Understanding the Differences between CBD Cannabis and CBD Hemp
Cannabidiol, or CBD, continues to capture people’s interest due to its increasing availability and benefits. One common cause of confusion among people is whether a CBD product comes from cannabis or hemp plants. The most straightforward answer is they are both extracts from unique varieties of Cannabis Sativa plants.
People confuse hemp CBD with cannabis CBD due to the classification, makeup, and name of the plant. The main difference is the levels of CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. THC is the cause of the ‘high’ experience people get that they typically associate with using cannabis.
Here are a few other things you, as a consumer, should know about the difference between CBD cannabis and CBD hemp.
Cannabis
Cannabis plants come in three standard types: cannabis Indica, cannabis Sativa, and cannabis ruderalis. There are also instances of a mix of these three strains called hybrid plants.
Read on below to get a closer look at the different cannabis types and learn their differences.
Sativa
Sativa strains can cause a focused high and feelings of euphoria after consumption. Small doses of the strain increase creativity, boost energy, and promote outside-the-box thinking.
The strain is not a typical first choice in the medical market unless needed for specific medical problems. However, strains dominant in Sativa are the best choice for the recreational food and drink industry.
Indica
Indica strains cause body-centric effects that can relax muscles and soothe aches and pains. Certain strains of this cannabis type assist in inducing sleep and serve as a remedy for insomnia. These health benefits make Indica dominant in the medical field.
Ruderalis
Among the three strains, ruderalis has the lowest levels of THC and produces less yield than Sativa or Indica strains. They are not the best choice for the recreational market due to poor returns. However, crossbreeding the strain with Indica or Sativa has the potential to improve their yields.
Ruderalis also contains higher levels of CBD, which is why it is particularly useful for the medical market.
These plants have higher levels of concentrated THC than hemp plants and vary depending on the type of cannabis plant. Aside from containing more THC, some instances of cannabis plants contain less CBD than their hemp plant counterpart.
Hemp
Hemp is a very distinct variety of the Cannabis Sativa plant that people have grown for hundreds of years. Although initially, they used hemp for more mundane products like making clothes, rope, and sails.
Even though hemp plants contain lower levels of THC than cannabis, specific kinds of processed hemp can still induce euphoria. These types of processed hemp typically come in the form of gummies, tinctures, or capsules.
Oklahoma Smokes and other CBD products typically use the flowers and leaves of the plant to produce CBD products. Oklahoma Smokes, for example, makes pure hemp CBD cigarettes using organically grown hemp with 50mg of CBD per stick.
The Difference
The main difference between hemp and cannabis plants is the compound amounts of CBD and THC contained in each plant. As mentioned earlier, hemp has more CBD and less THC, while cannabis has more THC and less CBD.
However, it is essential to understand that the CBD benefits remain unchanged regardless of whether the source comes from either plant.
These CBD benefits include:
- Pain relief
- Alleviated cancer symptoms
- Reduced mental health disorder symptoms
- Antipsychotic effects
- Lowered high blood pressure
- Treatment for substance abuse
- Improved quality of sleep
- Treatment for neurological disorders
Even typical side effects like fatigue, paranoia, and upset stomach stay the same. That is because the CBD chemical composition is not dependent on which of the two plants it serves as a source.
However, the extraction amount of CBD depends on which plant you use as a source. Since hemp plants produce more CBD, they are the lucrative choice for manufacturers.
Hemp plants are also the safest option in terms of avoiding legal ramifications. Another aspect that separates hemp CBD and cannabis CBD is the legal status.
Based on the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp is exempt from the marijuana legal description of the Controlled Substances Act. That means some hemp-extracted CBD products with THC levels less than 0.3 percent are federally legal.
However, any CBD products that have THC levels higher than 0.3 percent still fall under marijuana legal definition. While some states have declared marijuana legal in their state laws, the substance is still technically federally illegal.
To be on the side of caution, make sure to check state laws when traveling from state to state with marijuana in your possession.
The differences between cannabis and hemp boil down to their legality in the eyes of the state. After that, it ultimately comes down to your preference.
Some people prefer hemp for its health benefits, and some prefer cannabis for the euphoria. With this simple guide, you will at least have the basics down.
