system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5 what does CBD oil actually do to the body to numb/reduce pain or stop seizures? What makes it a “snake oil” or a “magical cure-all”?

I have seen articles discussing how it cures pain for arthritis or swollen joints or after contact sports, but am unclear on how it does it this. On the flip side I hear a lot about it being mainly placebo and having no real effect. So scientifically, what is happening?
gpt
There is still a lot of research that needs to be done, and unfortunately due to the bullshit scheduling of cannabis for so many years, we don't know as much as we should right now.

But the essence of what we do know now is that our bodies have an entire network called the endocannabinoid system. When introducing the elements in cannabis into our bodies, the receptors in that system bind to certain elements to varying effect. Certain canabinoids like CBD have been shown to regulate certain immune functions, like inflammation, and this is one area where we are seeing potential for medical application.

As far as snake oil goes, it's really just a matter of how it's being marketed. With cannabis becoming legal in so many states, people looking to make money are jumping at the opportunity and being downright deceptive in stating what CBD is capable of. There's also the matter of how it is ingested, and if it is an extract, how it is extracted. There are good ways to get concentrates from cannabis now, but plenty of sketchy, "hot dog water," synthesized CBD and THC concentrates also. Similarly, with how it is ingested, some ways are better than others in terms of bioavailability. AFAIK, with CBD, sublingual and through vaporization, seem to be the most effective methods.