CBD Against Mosquitoes

New research in the effort to address insecticide resistance has found that CBD oil (cannabidiol) derived from the hemp plant, is effective in eliminating mosquito larvae. Hemp is related to marijuana, but does not contain much of the ingredient that makes people feel “high”. CBD from hemp is used in a variety of products and oils to treat anxiety, pain, insomnia, and other conditions. This study found that it can also kill the larvae (newly born) of mosquitoes that carry yellow fever. “Mosquitoes are one of the deadliest animals in the world, mainly because as adults they serve as vectors of disease,” said Erick Martinez Rodriguez, lead author of the study done at Ohio State University (US). “It’s very important to be able to control these pests at an early stage, when they are at their most vulnerable.” Unlike adult mosquitoes, that can fly across great distances to transmit disease, mosquito larvae are aquatic organisms that are usually found in standing water. Conventional chemical insecticides used to be effective for killing mosquito larvae, but not anymore as their rampant overuse has led to insecticide resistance. In addition, those poisonous chemicals are detrimental to the environment.