This story begins an informal series on marijuana and its growing presence in Massachusetts.

CHICOPEE – CBD won’t make you high, but the oil derived from marijuana has been credited for having a number of medicinal uses.

At the Herbarium in Chicopee, owner Jonathan Evans can’t keep it on the shelf. “We have to order it twice a week,” he told Reminder Publishing.

CBD is short for cannabidiol, one of the chemical compounds in marijuana. And Evans explained that unlike THC, it is has no effects in giving a user high.

Instead, according to a chart he has at his shop, CBD can relieve pain and anxiety, suppresses muscle spasms, slow bacterial growth, reduces blood sugar levels and reduces inflammation, among other things.

Unlike medical marijuana, CBD oil does not require a prescription. There has been a boom in manufacturing and marketing CBD oils and Evans noted hundreds of companies are now making the substance. He cautioned though that not all CBD oils are equal.

CBD oil contains more than 100 terpenes – plant-based chemicals – and Evans said what terpenes are in CBD oil dictate its effectiveness.

“You have to know and trust who is supplying it,” he said.

A quick on-line search yielded multiple brands of CBD from a variety of sources.

Evans also noted that for pain and anxiety – the two most prominent reasons people seek CBD oil – he always suggests trying other herbal remedies first that may be as effective and may cost less.

“I’m just trying to serve customers the best I can,” he explained.

The CBD oil he sells comes in two different strengths and in different flavors. To use it, about half an eyedropper full of the liquid is placed under the tongue. Evans then said to swish the oil around the mouth for about a minute and then swallow.

He said, “The worse they [a person’s symptoms] are the faster it works.” Evans added that because there is no THC “it’s not possible to take too much.” He said the worse side effect is a deep sleep.

He said the CBD oil his shop sells is a “full spectrum cannabis oil” with the CBD oil suspended in a base of hemp oil.

This reporter tried it for his arthritis pain in his knees. In this completely unscientific test, the pain seemed diminished.

Reminder Publishing Asst. Editor Jordan Houston also tried the oil over several days. Her reaction: “I am an anxious person. I have ALWAYS been an anxious person. My anxiety is the reason I obtained my bachelor’s and master’s degree in only five years of schooling – I used it as a tool. However, once my schooling was all said and done, and I no longer needed my anxiety, I realized how uncomfortable it is to live with.

“Although I am currently taking medication to help curb my anxious thoughts, I still deal with those pesky physical symptoms from time to time – chest tightness, shortness of breath etc. So, you can imagine I was thrilled at the idea of trying out CBD oil for this story.

“I noticed the effects of the oil within 10 minutes of taking the drops for the first time. I took the recommended dose, approximately 15 drops of the 375 mg, and swirled them around in my mouth for about a minute. One of the major positives I noticed was that my chest began to loosen up and I felt my heart rate slow down, in a good way. It was the perfect dose and I felt at an overall ease. On the second day, I think I might have taken too much because I took a mid-day nap following my morning dose of the oil – and I never take naps. Lethargy can be one of the side effects of taking too much oil. Which is why I switched to only taking the oil at night.

“It’s safe to say I am a fan of the CBD oil and will continue to take it to help ease my anxiety. By no means would I recommend choosing the oil over more conventional methods to treat severe anxiety, but I think it’s a great compliment to medication, meditation, exercise or therapy.”

This year the Food and Drug Administration approved CBD oil by prescription for one use. “The new product was approved to treat seizures associated with two rare, severe forms of epilepsy in patients two years of age and older,” the FDA statement read.

With marijuana being illegal on the federal level the FDA statement was cautious about other medical uses: “So today, in addition to celebrating this scientific achievement and the medical advance that it represents for these patients and their families, we should also reflect on the path that made this possible. It’s a path that’s available to other product developers who want to bring forth marijuana-derived products through appropriate drug development programs.”