This is the start of a blog series where I will be sharing information on the subject of CBD. This is Part 1 so, naturally, we will begin with the basics.
CBD stands for cannabidiol. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a naturally occurring constituent of the Industrial Hemp Plant. CBD is known for its anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety and anti-tumor properties, to name a few.
Hemp, or industrial hemp, is typically found in the Northern Hemisphere. It is one of the plants under the cannabis genus (the marijuana plant is another) that is grown specifically for its medicinal and industrial uses. It is one of the fastest growing plants and was one of the first plants to be spun into usable fiber 10,000 years ago. Man has created thousands of uses for the hemp plant.
If you go on the internet and research the topic of CBD, you will find a plethora of information. What you will find is extremely positive, as more and more research studies are being done on this amazing plant/herb, the industrial hemp plant.
There are a lot of misconceptions around the subject of hemp and CBD. Many people think that they are getting THC (the psychoactive constituent from the marijuana plant that causes one to “get high”), but this simply is not true! The industrial hemp plant stands alone as it is a completely different plant than its cousin, the marijuana plant.
Simply put; the marijuana plant is very high in THC and very low in CBD while the hemp plant is very high in CBD and very low in THC. The trace amount of THC in the hemp plant can be left in or extracted out. Even with a trace amount, you could take hemp all day long and never get high!
So, how do you know you are getting pure CBD from the hemp plant and not a cross breed that has a higher percentage of THC? In the United States, unless you have a trusted source, you really can never be sure. Here in the U.S. there is a lack of regulation and lab testing which is why there is so much controversy on the subject. In other words, unless the CBD oil is coming from Europe, you really don’t know what percentage of CBD versus THC you are getting. Why Europe? Because in order for the CBD oil to be allowed into our country it has to be tested and meet the highest and most regulated standards.
Lastly, the legal trace amount of THC allowed in a CBD product is .3%. That means that it is 99.7% THC-free. No one will get high from taking lab tested CBD products that have come from Europe.
In the next part of our series we will discuss the topic of medical marijuana, and the differences and similarities of THC and CBD.
