So what exactly is CBD and what can it do? In this detailed guide, you’ll learn about CBD, also known as Cannabidiol, which is one of the most important and fascinating compounds of hemp.
It should be noted that not all the cannabinoids are the same. One of them, the CBD or cannabidiol, has
many therapeutic and medicinal benefits hemp is known to offer.
So read on to find out why CBD is so important and why we should actually care about it. This is
especially important if you’re using hemp-derived products.
What You Should Know About Cannabidiol
Perhaps, one thing that’s more complex in the hemp plant’s biochemistry is its pharmacology. The
way the weed interacts with the body is extremely intricate. The truth is that we don’t really know as
much as we want to about these interactions, or perhaps, not yet.
Yet, we do know the basics. So here are some important things you should know about cannabidiol.
It’s Not Psychoactive
One of the most important things about CBD is that it’s not psychoactive. In simple terms, cannabidiol
won’t give you that feeling of being high. Unlike the THC, the cannabinoid that has the legendary power
to give you euphoric sensations, the Cannabidiol is inert.
When taken, users will not experience that feeling of getting stoned.
Is Legal Almost Everywhere
Since CBD will not give you the feeling of being high, medical products that have cannabinoid could
possibly pass the marijuana ban. Technically, it’s the THC or cannabinoid that will get someone high, and
this is what’s illegal. If you’re going to undergo a drug test, the process will detect the presence of THC in
your body and won’t look for CBD. So basically, if you used a hemp-derived product without any THC,
then you’re not violating any law. Smoking weed without THC is known as hemp, and there are
separate rules governing the use of hemp and these rules are a bit different from the rules imposed on
the use of hemp-derived products.
As a matter of fact, some states in the US that are yet to legalize the use of marijuana for medical
purposes have created a law which allows people to use CBD-only products or products with no THC
for therapeutic or medical purposes. In most cases, this could mean obtaining cannabidiol from the hemp
instead of the flowers with THC. In places that have legal programs imposed for medical marijuana, CBD
products are widely available to purchase and can be acquired easily.
Can Be Obtained from Hemp or Marijuana Plants
The CBD can be obtained from two main sources – marijuana and hemp plants. Where a certain product
comes from will depend mainly on the legal status of the use of industrial hemp in a given state.
If the use of medical marijuana is illegal in a certain state, the THC level can help determine whether a
particular CBD product is illegal or not. In most places, the limit set is very low, usually around 0.3 percent. If this is the case, then the only source that
can work is the hemp and CBD products derived from industrial hemp.
The limits can be higher in some other places. For instance, the state of Delaware allows CBD oil that
contains up to 5% of the THC.
The general consensus is that the CBD obtained from marijuana is both more effective and more
powerful.
This is attributed to a phenomenon known as the entourage effect or a theory that one cannabinoid will be
able to do a better job when it works alongside its cannabinoids companion. Extracting the cannabidiol
from the hemp flowers can help keep the other cannabinoids intact, and this is why most people
would prefer it more compared to the hemp-derived products.
The source greatly matters, and the buds tend to have a wider and richer complement of
the cannabinoids, unlike the hemp leaves.
So while we are already on the topic, let’s do a quick rundown of the CBD-dominant strains and CBD-
only strains.
Specialized CBD-Dominant Strains
The increasing requests for medical-grade cannabidiol have driven growers and breeders to develop new
strain genetics that will promote the production of cannabidiol. These strains don’t necessarily try to get
rid of the THC but what they will do instead is increase the CBD: THC ratio and allow for the effects of
the cannabidiol to be able to shine through.
- ACDC – This is the most widely available strain and consistently tops 19% of cannabidiol.
- Cannatonic – With a perfect ratio of 1:1, this strain is capable of giving medical patients an
optimal ensemble effect that’s also seeking to reap the benefits of the THC. - Charlotte’s Web – Interesting enough, this strain is not at all marijuana. Instead, it’s a proprietary
hemp plant capable of producing buds that contain just the cannabidiol cannabinoid. - Harlequin – This is a legendary medical strain having a ratio of 5:2.
- Katelyn Faith – This was named after an 8-year-old for whom it was particularly created. It
boasts a ratio of 34:1 Cannabidiol to THC, making it one of the strains with the most CBD all
over the world. - Remedy – As the name implies, this is a powerful healing strain that has an impressive
cannabidiol ratio of 15:1.
If you’re looking for a high-quality medical CBD strain that puts emphasis on the cannabidiol, these
are the six strains that will get you started.
What Does Cannabidiol Do?
We have already told you what cannabidiol is and where it’s obtained. Now, we will see what this
powerful compound can actually do.
For a good reason, the cannabidiol currently dominates the discussion about the hemp plant’s medical
applications. However, this doesn’t mean that CBD is not valuable to recreational users. As a matter of
fact, CBD comes with some special qualities making it an important aspect of the recreational experience.
First, let’s talk about the medical side of things.
How Does Cannabidiol Interact Affect the Body?
From more than 60 cannabinoids, cannabidiol is unique to the genus hemp plant and interacts with our
body thanks mainly to a network of neurons known as the endocannabinoid system.
The endocannabinoid system travels all throughout your body, and it’s filled with receptors that combine
with the cannabinoids that you have introduced to your bloodstream whenever you consume weed. It’s
the chemical interactions of these bonds that pave the way for the unknown series of responses that your
body creates.
Without having to distort science too much, it’s easy to say that humans are hard-wired for weed. The
endocannabinoid system will touch your body’s major systems. This is why weed is capable of doing so
many things for us, whether that’s regulating or altering our mood, and even stimulating our appetite and
minimizing pain.
Although cannabidiol doesn’t have any toxicity for humans and won’t make you feel high, it reacts
extremely well with the endocannabinoid system. To put it simply, CBD is capable of making things
happen. Once it combines with the receptors of the endocannabinoid system, CBD can stimulate various
different changes in your body.
Most of these changes are highly beneficial, and researchers are slowly uncovering the real, potential
medical uses for each of them. We will not bog you down with all these technical terms. Instead, we will
let you in on some of the major studies and most promising findings regarding the use of CBD.
Here’s What CBD Can Really Do
There’s no other way to learn what a cannabidiol can do than by looking at the exciting researches behind
it.
CBD Can Prevent Epileptic Seizures
One of the most significant studies done on CBD was for its efficacy as a treatment of epilepsy. In 2012, a
group of researchers from the British Epilepsy Association published a report regarding this. They
presented strong evidence proving CBD as a therapeutic candidate for a wide range of epilepsies.
CBD Can Treat Neurological Diseases
Researchers are yet to determine the exact mechanisms surrounding the neurodegenerative diseases
including Alzheimer’s. We do know that these diseases have something to do with the protein pathway
and this is the exact pathway that the 2006 study investigated.
Looking at the molecular level, the researchers discovered that CBD is actually capable of protecting the
nerve cells against degenerative diseases. The scientists would call this the “neuroprotective effect,” and
this is one of the most promising characteristics of the cannabinoid.
CBD Can Relieve Pain
Medical CBD is fast becoming the “go to” alternative to the more addictive and more dangerous
prescription painkillers such as opioids that are known to cause an epidemic of deaths due to overdose in
the United States.
Most of the pain killing power of the weed comes from its psychoactive cannabinoid, the THC. However,
cannabidiol is also an effective pain reliever. In 2015, an important study was done to uncover CBD’s
pain-relieving effects. In this study, researchers compared the use of cannabidiol to morphine
Surprisingly, the CBD worked well alongside the morphine and counteracted its risky side effects. This
proved that cannabidiol is indeed effective in treating acute pain conditions aside from providing long-
term benefits.
CBD Can Fight Cancer
CBD’s ability to fight cancer may sound too good to be true. However, pre-clinical trials show that the
cannabidiol has an anti-tumor effect that’s really powerful.
The most important study that has revealed these powerful anti-tumor effects was done in 2015. As a
matter of fact, the study took a closer look at the wide range of non-psychoactive cannabinoids that
included the cannabidiol.
As a landmark of the medical CBD research, the study concluded that CBD is indeed effective at
slowing down the progression of various types of cancers including lung cancer, prostate cancer, breast
cancer, and colon cancer.
The way this works is truly incredible. Cannabidiol has actually made it difficult for cancer cells to be
able to develop. In some instances, this could increase the possibility of killing the cancer cells.
CBD Can Reduce Inflammation
THC and CBD are both highly prized treatment for inflammation. However, the
cannabidiol comes with its own special type of anti-inflammatory properties.
Specifically, the cannabidiol works by combining with endocannabinoid receptors to trigger a response
that could minimize nerve inflammation. This is just one of its neuroprotective qualities and one of the
main reasons why CBD is a truly effective treatment for neurological diseases.
CBD Can Treat Mood Disorders
PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder affects almost 8% of Americans in their entire lifetime. Women
are twice as likely to suffer from it than men. Looking for an affordable, reliable, and safe treatment for
PTSD will surely have a profound impact on the lives of millions of people each year.
A path-breaking study in 2013 found that cannabidiol can help greatly improve one’s ability to forget
traumatic memories. The findings are incredibly necessary and could be the key to figuring out how the
cannabidiol can help treat disorders related to stress and anxiety.
What Can CBD Do for Recreational Users?
The topic about treating anxiety and stress has brought us to talk about the importance of CBD for the
recreational users of marijuana.
One of the best things about cannabidiol for recreational use is its ability to counterweight the THC. It
serves as a passive Yin to the active Yang of the THC.
CBD Can Produce a Smoother High
While recreational users complain about the negative experiences they have had with weed, the problem
often has to do with the feelings of anxiety and paranoia. The weed of today is incredibly powerful
regarding the THC, not to mention the concentrates.
Taking high doses of the THC could trigger negative alterations of the mood. There are also some people
that are more sensitive to THC than others. For those who have accidentally become too high, the CBD
can help hit the brakes as it inhibits some of the THC’s toxicity.
This is such a unique mechanism. However, if you’ll take a closer look at the dispensary products, you
will find various edibles, strains, and concentrates that contain a healthy dose of CBD, aside from the high
amount of THC.
The reason behind this is that the CBD is like an antidote for the THC. It will counter the THC’s stronger
and stress-inducing effects, which leads to a smoother and more balanced high. Thus, 1:1 strains and
other products that have a balanced combination of CBD and THC are very popular among recreational
users.
For more resources on CBD, industrial hemp or hemp related products, contact Blue Forest Farms at (303) 962-8250.