There is a lot of noise reverberating throughout the United States these days regarding cannabidiol (CBD). It is the primary non-psychoactive chemical of the cannabis plant, beneficial in the treatment of a variety of conditions from epilepsy to chronic pain. Some patients believe CBD has the most medicinal benefit of all the cannabis compounds. But most of them do not realize that there are actually two versions of this product on the market. One is created from hemp, while the other marijuana.
So, what’s the difference?
It is first important to understand what CBD is. It is one out of at least 100 cannabinoids found naturally in the cannabis plant. For the past few years, there have been countless reports released about the medicinal power of this marijuana component. It really began gaining traction once people began to see how CBD could reduce seizure frequency in epileptic children without getting them stoned.
Several states have passed ultra-restrictive CBD laws as a means to help sick children. But the federal government still considers it an illegal drug. Yet, CBD products are found on retail shelves all over the country – even in areas of total prohibition.
It is the distinction between CBD derived from marijuana and CBD from hemp oil that sets them apart. Marijuana is harvested for its buds, which contains psychoactive properties known to produce stoned effects. When it comes to hemp, the stalks and seed are the targets of this crop. These plants do not contain enough THC to get anyone high. In fact, for cannabis to be considered hemp, it must have no more than 0.3 percent THC.
Although CBD oil and hemp oil are both low in THC, the difference in the amount of CBD these products contain is huge. Hemp oil has only traces of CBD (around 3.5 percent,) while CBD oil can have up to 20 percent. It is the higher concentration that makes CBD beneficial in the treatment of various health disorders. Hemp oil based CBD products do not contain enough of the compound to be considered much more than a health supplement. These are the products found in health food stores all over the country – legal in all 50 states.
Just think of hemp oil-based CBD as a vitamin (high in Potassium and Magnesium) and the bud-based products to be pharmaceutical grade.
