There is a lot of talk about CBD oil, it’s used and it’s legality, and a lot of confusion too! This is because CBD – cannabidiol is its full name – is an extract of the cannabis plant. So, it would seem, is hemp oil, so what’s the difference?
There are in fact a number of differences, and yet there are also some similarities! Let’s try and sort things out!
What is CBD?
CBD stands for cannabidiol. This is one of a large number – over 100 – of compounds that can be extracted from the cannabis plant. Yes, that’s cannabis – marijuana – that you might smoke to get you ‘high’. However, cannabidiol is not the element that gives you that high; this is THC, and this is where the confusion comes into play.
You have heard of CBD oil as a health supplement – perhaps as a pain reliever – or maybe you already use it? If you have bought it legally – and it can be bought legally in every state of the USA – what you are using is actually CBD hemp oil. Confused? You don’t need to be, as we are about to explain the difference between marijuana and hemp.
Marijuana and Hemp
Put simply, marijuana is a strain of the cannabis plant that is usually grown – illegally except in some controlled circumstances – for recreational use; in other words, to smoke. It has recently been seen in oil form, which confused the issue.
For cannabidiol oil to be legal in the USA, it needs to be made from hemp. What is it? It’s another strain of the cannabis plant, grown for industrial use, hence it is often referred to as ‘industrial marijuana’. This is the plant from which cannabidiol hemp oil – the legal variety – is produced.
So, we now have two types of cannabidiol oil: marijuana CBD oil, and hemp CBD oil. What’s the difference?
What’s the Difference?
Before we go on to explain the difference, we recommend you visit https://cbdoilgeek.com/cbd-oil-vs-hemp-oil once you’re finished here, as it is the most comprehensive resource for information about and reviews of cannabidiol oil.
So, the marijuana variety of CBD oil is not legal; this is because it is made from the entire cannabis plant, and not the industrial hemp variety. This means it will not only be high in CBD content but also in THC. You will – or may, depending on the individual – experience psychoactive results when taking this form of cannabidiol oil.
The hemp variety of CBD oil has been legally cultivated to include the cannabidiol element, but no more that a trace level of THC. This will not get you high, yet it has been shown to help with pain relief, and with people who have problems sleeping. It is legal, as long as it is sold as a health supplement as it has yet to be certified for medicinal use.
So – hemp = legal, = illegal; it’s quite easy to remember!
In Conclusion
First, don’t confuse either with hemp seed oil, which is made from the seeds of the hemp plant and is not a cannabidiol product. You can put it on your salad, and it’s very tasty.
While CBD oil – in either form – has yet to be passed by the FDA for medicinal use, it is used by many people for pain relief, in both forms. Interestingly, most of the research into cannabidiol as a pain reliever and for other medical uses have involved the marijuana variety, suggesting the THC element has an important effect.
Nevertheless, if you want to stay on the right side of the law – and we want you to, also – check out CBD hemp oil, and you’ll soon see the benefits.
