Did TEDx Miss the Point on Potential Therapeutic Benefits of Hemp-derived CBD Oil?

EDISON, N.J., April 8, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- When Mike "Zappy" Zapolin—founder of Zappy Inc. hemp-based nutraceuticals and a visionary in the CBD arena—was invited to speak at TEDx Boca Raton in late March, he was eager to share his studies and research.

But less than two weeks before the event, Zapolin's talk was cancelled by TEDx. The event organizers sent an email stating, "After much debate and discussion with the team, we have decided that Boca Raton is not ready for a talk about Cannabis. It is a very uncertain topic and not enough scientific data to substantiate what you are declaring to be true."

It's ironic that the topic of this year's TEDx Boca Raton talk is "Breaking Barriers," as it appears TEDx Boca Raton may have missed the point. Zapolin's talk was intended to shed light on the potential therapeutic effects of CBD oil through the latest information on the subject – breaking down barriers of myth and misinformation that are associated with the hemp plant. Indeed, educating Boca Raton, TEDx and the nation through a transformational talk about CBD epitomizes the TEDx concept of an "idea worth spreading."

10,000 Years of Traditional Hemp Use
CBD is derived from the industrial hemp plant, a variety of cannabis sativa that contains less than 1 percent THC, the compound that produces mind-altering effects. Industrial hemp has been used for thousands of years for food, fuel, paper, clothing, rope and cosmetics. Marijuana, on the other hand, is a variety of cannabis sativa that's traditionally very high in THC, and low in CBD.

Unlike THC, CBD is non-psychoactive and does not act the same on brain pathways as THC. In other words, it just can't make you high. Ever. A review published in Current Drug Safety concluded that CBD is well tolerated and safe, even at high doses, and does not interfere with psychomotor and psychological functions (1). In fact, many studies suggest that CBD protects against the intoxicating effects of THC, including memory impairment and paranoia (2).

More than 400 phytonutrients have been identified in various parts of the industrial hemp plant, including terpenoids, essential oils, antioxidants and cannabinoids, especially cannabidiol (CBD). Recent studies have highlighted the potential therapeutic benefits of CBD for many conditions, including:

Neurological (3) 
Inflammatory (4)
Cancer (5, 6)
Cardiovascular (7)
Depression and anxiety (8, 9)
Neuropathic pain (10, 11, 12)
Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis (13, 14)
Seizures (15, 16)

These are among a few of the scientific, peer-reviewed, research studies that Zapolin intended to highlight at the cancelled talk. His goal: to educate people on the extraordinary potential of CBD to help promote general health and wellness.

Standing Up for a Plant
"I feel I have to stand up for the plant and the people who don't have a voice," Zapolin says, "and progress in this field needs to be shared with the public. And with 58 percent of Florida voters in favor of legal medical marijuana use in the state, we believe Boca Raton is indeed ready to hear the news about cannabis, hemp and CBD oil."

Zapolin has been at the forefront of much development work in the hemp CBD arena. A successful Internet entrepreneur, Zapolin is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School, and creator of the university's elective "eBusiness." He has been featured on NBC's Today Show and recently spoke at the 2014 Milken Institute Global Conference.

About Zappy Browns
In 2014 Zappy Inc. acquired Browns Botanicals—an award-winning nutraceuticals company specializing in hemp-based products. Zappy Browns is focused on introducing a line of hemp CBD formulations to potentially help with specific conditions, including pain, anxiety and sleep. Zappy Browns hemp CBD tincture bottles and soft gels are being created in partnership with MetaBrand and will soon roll out nationally throughout the natural products industry. The company will feature its new products at Natural Products Expo East, Sept. 17-19, 2015, in Baltimore, MD. For current product information, visit www.browns-botanicals.com.

For complete Footnotes and peer-reviewed scientific references, visit the Zappy Browns News Page, http://www.zappy.com/for-immediate-release-april-7-2015/.

Contact:
Mike Zapolin, Zappy Browns Inc., [email protected], tel 617.447.9012
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, [email protected], tel 303.807.1042

SOURCE Zappy, Inc.