Cannabidiol (CBD) products are widely available from supermarkets, pharmacies, local grocery stores, etc. This is especially true after the US Farm Act of 2018, which legalized the industrial cultivation of the hemp plant, and products made using it like the CBD health and wellness products. Nowadays, manufacturers are introducing different types of consumer products infused with this cannabinoid. Many of them are aimed at relieving the symptoms of most common day ailments. However, this creates confusion for users because the wide variety of choices makes it difficult to select the right product. In this article, we will clarify many of the doubts regarding CBD products.
Where Does CBD Come From?
CBD, also known as cannabidiol, is one of more than 100 cannabinoids found in the cannabis family of plants. Legally available CBD health and wellness products are made using the extracts of hemp plant parts like flowers, buds, and leaves. This is because cannabidiol is the major cannabinoid in the plant, and its THC content is less than 0.3%. The extremely low THC content makes them suitable for therapeutic and medical uses. Furthermore, you must know that cannabinoids like THC and CBD produce their effects by boosting the levels or mimicking the endocannabinoids naturally produced by our bodies.
What Is The Difference Between THC And CBD?
Both THC and CBD are cannabinoids naturally found in the hemp plant. While CBD is popular for its potential therapeutic effects, THC is infamous for the high it produces. This dichotomy in their effects is because they are isomers, i.e. they have the same chemical formula, but different molecular structures. However, they have some similar effects like relieving pain and inflammation and neuroprotective effects. Because of this a combination of THC and CBD is used in Sativex, which is a drug used for relieving the symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS).
What Is Special About The Hemp Strain Used For Making CBD Products?
The hemp plant strains used for making CBD health and wellness products are bred to have lower THC content. Remember that decades of careful breeding made it possible to bring the THC to CBD ratio to 15:1 by 1991, and by 2014 this jumped to 80:1. Nowadays, some hemp plant strains do not contain THC. This is because one of the main reasons for the popularity of cannabidiol-infused health wellness products is their minuscule tetrahydrocannabinol.
Are There Evidence About The Effectiveness Of CBD?
Only limited studies have been published about the effectiveness of cannabidiol (CBD) for relieving or treating the symptoms of ailments. This is the reason it is not used in conventional treatments.
On a final note, more research is conducted to have an in-depth understanding of how CBD produces its effects so that it can be used as part of conventional treatment.