You’ve probably seen CBD advertised all over the place.
Now that it's legal in all 50 states, you can get it at almost every health and nutrition store.
It can come in many forms but most popular are oils and vapors. They don't get you high, but rather, experts claim it can treat a number of ailments.
Katie and Matthew Denton say it has been a huge help treating their teenage son Slade's autism.
“It’s amazing, it’s really been life-changing for us and our quality of life,” Katie Denton said.
Slade, who is 13-year-old, goes to the North Florida School of Special Education. A school that has also been life-changing for them, they say.
“This school is the best," Katie Denton said as they all filed in for school performance and assembly. "I wish I could go here."
She said the school has been perfect for her son, but still, she says as he has gotten older she noticed some changes.
“He would meltdown and we would call it throwing a tantrum,” she said.
At times he would be inconsolable.
“We have to do something because we can’t live this way, and it was torture for him,” Katie Denton said. She says these episodes were usually triggered by some sort of anxiety.
So she gave CBD oil a try.
When they notice his anxiety may be about to get the better of him, they’ll put a couple of drops of the oil in his juice.
“Within one to two minutes he was fine,” she said.
We asked Ponte Vedra pediatrician Dr. Aylin Ozdemir about this treatment. She does a lot of work with children who have autism and their families and is involved with The HEAL Foundation.
She said directly that she wasn't at all surprised to learn about the Denton's success with CBD.
"No, not at all," she said. "Because we know CBD has an effect on cannabinoid receptors in the brain."
She explained that the CBD molecule can trigger certain neuroreceptors in the brain that trigger the release of various chemicals.
That includes things like serotonin and dopamine, which can help with anxiety, among other things.
It's a treatment Katie and Matthew say has given them a lot of relief.
And while it’s certainly not perfect, or a cure-all, Katie says that for them it’s made all the difference.
“We weren’t going to let autism take control of our life and not do anything for fear of him having anxiety or getting upset, it’s just wonderful.”