Under the Dome, a documentary about China's massive air pollution problem, has been viewed more than 200 million times since it was released last Saturday. It's being hailed as China's "An Inconvenient Truth" and an eye opener for the Chinese public by Ma Jun, the director of the Beijing-based Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs.
Shijiazhuang, China had 264 polluted days in 2014 and only eight of 74 Chinese cities met air quality targets last year.
The documentary, which has a similar presentation style to An Inconvenient Truth, was made by Chai Jing, an investigative reporter and anchor at state broadcaster China Central Television. Last year, she left her job to take care of her daughter, who was successfully treated for a benign tumor.
In the 104-minute film, Chai describes how difficult it has been to tell her daughter she can't play outside. "In Beijing in 2014, I could only take her out when the air was good," she says during a presentation to a studio audience, which appears in the documentary. "There were 175 polluted days last year. That means that for half of the year, I had no choice but to keep her at home, shut in like a prisoner."
Chai used $160,000 of her own money and one year to make the documentary, according to NPR. She investigates the science, economics and politics behind the smog, meeting with local officials and visiting London and Los Angeles to see how those cities have dealt with pollution. Chai admits that until recently, she didn't know the difference between fog and smog.
Ma Jun of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs explains to NPR why China's government has not silenced Chai, and China's new environment minister even called to thank her: "One reason such a hard-hitting film, that touched on deeply rooted problems, was allowed to be widely disseminated is its positive direction, which gives people hope and confidence."
Still, much needs to be done. Last year only eight of 74 Chinese cities met the air quality targets—only five more than in 2013, according to NPR.
Watch this documentary that has captivated China:
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Study Finds Synthetic Clothes Contributed 4,000 Metric Tons of Plastic Microfibers in California
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Climate
These microfibers, smaller than five millimeters, are shed when synthetic clothes are washed. Cris Cantón / Getty Images
A new study from the University of California at Santa Barbara has found that synthetic clothes released about 4,000 metric tons of plastic microfibers into California's environment in 2019.
<p><br/></p>
<p>For context, that's about 80 million plastic rubber ducks in California, or 130,000 times as many stars as there are in the Milky Way galaxy, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/oct/16/plastic-waste-microfibers-california-study" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> reported. The Guardian received exclusive access to this study, although it has not been peer-reviewed or published.</p><p>These microfibers, smaller than five millimeters, are shed when synthetic clothes are washed, including "yoga pants, stretchy jeans and fleece jackets" the Guardian reported.</p><p>To determine how many microfibers are shed in a given year, researchers calculated how many synthetic materials consumers bought with how many loads of laundry people did. The data also calculated how many microfibers were released in each wash. Researchers combined those numbers with public data on sludge and wastewater management in California to reach 4,000 metric tons. These microfibers then make their way into the state's water and land, The Guardian reported.</p>
<p>Those numbers might alarm consumers. According to <a href="https://nypost.com/2020/10/17/study-finds-huge-pollution-from-microfibers-in-californias-oceans/amp/" target="_blank">The New York Post</a>, a recent study in <em><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0194970" target="_blank">PLoS One</a></em> found that the average person inadvertently consumes more than 5,800 microfiber particles — every year.</p><p>While wastewater plants have the ability to prevent microfibers from entering waterways, they are ultimately delaying the process. Wastewater treatment facilities tend to combine what they capture with treated sewage, which is eventually spread on agricultural fields. The microfibers then run off back into the waterways, The Guardian reported.</p><p>"So we're changing it from an ocean problem to a land problem," Roland Geyer, an industrial ecologist at UC Santa Barbara who collaborated on the report, told The Guardian. "Rather than removing the fibers, we've just moved their location."</p>
<p>Studies that quantify microplastics in the environment help play a vital role in regulating them. For example, <a href="https://www.politico.com/states/california/story/2020/06/16/california-becomes-first-state-to-define-microplastics-in-water-1293744" target="_blank">Politico</a> reported that California's State Water Resources Control Board recently approved a decision to make it the first state to define microplastics. The board will propose testing methods by July 2021; it will require water suppliers to report their microplastic levels for four years once a testing protocol is agreed upon.</p><p>Global production of synthetic fibers around the world is predicted to triple by 2050, The New York Post reported.</p>
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The 1.4-gigawatt coal-fired Kingston Steam Plant, just outside Kingston, Tennessee on the shore of Watts Bar Lake on March 31, 2019. In 2008, a coal ash pond at the plant collapsed, leading to the largest industrial spill in modern U.S. history and subsequent industry regulations in 2015. Paul Harris / Getty Images
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a rule change on Friday that will allow some coal power plants to ignore a court order to clean up coal ash ponds, which leech toxic materials into soil and groundwater. The rule change will allow some coal ash ponds to stay open for years while others that have no barrier to protect surrounding areas are allowed to stay open indefinitely, according to the AP.
<p>The arsenic-laced sludge that fills coal ash ponds is likely to leak when just a plastic barrier protects it. It is far more likely to pollute nearby soil and water when the pits have a clay barrier, according to researchers, as <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/521409-epa-may-violate-courts-with-new-rule-extending-life-of-unlined-coal" target="_blank">The Hill</a> reported.</p><p>A 2018 order from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit had forced the EPA to close coal ash ponds that did not have plastic lining and were likely to leak toxic chemicals, making Friday's rule change seem like a blatant move to undermine the court's authority, according to environmental groups who promised to sue to stop the rule change, as The Hill reported.</p>
<p>Environmentalists argue that the rule change is a favor to the coal industry, for which EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler served as a lobbyist prior to joining the <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/trump-watch/">Trump</a> administration. The move allows the industry to dump its byproducts inexpensively and irresponsibly.</p><p>"The reason the utilities are arguing to keep the ponds is because they have put in these unlined pits out the back door of the power plant that act as a catchall for their toxic waste," said Lisa Evans, an attorney for the environmental group Earthjustice, as the AP reported. "They don't want to get rid of them because they are cheap."</p>
<p>Earthjustice and the Environmental Integrity Project commissioned a study on coal ash ponds and found that 91 percent of them were leaking toxic chemicals beyond what was permitted by EPA regulations, as The Hill reported. Their study found that heavy metals from the waste was polluting nearby drinking wells and groundwater.</p><p>Coal ash is produced when coal is burned to produce power. It is full of arsenic, mercury, lead and several other hazardous heavy metals. In the U.S., coal plants create nearly 100 million tons annually of ash and other waste, according to the AP.</p><p>"When ponds without lining leak, it's often more aggressive, faster and harder to control," said Evans, as The Hill reported. "Utilities are asking for favors and exemptions and EPA is willing to give them and is willing to rush to provide these exemptions."</p>
<p>The 2018 court decision found that clay lined coal ash ponds, or unlined ponds, are simply dangerous, as the AP reported.</p><p>Evans noted that the Obama-era Resource Conservation and Recovery Act required power plants to close unlined coal-ash ponds by April 2019, but the EPA keeps extending the deadline, as the AP reported.</p><p>By rewriting the rule, coal plants are able to get around the mandates of the 2015 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act by simply showing that their coal ash ponds pose no threat to human health.</p><p>"The Trump EPA is flouting the court's decision," said Evans, as the AP reported. "I've never seen anything like this before."</p>
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President Donald Trump prepares to sign an Executive Order to begin the roll-back of environmental regulations put in place by the Obama administration, on February 28, 2017 in the White House in Washington, D.C. Aude Guerrucci-Pool / Getty Images
By Brett Wilkins
With President Donald Trump's re-election very much in doubt, his administration is rushing to ram through regulatory rollbacks that could adversely affect millions of Americans, the environment, and the ability of Joe Biden—should he win—to pursue his agenda or even undo the damage done over the past four years.
<p>Reporting by the <em>New York Times</em> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/16/us/politics/regulatory-rush-federal-agencies-trump.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">details</a> how the administration is cutting corners as it scrambles to enact as much of its agenda as possible before ceding power on January 20 if Trump loses the election. Required public comment periods and detailed analyses, according to the <em>Times</em>, are being eschewed in favor of streamlined approval processes that have left even staunch deregulation defenders sounding the alarm. </p>
<div id="04704" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="89d490c741c2b7d2f95200298145c69b"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1317147432002703361" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">JUST POSTED: Facing the prospect that President Trump could lose his re-election bid, his cabinet is scrambling to… https://t.co/hy6L5aOtdv</div> — Eric Lipton (@Eric Lipton)<a href="https://twitter.com/EricLiptonNYT/statuses/1317147432002703361">1602867393.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>"Two main hallmarks of a good regulation is sound analysis to support the alternatives chosen and extensive public comment to get broader opinion," Susan E. Dudley, director of the George Washington University Regulatory Studies Center and formerly head of regulation in the George W. Bush White House, told the <em>Times</em>. "It is a concern if you are bypassing both of those."</p><p>Russell Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, told the <em>Times</em> that the president has always "worked quickly... to grow the economy by removing the mountain of Obama-Biden job-killing regulations." </p><p>However, critics are warning that some of the proposed changes are being rushed through with insufficient regard to the harm they might cause. Some of the issues that are raising red flags include: </p><ul><li>Refusing to lower limits on dangerous particulate and ozone pollution, which cause <a href="https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1513/AnnalsATS.201812-914OC" target="_blank">thousands</a> of annual premature deaths.</li><li>Allowing so-called <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/onearth/bomb-train-derailment-sparked-resistance-columbia-river-gorge" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">"bomb trains"</a> that transport highly combustible liquefied natural gas on freight trains.</li><li>Determining when workers can be classified as employees or independent contractors. </li><li>Exempting certain commercial drivers from mandatory hour limits and rest periods. </li><li>Placing limits on how science is used in the air pollution rule-making process.</li><li>Expanding regulation of immigrants by requiring citizenship applicants to submit biometric data, by forcing sponsors of immigrants to stay off welfare and prove their financial independence.</li></ul>
<p>In response to the reporting, critics of the administration like writer Matthew Kressel <a href="https://twitter.com/mattkressel/status/1317210213859155975" target="_blank">said</a> that it helps make clear that if the Republicans in the White House cannot win reelection, they'll "scorch the earth before they go."</p><p>And Matthew Gertz, a senior fellow at Media Matters for America, tweeted: "I think people underestimate the amount of time and energy that is going to be needed just to climb out from under the mountain of shit this administration leaves behind."</p>
<div id="4f924" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="189304aaf1a15ae9bfdda6698bfb975b"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1317167529362599938" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">I think people underestimate the amount of time and energy that is going to be needed just to climb out from under… https://t.co/FxEMRcMv1E</div> — Matthew Gertz (@Matthew Gertz)<a href="https://twitter.com/MattGertz/statuses/1317167529362599938">1602872185.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Many of the changes reflect the agendas of the powerful corporate and other business interests whose key players have donated generously to Trump, belying the president's oft-repeated claim that he is "draining the swamp." Other regulator rollbacks come despite <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/epas-scientific-advisers-warn-its-regulatory-rollbacks-clash-with-established-science/2019/12/31/a1994f5a-227b-11ea-a153-dce4b94e4249_story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">warnings</a> from career officials within federal agencies about the harm they could cause. </p>
<div id="2e10f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f42c16794ddc25dcf8bf54a443854416"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1212091176091869184" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">EPA’s scientific advisers warn its regulatory rollbacks clash with established science https://t.co/RBdUsNvNEy</div> — Carl Zimmer (@Carl Zimmer)<a href="https://twitter.com/carlzimmer/statuses/1212091176091869184">1577820030.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Alarmed by the administration's rushed rate of regulatory rollbacks, a group of over 15 Democratic senators earlier this month sent a letter to Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia warning of "profound economic implications" for some 143 million U.S. workers that would result from curtailing public comment periods for the <a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/flsa/2020-independent-contractor-nprm" target="_blank">proposed rule change</a> regarding independent contractors.</p><p>"Workers across the country deserve a chance to fully examine and properly respond to these potentially radical changes, and a 30-day comment period is not nearly enough," the letter states. </p>
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A man carries a plastic shopping plastic bag as he walks along Times Square in New York City on April 2, 2019. Eduardo MunozAlvarez / VIEWpress / Corbis via Getty Images
New York is finally bagging plastic bags.
The statewide ban on the highly polluting items actually went into effect March 1. But enforcement, which was supposed to start a month later, was delayed by the one-two punch of a lawsuit and the coronavirus pandemic, NY1 reported. Now, more than six months later, enforcement is set to begin Monday.
<p>"New York's bag ban has already improved New York's health by cutting down on <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/plastic-pollution" target="_self">plastic pollution</a>," <a href="https://eany.org/" target="_blank">Environmental Advocates NY</a> deputy director Kate Kurera told <a href="https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/new-york-begins-enforcing-plastic-bag-ban-on-monday/2675687/" target="_blank">NBC4 New York</a>. "We look forward to the State beginning enforcement and stores complying with this important law."</p><p>The new law prohibits most stores from giving out thin <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/plastics" target="_self">plastic</a> shopping bags. They can dispense paper bags, for which counties have the option of charging a five cent fee. Any business caught handing out the banned plastic bags will face a fine, according to NY1.</p>
<p>The law offers exceptions for takeout orders and bags used to wrap meat or prepared food, according to NBC4 New York. Families who use food stamps will also not have to pay the fee for paper bags.</p><p>Enforcement of the ban was held back in part by the coronavirus pandemic, as several stores actually banned shoppers from bringing their own reusable bags when the spread of COVID-19 was at its height in the state.</p><p>But the new law has also faced fierce opposition from plastic bag makers and convenience store owners, who brought a lawsuit challenging it.</p>
<p>These groups have argued that the ban will bankrupt them. American Recyclable Plastic Bag Alliance director Zachary Taylor told <a href="https://apnews.com/article/d16e172627519780ced6767937ee0954" target="_blank">The Associated Press</a> that the law was "unworkable" and it would be harder for smaller stores to acquire paper bags during the pandemic.</p><p>However, a judge upheld most of the new regulation in August. The only part he struck down was a piece of the regulation allowing stores to provide customers reusable plastic bags if they were at least 10 millimeters thick, because he argued that exception was not part of the language of the original law as passed by the legislature. Some environmentalists had worried this part of the regulation would allow stores to get away with offering thicker bags.</p>
<p><br>"The Court's decision is a victory and a vindication of New York State's efforts to end the scourge of single-use plastic bags and a direct rebuke to the plastic bag manufacturers who tried to stop the law and DEC's regulations to implement it," Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos told <a href="https://abc7ny.com/plastic-bags-ny-ban-new-york-coronavirus-pandemic/7136479/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ABC7</a>. "As we have for many months, DEC is encouraging New Yorkers to make the switch to reusable bags whenever and wherever they shop and to use common-sense precautions to keep reusable bags clean."</p><p>Some bag makers and store owners are still trying to delay the ban in court, but not all retailers are against the new law.</p><p>"Supporting the no plastic bag ban is one way for us to support a positive change in our world," Bronx Bodega owner Badr Alsaidi told NY1. "Plastic in general is one huge cause of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/" target="_self">climate change</a>. This is one way for us to step in with <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/recycling" target="_self">recycling</a>."</p><p>New Yorkers currently use around 23 billion plastic bags a year, but only use each bag for an average of 12 minutes, according to DEC figures reported by ABC7. Around 85 percent of those bags end up in landfills, recycling machines, streets or <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/rivers" target="_self">rivers</a> and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/oceans" target="_self">oceans</a>.</p>
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Nobody should have to live with pain. Since many prescription painkillers are both addictive and dangerous, more people are turning to CBD as a natural means of relief. If you're new to CBD, our guide to the best CBD oils for pain will help you find the brand that's right for you.
<p>Many people suffer with debilitating pain that derails their lives. Traditionally, severe pain has typically been treated with therapies such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, massage therapy, and of course, prescription pain medication. And while those therapies help immensely, prescription pain medication can be both dangerous and addictive. </p>
<p>In light of this fact, more people are turning to CBD oil as a natural means of relief from tough chronic and acute pain. But which CBD oils are the best? How does CBD tackle difficult pain? We will answer these questions and more in our guide to the best CBD oils for pain.</p>
<h2>How Our CBD Oil For Pain List Came Together</h2><p>Even though there are a good number of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/best-cbd-oil-2020-2647428611.html" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">CBD oil brands</a> out on the market, figuring out which brands are the most clean and the most effective can be a very daunting task. While you may feel tempted to make an impulse buy, it really pays to spend some time doing the research in the long-run. In thinking about brands and oils, you should really pay close attention to the effectiveness, quality, and purity of the oil as well as the brand's reputation. </p>
<p>If you still feel overwhelmed and befuddled, please don't worry. We've taken the guesswork out of the research by doing the bulk of it for you. Before we selected our top three brands, we set up stringent guidelines to follow. We then used these guidelines to whittle down our list until our top three brands remained. </p>
<p>In thinking about the top CBD oils for pain, we focused on: </p>
<ul><li>How long the brand has been in the industry</li><li>Oil ingredients</li><li>Reviews and comments by verified customers</li><li>Whether or not the brand used a third-party lab to test its products</li><li>If the lab results were made easy for customers to find</li><li>Hemp sources</li><li>Articles from both niche experts and CBD journalists</li><li>The overall purity of the oil</li><li>Brand reputation</li><li>Product price</li></ul>
<p>As we worked our way through the brands, not surprisingly, our list became quite lengthy. In light of that, we hunkered down and cut our list down even more until we were left with the top three brands that you will read about below.</p><h2>3 Best CBD Oils For Pain</h2>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDUyNDY1Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNDEyNTAzMn0.VLDMrz7j96aEHWlDAW3o2mkIViM_aNXmEYjIJ_0YNh0/img.jpg?width=980" id="ba3fe" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7406ff39cecb48b58ebbcae31aac51e2" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
<h3>#1 <a href="https://canfightbac.org/fab-pain-cbd" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">FAB CBD Oil</a>— Full Spectrum and Most Effective</h3>
<p>FAB has been in the CBD business since 2017. Everyone who works at FAB takes health and wellness very seriously. To that end, FAB's mission is to use premium supplementation, science, and innovation to allow everyone to have access to a healthy lifestyle. </p>
<p>The FAB team believes in transparency, creating high quality products, and having a stellar customer service department. FAB never uses any additives or dangerous chemicals in any of its products. All of the organic Colorado hemp that the brand uses is free of herbicides and pesticides.</p>
<p><a href="https://canfightbac.org/fab-pain-cbd" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">FAB CBD</a> has been commended time and time again for its exceptional customer service. Each member of the FAB team goes out of their way to address every customer's questions and concerns. The fact that there are a host of verified positive customer reviews on the brand's website attests to this fact. </p>
<p>Every single one of FAB's products is made from the cleanest, most pure extract possible. <a href="https://canfightbac.org/fab-pain-cbd" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">FAB's full-spectrum CBD oil</a> comes in strengths of 300mg, 600mg, 1200mg, and 2400mg, and in flavors of citrus, mint, natural, berry, and vanilla. All of the brand's products are tested by ProVerde Labs, an independent third-party laboratory. </p>
<h2>Specific Criteria for Choosing Our Top Three Oils</h2><p>When we selected our top three CBD oil brands, we looked at:</p>
<ul><li>Hemp Sources — All of the hemp that FAB uses comes from Colorado. The hemp is organic and is free from herbicides, pesticides, and other chemicals. FAB also uses state-of-the-art cloning and harvesting practices and machinery. </li><li>Reputation — FAB has a strong reputation among other top CBD companies as well as customers, journalists, and CBD insiders. Reading all of the positive verified customer reviews gave us all the verification that we needed. </li><li>Price — FAB's oils range in price depending on the strength that you choose. Overall, we found the oils to be both effective as well as affordable. In fact, the pricing falls in line with many other reputable brands out on the market today. </li><li>Effectiveness — When it comes to full spectrum products, FAB makes some of the best around. Not only are the oils safe, they're also effective, clean, and are of the best quality. Verified customer reviews on the brand's website confirm the effectiveness of FAB's full-spectrum oils. </li><li>Our Thoughts and Conclusions — We love FAB's amazing line of products. Along with full-spectrum oils, the brand also offers gummies, a topical cream, CBD dog treats, CBD-free super greens, a brand new calming <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/best-cbd-vape-pens-2020-2647594898.html" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">CBD vape</a>, as well as a recently introduced <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/best-cbd-cream-2647881006.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">CBD Body Salve</a>. FAB is our top pick not only because of the brand's stellar reputation for customer service, but also because FAB has a solid line of CBD products and truly believes in transparency. </li></ul>
<p>==> <a href="https://canfightbac.org/fab-pain-cbd" target="_blank">Buy FAB's full-spectrum CBD oils here.</a></p>
<h3>#2 Elixinol</h3><p>Elixinol strives not only to learn about hemp, but to also teach others about it. To that end, the brand seeks to teach everyone around the world about the healing benefits of hemp. The team at Elixinol is dedicated to science, research, and crafting innovative products that are loaded with terpenes, flavonoids, and cannabinoids. </p>
<p>As such, Elixinol employs experts, research scientists, medical doctors, and veterinarians that work together as a team to study how cannabinoids affect the body to improve life. Elixinol creates full-spectrum CBD oils, topicals, and capsules. The brand does not use a third-party lab to test its products, but does, however, employ its own experts to rigorously test each one of its products.</p><h3>Elixinol's Full-Spectrum CBD Oil</h3><p>Elixinol's full-spectrum CBD oil is created from hemp that the brand grows itself in Colorado. In doing this, Elixinol controls the creation of its products from seed to sale. Elixinol's full-spectrum CBD oils come in Organic Balance or Daily Balance varieties. The Daily Balance is available in Cinnamint and Natural flavors and in 133mg, 500mg, 1000mg, and 4000mg of CBD per bottle. </p>
<ul><li>Source of Hemp — Elixinol grows its own organic hemp in Colorado. </li><li>Reputation — Elixinol has a reputation for having a top-rated return policy as well as a large product variety. The brand is also praised for having high-quality CBD oil oral applicators. Overall, Elixinol has a solid reputation among its customers. </li><li>Price — The oil prices vary depending on the amount of CBD in the bottle. </li><li>Effectiveness — Elixinol is also known for having a strong quality full-spectrum CBD oil. The brand also has verified positive customer reviews on its website attesting to this fact. </li><li>Our Thoughts and Conclusions — Elixinol strives to educate others about the healing powers of hemp. The brand is involved in the creation process from seed to sale and even has its own in-house lab to test its products. Having said that, Elixinol does not use an independent third-party lab to test its products. There are also reports that the order processing time is slow. The brand does, however, have a solid reputation for producing products with a solid reputation. </li></ul>
<h3>#3 Endoca</h3><p>Endoca's mission is to be an industry leader when it comes to innovating ways that hemp is extracted. The brand sells a line of natural CBD extracts. Endoca strives to cultivate and extract CBD from organic hemp that is free from chemicals, toxins, and other preservatives. The brand is a champion of the environment and uses sustainable practices in how it cultivates the hemp. </p><ul><li><h3>Endoca </h3></li></ul><p>Endoca has a broad line of full-spectrum CBD oils including a 300mg Raw CBD Oil and CBD Hemp Oil and a 1500mg Raw CBD Oil and Hemp Oil. All of the brand's oils are gluten-free, non-GMO, and vegan. </p>
<ul><li>Source of Hemp — Endoca is based out of the Netherlands. The brand uses organic farming practices and believes in keeping things simple and as natural as possible. Endoca's hemp is grown in Northern Europe in Scandinavia. </li><li>Reputation — The brand has a strong reputation for worldwide delivery and organic and effective products. </li><li>Price — The price of the products depends on how much CBD is in the products. The brand does its best to provide affordable products to customers from all over the world. Having said that, the pricing on the products does tend to be on the expensive side. </li><li>Effectiveness — Endoca's products are 100 percent organic, and are full-spectrum. The brand strives to create highly effective products through natural methods. </li><li>Our Thoughts and Conclusions — Endoca is another reputable brand that strives to create an all-natural, effective line of CBD products. Even though the brand is based in the Netherlands, they do ship worldwide. They offer free shipping in the United States on order over $74. Endoca uses a third-party lab to regularly test all of its products, and those results are made available to customers online. Even though the brand has a solid reputation for creating strong products, they do lack flavor options. </li></ul>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDUyNDY5MC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxMjY2MDMzOX0.TYk1nhxMtZYJfsSq8zHpCmzWnqVYEVcv5cSFLEAdzuw/img.jpg?width=980" id="30343" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e6178d5522b89f1af56bd3b251c89e8f" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><h2>What is the Difference Between Chronic and Acute Pain?</h2><p>Many people are under the impression that pain is just pain. What many don't understand is that pain can be separated into two different categories: chronic pain and acute pain. With chronic pain, the pain lingers well after an injury healed or a traumatic event has ended. Conversely, acute pain will stay for a brief period of time before slowly going away as an injury has healed. </p><p>It's fairly easy to treat acute pain, chronic pain is more difficult to get a handle on. Pain is considered chronic if it lasts longer than 12 weeks. Chronic pain manifests itself as feelings of burning, aching, and cramping sensations throughout the body. </p><p>Chronic pain can be found in such conditions including:<br></p><ul><li>Arthritis</li><li>Nerve damage or inflammation</li><li>Trauma pain</li><li>Surgery pain</li><li>Low back pain</li><li>Cancer pain</li><li>Psychological pain</li><li>Tension or migraine headaches</li><li>Inflammatory bowel disease</li><li>Endometriosis</li><li>Fibromyalgia</li><li>Chronic fatigue syndrome</li></ul><p>According to the <a href="https://uspainfoundation.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">U.S. Pain Foundation</a>, 50 million Americans endure some sort of pain each day. And while there aren't any tests that can proficiently measure pain, doctors fall back on diagnostic tests and patient testimonies to try to figure out both the extent of the pain as well as its location. As far as diagnostic testing goes, doctors will use bloodwork, imaging, nerve conduction tests, neurological assessments, genetic testing, strength assessments, and others to diagnose the pain and determine the best course of treatment. </p><p>Sadly, anyone can experience chronic pain at any age. However, many physicians are finding that chronic pain is more prevalent in older adults. Chronic pain is more common in people who are overweight, previously injured, female, obese, or who have had any type of surgery. As mentioned earlier, some common therapies for chronic pain include chiropractic, massage, yoga, physical therapy, psychotherapy, acetaminophen and NSAIDs, or prescription pain medications, anticonvulsants, or antidepressants. </p>
<h2>How Can CBD Oil Help Treat Chronic or Acute Pain?</h2><p>These days, many people are turning to more natural methods as a means of treating their pain. Cannabidiol, or CBD, is found in the cannabis plant. CBD will not cause any euphoric sensations like tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, (another well-known cannabis compound) will. Any full-spectrum CBD oil contains both THC and CBD. By law, however, all full-spectrum products are required to contain less than 0.3% THC. </p><p>When THC and CBD come together, they produce what's commonly known as the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3820295/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">entourage effect</a>. In the entourage effect, the compounds within CBD boost each other's positive effects while minimizing each other's negative effects. In essence, they work together in a symbiotic relationship. So, while THC can typically cause nausea, when paired with CBD, the nausea is decreased while pain reduction and appetite is increased. </p><p>CBD oil is wonderful in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2018.01259/full" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">chronic pain reduction</a> because it reduces the inflammation, pain, and discomfort that derives from some of the health conditions that we mentioned previously. Many studies continue to prove that CBD oil is great at tackling tough pain from health conditions such as: </p><ul><li>Nerve Pain</li><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4851925/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Arthritis</a></li><li>Low Back Pain</li><li><a href="https://www.journalofsurgicalresearch.com/article/S0022-4804(18)30626-7/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Cancer</a></li><li>Osteoarthritis</li><li>Headaches</li><li><a href="https://www.clinexprheumatol.org/abstract.asp?a=14785" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Fibromyalgia</a></li></ul><p>Recently, researchers have found that CBD <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6043845/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">oil can help both manage and relieve difficult pain</a>. The body has its own <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5877694/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">endocannabinoid system, or ECS</a>, that contains endocannabinoid receptors that work to regulate how the body responds to pain. Moreover, CBD also helps to boost serotonin levels, therefore enabling "feel good" sensations while the pain is being decreased. The endocannabinoid system, which can work without CBD, functions to bring the body back to a natural state of balance. </p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDUyNDY5My9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1ODE4OTY5OX0.JXYTp6W4GqPK29f5fBqaumMnRebz-pyoHMHiwM2b6vE/img.jpg?width=980" id="65bc3" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="cfc038c446a3ed813988b520161b1698" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><h2>How Much CBD Should You Take?</h2><p>This is a common question posed by those who are new to using CBD. The simple answer to this question is that there is not a set dose of CBD that everyone should be taking. Everyone is different, therefore everyone reacts differently to CBD. A great rule of thumb to go by when it comes to CBD is to start low and go slow. Likewise, when it comes to CBD, higher is not always better when it comes to the dosage. Mid-range doses have been proven to be more effective than low or high doses. </p>
<p>The best way to begin taking CBD is to start by taking 5mg of CBD once a day for one week. If after one week you are not feeling any relief from your pain, go ahead and increase the dosage to 5mg twice a week. After a week, do a check in with yourself to gauge your level of pain relief before stepping up to a higher dose. Just like with any type of medication or natural supplement, your body needs ample time to get used to a new CBD dosage as well. </p>
<p>A great example of the instructions is this: begin by taking ½ dropper of FAB CBD's 300mg full-spectrum oil once a day for about one week. This equals about 5mg of CBD. After one week, increase your dose to ½ dropper twice a day for a week. This equals about 10mg of CBD. While you are going through this process, regularly check in with yourself to see how you are feeling and what your pain levels are. Your overall pain levels will be the best gauge as to whether you should be increasing your dose or not. </p>
<h2>Does CBD Oil Have Any Benefits?</h2><p>CBD and THC are just two of the over 100 other cannabinoids and compounds found in the cannabis plant. As stated above, while THC brings on feelings of euphoria, CBD does not. In order to create CBD oil, the CBD must first be extracted from the hemp or cannabis plants before being diluted with a carrier oil. Next, the oil is infused with different natural flavors, or no flavors at all, before it is bottled and sold in a variety of strengths. </p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6043845/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">host of studies</a> show that CBD is excellent at helping to alleviate many difficult to treat health conditions such as anxiety, depression, epilepsy, osteoarthritis, Crohn's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, and others. The simple fact that CBD works with the body's endocannabinoid system to help regulate pain and boost serotonin levels clearly demonstrates that CBD is quite beneficial. Likewise, countless CBD users can also attest to the fact that CBD oil has helped them in some way, shape, or form with their chronic pain and other issues. </p>
<p>When it comes to benefits, CBD has many. And when it comes to pain, chronic pain, and back pain, it helps to understand how CBD works so that the benefits can be fully appreciated that much more. When most people think of back pain, they tend to only think of low back pain. But there are, in fact, different types of back pains that can be relieved by taking CBD. </p>
<p>Some of the more common types are as follows: </p>
<ul><li>Muscle Strain — Muscle strain is caused when muscles are overstretched or pulled too tight. Muscle strain commonly stems from rigorous sports activities, weightlifting, and rigorous on the job activities. CBD can benefit this type of back pain because it will help to reduce inflammation and pain while helping the body to heal quicker. </li><li>Sciatica — Sciatica is a type of injury that occurs when the sciatic nerve is impinged, or pinched, between the muscles of the lower back, hips, and buttocks. Sciatica happens when a herniated disk, bone spur, or narrowing of the spine presses down on part of the nerve. Some common <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sciatica/symptoms-causes/syc-20377435" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">sensations stemming from sciatica</a> are numbness down one or both legs, inflammation, and pain. Recent <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25703248/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">research shows that CBD can be effective</a> at treating the pain and inflammation caused by this condition. </li><li>Degenerative Disc Disease — ThIs painful condition commonly occurs with advanced age. In degenerative disc disease, the spongy discs that are located between the bony vertebrae break down over time, causing the vertebrae to rub and press against one another. Interestingly, a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4269422/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">study conducted in 2014</a> found that CBD had strong anti-degenerative effects as well as positive results in treating neuropathic pain. </li><li>Scoliosis — Scoliosis is a twisting of the spine that gets increasingly painful as time goes on. In the most severe cases, surgery, braces, and therapy are used to help correct the disorder. However, CBD can be helpful in reducing both the pain and inflammation, thus decreasing the need to prescription pain medication. </li><li>Spondylolisthesis — This common condition occurs when the individual vertebrae shift in the back. The pain that arises can either be acute or chronic. Interestingly, this condition is more common among weightlifters and athletes because they take part in athletic activities that routinely put stress on the low back. CBD can help with spondylolisthesis because it has been shown to both reduce inflammation and alleviate pain. </li><li>Arthritis — Arthritis that occurs in the low back is called spondyloarthropathies. This complex condition is caused by inflammation in the sacroiliac joints that leads to severe low back pain and spinal cord stiffness. Again, CBD oil can help alleviate this condition through its anti-inflammatory properties. An <a href="https://www.jneurosci.org/content/37/3/626" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">encouraging study conducted in 2017</a> found that CBD was extremely successful at treating persistent inflammatory pain. </li></ul>
<p>Even if you aren't dealing with chronic or acute pain, you can still take CBD each day to support the overall health of your endocannabinoid system, which will help to keep your body in a state of balance in the long-run. </p>
<h2>Is CBD Oil Safe?</h2><p>Along with wondering how much CBD they should take, this is also a common question among new users. And while CBD has been increasing in popularity, so have the number of research studies done on it that closely examine the compound's safety and efficacy. </p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5569602/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">recent study</a> looking into the safety and side effects of CBD found that CBD is safe and has very few side effects. In fact, the side effects that the researchers did find were considerably mild in comparison to some of the side effects associated with prescription painkillers and other medications. </p>
<p>Some of the common side effects that some people feel include: </p>
<ul><li>Sleepiness</li><li>Dizziness</li><li>Nausea</li><li>Appetite changes</li><li>Diarrhea</li><li>Weight Changes</li></ul>
<p>Considering that many prescription painkillers are both addictive and have dangerous side effects, it's not surprising that many pain sufferers are now turning to CBD oil as a way of helping to alleviate difficult chronic and acute pain.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDUyNDY5NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MDYwMjMzOX0.kOT8KJ6e6e3i92ihO1ciiYfwP4p0MtlMXY-4fS5QxU4/img.jpg?width=980" id="170bf" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3ce40bf3a8e1eb35c07275311d3a5cbf" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><h2>Closing Thoughts on our CBD Oils for Pain Picks</h2><p>In the best circumstances, pain can be annoying and short-lived. However, in worst case scenarios, pain can be chronic and last for a very long period of time. People who deal with chronic pain not only experience a loss of body function, they also experience a loss of their lives as they know it. </p><p>While many traditional therapies such as physical therapy, massage, chiropractic, occupational therapy, cryotherapy, and others do wonders at both alleviating pain and restoring overall functionality, the fact of the matter is that other treatments such as prescription pain medication come with an array of dangerous side effects. </p><p>Studies have proven time and again that CBD is a wonderful natural alternative to dangerous addictive painkillers. Not only is CBD safe, it's also proven effective in the treatment of such conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety, nerve issues, sleep disorders, and others. Moreover, CBD has very few mild side effects as well. </p><p>Thanks to the work of scientists, CBD's healing properties have been documented in such a way that chronic pain sufferers are now experiencing hope and pain relief through regularly using CBD on a daily basis. If you're new to CBD, you should always take the time to do the research into different brands and products. While it may feel exciting to have a wealth of brands to choose from, keep in mind that not every brand is equal. </p><p>You should always take the time to do some research of your own so that you can confidently purchase the CBD product that will be the best one for you. Always take the time to look into the brand's reputation, product quality, transparency, use of an independent third-party laboratory, and customer reviews, among other things. You should also confirm that the products contain less than 0.3% THC in them, as this confirms that the brand is following the legal guidelines for CBD products sold within the United States. If you are feeling overwhelmed and confused as to where to begin, our article is a great first place to start. </p><p>While there are many great brands out on the market today, our research led us to the conclusion that <a href="https://canfightbac.org/fab-pain-cbd" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">FAB CBD</a> was the top pick for the best CBD oil for pain. While it was a very close race to make our number one pick, it should be mentioned that Elixinol came in as a very strong second place. Both of these brands create solid, effective, high-quality full-spectrum CBD oils, believe in transparency, and do not cut corners when it comes to crafting some of the best CBD products available today. </p><p>If you have any further questions and concerns regarding CBD oil and whether or not it can help you treat your tough chronic or acute pain, do not hesitate to contact your primary care physician or specialist to set up an appointment to discuss things at more length. Considering the many side effects and the potential for addiction with prescription painkillers, it makes sense to give CBD oil a try. Natural is always better when it comes to boosting your health.</p>
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