A Farm Bill that was passed in 2018 made the production of industrial hemp legal in the United States. This bill provided room for the legalization of Cannabinoid – a cannabis compound that has received massive praise thanks to its huge potential benefits. Even though laws surrounding this product are different across all states, its interest continues to grow at a significant rate. This has prompted CBD companies to produce an array of products that include CBD oils, tinctures, pills, topicals, and more. One thing that confuses most CBD users and enthusiasts is understanding whether the CBD products they buy are made from cannabis or hemp.
When doing your research, you will find some sources that advise CBD is CBD regardless of the source. Even though this is true to some degree, you need to know whether you are buying hemp-derived CBD or cannabis-derived CBD. This is because these two products are different in a number of ways.
What Is Hemp?
Hemp is a variety of the Cannabis Sativa plant. It has been around for hundreds of years and has been used for a variety of applications, including making sails, food products, ropes, and more. In the United States, hemp’s industrial use has a long history – even the third president of the country, Thomas Jefferson, grew it.
The plant has less than 0.3% THC. It is legal in most states, and producers can grow it for industrial use as long as they abide by strict regulations. Manufacturers use flowers and leaves of the hemp plant to make CBD products that include gummies, capsules, and tinctures.
What Is Cannabis?
There are many varieties of the cannabis plant. The standard varieties include C. ruderalis, C. indica, and C. Sativa. Cannabis contains varying and higher levels of THC than hemp plants. What makes the difference between cannabis and hemp more pronounced is the fact that the former contains less CBD than the former.
A 2016 study found out that the average CBD levels in the cannabis plant decreased to less than 0.15% in 2014, down from 0.28% in 2001. Additionally, its potency levels rose to 12% in 2014, up from 4% in 1995.
Does this mean that CBD derived from hemp is more superior to CBD derived from CBD? Well, let’s look at the key differences:
CBD and THC Profile of Hemp and Cannabis Explained
Both cannabis and hemp contain THC and CBD. In hemp, CBD levels are relatively high, while THC levels are almost negligible. On the other hand, CBD levels in the cannabis plant are modest, while THC levels are high.
Over the past few years, specialist cultivation of marijuana has led to a dramatic increase in THC levels in cannabis. There is nothing in the hem plant that is known to produce noticeable psychoactive effects. According to the law, hemp products or industrial hemp must contain THC levels of less than 0.3%.
The Legal Status of Cannabis and Hemp Oil
CBD’s legality in the United States is still confusing, with CBD products ranging from prohibited to tolerated to legal. Owing to the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, industrial hemp is legal in all states. On the other hand, cannabis is illegal on the federal level, but it is legal in 29 states in different forms. For instance, Arizona and Florida have legalized cannabis for medical use, while Colorado and California have legalized it for recreational use.
