You’ve probably heard that today’s weed is stronger than it used to be, but did you know that its potency has tripled in the last few decades?
While maybe that’s reason to cheer, the rise in the potency of THC content has led to a decline in the amount of CBD in marijuana.
What exactly is this CBD that everyone’s been talking about all of a sudden? How is it different from regular weed?
You’ve come to the right place, my friend. There’s a lot of confusing information out there, and I’m here to help you weed through it so you can learn everything you need to know about CBD.
Why is CBD Everywhere, All of a Sudden?
Before 2018, it was illegal to grow hemp in the United States, as it wasn’t considered any different from high THC cannabis plants in the eyes of the law. With the signing of the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp was reclassified and the cultivation of industrial hemp was legalized.
Though there are still some gray areas under the new laws, the legalization of industrial hemp has certainly kicked off a booming CBD industry in the U.S., which is expected to pull in upwards of $20 billion by 2024.
Wait But What is CBD? What About THC? Are Hemp and Marijuana the Same Thing? I’m Confused!
To understand the difference between CBD oil and regular old weed, we’ll need to get a few definitions straight.
- Cannabinoids: These are the compounds that make up the cannabis plant, of which there are over 100. Phytocannabinoids are active cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. Endocannabinoids are neurotransmitters that are found in the human body and bind with cannabinoid receptors.
- CBD: Short for cannabidiol, CBD is a phytocannabinoid that is found in cannabis. It is considered non-psychoactive and has a long list of purported health benefits.
- THC: THC is the shorthand for the phytocannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinol. This is the compound that is responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis, meaning that this is the stuff that gets you high.
- Cannabis: This is the genus of flowering plants that contains both Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica.
- Hemp: Just to make things confusing, hemp can be either a term for the all cannabis, or it can refer to cannabis plants with low THC content and high CBD content. For the purposes of this article, I’ll be using the latter definition. Under U.S. law, hemp cannot contain more than 0.3 percent THC.
- Marijuana: This is simply one of the many nicknames for cannabis, but when you hear people referring to marijuana they’re only talking about high THC content cannabis, not low THC content hemp.
Okay. So now that we’ve gotten all of our terms clear, we can start to understand the difference between CBD oil and regular weed.
So… What’s the Difference Between CBD and Regular Weed?
So basically, CBD oil is CBD that’s been extracted from hemp.
What’s the difference between CBD and THC? Both CBD and TCH are phytocannabinoids that are found in cannabis. While the science of how exactly they interact with the body and brain is complicated, the important thing for you to remember is that THC gets you high and CBD doesn’t.
Does CBD oil have THC, you ask? If there’s any THC present in CBD oil, it’s a very, very small amount. Like I said earlier, industrial hemp has only been legalized in the United States if it has less than 0.3% THC.
If you hear talk of marijuana oil or weed oil, this is most likely referring to an extract of THC, and would only be legal in states that have legalized cannabis (though technically cannabis is still illegal in every state federally).
It’s also worth noting that there’s a difference between hemp oil and CBD oil. While CBD oil refers to an extract of CBD from hemp, hemp oil or hemp seed oil is a cold-pressed extract from hemp seeds. Hemp seed oil is used as a carrier oil in skincare products and has absolutely no CBD content or any other phytocannabinoids, for that matter.
So regular weed (marijuana, cannabis, etc.) is the flower of the cannabis plant and is smoked or ingested in cannabutter either for medicinal, spiritual, or recreational purposes. Regular weed contains both THC and CBD, along with a bunch of other phytocannabinoids. CBD oil, on the other hand, won’t get you high and is generally used for one or several of its long list of purported health benefits.
What Are the Benefits of Using CBD?
CBD has a long list of uses and many people swear by its medicinal properties. That being said, CBD only has one FDA approved use so far, in a drug called Epidiolex that treats two rare and serious forms of epilepsy.
Many people use CBD for its anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties, as well as to help reduce anxiety, stress, as an aid in quitting smoking and to help with drug withdrawals.
While there are still a lot more studies to be done on the potential health benefits of CBD, there is some evidence that CBD could help with Type 1 diabetes, acne, cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.
It’s important to note that there are some medications that are known to interact with CBD, so talk to your doctor before you decide to give it a try.
I’m So Interested in CBD Oil! Where Can I Learn More?
Head over to CBDOilUsers.com where you can find everything you need to know about CBD and CBD oil. Whether you just want to learn more, are wondering what product you should buy, or are not sure where you can buy CBD near you, they’ve got you covered. They’ve also got tons of user reviews to help you decide what kind of CBD oil you should buy, as well as dosage information so you can learn more about how much CBD oil you should be taking.
CBD Oil is a Lot Different From Regular Weed
Even though CBD comes from the same plant as the weed you can get high from, it’s really a totally different type of experience because it isn’t psychoactive. CBD is believed to be the compound that is responsible for a lot of marijuana’s therapeutic properties, and it’s so great that we’re now able to access the healing power of this amazing plant.
Did you love this article on the difference between CBD and regular weed? Be sure to check out the rest of our blog for more informative articles!