You’ve heard about it, it caught your interest, but there’s so much varied information out there, that it seems impossible to tell right from wrong. Worry not, for in this article, I’ll give you a comprehensive look at what exactly is CBD, what does CBD do and who are the people that might find benefits within CBD products.
We’ll take it from the top – if you’ve spent some time researching the topic beforehand, you might have noticed that there’s a lot of confusion about some of the specifics surrounding CBD. Even the basic information, such as where does CBD come from and what is CBD oil can get twisted pretty fast.
For those reasons, we’ll take it slow and try to cover each point as objectively as possible. As you’ll see in just a moment, that’s not always easy to do.
Before we begin, though, I would like to also suggest that, if you find this article informative and develop an even deeper interest in CBD, do take a look at some of the top CBD oil providers in the industry. Never purchase from shady shops or the black market – reliable and trustworthy providers are the way to go.
Once and for All – What is CBD?
Let’s tackle the big one right from the get-go, shall we? After we get the definitions and basics out of the way, we’ll move on to some of the more expansive subjects.
CBD and Cannabis Sativa
So, then – what is CBD?
CBD is a chemical compound found in the Cannabis Sativa plant – a cannabinoid. Different sources will give you different numbers, but based on some semi-recent researches, it is believed that there are more than 100 cannabinoids within that same plant – CBD is just one of them.
Well, saying “just one” is probablya bit of an understatement – together with THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), they make up a huge part of the plant.
CBD and THC – Some Common Misconceptions
Looking at what does CBD stand for – cannabidiol -, you’ll notice that it’s also often associated with another, before-mentioned cannabinoid – THC.
It is this relationship that makes CBD a tricky topic still, and CBD products some of the most controversial ones in the fields of alternative medicine and legal issues.
You see, THC is a psychoactive cannabinoid – it makes people high (or stoned – depends on your word preference) when they consume it. This cannabinoid is actually the main reason why some people smoke marijuana in order to get high – in other words, out of all of the chemical compounds found in the plant, THC is the one responsible for that effect.
Since both CBD and THC come from the same plant – Cannabis Sativa -, oftentimes when you’re looking for what is CBD, you might notice that both of them are grouped up into the same pile.
That’s a really bad way of looking at things.
It is true that both THC and CBD can be found in hemp and marijuana plants. If you’re ever searched “what is CBD oil?”, you might have noticed that some oil bottles say “hemp-derived CBD oil”, while others mention “marijuana-derived CBD”. There’s a big difference.
Hemp-derived CBD is the way to go. It is the CBD product that everyone talks about – these oils fall under the federal rules of not containing more than 0,3% of THC within them, and are quite a bit more lenient than marijuana-derived CBD ones.
Now, here’s another controversial take for anyone out there looking at what is CBD – the cannabinoid is actually psychoactive, too. There are many – and I do mean, MANY – sources online that will tell you otherwise, but they are objectively incorrect.
How can I be so sure? Well, it’s quite simple, really.
At the beginning of this chapter, when we were talking about what does CBD stand for, I told you that THC is a psychoactive cannabinoid – it makes people high. In other words, it alters a person’s mood, in one way or another.
Well, CBD also does that – users report feelings of calmness, relaxation, stress relief and so on (we’ll talk more about that in a minute). If it alters your mood and mind in any way, shape or form, it’s psychoactive – that’s the literal definition of the word.
There should be a point made in the counterargument’s defense, too, though.
You see, THC is very psychoactive – CBD is not. Its psychoactiveness goes as far as the definition does – that’s why many online sources simply claim it as a non-psychoactive compound. To put it bluntly, once you figure out what is CBD, and start using it at your own leisure, you won’t get high – not even by a long shot.
