We hear so much about CBD and THC, let’s talk about and celebrate CBN!
Cannabinol, CBN, has gained popularity through anecdotal patient reports, and has been proven through the little research we have to date, to be the most sedative cannabinoid.
This sleep promoting cannabinoid is known to deliver its bedtime sweet dream slap in surprisingly low doses.
According to our friends at Steep Hill Labs, in California, 5mg of CBN is as effective as a 10 mg dose of Valium, a commonly prescribed pharmaceutical sedative.
Steep Hill writes that “CBN is synergistic with both CBD and THC for inducement of sleeping. When mixed in the correct ratios, CBN becomes an effective sleep aid of five to six hours duration.”
CBN has also been found to fight free radicals in the bloodstream as well as fight pain in a similar manner to THC.
When THC oxidizes, or when it is exposed to oxygen and or heat over time, it converts to CBN.
Like CBD, cannabinol acts as an alternative to THC, as CBN has mild to no psychoactive effects.
CBN and THC combined have been shown to provide significant relief for intraocular eye pressure with glaucoma patients.
Leafly tells us that CBN’s researched list of benefits include pain relief, as well as anti-insomnia, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-convulsive effects, and that CBN acts as an appetite stimulant as well as promoting the growth of bone cells.
Cannabis Aficionado reports that a 2015 study entitled “Turning Over a New Leaf: Cannabinoid and Endocannabinoid Modulation of Immune Function,” published in the Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology stated that “CBN can alter the functional activities of the immune system.”
One thing the cannabis plant has taught me, and continues to teach me every day, is patience.
A 2008 Italian study entitled “Antibacterial Cannabinoids from Cannabis Sativa: A Structure-activity Study,” published in the Journal of Natural Products, found CBN demonstrates “considerable anti-bacterial efficacy,” and shows “potent activity against a variety of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains of current clinical relevance.”
According to Medical Jane, topical uses have also shown promise in treating burns and psoriasis, and some early studies have suggested CBN could stimulate bone growth, possibly helpful in treating osteoporosis and helping broken bones to heal more quickly.
CBN rarely exceeds 1% in typical fresh dried flower, so how do we find and use CBN, besides purchasing it at a dispensary?
When THC oxidizes, or when it is exposed to oxygen and or heat over time, it converts to CBN. Aged or poorly stored cannabis is likely to have higher levels of CBN than fresh flower in an airtight container, so that’s an easy method of obtaining CBN, which merely requires patience and time.
One thing the cannabis plant has taught me, and continues to teach me every day, is patience. Some patients who use vaporizers save their leftover vaporized cannabis to make into CBN bedtime medicine. That is practicality and economic brilliance at its best!
So if you need some more sleep, tap into some CBN. Whether you purchase it, recycle it, or practice your patience, I wish you sweet green cannabis dreams!
Jessilyn Dolan is a nurse researcher, educator and consultant for medicinal cannabis, maternal child health, substance and opioid use and mental health disorders. She is the founder of the Vermont Cannabis Nurses Association, co-owns HomeGrown Consulting and is a cannabis cultivating caregiver. She is a proud Clean Green Certified organic H.E.M.P. (Horticultural Excellence Medicinal Perfection) farmer and herbalist, crafting full spectrum hemp CBD medicinals.