If you’re buying a product containing cannabidiol (CBD), you’ll be expecting the oil, pills or tincture to produce a desired set of effects. Some users want to relieve anxiety or insomnia, while others are targeting inflammation or chronic pain.

The good news is that CBD is, well, CBD regardless of the source. However, not all methods of delivery are created equal.

In fact, if you’re buying CBD isolate, that will be all you are getting when it comes to cannabinoids (no THC!). It’s important to know, however, that CBD oil can come from either hemp (which contains less than 0.3 percent THC by dry weight) or cannabis (which contains more than 0.3 percent THC by dry weight), and your oil can contain a variety of other natural compounds, terpenes and potentially psychoactive substances.

1. Hemp Plant vs. Cannabis Plant

The Cannabis sativa plant contains hundreds of cannabinoids and other compounds, including cannabidiol (CBD) and THC, the psychoactive compound.

Hemp and cannabis are both varieties of the same plant, but with different characteristics and uses. With its long, fibrous stalk and stems, the hardy hemp plant has an industrial use in the manufacture of textiles and paper.

The more delicate cannabis plant, by contrast, is typically grown for its large, resinous bud and aromatic leaves.

2. CBD and THC Profile of Hemp and Cannabis

Both hemp and cannabis (also referred to as marijuana) contain CBD and THC naturally. In hemp, THC levels are almost negligible, whereas CBD levels are relatively high.

In cannabis, CBD levels are modest, but THC high. Specialist cultivation of cannabis plants has dramatically increased the THC content of marijuana compared to two or three decades ago.

There is nothing in the hemp plant that will produce noticeable psychoactive effects. Legally, industrial hemp or hemp products must not contain THC levels above 0.3%.

3. The Legal Status of Hemp and Cannabis Oil

The landscape is confusing at the moment on a state and national level, with CBD products ranging from legal to tolerated to prohibited, depending on location.

One thing at least is clear. Following the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, CBD from industrial hemp is legal in all 50 states. Cannabis, on the other hand, is still illegal on a Federal level, but is legal in some 29 states in form or another.

States such as California and Colorado have legalized cannabis for recreational use, whereas Florida and Arizona have legalized medical use only.

4. Medical Claims of CBD

Currently, the FDA has approved only one CBD-derived product, Epidiolex, as a prescription medicine (for the treatment of certain epilepsy disorders).

However, the National Institutes of Health has financed at least 26 research projects so far to further investigate the health benefits of cannabidiol found in hemp oil.

Until substantial clinical trials are forthcoming, the FDA prohibits the sale of CBD products across state lines as a food supplement or medical remedy, and manufacturers have to be particularly conservative about any therapeutic claims they can make relating to CBD.

5. What Is Hemp Oil? CBD from hemp

If you’re buying a CBD product labeled as ‘hemp oil,’ the cannabidiol will have been extracted and pressed from hemp seeds. This oil cannot contain more than 0.3% THC.

Extracting CBD from hemp is a labor-intensive process that requires significant quantities of hemp to yield relatively little extract.

Because hemp is a bioaccumulator, the plant will absorb whatever nutrients and minerals are in the soil, along with any pesticides or toxins. That’s why it is important to buy CBD oil from hemp grown in soil in a natural environment.

6. The Importance of Testing CBD Oil and Water Based Products

Buying CBD oil and water based drops from a reputable source is vital. This ensures that THC levels in the product are below the 0.3% limit and that CBD levels are as advertised.

Without thorough regulation, the CBD market is awash with poor-quality products, many of which use synthetically produced cannabidiol.

Likewise, studies have shown that many popular brands of CBD oil sold online contain significantly less CBD than the labels claims. To avoid disappointment, buy only scientifically based THC Free CBD products for a consistent dosage and balance of ingredients.

7. Why Choose RESET CBD

RESET Balance comes from hemp that is cultivated to be extracted as a CBD Isolate. That isolate is then placed into pharmaceutical technology, ready to get to the places that you need i most.

Thanks to our incredible scientists and our pharmaceutical technology CBD is optimized to give maximum bioavailability, compared to many commercially available CBD oils and tinctures that suspend the CBD molecules in oils which won’t mix well with water. RESET delivers THC-free* CBD, with none of the terpenes, flavorings, organic compounds (or toxins) of full-spectrum oils. Water based formulations facilitate optimal absorption, which can be up to 80% more than the traditional consumption of CBD oils.

Both hemp and cannabis CBD products have been popular in research and media for their potential benefits to the mind and body. But only hemp-derived CBD does so without the potential psychoactive effects of THC. If you’re operating machinery, driving or likely to be drug tested at work, even low levels of THC should be taken seriously. RESET Balance has undetectable levels of THC (by the most scientifically accurate tests out there).

References:

1. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/public-health-focus/fda-regulation-cannabis-and-cannabis-derived-products-questions-and-answers
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19924114
3. http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/state-medical-marijuana-laws.aspx
4. https://www.agmrc.org/commodities-products/fiber/industrial-hemp
5. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/what-marijuana
6. https://archives.drugabuse.gov/rise-in-marijuanas-thc-levels
7. https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr2
8. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/medical-marijuana-2018011513085
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12. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/05/14/magazine/cbd-cannabis-cure.html
13. https://news.ncsu.edu/2019/02/is-hemp-the-same-thing-as-marijuana/
14. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/cannabidiol-cbd-what-we-know-and-what-we-dont-2018082414476
15. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6024459/
16. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/cbd-product-boom-science-research-hemp-marijuana
17. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26768542