification. All of our products are 100% vegan and contain no GMOs. do not use any ingredients that aren't necessary. Our product formulas focus solely on ingredients that our mission to provide addicts with effective and natural products to help them stay on their path to sobriety.

There are answers for addicts, and we at Exact Nature have them.  To shop our products and begin your journey to sobriety, click here!