CBD oil is a naturally occurring element found in HEMP and marijuana, which are both parts of the cannabis family. CBD stands for cannabidiol and C21H30O2 is its formula. The molecular mass of CBD is 314.4636 g/mol and it is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid. It does not get you high like its cannabis partner does, known as THC. THC, as well as a low level of CBD, is found in marijuana. However, HEMP is a legal (with stipulations) and non-psychoactive cannabis that also carries a high amount of CBD. Therefore, it is the source of choice for extracting CBD oil.
The oil is removed from the HEMP that contains the CBD compound, which in turn becomes CBD oil. It’s as simple as that. Since the extracted oil has no “high” advantages, it is legal to sell and distribute in all 50 US states (with stipulations), as well as many other locations worldwide. Any products manufactured in the US with CBD ingredients cannot exceed more than .03% of THC contents in order to be 100% legal.
Understanding The Differences Between CBD and THC
There are certain key differences to be aware of regarding CBD and THC.
Marijuana is a cannabis plant that contains psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a compound that gets you high. The plant does have some Cannabidiol (CBD) in it, but at a lesser level than THC. HEMP is a cannabis plant that does not have THC in it and it carries a high concentration of CBD. CBD is a non-psychoactive compound so it DOES NOT create a high. In fact, it has been reported to have no damaging effects on the body or the brain thus far and is non-addictive.
Products that have CBD oil are derived from HEPA plants, not marijuana, and are known to be called industrial CBD oil products. The FDA labels the compound itself as industrial CBD. They also label HEMP as an edible food product. You can find HEMP products in drug and grocery stores everywhere as a nutritional supplement, but it also seems to act as a health condition supplement too.
Health Benefits of CBD Oil
CBD oil has been found to provide many health benefits and has no side effects like pharmaceuticals. It is an all-natural substance and can relieve and/or help repair many health problems, as well as promote good health like many vitamins and supplements offer.
CBD oil can assist people with various conditions, including:
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Huntington’s disease
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Chronic anxiety
• Depression
• Cancer
• Schizophrenia
• Psychosis
• Psoriasis
• Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes
• Epilepsy
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• And several other health conditions
For people with neuropsychiatric disorders like depression, chronic anxiety, ADHD, epilepsy, and more, CBD oil helps in many ways. The body carries its own cannabinoids, produced by CB1 receptors and CB2 receptors. CB1s are located in the brain. Since CBD is a cannabinoid, it works in conjunction with the brain’s cannabinoids. Ironically, it does not replace existing cannabinoids; it promotes the production of more by the body, leading to improved brain functionality. CBD oil carries the same results. It offers therapeutic benefits by providing neuroprotective, antipsychotic, and anxiolytic effects.
In patients with neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s disease, Huntingtin’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease, CBD oil delivers neurological protection. It provides the brain with anti-oxidants along with its anti-inflammatory benefits. It helps other parts of the body with the same advantages. The American Academy of Neurology published evidence in 2015 that included various controlled trials using CBD and marijuana on patients with neurologic disorders. It reduced spasms and pain, which could benefit the above neurodegenerative disorders too.
How is CBD Oil Obtained?
CO2 is commonly used to extract CBD oil from the cannabis plant, using subcritical and supercritical CO2 extraction. Subcritical CO2 extraction draws the light oils out of the plant, leaving behind any waxes, resins, or paraffin. It is beneficial for extracting temperature-sensitive compounds since it uses cold temperatures.
Supercritical CO2 extraction uses high temperatures and is a faster process than subcritical extraction. Besides extracting lighter CBD oils from the plant, it pulls out more CBD and does so with the waxes, paraffin, and resins that subcritical methods leave behind. The advantage of using supercritical methods is that you get more CBD oil from each plant, but it MAY require additional filtration processes to remove unwanted compounds. CBD manufacturers use either of the two extraction methods.
Is CBD Oil Legal?
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (D.E.A.) still labels CBD and all other cannabinoids as a Schedule 1 drug, which means that CBD is illegal to some degree. However, there is a lot of confusion between CBD and TCH plants. TCH is responsible for those mind-altering effects, whereas CBD does the exact opposite. HEMP is a strain of Cannabis sativa, but marijuana is a strain of Cannabis ruderalis and Cannabis indica, as well as Cannabis sativa. Basically, HEMP and marijuana are both different strains of Cannabis sativa. With HEMP having less than .03% of TCH in its structure, that is perhaps why it is considered legal. However, it must be imported from other countries, unless it falls under Section 7606 of the Agricultural Act of 2014. That act allows HEMP to be grown legally in any state that has state-level legalization of HEMP, but it must occur through a pilot program or a research program to qualify.
Since HEMP carries CBD oil, it becomes the plant of choice for a variety of CBD oil supplements, including oil drops, gummies, and more.
Common Product Uses for CBD Oil
With the discovery of various health benefits derived from using CBD oil, it has taken the world by storm. Product supplies and the companies that provide them are growing at a rapid pace. CBD oil is readily available in many forms, including:
• Oil Drops
• Gummies
• Sticks
• Capsules
• Powder
• Hard candy
• And other variations
Each product contains various amounts of CBD oil, even when in the same form. In other words, one CBD gummy may have a higher concentration of CBD oil than another one, but both are sold with the same milligram dosage. In addition, when shopping for CBD oil products, you need to pay attention to the suppliers. How do they manufacture their products? Do they offer legitimate lab results? Where are the plants harvested and cultivated? Those questions are all very important which is why we try to answer them at our main page. Purity, legality, and safety are all essential things to consider from any CBD oil product suppliers.
