What is CBD?
CBD or Cannabidiol is one of the most familiar to people of over 120 known naturally occurring cannabinoids found in the plants of the cannabis family. The other well-known cannabinoid is THC, Tetrahydrocannabinol, which is the psychoactive constituent of the cannabis family grown to become marijuana. CBD and nearly all the other cannabinoids are non-psychoactive, meaning a user of these cannot become “high” or have an impaired mental state.
What is the difference between Hemp and Marijuana?
Although both hemp and marijuana belong to the same cannabis plant family, they come from two sets of distinct and differing plant “strains”, with dramatically different levels of CBD and other non-psychoactive cannabinoids and THC. Hemp strains for medicinal purposes are typically bred and grown to maximize these non-psychoactive cannabinoids and marijuana strains are bred and grown to maximize the few psychoactive THC cannabinoids.
So Industrial Hemp contains very little or no THC, under 0.3%, and a great deal of CBD and other cannabinoids, typically over 10% for high-quality strains.
Is CBD from hemp as good as CBD from marijuana?
Yes, it is. CBD is CBD, whether from marijuana or hemp. Since our high-CBD hemp also contains a trace amount of THC (below 0.3%) and many other non-psychoactive cannabinoids, it may even have some better synergistic effects than most marijuana, which has a very low non-psychoactive cannabinoid profile (like CBD, CBC, CBG). So most of the time hemp would be preferable for anything besides THC. Marijuana is usually very high in THC (gives people the high) but usually very low in other non-psychoactive cannabinoids.
Is our Hemp Extract Oil an isolate or broad spectrum?
Our Full Plant Hemp Extract Oil is broad spectrum, not an isolate, and includes all cannabinoids naturally occurring in the hemp strains that we grow. We found that extracts containing this broad spectrum of cannabinoids can be beneficial to overall health and well being, more so than any single isolated cannabinoid.
The cannabinoids in our Hemp Extract are technically called Phyto-cannabinoid diols, which are chemical compounds containing two hydroxy groups originating from the Cannabis plant. Cannabidiol (CBD) is the most well-know and highest concentration at about 90% of the cannabinoids in our extract. Our extract also contains Cannabidiolic Acid (CBDA), Cannabigerol (CBG) and Cannabidivarin (CBDV), the next most abundant diols in our Hemp Extract with others occurring in trace amounts.
Why is our Hemp Oil a beautiful golden color that has complex fragrances while others are colorless and odorless?
Because we carefully and expertly extract our oils and other compounds from all the flowers and leaf material on the entire plant, we get an oil naturally balanced, rich in phyto-cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, ketones, amino acids, vitamins, trace minerals and other compounds, producing a beautiful looking golden color with wonderful, complex fragrances.
Isolates that other companies do, isolating only CBD or other compounds one at a time, are typically colorless and odorless, and do not have this rich mix of compounds found both in the plant and in our oils.
Is our Hemp Oil THC free?
No. We wish to provide a full spectrum of cannabinoids that naturally occur in the hemp strains that we grow, including tiny amounts of THC. Our potencies of our Hemp Oil are tested and below the federal THC limit of 0.3% THC, which makes us industrial hemp.
Is our Full Plant Hemp Extract Oil USDA certified organic?
No, it is not “certified” organic, but we are as organic as we can be. As far as we know, organic certification programs for hemp oil do not exist within the USDA. We use all natural, organic nutrients, organic ingredients and are chemical free throughout our genetics, cultivation, harvesting and formulation processes.
Our hemp extract undergoes rigorous testing for microbes, metals, pesticides, herbicidal residues, residual solvents and potency by independent testing agencies.
Is there a difference between hemp seed oil and CBD Hemp Extract?
Yes, absolutely. They are completely different and come from different parts of the cannabis plant. Hemp Seed oil, which is typically inexpensive and can be found in grocery stores or food chains, comes from cold pressing hemp seeds, and contains essentially no cannabinoids, terpenes and other compounds found in CBD oils.
Our full plant hemp CBD oil is extracted from the flowers and leaves of the cannabis plant, not the seeds, and is full of cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids and other compounds not found in the seed.
What is in our full plant hemp extracts besides the naturally occurring cannabinoids?
Our hemp extracts can contain over 80 different phyto-cannabinoids such as cannabidiol (CBD), CBDA, CBC, CBG, CBN, etc. In addition to the cannabinoids naturally occurring in our industrial hemp extracts, there are also many other types of natural molecules and phyto-chemical compounds such as:
- Terpenes – the most prevalent terpenes being Myrcene, Beta-Caryophyllene, A-Pinene, Limonene, B-Pinene, Humulene, Nerolidol-trans, Menthol, A-Bisabolol, Linalool, Isopulegol and Camphene
- Flavonoids
- Ketones
- Amino Acids
- Carbohydrates
- Vitamins including B1, B2, B6, and D
- Fatty Acids including omega 3 and 6
- Trace Minerals including calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc
- Beta-Carotene
- Nitrogenous Compounds
- Alkanes
- Glycosides
- Plant Pigments
- And Water
What are the known benefits of CBD?
In accordance with federal regulations, we cannot make health claims regarding our dietary supplement products. We cannot suggest the use of any of our products for the prevention, treatment or cure of any disease or ailment.
We can only recommend our products for general wellness.
Those who have symptoms or suspect that they have or have been diagnosed with a disease or illness should consult a qualified medical professional.
How does CBD Work?
All cannabinoids, including CBD, attach themselves to certain receptors in the body to produce their effects.
The human body produces certain cannabinoids on its own called endo-cannabinoids. The body has two receptors for cannabinoids, called CB1 receptors and CB2 receptors.
CB1 receptors are found all around the body, but many of them are in the brain.
The CB1 receptors in the brain deal with coordination and movement, pain, emotions and mood, thinking, appetite, and memories, among others. THC attaches to these receptors.
CB2 receptors are more common in the immune system. They are involved with inflammation and pain.
It used to be thought that CBD acts on these CB2 receptors, but it appears now that CBD does not act on either receptor directly. Instead, it seems to influence the body to use more of its own cannabinoids.
Legality: Did the December 14th 2016 ruling by the DEA affect our ability to sell our Hemp Oil in every state?
We believe so based upon both private consultations with Robert Hoban, a nationally recognized Colorado cannabis attorney and adjunct professor of law at the University of Denver, and from his public statements that he has made to the International Business Times , He made the recent statement: “This action is beyond the DEA’s authority. The DEA can only carry out the law, they cannot create it. Here, they’re purporting to create an entirely new category called ‘marijuana extracts,’ and by doing so wrest control over all cannabinoids. They want to call all cannabinoids illegal. But they don’t have the authority to do that.”
The Hemp Industry Association (HIA), in consultation with their extensive legal advisory team has also weighed in on this, stating, “There is general agreement that yesterday’s ruling did not change the status of CBD.” The HIA noted the following important facts:
In Sec. 7606 of the Agricultural Farm Act 2014, industrial hemp is defined as distinct from marijuana and does not treat it as a controlled substance.
HIA strongly disagrees with the DEA position and is ready to take action to defend affected parties should the DEA take any action to block the production, processing or sale of hemp under Sec. 7606.
The Final Rule published on December 14th was not a scheduling action but rather an administrative action related to record keeping for identification of substances on registration forms.
Based upon all of this and what we hear from other partner companies after consultations with their legal advisors, we see no real and imminent danger to your ability to consume for personal use, or to market and sell our Hemp Oil Extracts throughout all 50 states within the U.S.A.
We will continue to consult with recognized law firms and legal consultants in the hemp industry and we will post any changes or other relevant information regarding the legality of industrial hemp on our website.
Will I fail a drug screening by ingesting or applying topically our Hemp Oil?
It is possible that you would. Most work-place drug screens and tests target delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and do not detect the presence of Cannabidiols or other legal natural hemp based constituents. However, studies have shown that eating hemp foods and ingesting hemp oils can cause confirmed positive results when screening urine and blood specimens. It depends upon the type and sensitivity of the testing involved.
If you are subject to any form of drug testing or screening, we recommend that you DO-NOT ingest our hemp extract products. The US Armed Services recommends this as well. At the very minimum, we strongly recommend that you consult with your employer or drug screening and testing company prior to consuming our hemp extract products for their pre-approval or denial.
Are CBD hemp extracts safe? Are there negative side effects?
Hemp is considered by many to be generally safe. The studies that we have seen point to mild to minimal side effects, such as hypo-tension, dry or “cotton” mouth, psycho-motor slowing, lightheadedness, and sedation.
Please consult with your physician before using any dietary supplement including Hemp extract supplements.
Can you overdose on CBD?
Well, you can overdose on anything, including water, so be careful not to take too much CBD.
Cannabidiol and other cannabinoids are known to be non-toxic, with no known fatal overdose levels ever reported. A study from 2011 indicated that chronic use and high doses up to 1,500 mg/day of CBD are reportedly well tolerated in humans. The Department of Health and Human Services states, ‘no signs of toxicity or serious side effects have been observed following chronic administration of cannabidiol to healthy volunteers (Cunha et al., Pharmacology 21:127-185, 1980), even in large acute doses of 700 mg/day (Consroe et al., Pharmacol, Biochem, Behav. 40:701-708, 1991).’