What Is The Difference Between Marijuana and CBD Oil
5 min read
cannabis with cannabidiol (cbd) extract in a bottle
What is even the difference between marijuana and CBD oil? How are they related?
Marijuana and CBD oil and their benefits have been the topic of much controversy as of late. It is seen as beneficial to some, while others still believe it is easily abused and only good for recreational purposes. They are both from the same species but what is the difference between marijuana and CBD oil.?
The specific laws regarding CBD and Marijuana vary from state to state but seem to be heading towards complete legalization of both.. Some districts have even gone so far as to decriminalize the possession of marijuana. Some states have even legalized it for recreational use. There is little doubt that there are health benefits, but how do we weigh that with the potential harm it can cause
What is CBD oil?
Cannabidiol (better known as CBD) is one of 104 chemical compounds known as cannabinoids that are found in the cannabis plant. It is made by extracting the CBD from the plant and diluting it with other oils such as hemp seed oil. It is normally ingested orally or by inhalation. However, it is sold in gels, gummies, oils, supplements, extracts and much more. There are even television shows that will teach you how to incorporate CBD into your cooking. While CBD is found in the cannabis they are not necessarily the same. They both interact with the body by affecting neurotransmitters in your brain. These neurotransmitters are chemicals that are responsible for delivering messages between cells. They also contribute to pain, stress, sleep, and immune functions. Although they both affect the body it is not quite the same.
What is Marijuana?
The cannabis plant has been the topic of research for several years. The main constituents have been tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and CBD. Unlike CBD, THC has psychoactive tendencies that cause you to feel “high.” Due to this fact, some are skeptical about how it could improve an individual’s health.
Marijuana has been used to treat pain for centuries.
Differences between CBD and Marijuana
Unlike THC found in marijuana CBD does not have these intoxicating properties. In fact, depending on your situation the pros far outweigh the cons of CBD oil usage.
At high doses, it can be used to treat several conditions from psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and dementia; to other disorders such as diabetes and nausea. At lower doses, it can be used to maintain health such as antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, pain relief and neuroprotection effects. For example, CBD can help with skin conditions such as acne. It has neuroprotective antioxidants and is much more effective than vitamins C and D. Moreover, it does not negatively affect physiological functions such as heart rate, blood pressure or body temperature. This also applies to gastrointestinal transit and food intake. Frequent use of up to 1500 mg per day has proved to be well consumed by humans. There have also been several studies inquiring about the anticancer effects of CBD. The application of 5 mg of CBD every three days for 28 weeks, nearly completely reduced the development of the human lung carcinoma cells in mice. There were also two studies that showed CBDs ability to reduce tumor development in tumor-bearing mice.
Are there any side effects?
Unfortunately, there have been recorded side effects of CBD, but those studies were mainly based on animals. These side effects include alterations of cell viability, reduced fertilization, and inhibition of hepatic drug metabolism. More human studies will need to be conducted in order to see if these side effects apply to us. Other possible side effects include dry mouth, coordination issues, red eyes, memory loss and slower reaction times. However, this varies from person to person. The visual analog scale is one of the most constantly used psychometric tools to measure the extent and nature of subjective and adverse effects. When doing these studies, you must make parameters on what will be investigated. For this test, they used alertness, tranquility, confidence, dejection, dizziness, confusion, fatigue, anxiety, irritability, appetite, creative stimulation, and sociability as parameters for the study. They gave a high CBD strain to the participants and documented the results. The results of this study showed much lower levels of anxiety and dejection amongst participants. It also showed that the appetite increased less than it did with the lower strain. Finally, it showed the biggest adverse effect, which was fatigue. It was documented at a score of 7 out of 10 and did not differ amongst the high and low strains.
Is it legal?
The laws regarding cannabis use are very confusing and vary from state to state. In the US, the federal Controlled Substance Act (CSA) controls all substances that are not only psychoactive but have the potential to be abused. They control the entire manufacturing process and supply chain. Each of these substances is placed into a category depending on their properties. Marijuana and all of its components are Schedule 1 substances. Other substances in this category include ibogaine, mescaline, psilocybin, peyote, heroin and Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). These substances cannot be prescribed and can only be lawfully dispensed when licensed by the CSA. Several states allow cannabis products that are high in cannabidiol and low in THC to be sold. With this CBD oil has become much more popularized and is available at several corner stores. So, this leads to the question; is it legal or not? Well in all 50 states it is, but you need to be clear on what identifies as legal. In the US, any plant that contains 0.3% THC or less is considered legal. However, any plant above 0.3% of THC will remain illegal. That is of course not including those who live in states like Colorado, where cannabis is legal for recreational use. However, it is still illegal federally, so I would be a little careful.
These laws are evolving regularly. This leads many to believe that it is a matter of time before cannabis in its entirety is legalized. We aren’t quite there yet, but at least you can relax with a little CBD oil. Whether you desire to take the edge off of a long day or need some pain relief; CBD oil seems to be here to stay.
