Cannabidiol
Although an increasingly common ingredient in many health and wellness products, many still wonder, what is CBD? Cannabidiol (CBD) is, by far, one of the most studied compounds of the 100-plus known cannabinoids found in Cannabis sativa.It’s one of at least 85 active compounds inside cannabis plants and has quickly gained favor among those seeking a different approach to everyday wellness. CBD has quality benefits concerning the human body; emerging studies seem to support the idea that CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system (ECS) – a biological network composed of cannabinoid receptors – to help the body maintain overall health and wellness.
CBD works with your ECS to promote everyday health and wellness support and is a naturally occurring cannabinoid found in the hemp plant.
CBD works with your ECS to promote everyday health and wellness support and is a naturally occurring cannabinoid found in the hemp plant.
Where Does CBD come from?
CBD is typically extracted from hemp, which is bred to contain minimal THC - industrial hemp, according to federal law, must contain less than 0.3 percent THC. Hemp-derived CBD products offer the properties of the entire hemp plant (CBD, additional cannabinoids, terpenes) without the presence of THC – so no associated high!
CBD is also a particular type of phytocannabinoid – one of the several identified phytocannabinoids found in Cannabis sativa, including others such as cannabinol (CBN) and cannabigerol (CBG). A phytocannabinoid is a cannabinoid that synthesizes in plants organically, and conversely, an endocannabinoid is one that our bodies naturally produce. Endocannabinoids and phytocannabinoids react to the same type of receptors stretched throughout the human body, which is why phytocannabinoids are particularly useful.
Shop NowWhat are the different types of CBD and Phytocannabinoids?
Cannabis sativa contains several unique types of phytocannabinoids; while there are not different types of CBD, there are a variety of cannabinoids. Phytocannabinoids are typically separated into subclasses that include their cannabinoid form and their 2-carboxylic acid form, while others are standalone compounds, and each one has a unique effect. The most common types include:
Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid (THCA)
It is one of the primary ingredients in raw cannabis, and like many other of the acidic cannabiIoids, it contains anti-inflammatory properties. It may also be useful for reducing spasms and cell proliferation.
Cannabigerolic Acid (CBGA)
It is an essential acidic cannabinoid because it ultimately converts into the other main cannabinoids, including CBG. And similarly to THCA, it also contributes to cannabis’ anti-inflammatory characteristics.
Cannabidiolic Acid (CBDA)
it is another primary ingredient found in raw cannabis, much like THCA. And it also plays a role in the anti-inflammatory attributes associated with cannabis.
Cannabinolic Acid (CBNA)
it is an acidic cannabinoid that usually converts from THCA. When THCA becomes oxidized, it turns into CBNA.
Cannabichromene (CBC)
it is a unique cannabinoid found in cannabis from tropical regions. Research lists CBC as useful for pain relief, inflammation, cellular proliferation, and bone growth.
Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV)
it is a lesser cannabinoid that’s only available in particular strains of cannabis. And though its structure is only slightly different than THC, it has unique properties that are useful for bone growth, anxiety, and appetite.
Cannabidivarin (CBDV)
it is another minor cannabinoid that slightly differs from CBD. Much of its usefulness is unknown because research is still in the beginning stages, but recent studies indicate CBDV may have benefits towards managing epilepsy.
When a cannabis plant grows and matures, it goes through a process of decarboxylation from all the sunlight and oxidation. And through this procedure, the acidic cannabinoids convert into the highly recognizable and researched cannabinoids that we all hear and read about along with CBD.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
it is the least abundant cannabinoid found in industrial hemp but found the most in marijuana cannabis and is known for its psychoactive effects. THC is typically helpful as a mild painkiller and may contain antioxidant features.
Cannabinol (CBN)
it is a cannabinoid produced separately from oxidized THC and when CBNA becomes exposed to prolonged heat or sunlight. Raw cannabis will create more CBN as it further matures at the cost of THC. CBN acts as a mild psychoactive with sedative effects.
Cannabigerol (CBG)
it is another non-intoxicating cannabinoid and is created from CBGA during decarboxylation. Research suggests that CBG contains antibacterial properties and is useful for bacterial growth, cell proliferation, bone growth, and inflammation.
What is the difference between hemp oil and CBD oil?
CBD oil is a product with just CBD – no additional cannabinoids, terpenes, etc. Hemp oil, on the other hand, is a variable term that is often used to describe products without consistency. Hemp oil is a very broad term that may result in broad spectrum, full spectrum, or isolate products, or could just be the extracted oils from the hemp seeds, with no cannabinoids at all. This lack of consistency is what led us to develop our own unique formula.
Our Superior Broad Spectrum formula is a direct result of pure CBD oil combined with additional hemp extracts – such as the cannabinoids mentioned above (CBG and CBN), and terpenes. In doing so,
we’re setting the industry standard by having the only consistently quantifiable broad spectrum CBD formula.
This means that we can accurately detect the levels of additional cannabinoids, terpenes, and CBD on a consistent batch basis.
The easiest way to imagine it is through the analogy of orange juice and vitamin C. Orange juice contains vitamin C, along with additional properties that complement each other. Vitamin C is simply that, vitamin C without any of the additional ingredients found in orange juice.
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How does CBD work?
CBD works to help maintain our bodies’ homeostasis. Homeostasis is a healthy state of balance and internal stability against outside or unknown factors that would otherwise disrupt how the human body would typically perform.
And contrary to THC, CBD works as a non-intoxicating compound with none of the psychoactive effects commonly associated with THC.
You cannot experience a “high” or any other associated psychoactive feeling with hemp-based CBD.
How is CBD absorbed?
CBD works optimally when absorbed into the bloodstream, where it can interact with the endocannabinoid system (ECS). Our ECS is a network of cannabinoid receptors that stretch throughout the entire body. There are two types of cannabinoid receptors – CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors help regulate many functions related to our central nervous system, while CB2 receptors manage the abilities associated with our peripheral nervous system.
CBD molecules usually bind to CB2 receptors, while THC binds to CB1 receptors. When these cannabinoids attach to these connectors, they transmit signals that travel through the cells – ultimately affecting the cells that surround tissue, the tissues inside an organ, and the many organs of the body. And though CBD usually attaches to CB2 connectors, it can also grasp CB1 receptors – acting as a blockade against other molecules.
Your body’s absorption of CBD from the application area into the bloodstream is known as its “bioavailability” – maximizing bioavailability means allowing more CBD to be readily available for bodily use.
Taking CBD through various means changes its bioavailability; however, choosing the best method of use for your needs will help ensure that you’ll receive the most support from properly sourced CBD.
CBD can be absorbed into the body through many methods. When determining how to take CBD oil, the most common ways include:
Sublingual method
By placing drops of CBD oil tinctures underneath the tongue and holding for a few seconds, you absorb CBD directly into your bloodstream. It gets into your system in about 15 to 30 minutes, and the effects may last for a few hours.
Ingestive method
With CBD oil capsules, softgels, or gummies, CBD can be swallowed and ingested. It takes the CBD much longer to get into the bloodstream because it must go through a first-pass metabolism, which breaks the CBD molecules further down.
Topical method
Through topical creams, rollers, or CBD bath bombs, CBD can be absorbed into the skin. It won’t permeate enough to reach the bloodstream; however, when coupled with other pain-relieving or relaxing ingredients, such as menthol or histamine dihydrochloride, CBD may be useful for sore joints, muscles, and inflammation.
Inhalation method
By using vape oils, you can absorb CBD directly into your bloodstream through the lungs. Inhalation is the fastest way to get CBD into your system. It enters almost immediately, but the effects may last only a few hours.
What is CBD oil made from?
Many consumers are curious about how CBD oil is made, what CBD oil is made from, and how they can benefit from regular usage. Whether it’s to maintain general well-being or becoming more proactive with a daily wellness routine, there are various ways in which CBD oil is useful. The CBD process can be extensive and laborious; but when done right, the results can be superior.
CBD oil consists of CBD isolates, which become infused into a carrier oil. The isolates are extracted from raw hemp materials through a highly sophisticated, yet safe and stable, process that also allows the retention of other beneficial cannabinoids and terpenes.
The carrier oil is a coconut-based substance called MCT oil. MCT stands for medium-chain triglycerides, which is a particular type of fatty acid. The advantage of using MCT over other viable carriers is how quickly MCT is metabolized, absorbed, and used for energy. The calories inside of MCT are also burned more efficiently rather than becoming stored as fat.
Based on your needs and preferences, you can apply CBD oil and other cannabinoids through different methods. Your choice of administration can affect how CBD works with your body; common ways of administering CBD are through ingestion, sublingually, by inhalation, and topically.
Is CBD use common?
Ancient civilizations have used various strains of cannabis throughout the centuries for their wealth of wellness properties. But due to dramatic shifts in legislation and other influences such as determining what is the difference between CBD and THC, cannabinoids became widely unaccepted as an alternative application.
However, as the health and science communities continue to further recognize and accept the properties of different cannabinoids, the prohibitions that once restricted and limited the use of CBD have evolved into protections and freedoms of what is CBD for anyone looking for safe and effective alternatives.
How to Use CBD Oil
Using CBD oil will vary depending on your purpose for taking it. CBD for pain and soreness will require applying a topical cream to the problem area and rubbing it into the skin. In contrast, CBD for sleep requires taking a tincture or softgel 30 minutes before going to bed. The most common and easy way to use CBD oil is with tinctures, which is the optimal application for how to use CBD oil for anxiety and stress:
- Squeeze dropper to fill with oil; a dropper will fill halfway, which is considered one full serving.
- Squeeze oil under your tongue and hold it for 30 to 60 seconds for absorption and then swallow.
- Increase your amount or concentration gradually as needed.
- Store at room temperature out of direct sunlight.
It is essential to remember that consistency is vital to receive the most benefits from CBD oil. It’s best to continue taking CBD for at least 30 days to achieve optimum results; but this is just the beginning – find a regimen, product, and concentration that works best for your everyday routine. When determining how to take CBD oil, there are several factors that need to be considered.
Do I have to smoke CBD?
Simple answer: no! Many consumers are skeptical about using CBD because they often think they have to smoke it to enjoy its usefulness. But there are many other ways that CBD can be enjoyed and absorbed into the body.
What are the forms of CBD?
CBD oil can take several different forms – each has its advantages depending on your reason for using CBD. There are tinctures available, which is the most common way of absorbing CBD, along with capsules, softgels, bath bombs, CBD topicals, and even CBD for pets.
There is only one form of cannabidiol that is considered an actual drug – Epidiolex. It is the only CBD drug in the United States that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Epidiolex is strictly used in conjunction with two types of epilepsy disorders and was approved for use in 2018.
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CBD oil tinctures are simply edible oil infused with CBD extract. Take it under the tongue for fast absorption or mix with food or drink. Capsules are the same thing in tablet form.
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CBD vape oil is the fastest-acting product type as users inhale the CBD directly into their lungs. The effects wear off sooner than those of ingested products, however.
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CBD edibles come in many forms – baked goods, sauces, snacks, even cocktails – but gummies are the most popular. Certainly one of the most fun ways to take CBD.
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CBD topicals are applied directly to the skin, allowing for targeted CBD absorption. They include moisturizers, gels, and patches, often blended with other ingredients for skin care and pain relief.
Is CBD Oil Legal?
Is CBD Oil Legal?
Short answer: yes! The 2014 federal Farm Bill granted state governments the legal right to grow and research industrial hemp through state-regulated agriculture and pilot programs. It also classified hemp and hemp-derived products with less than 0.3 percent THC separate from marijuana cannabis. With the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill, the growth, production, and manufacturing of hemp became federally legalized – allowing hemp-derived products, such as CBD oil, to become more readily available.
Both marijuana and hemp come from the same Cannabis sativa plant; the main distinguishing trait between the two is their levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Hemp is grown to have low THC (industrial hemp has 0.3 percent and is therefore federally legal). Conversely, marijuana is bred to have higher THC concentrations and is still federally illegal.
Congress’ decision in 2014 legally allowed the cultivation of industrial hemp through state-regulated agriculture departments for hemp management and research.
Their most recent ruling in 2018 removes industrial hemp from the federal Controlled Substance List as a Schedule I drug, and it allows for a hemp market and sales through state borders.
What are CBD oil laws?
The approved legality of industrial hemp implemented by Congress also guarantees that products created from hemp plants – including CBD oil – are more readily available because of their nonintoxicating levels of THC. That being said, individual states can still decide if they want to allow hemp-based products to be sold within state borders.
Regarding federal law, CBD oil products from hemp containing less than 0.3 percent are legal to purchase, sell, and consume throughout the United States. After determining what is CBD, states can still decide if they want to support this measure based on their own laws.
These laws may or may not refer to CBD as “hemp-based CBD:”
Alabama
A public notice issued from the state’s Attorney General declares that hemp-based CBD can be legally sold, produced, and possessed.
Alaska
The state’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the regulatory authority over industrial hemp. It is implementing rules that require retailers to become registered to sell hemp and hemp-based goods.
Arizona
CBD is legal without much exception.
Arkansas
The state doesn’t require a license or permit to deliver or sell CBD products, and CBD is no longer on the state’s controlled-substances list.
California
The California Department of Public Health states that it’s illegal to add CBD in all foods, drinks, and a few other products. But there are currently no requirements for producing or selling hemp-based products or non-food industrial hemp.
Colorado
CBD is fully legalized without much restriction.
Connecticut
It is fully legal to buy and consume CBD.
Delaware
The state has legalized CBD products since 2014.
Florida
CBD is currently legal but also unregulated; the state’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is establishing rules for commercial hemp.
Georgia
CBD with less than 5 percent THC is legal; anything beyond the legal limit requires a Low THC Oil Registry Card from the state’s Department of Public Health.
Hawaii
CBD cannot be produced, distributed, or sold legally in the state without a prescription, according to Hawaii’s Department of Health.
Idaho
CBD or any other products with any trace amounts of THC is currently illegal.
Illinois
CBD is currently legal for all residents.
Indiana
CBD is fully legal to buy, sell, or possess.
Iowa
CBD products can only be sold legally with a dispensary license.
Kansas
CBD containing up to 0.3 percent THC is legal, and CBD with up to 5 percent THC is legally available for certain conditions.
Kentucky
CBD is fully legal to produce, manufacture, and own.
Louisiana
CBD that has even trace amounts of THC is still illegal.
Maine
CBD products are legal to sell as long as no medical claims are made with advertisements, and the state’s legislature identifies CBD as food instead of as medicine.
Maryland
Only topical CBD products will become legal to buy at retail drug stores.
Massachusetts
The state’s Department of Agricultural Resources currently has a policy that prohibits CBD products that make medical claims, hemp-infused animal feed, the sale of raw hemp material to consumers, and food that contains CBD.
Michigan
CBD products are fully legal without the need for a medical marijuana card.
Minnesota
CBD is legal to sell and own.
Mississippi
CBD is restricted for use as a medical option, and CBD oil has to be tested by the state’s National Center for Natural Products Research. It is only distributed by the Department of Pharmacy at Mississippi’s University Medical Center.
Missouri
The state requires a hemp extract registration card to purchase CBD oil from its two state-licensed facilities only.
Montana
The state currently has no laws that either legalize, prohibit, or regulate CBD.
Nebraska
The state currently offers no legal protections for retail sales of CBD; however, the state’s Hemp Farming Act removes hemp and hemp-based goods from its controlled-substance list.
Nevada
CBD products are fully legal; however, CBD-infused edibles or CBD as a food additive is still illegal.
New Hampshire
CBD is legal, but it is not permitted as a food additive under FDA regulations.
New Jersey
The state’s hemp program is currently pending approval and final USDA rules.
New Mexico
CBD and CBD-infused food products are legal to sell.
New York
The state’s regulation of hemp production and hemp extracts is currently pending; however, the City of New York has already banned adding CBD to food or drinks.
North Carolina
CBD is legal only for patients with specific conditions; it is currently illegal to cultivate or produce hemp extract within the state.
North Dakota
The state still considers hemp as a controlled substance; however, CBD extracted from legally industrial hemp and containing less than 0.3 percent THC is not illegal.
Ohio
CBD is currently legal in regulated dispensaries only, but a pending bill may allow CBD sales outside of medical marijuana dispensaries.
Oklahoma
It is legal to sell CBD; however, the state requires that CBD product labels list the country of origin and whether the CBD contained is synthetic or natural.
Oregon
CBD products must be lab-tested and certified within the state to be legal.
Pennsylvania
Hemp-based CBD is entirely legal, but any product made from marijuana cannabis must go through the state’s medical marijuana system.
Rhode Island
CBD products with low THC are fully legal, but CBD containing high levels of THC is only available at medical marijuana dispensaries.
South Carolina
CBD is legal only for specific conditions.
South Dakota
Hemp and CBD are still illegal, according to the state’s Attorney General.
Tennessee
CBD oil that contains less than 0.9 percent THC is fully legal; major store chains have even begun selling CBD within the state.
Texas
CBD is legal, and a hemp growth program is in place for the legal protection of hemp products; however, CBD with even trace amounts of THC could still result in a felony charge of possession.
Utah
The state’s Department of Health Hemp Registry requires residents to apply and obtain a hemp extract registration card from its Office of Vital Records and Statistics.
Vermont
CBD is fully legal to sell and purchase.
Virginia
CBD is legal; however, the state’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services prohibits any food or dietary supplement that contains CBD.
Washington
CBD can be sold and purchased at any licensed marijuana store.
West Virginia
CBD can be legally purchased within the state.
Wisconsin
CBD oil is only legal with approval from a certified physician for treating conditions.
Wyoming
CBD is fully legal for use and possession within the state.