CBD stands for cannabidiol, which is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis. It comes from the flowers of the hemp plant and has been shown to have many medical benefits including pain relief, inflammation reduction, anti-seizure properties as well as helping with anxiety & depression.
Because of its non-psychoactive properties, CBD has risen in popularity as a wellness ingredient and natural remedy for many common ailments.
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Is CBD Legal?
You can buy CBD in most parts of the United States, though its exact legal status has been in flux. According to the FDA, CBD products can’t be sold as dietary supplements.
Where Does CBD Come From?
CBD is a naturally occurring compound found in cannabis and hemp plants. Although CBD can be sourced from any cannabis and hemp plant, it’s derived primarily from agricultural hemp—cannabis plants bred to express less than .03% THC and thus not get you high.
What’s the Difference Between CBD Hemp and Marijuana?
Although hemp and marijuana share many of the same beneficial compounds (like CBD), they are two very different products.
Marijuana is specifically bred to contain high levels THC, which gives you that euphoric “high” feeling when smoked or ingested. Marijuana contains between 0.30-35% THC, whereas hemp typically has less than one percent of THC. In fact, Federal Law prohibits cultivation of any cannabis plant containing over 0.03% THC by weight (excluding the federally legal industrial hemp from which CBD is derived).
CBD products made from marijuana are not legal in all 50 states because they may contain varying levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – a compound found in marijuana that produces psychoactive effects when consumed. However, CBD products derived from the hemp plant may be legal because they contain less than .03% THC (just like most raw forms of hemp).
What is CBD Oil?
CBD oil stands for cannabidiol oil and describes any concentrated extract made from hemp or cannabis that contains the cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD).
There are many forms of CBD oil from the application, including fluid extracts and tinctures, topical lotions to rub onto your skin, sublingual sprays you spray under your tongue, edibles in gummies or capsules. With so many ways to take it – each with their own benefits – you can decide what’s best for your body and mind.
Two Types of CBD Oil
From whether it contains other carbon and compound oils, CBD oil can be divided into pure oil and full-spectrum oil.
Pure CBD Isolate Oil
CBD isolate is a pure extract of cannabidiol. It’s the most concentrated form and comes in an easy-to-use dropper bottle or spray for quick relief when you need it. CBD isolates are usually 99% to 99.99% pure, whereas other products containing full spectrum hemp oil can contain up to 45% CBD.
CBD isolates are great for making your own edibles, capsules and drinks – as well as adding to other forms of ingestion like vaporizing or smoking with a vape pen.
It is perfect if you want the benefits of cannabidiol without any other terpenes, flavonoids, etc.
Full Spectrum CBD Oil
Put simply, you can think of full spectrum CBD as being “whole plant” cannabidiol. Full Spectrum Hemp Oil is made from whole-plant extracts including leaf, flower and stalk material – not just isolated compounds like CBD isolate products.
This means that you get all of the cannabinoids and terpenes, fatty acids and other beneficial compounds like vitamins, minerals and antioxidants found naturally in hemp.
This is full spectrum CBD oil as it was intended by nature – nothing added or removed.
Full spectrum CBD is simply another option for consumers who want the benefits of cannabidiol, but don’t like using products made with CBD isolates.
What is CBD Oil Used For?
CBD is used to help with many common ailments or conditions including anxiety, depression, chronic pain and more.
From slowing the growth of cancer cells to relieving arthritis symptoms – CBD has been found effective in helping treat a long list of health issues. However, there are some scientific limitations on just how effective CBD can be for these types of conditions.
The positive effects of CBD are often reported anecdotally by consumers, but studies have yet to fully understand the mechanisms behind it and how it impacts our bodies on a molecular level. For some conditions like chronic pain or anxiety – there is so much research that has been done in this area already. But for other medical conditions such as epilepsy or cancer, there is more research to be done.
The gold standard for scientific studies on CBD oil effects are the clinical trials that have been conducted by universities and hospitals in scientifically controlled environments. Until these clinical studies come out showing exactly how effective CBD can be for specific conditions – we won’t know what some of them may or may not help with.
What’re the Side Effects of CBD?
According to a report in 2017 from World Health Organization, stated that “In humans, CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential. To date, there is no evidence of recreational use of CBD or any public health related problems associated with the use of pure CBD.”
