This article first appeared on kark.com (July 11, 2018).

What it is, how it’s legal, who it could help KARK.com – Arkansas Spine and Pain offering Tree of Life Seeds CBD products to patients

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – “It’s helping more with arthritis pain than I realized it was going to help,” Dara Mooney, a Physician’s Assistant said showing a patient some CBD products.

“I’m really getting good feedback from it,” she said.

The positive feedback coming from her patients, and herself.

The PA at Arkansas Spine and Pain has rheumatoid arthritis.

So a few weeks ago she decided to try Cannabidoil or CBD.

“Because you’ll do anything to help get your pain under control,” she said.

She says some patients who have chronic pain are hesitant because the products are derived from cannabis.

But Arkansas based producer Tree of Life Seeds says there’s one important missing ingredient that makes it legal.

“They’re 100 percent THC free so they’re all available for sale across the United States but especially here in Arkansas,” CEO Jason Martin said.

Their products come from hemp, which is not legal to grow in Arkansas yet, so it’s grown in other states like Colorado.

“All CBD products are not equal,” Martin warns.

Since these products are not FDA approved, Martin says some items found sold in vape stores and convenient stores can have questionable labels.

“They’re not all bad, but be careful,” he said.

His company frequently checks other products on the market for quality and comes up with interesting results.

“A lot of them have THC in them, first and foremost. Secondly, they have a lot of other things like heavy metals and pesticides and the CBD that’s on the label isn’t necessarily the CBD that’s in the product,” Martin said.

After Mooney has tried multiple medicines…

“The opioid epidemic is rampant and out of control,” Mooney said.

She says she’s found what she likes and trusts and could possibly be the alternative she and her patients are looking for.

“It’s not a miracle drug, but what I’m hoping is that it can start replacing some of these other medicines,” she said.

If you’ve done research and talked to your doctor and want to try CBD, Martin recommends making sure the hemp is grown in the United States, that it’s tested by the company and a third party and look for a batch number and expiration date on the products.

While Arkansas has 5 marijuana cultivation sites chosen, Martin says next year, the hemp plant can be grown legally in the state too.

KARK.com – Arkansas Spine and Pain offering Tree of Life Seeds CBD products to patients

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