If you’ve been following the latest news in the health supplement world, it’s likely you’ve come across the acronym CBD.
These three capital letters are completely changing the way we think about, promote, and enhance health and wellbeing in humans and pets. Here at Medical Mary, we believe it’s the most thrilling development in natural wellness in recent history. Maybe all of history.
So what is CBD?
CBD is shorthand for cannabidiol, a compound which belongs to a group of chemicals known collectively as the cannabinoid family.
And where can you find cannabinoids? You probably already guessed it. In a genus of plants known as cannabis (or, more technically, cannabis sativa).
Now, CBD isn’t the only cannabinoid. In fact, scientists have identified over 100 different cannabinoids, each with its own unique properties and potential beneficial effect on animal physiology. CBD has taken center stage because people who take it regularly often report relief from common ailments such as chronic pain.
We’re not surprised. Our customers tell us this all the time!
Not only that, scientists around the world are conducting promising research that appears to confirm that CBD may help with a variety of conditions. Although we can’t make specific health claims about CBD (at least not yet) we can encourage you to consider the compelling science behind it and the many people who enthusiastically testify to its power again and again.
How powerful is CBD?
Many would say: Very.
Just one piece of evidence: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved the epilepsy drug Epidiolex, a CBD-based drug used to treat Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome, both rare and devastating illnesses.
Now that’s impressive.
This is all terribly exciting stuff. Human health may be on the verge of a whole new era of vitality, wellbeing, and freedom. This means a brighter, more joyful world for all might be on the horizon. But since there’s a lot of confusion about cannabidiol floating around internet we decided to create blog posts meant to help you understand the basics of CBD and separate fact from myth. We’re doing this because we want you to be an informed CBD consumer. In short, our goal is to empower you to make the best health and wellness decisions for you and your family.
The subject we’d like to tackle today is the difference between CBD and marijuana.
Let’s get to it, shall we?
CBD vs. Marijuana
If you mention CBD in a conversation, don’t be surprised if someone says something to the effect of, “Oh, isn’t that just code for marijuana?” They might even say this with a chuckle.
The answer, of course, is a definitive no. CBD is not equivalent to marijuana.
That said, the confusion is understandable.
Let’s break this down:
First, CBD is a chemical compound found in cannabis sativa, not the plant itself.
Second, as we mentioned, CBD is a cannabinoid. This means the compound can, indeed, be found in marijuana, which is a strain of cannabis.
But—and here’s the important part—CBD is also found in the hemp plant, a different strain of the cannabis genus. The two plants look and smell similar, but their cannabinoid profiles are not the same, particularly and most significantly when it comes to tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the psychoactive element that gives marijuana users a sense of euphoria: the so-called marijuana “high.”
Hemp has only a trace of THC while marijuana contains THC in abundance.
In this country, CBD can only be legally extracted from industrial hemp, not marijuana.
This is why taking CBD oil may help with ailments, but won’t produce a change in your perception or give you the feeling of a “high.”
We should mention, however, that Full Spectrum CBD still does contain a tiny bit of THC (less than .3%). While not nearly enough to create a psychoactive effect, you should be aware of its presence, however minimal, in case you’re scheduled for a drug test. A good option for those in that situation would be Isolate or Broad Spectrum CBD, both of which contain no THC at all, and both of which Medical Mary offers in our line of products.
Well, we hope this post has been helpful. There’s a lot to learn about hemp, CBD, and wellness so be on the lookout for new posts each week. We’ll be covering a range of CBD and wellness topics in the coming months and we welcome any feedback. In the meantime, we invite you to explore our website and send us any questions or comments about our products, or even just to say hi. At Medical Mary, we care deeply about the health of those we serve and we look forward to helping you discover CBD and its potential to transform lives everywhere.
