BTW, I understand the skepticism. I was extremely skeptical of claims about the health benefits of cannabis. Some of my meatspace and online friends are, or were, stoners, and I just assumed they were trying to justify their fondness for the pots by claiming outrageous miracles.
And some were preposterous. Mostly wishful thinking based on haphazard readings of studies on the PubMed site, or deliberate clickbait posted by charlatans with nicknames like "Avocado."
For example, studies have already shown that low-THC cannabis can reduce the nausea associated with some diseases, notably cancer. And higher THC content can improve appetite. So cannabis indirectly helped with cancer by improving nutrition. But the zealots and charlatans blew that factoid out of proportion to claim cannabis cures cancer. It does not.
So while CBD did not "cure" my thyroid cancer, it did help reduce the nausea that was mostly caused by the grotesquely swollen thyroid compressing my trachea and esophagus. For a few months last year I couldn't swallow solid food without gagging because everything got stuck in my throat. And the Hashimoto's disease (auto-immune disorder that killed my thyroid) had side effects including nausea. But even the CBD isolates relieved the gagging reflex within 15 minutes so I could occasionally enjoy some solid food. I only wish I'd discovered this before my mom died. She was unable to swallow solid food for her final year, after her esophagus was partially paralyzed as a side effect of intubation for emergency surgery. She was well nourished in hospice through a stomach feeding tube, but I'm sure she missed enjoying real meals or at least a bit of solid food.
However, the CBD isolates I tried made me even more skeptical of the claims for relief from pain and anxiety. It just did not work that way for me. But I kept hearing claims of pain relief from people I trust who are not credulous, gullible or suckers for snake oil. So I finally found a couple of brands of full spectrum high potency CBD and those really did work: Lazarus Naturals, and Sunsoil (formerly Green Mountain CBD). Lazarus already had the lowest price on the market and added another generous discount for veterans, so I've bought from them for almost a year.
Lazarus offers several different products, including THC-free isolates and various oils. I tried all three, including their popular RSO. But only the high potency full spectrum oil works for me. The others did zippo.
I was also curious to find out whether it's really just the THC that offers pain relief, and perhaps the CBD is overrated. On many casual group rides some folks will have vape pens with THC, so on a couple of occasions after a ride I tried a puff. Being a wimp I felt the effects quickly from a single puff. But it didn't have any particular analgesic effect. And I remembered why I quit using recreational weed when I was a teenager. I get bored with the sensation pretty quickly, after about 15 minutes, but the effect of potent THC lingers for 2-4 hours. And I can't ride a bike stoned.
So it doesn't appear to be just the THC alone that provides pain relief. There's some combination of potent CBD and a tiny amount of THC that seems to hit the sweet spot of pain relief without hindering my energy, balance or reflexes.