marijuana

Can You Spot The Differences Among Cannabinoids?

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As CBD oil and other cannabis-based products grow in popularity, the range of common knowledge about the scientific facts of these products is growing, too. Many people have heard of THC and CBD, and they are also aware of the ways that these two substances affect the body when cannabis products are used.

What a lot of people are still unaware of, however, is that THC and CBD are just two of the many cannabinoids that can be found in cannabis. Each individual cannabinoid can have effects on the body, and some are found in larger quantities than others.

Let’s learn about what a cannabinoid is, why THC and CBD seem to be the only well-known varieties, and what else is worth learning about some of the lesser-known cannabinoids that come from cannabis!

What The Heck Is A Cannabinoid?

Cannabis is full of naturally occurring chemical compounds. These compounds are known as cannabinoids, and they cause various physiological and psychoactive effects when cannabis products are used. Most strains of cannabis contain more than 100 different cannabinoids, and some strains may even have twice as many!

How Do Cannabinoids Work In The Body?

Every person has an endocannabinoid system in their body. Much like the nervous system, this system responds in different ways when chemical compounds bind to the system receptors.

In the endocannabinoid system, cannabinoids will bind with the various endocannabinoid receptors. When this bind occurs, some effects may be noticed or felt in the body. The exact effect will depend on which set of receptors it binds to and how fully it binds.

The Well-Known Cannabinoids

THC and CBD are the most well-known cannabinoids among all of the cannabinoids that are found in cannabis. This is mostly because they have the most obvious effects, and they are found in the largest quantities depending on which strain of cannabis you are looking at.

CBD is known for the wide range of benefits that it has, and it does not have any psychoactive properties. THC, on the other hand, is known for the “high” aspect of cannabis and does have some psychoactive properties depending on its concentration.

Potential Effects of Cannabinoids

Many cannabinoids have been studied to various degrees, and we can expect more to be unraveled about these interesting compounds as time goes on. For now, however, we can say that there is the potential for cannabinoids to help with a variety of health and wellness issues, and there is much anecdotal evidence as to their effectiveness.

Differences Among Other Cannabinoids

What are cannabinoids other than CBD or THC going to do if they enter your endocannabinoid system? Let’s find out a little bit more about these cannabinoids and why they matter as well.

CBG

CBG is a sort of mother hen cannabinoid. The full name for CBG is cannabigerol, and it is a non-psychoactive chemical substance found in cannabis. When the cannabis plant is growing, CBG is one of the very first compounds that is created by the plant. The presence of CBG in cannabis allows for the formation of THC and CBD.

Because of this parental nature, many of the effects that have been studied of CBG are similar to those of THC and CBD. CBG does stand out in its ability to fight off anxiety and other mental health issues thanks to the specific way that it binds with the endocannabinoid system.

There have even been studies that show CBG may have positive effects on the symptoms of Huntington’s disease! In time, it can be expected that more clear answers about how CBG works in the body and what it can treat will be discovered.

CBN

Another cannabinoid that is worth learning more about is CBN. Also known as cannabinol, this is a very powerful cannabinoid that has some psychoactive effects. The effects are not nearly as strong as those of THC, but they are worth mentioning.

CBN is known for inducing sleepiness, and it is only present in cannabis strains that also contain THC. CBN is actually a by-product that forms when THC oxidizes. This means that older, dried cannabis plants will have very high levels of CBN and low levels of THC, while fresh plants will see the opposite effect.

If you have experience with cannabis products such as edibles or topicals, you may have noticed that they seem to cause you to get sleepier as they get older. Or maybe you’ll notice it for the first time after reading about CBN today! That is because the CBN overpowers the THC as the product oxidizes, and this leads to more physically relaxing effects.

CBC

Cannabichromere, also known as CBC, is a cannabinoid that tends to appear in very small amounts whenever it shows up in a type of cannabis. Though it isn’t present in large amounts, it is nearly always included in full-spectrum CBD products that seek to use more of the natural power of cannabis.

CBC binds with specific receptors in the endocannabinoid system that are less numerous in the body compared to the receptors that bind with THC and CBD. This means that the effects of CBC are much gentler, but they are still present. That is why it is typically used in combination with other cannabinoids.

The effects of CBC are not psychoactive, and they seem to focus on the digestive and immune system about others.

There’s More Than CBD!

As you can see from just these few introductions to lesser-known cannabinoids, there is a lot that we are still learning about cannabis and all that it has to offer! While CBD is becoming a common and useful product for many around the world, there is more waiting to be unlocked within cannabis thanks to all of these different cannabinoids.

If you are interested in trying some of their effects, we recommend finding a full-spectrum CBD oil or product to try. Full-spectrum products contain more than just CBD cannabinoids, so you can get a balanced set of effects from the included cannabinoids.

All About CBD: Cannabidiol Definition, Uses, Legality, and More

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Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, has become a buzzword of sorts with the recent regulation and legalization of marijuana in many states. While medical marijuana has been around for decades, the common usage of CBD has people who know nothing about cannabis wondering what these three letters are all about.

CBD is one of the many chemical compounds found in cannabis, and its use is on the rise. To understand why and how it’s gaining such popularity, we’ll need to get into the CBD definition, common uses, proposed benefits, and more. Let’s get to it!

What Is CBD?

CBD is a cannabinoid. A cannabinoid is a specific type of chemical compound that can be found in cannabis, also known as marijuana or hemp. Cannabis plants have over 100 different cannabinoids in them, and these compounds cause various effects to our bodies when ingested or smoked.

Our bodies also produce cannabinoids, called endocannabinoids, and we have what is known as an endocannabinoid system (ECS). When cannabinoids are made by our bodies or ingested, they bind to receptors. These bonds cause different physiological and mental effects such as sleepiness, hunger, relaxation, and more. The receptors in the ECS have been linked to the nervous, digestive, and immune systems.

How Is CBD Used?

CBD is most commonly used in the form of CBD oil. The CBD is extracted from a cannabis plant, and then it is put into a carrier oil such as hemp seed, coconut, or avocado oil. The specific strain of cannabis that is used to extract the CBD, along with a host of growing and processing conditions, determine the strength, but the dilution in a carrier oil also affects the concentration of CBD in the finished product.

There are some CBD products that are known as full spectrum CBD oils. These oils contain not only CBD but also other beneficial cannabinoids as well as terpenoids and flavonoids, compounds that give plants their distinct aromas and flavors. The blend of CBD with other powerful chemical compounds creates a more well-rounded effect than CBD isolate in many cases.

CBD oil is taken in a number of different ways:

  • • Internally (swallowed, mixed into food or drink)
  • • Sublingually (under the tongue)
  • • Vaporized (using a vape pen or other vaporizer device)
  • • Topically (on the skin)

Who Uses CBD?

While using marijuana has been stigmatized as sign of being lazy, the broad array of people across all demographics who consume CBD products today prove that CBD use is not synonymous with slacking.

Doctors, lawyers, mothers, fathers, children, veterans, nurses, teachers, and more have all been known to use CBD. There are, of course, regulations on the types of CBD and times when using CBD is allowed in various professions, but most CBD products do not cause the psychoactive high that is characteristic of smoking marijuana.

Why is that?

Why Doesn’t CBD Get You High?

Most CBD products do not cause a psychoactive high that you would get if you were smoking full-leaf marijuana. That is because CBD is a non-intoxicating compound. The high that people associate with cannabis is largely caused by THC.

CBD oils on the market today are high in CBD and other beneficial cannabinoids and extremely low in THC. In fact, to be considered legal, CBD must be extracted from hemp plants that have naturally low THC levels, not from resinous marijuana plants that produce high concentrations of THC. And, all CBD products must keep THC percentage below 0.3% threshold.

Some media coverage and assumptions about those who use CBD still put out the idea that CBD is an illicit substance, but that misconception is gradually being changed with the normalization of CBD and its benefits.

What Are The Alleged Benefits of CBD?

There are a lot of benefits that people say CBD can give you with regular use. While many of these benefits have been shown in human clinical trials, there hasn’t been enough research or evidence done to fully confirm that the effects are truly caused by the CBD.

Anecdotally, however, there is overwhelming evidence to support CBD as an herbal product which can help with many different things. There are more and more places documenting the possible benefits of CBD, and you’ll likely discover helpful information by researching organizations that study CBD and advocate for its use.

Studies About CBD

There have been studies done for all of these benefits, and the evidence is piling up to support CBD as an overall wellness product. We encourage you to find some trusted sources of actual scientific information and explore the studies that have been done on CBD and its possible applications.

You’ll probably find that the potential uses for CBD oil and other CBD products are incredibly varied. As this interesting substance is studied and understood more deeply, its power will be able to be incorporated into many applications.

Is CBD Legal and Safe To Use?

Before the 2018 Farm Bill was passed, CBD oil was legal in at least 30 states, most of which had legalized medical and/or adult-use cannabis. Many states had their own sets of rules and regulations about where you can buy the oil and how it can be used.

CBD’s legal status seemed to shift when the Farm Bill was made law, because it explicitly legalized industrial hemp, the plant from which most CBD products are extracted. Additionally Pharmaceutical-grade CBD, in the form of Epidiolex, was recently approved by the FDA as a prescription available to children with intractable seizure disorders. Still, it’s unclear if, when, and how the FDA will decide to handle CBD products.

The biggest danger that you should be aware of when using CBD is the current lack of regulation. Because CBD-based products are still relatively new, there are numerous companies out there that make CBD products. Many of these companies do not yet have the appropriate safety and testing practices in place.

So, you should be careful to choose a reliable vendor that tests and monitors their products for safety. As sad as it is, there are companies who are willing to lie about CBD percentages, carrier oils, and more in order to make money, so finding a trustworthy supplier is important.

All About CBD: How are Hemp and Marijuana Different?

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Allow me to start with the basics – Cannabaceae is the family of flowering plants in which the genera of hops, nettle trees, and cannabis exists. Within the genus of cannabis lies two classifications: Sativa and Indica.

For the past several years, cbd and cannabis products have been scientifically studied and researched more than ever before. As we learn new things about the botanical, we realize what misinformation has been thought to be correct for hundreds of years, which is why many people simply do not know the differences of cannabis, hemp, and marijuana.

Although the biological structures of marijuana and hemp are indeed different, they are both species of Cannabis Sativa.

The Look

Anyone with an unpracticed eye may very well confuse the two if asked to imagine the plants in their heads, but once you’re given the info, their distinctions are easily discernible.  

Hemp tends to be tall, growing between 7-13 feet in height. The branches and leaves are concentrated towards the top of the plant and bear a thinner semblance than marijuana.

Marijuana on the other hand usually grows shorter and stubbier, possessing broad leaves and dense buds. This plant requires a strictly controlled environment to thrive, unlike hemp which needs less attention.

If you were to see a plot of land growing only hemp next to another plot growing only marijuana, you would see the differences instantly. There shouldn’t be any cannabis-rich plots of land so closely bunched however, because cross-pollination from hemp to marijuana would compromise the cannabinoid content.

Cannabinoids

One of largest distinctions we see in the industry comes down to the two famous cannabinoids that are present in both marijuana and hemp: Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD). The amount in which the compounds are present in each plant is drastically different however. These compounds are nearly identical in that the sole microscopic difference in chemical makeup is a single atom.

How can these two be drastically different if they appear virtually uniform? It’s surprising how this small of a variance can affect our endocannabinoid system.

These cannabinoids, among others found in cannabis, have shown tremendous benefits for human health. The largest contrasting attribute however is that THC possesses psychoactive properties, in which the user can feel “euphoria,” whereas CBD does not. Further, CBD may even inhibit the saturation of THC in the brain when consumed.  

Uses

The cannabis plants have been revered for millennia due to their vast range of uses. In ancient times, they were harvested and crafted into building materials like rope, as well used for medicine and religious ceremonies.

Funny as time flies and some things remain the same. In modern days, we are discovering that there is an illimitable amount of ways these plants can help us, from ecotechnological advancement to treating epilepsy.

The noticeable difference of marijuana and hemp however is the amount in which the chemical cousins are produced. Marijuana contains much higher amounts of THC (5 to 30+ per cent) and lower traces of CBD. This is the opposite truth of hemp, as it contains a higher amount of CBD and next to nothing in THC (0.3 to 1.5 per cent).

With these perceptions, we can understand their uses in society better. Hemp, due to its stature, availability and chemical makeup, is superior for industrial applications and extracting CBD with miniscule amounts of THC. Marijuana is preferred for recreational and medicinal uses due to its higher THC content and entourage effect with CBD.

Legalities

This is always an interesting topic because there have been constant changes in United States cannabis legislation for years.

Keeping up with current laws is absolutely vital for cannabis businesses, both in agriculture and retail, to survive. There are so many details that go into the farming, manufacturing, distributing and selling that could change at any moment, so adjustments must be made quickly and correctly.

Marijuana is and has been federally illegal since the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Colorado and Washington state prepared bills suggesting the regulated use of recreational cannabis, both of which were successful. Following their lead, we now have 10 states that allow for recreational use. Even before these measures however, medical marijuana was available in certain U.S. states, with additions to make the current total 33.  

Hemp was lumped in with marijuana in the act of 1970, despite its distinguishing qualities. Colorado once again lead the way and legalized the commercial cultivation of hemp on the state level. It was the following year that the U.S. hit a milestone in the industry when President Obama signed the Farm Bill update of 2014, which finally redefined hemp as a separate entity from marijuana and allowed research and scientific development.

As of December 11th, 2018,  the Senate voted 87-13 in favor of the updated Farm Bill of 2018, and the House of Representatives on December 12th voted in favor 386-47. The outcome of the bill passing? $867 in subsidies divvied between farmers, reinforcing economic growth and marketing for Farmers’ Markets, rejecting stricter limits on food stamps and, of course, legalizing hemp.

Final Thoughts

Hemp and marijuana are amazing plants and provide an astounding volume of distinct uses. Now that you know their primary differences, you can begin or continue your wellness routine feeling knowledgeable and hopefully more comfortable; that’s what I’m here for! If you have any questions or comments, you can head over to @phytoextractum on Twitter.