Cannabidiol, or CBD, was first extracted from a cannabis plant by a Harvard-schooled chemist named Roger Adams. Decades later, Israeli researcher Raphael Mechoulam picked up where Adams had left off and was able to successfully describe the chemical structure of the CBD molecule.
CBD is just one of hundreds of cannabinoids that can be present in a cannabis or hemp plant. In cannabis plants, it is often the second most abundant cannabinoid behind Delta-9 THC. In most hemp varieties, CBD is the dominant cannabinoid since D9 THC is legally capped at just 0.3% in commercial hemp.
This blend of cannabinoids will vary from plant to plant, and especially from cultivar to cultivar, but when presented in harmony with one another they combine to form what we call a broad spectrum or a full spectrum delivery of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids all of which contribute to the Entourage Effect most users are seeking.
We are learning more every day about what role each individual cannabinoid and terpene play in that symphony, and CBD continues to amaze everyone from curious researchers to caring mothers.
CBD GOES MAINSTREAM
Perhaps its most important and popular attribute is in its ability to treat a growing list of illnesses and ailments, from inflammation to epilepsy and about a thousand things in between, without the psychotropic effects commonly associated with THC and cannabis use in general.
Hailed for its proven anti-convulsive, anti-anxiety, anti-psychotic, anti-nausea and anti-rheumatoid arthritic properties, its non-intoxicating nature has made CBD a viable option for everyone from the very young to the very old without fear of getting them “stoned”.
In fact, it has become common knowledge among cannabis consumers that the best way to help someone who has gotten too high is to give them a good dose of pure CBD to ease them back down to earth.
The exact interaction that CBD has with our brains is still being studied, but it is believed that CBD can prevent the breakdown of a chemical in the brain that affects mood, pain tolerance, and mental function.
HEMP CBD vs. CANNABIS CBD
When it comes to their chemical structure, there is absolutely no difference between a CBD molecule taken from a cannabis plant compared to one taken from a hemp plant.
Technically speaking, there is no difference between a cannabis plant and a hemp plant, other than the allowable limit of Delta-9 THC in that plant.
So, CBD is CBD… but, not all CBD on store shelves is the same.
In a loosely regulated hemp market, there is way too much wiggle room for fly-by-night companies to cash in on the CBD craze, and not enough oversight or 3rd-party lab testing to effectively reign it in. That is why you see so many CBD brands popping up across the country.
Their CBD molecule may be the same as what we extract and utilize here at Humboldt’s Cabinet, but were their plants grown responsibly? Or were they dowsed in pesticides and fertilizers that could residually remain in their final products? Were their plants covered in mold or webs when they were harvested and processed? What sort of solvents were used to extract the cannabinoids? Are they still present in the oil?
These days, a CBD product is only as reliable as the people that stand behind it.
A pure CBD molecule surrounded by impurities is about as counterproductive as it gets!
At Humboldt’s Cabinet, all of our CBD is sourced from Southern Oregon hemp fields and is scrutinized by 3rd-party lab testing at every step of manufacturing to ensure that it is not only potent, but pure and safe to consume.
We wouldn’t make it if we wouldn’t take it, that’s the bottom line.
