I recently started taking CBD oil for pain relief. As recommended, I began with the lowest strength, but it hasn’t been providing the pain relief for which I had hoped. So, I ordered the next higher strength, and today was my first dose. I plan to update my progress for individuals who may be considering the use of CBD oil for treatment themselves. There is a lot of information on the internet, which can get confusing, so I’m just trying to combine some of the most basic answers to common questions in today’s blog.
My Video on Day 1 of using the higher strength of CBD oil.
What is CBD oil?
CBD is one of many compounds, known as cannabinoids, that are found in the Cannabis-Sativa plant. CBD and THC are the compounds that occur in the highest percentages, with CBD being a non-psychoactive element of the plant. Oils that contain concentrations of CBD are known as CBD oils. The concentration and uses of different oils vary, possess a wide range of benefits and do not cause a “high”.
Is CBD marijuana?
The short answer is – No!
Read on for the longer answer…
CBD oil is a compound derived from cannabis. The most active and most well-known compound in cannabis is delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Marijuana contains both THC and CBD, but the compounds have different effects.
THC is the compound that causes the ‘high’ when broken down with heat and introduced to the body.
CBD is not psychoactive, meaning it does not alter the state of mind of the user. But, it does seem to have significant effects on the body and has been found to have medical benefits.
Most medicinal CBD is found in the least processed form of the cannabis plant, known has hemp. While hemp and marijuana come from the cannabis sativa, they are very different.
Marijuana farmers breed their plants to very high in THC and other compounds that are beneficial to them for whatever reason, while hemp farmers have not attempted to modify their plants. It is the unaltered hemp plants that are used to create CBD oil.
Check that your retailer publicizes how they source their CBD oil; there should be complete transparency in their information. If you can’t find the info, they may be hiding something.
I purchase my CBD oil from PureKana and they state the following directly on their website:
“WHAT IS IN PUREKANA’S CBD OIL? What makes our products great? CBD or cannabidiol is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in hemp. Although hemp is part of the cannabis family, we offer hemp CBD oil for sale that contains only trace amounts of the psychoactive properties commonly associated with cannabis. This means you can buy hemp CBD oil from us and trust that you are getting completely legal products.
At PureKana, we offer you ultra-concentrated hemp CBD that is grown and harvested in select microclimates on generational farms in hemp-friendly countries. Once harvested, our hemp is carefully processed and undergoes extraction and quality testing, creating legal CBD-rich hemp oil which we infuse into each and every PureKana product. This ensures that all our products have the desired hemp CBD oil effects while satisfying federal laws and guidelines for production and distribution.”
How is CBD oil extracted?
This depends on the original plant used for the oil. Most commonly, cannabis plants contain THC, are specifically bread to higher CBD/lower THC, or are industrial hemp plants that contain zero or trace amounts of THC.
The most common form of extraction for industrial hemp plants is some type of liquid solvent, however, this process can leave contaminants in the finished products. Other methods of extraction are CO2 Extraction and Oil Extraction.
Since the retailer I use employs the solvent-free CO2 Extraction method, I will try to give a simple breakdown of the process. If you want a more detailed and scientific explanation, I’m sure “Google” can help you out. CO2 Extraction uses a machine called a “closed loop extractor” that has three chambers. The first chamber holds solid, pressurized C02 (which is dry ice), the second chamber contains the dried plant material and the third chamber separates out the finished product. The solid CO2 is pumped from the first chamber into the second chamber, which is kept at a specific temperature and pressure that causes the solid CO2 to take on a more liquid form (it’s actually a state referred to as supercritical CO2 – again, “Google”). The new form of CO2 then runs through the plant material, extracting chemicals and flavors, and this CO2/Cannabinoid mixture is pumped into the third chamber. In this third chamber, the mixture is kept at a higher temperature and lower pressure so the gas rises to the top of the chamber and the oil containing the chemicals and flavors fall to the bottom of the chamber for removal. The CO2 Extraction method can also be to separate CBD from plants containing THC.
So, there you have some basics of CBD oil – what it is, how it is ‘created’, whether it is legal or can get your high. If you have other questions, I will do my best to answer them, but I not claiming to be an expert, by any means. I am just hoping to provide some information for anyone who may be interested in trying CBD oil as a treatment for their own symptoms.
Check back later in the week when I share my results after a few days on the higher strength CBD oil.
My 1 Week Video sharing results after 1 week on the higher strength of CBD oil.
I have not been compensated in any manner by PureKana. I visited different retailer sites and theirs was the one with which I personally felt most comfortable and informed. I strongly suggest that you do your own research and choose a company that meets your specific criteria. Good luck! ~S