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8 Things You Didn’t Know About High CBD Hemp Flower

elektra hemp flower

If you have been paying attention to the news over the past few years, then you have likely noticed that there have been a tremendous amount of changes in the cannabis industry. Though the industry itself was once entirely prohibited, 48 states have passed at least some legislation that can be considered to be “pro-cannabis.”

While the benefits of legitimizing the cannabis industry are obvious—individuals get access to the wellness treatments they need, taxes can help fund certain public projects, and power is shifted away from black markets—the industry itself can still be somewhat confusing. For example, there are many different terms, such as marijuana and hemp, which are often wrongfully used interchangeably.

Fortunately, as time goes on, the general public seems to be getting a better understanding of the cannabis industry as a whole. However, there are certainly many false “facts” about the industry that are still widely referred to. In this article, we will examine some of the most common things that people do not know about high CBD hemp flower.

  1. Cannabis, Hemp, and Marijuana are Not the Same Things

As stated, terms like “cannabis”, “hemp”, and “marijuana” are often used interchangeably. Though accidentally conflating these terms is certainly an understandable mistake, doing so ignores the important complexities of the industry as a whole.

  • Cannabis is a broad term that describes a family of plants. Both hemp and marijuana are different manifestations of the cannabis plant.
  • Hemp is a term that is used to describe any cannabis product that contains less than 0.3% THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) content.
  • Marijuana is a term that is used to describe any cannabis product that contains more than 0.3% THC content.

The differences between these terms will have various impacts regarding the ways these products are used, produced, regulated, and distributed. For example, while some states allow individuals to purchase high CBD hemp flower for their own consumption, these same states may still treat marijuana (which is still from the cannabis plant) as a controlled substance.

  1. CBD is Not the Component of the Cannabis Plant that Causes Users to Feel “High”

Clearly, the THC content of a cannabis product is something that you will want to pay attention to. THC is a cannabinoid—a naturally occurring chemical compound that can be found in cannabis—that causes its users to feel the sensation of being “high.”

CBD, which stands for “cannabidiol”, is another cannabinoid that has notably different effects. CBD does not have the psychoactive effects as THC, which is exactly why products that are low in THC (less than 0.3%) and high in CBD are often much more loosely regulated. While CBD is not psychoactive, many users still claim that is has a variety of different wellness uses.

  1. CBD is NOT the Only Beneficial Cannabinoid

Naturally, when people are discussing the wellness benefits of cannabis, products that are high in CBD content are typically at the forefront of the conversation. CBD, after all, has been shown to help ease feelings of discomfort, support emotional wellness, soothe feelings of overwhelm, support a healthy appetite, and provide various other benefits.

However, despite the amount of attention that is directed to CBD, it is just one of at least 113 currently known cannabinoids. CBD, CBC, CBN, and various other cannabinoids may help individuals with a myriad of different issues. When combined with the effects of CBD (and even THC in some cases), these cannabinoids can create a sort of “synergy” that causes them to be even more effective.

  1. Hemp Also Has Many Different Industrial Uses

One of the primary differences between cannabis that has large amount of THC (marijuana) and cannabis with less than 0.3% content is that while marijuana is seemingly always grown for individual consumption, low-THC cannabis (hemp) has a variety of other purposes as well. In fact, it is its nearly universal usefulness that has caused the hemp industry to significantly grow over time.

Some of the potential industrial uses of hemp include fibers, rope, animal feed, fuel, clothing, and various others. As time goes on and the industry continues to expand, there is no doubt that other uses for hemp will continue to be discovered.

  1. Hemp has Been Used by Human Beings for Centuries

Many people assume that because there was seemingly no laws related to the cannabis plant until the 19th Century, the plant itself was not widely used. However, this assumption is simply untrue. In fact, according to historians, there is evidence that hemp has been used by human beings for at least 5,000 years.

Early use of the cannabis plant likely began in Asia, but it quickly spread all around the world. In fact, even President George Washington reportedly grew hemp as one of his many crops in Virginia. Though the 20th Century witnessed a significant amount of anti-hemp legislation, recent movements in many different countries are allowing us to return to a much more “natural” state of governance.

  1. CBD is Available in Many Different Forms

When people first begin to think about consumption of the cannabis plant, they likely picture someone smoking. However, smoking is just one of many different ways that cannabis can be consumed, meaning that—depending on your personal preferences—you are certainly not without options.

Within the CBD community, there has been an active shift towards the creation of high CBD oils. These oils are created using several different processes that help separate the components of the cannabis plant and help promote a greater degree of purity. By separating these components (through a process known as fractional distillation), it becomes much easier to create a substance with the exact distribution of cannabinoids you desire. Furthermore, these oils can be effectively converted into a form that can easily consumed via eating or vaporizing.

  1. Hemp is Actually Much Easier to Grow than Marijuana

One of the many reasons why the hemp industry has been growing at such a steady rate is that—at least when compared to THC-rich marijuana—hemp is relatively easy to grow. While marijuana usually needs to be grown indoors and monitored incredibly closely, hemp can be grown outdoors and offers its farmers a greater degree of flexibility.

Though cultivating hemp is certainly not “easy”, there is a bit more leeway in terms of temperatures, soil content, access to water, and various other factors. Furthermore, incredible advancements in smart technology have also made it much more possible for cultivators to closely monitor their crop.

  1. The Hemp Industry is Rapidly Expanding—and Improving

Because the hemp industry was effectively outlawed in much of the world, the implementation of new technologies was put on hold for decades. But now that the industry is able to operate much more freely and transparently, new innovations are constantly occurring.

The hemp industry has enjoyed an incredible level of investment and, in fact, some hemp producing companies have begun the process of “going public.” This means that quality, usefulness, and productivity of the hemp plant can be expected to increase while costs can simultaneously be expected to decrease. It seems that there is no doubt that the industry is here to stay.

Conclusion

Even if you are somewhat unfamiliar with the hemp industry, there are certainly a lot of things to be excited about. Educating yourself about hemp and various CBD products—whether you plan to ever consume them or not—can help you begin to be a part of the industry’s very bright future.