{"id":25005,"date":"2021-04-10T19:32:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-10T19:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/?p=25005"},"modified":"2021-04-11T10:20:09","modified_gmt":"2021-04-11T10:20:09","slug":"cbd-marijuana-and-hemp-what-is-the-difference-among-these-cannabis-products-and-which-are-legal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/cbd-marijuana-and-hemp-what-is-the-difference-among-these-cannabis-products-and-which-are-legal\/","title":{"rendered":"CBD, marijuana and hemp: What is the difference among these cannabis products, and which are legal?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Brandon McFadden<\/a>, University of Delaware<\/a><\/em> and Trey Malone<\/a>, Michigan State University<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

New York recently became the 15th U.S. state to legalize cannabis for recreational use<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While 67% of U.S. adults support marijuana legalization<\/a>, public knowledge about cannabis is low. A third of Americans think hemp and marijuana are the same thing<\/a>, according to the National Institutes of Health<\/a>, and many people still search Google to find out whether cannabidiol<\/a> \u2013 a cannabis derivative known as CBD \u2013 will get them high, as marijuana does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hemp, marijuana and CBD are all related, but they differ in significant ways. Here\u2019s what you need to know about their legality, effects and potential health benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hemp, marijuana and cannabanoidals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Both hemp and marijuana belong to the same species, Cannabis sativa<\/em>, and the two plants look somewhat similar. However, substantial variation can exist within a species. After all, great Danes and chihuahuas are both dogs, but they have obvious differences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Tiny<\/a>
Great Danes and chihuahuas are distant cousins, like marijuana and hemp. Pixy<\/a>, CC BY<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The defining difference between hemp and marijuana is their psychoactive component: tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC<\/a>. Hemp has 0.3% or less THC, meaning hemp-derived products don\u2019t contain enough THC to create the \u201chigh\u201d traditionally associated with marijuana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CBD is a compound found in cannabis. There are hundreds of such compounds<\/a>, which are termed \u201ccannabinoids,\u201d because they interact with receptors involved in a variety of functions like appetite, anxiety, depression and pain sensation<\/a>. THC is also a cannabinoid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clinical research indicates that CBD is effective at treating epilepsy<\/a>. Anecdotal evidence suggests it can help with pain and even anxiety \u2013 though scientifically the jury is still out on that<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marijuana, containing both CBD and more THC than hemp, has demonstrated therapeutic benefits<\/a> for people with epilepsy<\/a>, nausea<\/a>, glaucoma and potentially even multiple sclerosis<\/a> and opioid-dependency disorder<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, medical research on marijuana is severely restricted by federal law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Drug Enforcement Agency categorizes cannabis<\/a> as a Schedule 1 substance, meaning it handles cannabis as if there is no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Scientists don\u2019t know exactly how CBD works<\/a>, nor how it interacts with other cannabinoids like THC to give marijuana its added therapeutic effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Retail CBD<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

CBD comes in food, tinctures and oils, just to name a few. Here are some commonly used terms used to describe CBD products in the store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Wood<\/a>
Full spectrum CBD products for sale, including tinctures, topical creams, edible gummies and pet products. Smith Collection\/Gado\/Getty Images<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While the terms \u201cCBD tincture\u201d and \u201cCBD oil<\/a>\u201d are often used interchangeably, the two are actually different. Tinctures are made by soaking cannabis in alcohol, while oils are made by suspending CBD in a carrier oil, like olive or coconut oil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPure\u201d CBD, also called \u201cCBD isolate,\u201d is called that because all other cannabinoids have been removed. So have terpenes and flavonoids, which give marijuana its strong aroma and earthy flavor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBroad spectrum\u201d CBD typically contains at least three other cannabinoids, as well as some terpenes and flavonoids \u2013 but still no THC. \u201cFull spectrum\u201d CBD, also called \u201cwhole flower\u201d CBD, is similar to broad spectrum but can contain up to 0.3% THC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In states where recreational marijuana is legal, the list of cannabis-derived products greatly expands to include CBD with much higher THC content than 0.3%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is no standardized dosage<\/a> of CBD. Some retailers may have enough knowledge to make a recommendation for first-timers. There are also online resources \u2013 like this dosage calculator<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consumers concerned about content and the accuracy of CBD products, which are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, can look for certification from independent lab testing or by scanning a QR code on product packaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note that CBD oil is different from hemp oil \u2013 which comes from pressing cannabis seeds, and may not contain CBD \u2013 and hempseed oil<\/a>, which is a source of essential fatty acids and contains no CBD. It\u2019s a nutritional supplement, more like fish oil than CBD oil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Legal status<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Another big difference among hemp, marijuana and CBD is how the law treats them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though 15 states have now legalized recreational marijuana<\/a>, it remains illegal federally in the United States. Technically, those in possession of marijuana in a legal weed state can still be punished under federal law, and traveling across state borders with cannabis is prohibited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hemp, on the other hand, was made legal to grow and sell in the United States<\/a> in the 2018 Farm Bill<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Man<\/a>
A stand at the 2019 Southern Hemp Expo, in Tennessee. Bill Clark\/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One would assume, then, that hemp-derived CBD should be federally legal in every state<\/a> because the THC levels don\u2019t surpass 0.3%. But CBD occupies a legal gray area. Several states, such as Nebraska and Idaho, still essentially regulate CBD oil as a Schedule 1 substance akin to marijuana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our recent study<\/a> found that Americans perceive hemp and CBD to be more like over-the-counter medication and THC to be more like a prescription drug. Still, the average person in the U.S. does not view hemp, CBD, THC or even marijuana in the same light as illicit substances like meth and cocaine \u2013 even though both are classified by the DEA as having a lower potential for abuse than marijuana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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